Beijing Municipality Transportation.doc

Beijing Municipality TransportationBeijing is the capital of China and a world renowned tourist city. Before introducing the transportation in the city, we offer a map of downtown Beijing here for your convenience, aiding your Beijing tour and providing an impression of the city.TaxiFor newcomers to Beijing, taxis offer travelers the most convenience, and with over 60,000 taxis lining up at the airport, railway, and bus stations, if the taxi is not the type you want, just keep looking.The flag-down-rate of the taxis in Beijing is 10 Yuan to 12 Yuan. The charge for the following journey depends on the taxi type. Usually, taking mini cabs like Xiali (the flag-down-rate of 10 Yuan for the first four kilometers) charges 1.2 Yuan per extra kilometer, while taking the higher standard like Santana and Fukang, more spacious taxis (the flag-down-rate of 10 Yuan to 12 Yuan for the first three kilometers) charge 1.6 Yuan or 2 Yuan per km. Due to the traffic situation in Beijing, taxis charge not only according to their meters, but also for waiting time in traffic, driving at night and mileage for driving without passenger. For every accumulated five minutes of waiting time you will be charged an additional one-kilometer fee. Though taxis are somewhat expensive for many travelers, they are convenient in the middle of the night or early morning. After 11 p.m., taxis charge a 20 percent late-night surcharge, no extra for luggage. We recommend tourists ask for receipt when alighting from a taxi for the car number, company nameTourism Special TrainSpecial tourist trains run from the four railway stations to suburban special interest sites. Tickets can be booked from any ticket office or travel service; or may be purchased aboard the train. For convenience, the site admission fee can be included in the ticket.SubwaySubway is the fastest transportation vehicle in Beijing. Presently there are four subway lines in Beijing connecting city center stops such as Tiananmen Square, Qianmen, and the railway station with outlying areas and till 2008, there will be nine routes in Beijing.The operating hours of the subway are from 5:00 a.m. until 23:00 p.m., Line 13 is from 06:00 a.m. to 09:00 p.m. and the price ranges from 2 to 6 Yuan, commuter tickets accepted. Passengers can inquire of the subway staff if you have queries in order to avoid taking the wrong direction and wasting time. While Beijing subways are not as good as those in Shanghai and Guangzhou, compared with the congested road network; they are a far better choice for getting around the city.Public BusPublic buses in Beijing play an important role in the common peoples daily lives. Bus numbers beginning with 8 are air-conditioned; other numbers indicate double-decker, special tour lines, night buses, and so on. The ticket price is 1 Yuan for city routes, while ticket prices for bus with air conditioning is 2 Yuan. If there is no conductor on the bus, passengers should board the bus at the front, drop ticket fee into the box and exit at the rear.Tip: Since some buses are self-service, please prepare small bills before boarding.RickshawRickshaw travel is an excellent way to experience old Beijing culture and the hutong (alleyways). To save time, locals sometimes hire rickshaws to navigate the narrow lanes. Travelers may get a fresh perspective of local life. Rickshaws are found around some communication centers and travel hotspots. Rickshaw rates are often higher than taxi rates especially during holidays for the busy traffic of automobile cars; bargain for an exact price prior to climbing aboard.BicycleMany hotels in Beijing offer bicycle rental services, the cost of which is 20