Taking the Beijing Subway

In Beijing, public transportation is well developed with a wide-ranging bus network and subways. Because many people don’t own a car, therefore public transportation is commonly used in Beijing. The subway stations and bus stops are extremely crowded during rush hour. So you need to act with patience. 

In rush hours you may feel uncomfortable. If you don’t like the crowd, traveling in public transportation will be an unpleasant experience for you. However, for female riders, it is very safe to travel by bus and you don’t need to be worried about unwanted touching. 

The subway system in Beijing is ever developing. In 2006, when I visit Beijing for the first time, there were only three subway lines. Now there are thirteen subway lines, five unidentified lines associated to the far-off areas like the Daxing line in the south or Changping line in the north, and an Airport Express Train that links the central airport to the subway system. New subway stations and lines are being developed every year. 

Taking the Beijing Subway is Easy

It is very easy to move around in Beijing. At subway stations the stop signs are usually in both English and Chinese language, so for the foreigner, it is very easy to travel around the city. Traveling is not very costly, a single ride cost usually starts from 3 Yuan and increase with to the distance. 

From the ticket window, you can get your ticket; you have to tell the name of your destination. You can also use the ticket machine, which has both English and Chinese language options. 

The tickets are only valid for one day. You can also get a transportation smart card. Yikatong or a single ticket can be used only for one person. The price of a single ticket and Yikatong are the same, while you may get a discount if the monthly use goes beyond a certain limit. 

When you buy a ticket, make sure to keep it. After arriving at your destination, when you leave the subway station you have to feed your ticket into the entrance machine. 

Now there are so many metro lines and interchanges in Beijing that are the fastest and best route. To find the nearest subway station or the metro lines you can use an app like Metro Beijing. 

You have to walk

There could be some distance between different lines especially the older lines, so you have to walk or may have to climb up a lot of stairs. Sometimes stairs are just for going up; to go down you need to walk. However, newly developed lines have short and easy connections and stairs in every route. 

You have to carry a baby stroller or any luggage up and down stairways. Public transportation is not very easy for older people, handicapped, or strollers. So keep in mind that it can be a little tricky for you.