The Beijing subway is the one of the most surreal experiences I have ever come across on my Beijing Tour. It is the 5th busiest in the world and currently consists of 14lines and some 209 miles of operating lines which intends to keep growing until 2015. The busiest line, Line 1, cuts through the entire city centre, including stations at Tianenmen Square and Guomao (where the notorious Silk Market is based). On 4th March 2011, a record breaking 6.82million people rode the subway. Getting to a subway station is very easy as most Beijing Hotels and landmarks are close to one. There are 172 subway stations across the city and 2 further lines are to open in 2012
Tickets & Security
You can either pay for each ticket individually or invest in a Beijing subway card (similar to a London Oyster Card) which can also be used on buses. A return on the subway is 2RMB no matter how far you are going. Before paying for your ticket, you place your bags on the conveyor belt, similar to that of airports to scan your bags for suspicious items. The subway is one of the very few places in Beijing where you are not allowed to smoke.
Rush Hour
Rush hour in Beijing is what the Beijing subway is most known for. There are mass amounts of people crammed into trains, to the extent that there are specialised security officers to push people into the train, making everyone packed like sardines, similar to that seen on the Tokyo subway. There are ways in which you can avoid these busy times (by avoiding major lines such as line 1 or avoiding traveling at that time completely) but it something to experience by those who want a grasp of everyday life in Beijing.
Tips to Enjoy your Subway Ride
Be safe – As for any subway, use your common sense. Keep all bags zipped and valuables hidden and just keep your subway card in your pocket to avoid rummaging in your bag at the station.
Push – In Western culture, we are prone to queuing – this is not the case in Beijing. Pushing will get you places teamed with shouting ‘ràng yī xià’ which means ‘Please move’.
Get a good spot – The quietest spots on the subway are normally the middle carriages, if you are stuck in a busy carriage, getas far away from the doors as possible to stop being pushed from every possible angle by the large amount of people getting on and off the tube.
Be prepared – When the doors open for the station before you are due to get off, get as close to the door as possible to avoid the struggle at your actual stop and missing your station.
Occupy yourself – On longer subway trips, kill some time by reading a newspaper or talking to a friend to make the journey a little faster.
China travel is something to be experienced by all everyone so hop on a subway and visit all the sights of Beijing in a fast, cool and cost-effective way!
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