Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bèngbèngch
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These are the little silver or green vehicles that seem to be half motorbike, half car. They zip
around the city, driven by a chain-smoking retiree who seems to have dreams of taking pole
position in the F1. Theoretically these vehicles are legal for people with physical disabilit-
ies, but you'll see many a suspiciously spritely old chap with a disabled sticker slapped to
his vehicle. The great thing about them is that they cut through traffic like a knife through
butter, and get you where you're going in lightning speed for about RMB5. The reason is
that they flirt with traffic rules, drive into oncoming traffic, and dart across flowing inter-
sections with steely confidence. They are the cowboys of Beijing.
Rickshaws
Rickshaws were on the verge of extinction about five years ago, pedaled exclusively
around tourist spots such as Houhai to give tourists an “authentic” experience. Since 2010,
however, they've been making a bit of a revival in the inner city, especially around Sanli-
tun, Gulou, Ritan, and Houhai, as actual transport options. It can be damn hard to get a cab
around these places at night, and the rickshaw drivers are taking up the slack.
Miànb
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These drivers don't tend to trawl the streets for passengers but rather get their business by
word-of-mouth. They can be your best friend when you want to move house, and many
will rent their van and driving services out for the day to take you and your guests out
to the Great Wall or other such sites. For a whole day, they will probably ask for around
RMB450-800, and again you'll need to bargain. When you need one, ask around. There's
usually a friend or someone in the office who will have a contact number for a
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driver, and if not, ask for a recommendation on Yahoo group Beijing Café.
Beijing has fantastic bike lanes on every road, so bicycles and scooters are perhaps the most
convenient way to get yourself from place to place, and you can park your bike virtually
anywhere for free—although bicycle theft is a huge problem.
As far as safety goes, it's a little hazardous if you're a speed pedaler because pedestrians,
other bike-lane users, and motorists are unpredictable—they'll stop, turn, veer, and cross
