Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Taxi
Best for...
long journeys and late at night.
›
Taxis (
出租车
;
chuzuche
) are everywhere, but finding one can be a problem during
rush hour, rainstorms and between 8pm and 10pm, when people are heading home after
dinner.
›
Flag fall is ¥10 for the first 3km. After that it's ¥2 per kilometre. Drivers also add a ¥3
fuel surcharge. Rates increase slightly at night.
›
Few drivers speak English; have the name and address of where you're going written
down in Chinese characters. Always remember to keep your hotel's business card on you
so you can get home at the end of the night.
›
Most Beijing taxi drivers are honest. If they refuse to use the meter (
打表
;
dabiao
), get
out and find another one.
›
Taxis can be hired for out-of-town trips like the Great Wall (
Click here
), but you will
have to agree a price (but not pay) beforehand.
Bus
Best for...
travelling to places not on the subway.
›
Beijing's buses (
公共汽车
;
gonggong qiche
) are numerous and go everywhere. Tickets
cost ¥1.
›
Non-Chinese speakers can find it a challenge to get from A to B successfully. It's best to
have your destination written down in Chinese characters to show the bus conductor, who
can tell you where to get off.
›
Heavy traffic means bus journeys are slow, and they are always packed.
