Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Despite Dongcheng's treasure chest of history, it's also a major center of modern busi-
ness, retail, and politics. Perhaps nowhere else in the city has such a mélange of old and
new, feisty high-rises flush against humble
hútòng
(alleyways) of traditional single-story
houses. Come-as-you-are bars sit minutes from exclusive, members-only clubs, and while
you won't see them walking the streets, many of China's celebrities also proudly lay their
hats in some of the district's luxury apartment complexes.
One of the key features of this district is its convenience. Even if work is somewhere else
in the city, Dongcheng is so central and the public transport so accessible that you can usu-
ally get to most places within the Third Ring Road within 30 to 40 minutes. While there are
several preschools to choose from in the district, there isn't a high concentration of schools
for older kids. Most kids will need to travel to Chaoyang or Shunyi, which can take as little
as 15 minutes if they go to the Sanlitun campus of the British School of Beijing; 30 minutes
if they head down or over to Beijing City International School (BCIS) in Shuangjing; or
an hour if they travel up to Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) in Shunyi. Most of these
schools generally have their own buses, so transport is unlikely to be a problem. University
students may not find it as ideal, however, given that the commute from here to most of the
major universities can take 45-60 minutes each way, typically in very crowded subways.
Generally the expats who do enjoy living in Dongcheng are those who want to feel a
connection to and have interaction with the local culture and people, and yet also have mod-
ern facilities at their fingertips. It's ideal for those who love relaxed meals or a beer after
work, live music, and eclectic shopping. You also can't, however, be too averse to the occa-
sional (read: frequent) hawking and spitting, pungent public toilets, and general hustle and
bustle. You're in the thick of it here, and it has it all—sophisticated and pedestrian.
There are relatively fewer family-style apartments, international schools, and facilities
than in Chaoyang or Shunyi, but they are definitely here, and it is also a wonderfully safe
part of town. If you have the means for one of the high-grade apartments or a private court-
yard house
sìhéyuàn
), then your kids will have their own place to play.
Dongcheng covers an area of about 42 square kilometers. About 1 million people live here,
and wherever you go, there's no real escaping that fact. On the plus side, a favorite fea-
ture of the area is its labyrinthine
hútòng
(narrow alleyways) and their traditional Beijing
