Jul 31 2008
Beijing Bus
Taking the bus itself is something foreign travellers should experience in Beijing. Most of buses usually are very crowded, especially during the rush hours. While the buses are clean and air-conditioned and in most of the cases, you still won’t feel very comfortable standing on a crowded bus for hours due to the traffic congestion.
Anyway, Beijingers still use the bus as the most economical and convenient public transition system for their daily commute. Five bus companies operate about 1,000 bus routes in Beijing. One single way bus ticket only costs 1 RMB for Beijing City routes. Ticket price to the suburban area depends on travel distance. If you use IC card (Beijing Bus Pass) to pay for the fare, you will receive a 60% discount. This IC card is also good for subway rides. It’s sold at every subway station. A 20 Yuan initially deposit is requested for the card after which credits for the card can be purchased. Please prepare changes before get on the bus if you do not have an IC card, because the it might not have a conductor. The distance between two bus stops is usually less than 1.5km for the urban routes.
The IC Card for Bus, Light Rail and Subway
A typical Beijing bus
Bus during rush hours
Inside the bus
Bus Stop
An increasing number of taxi drivers nowadays can speak simple English which may prove extremely useful for first time visitors. But do not expect too much. It is always necessary to put a hotel address card in your pocket and show it to the taxi drivers for direction.
The vehicle types used for taxi typically are Hyundai, Volkswagen, or Citron. The taxi price tag is displayed in the corner of the rear left or right side window. The fare system is based on both distance and time. All taxis fare start at 10RMB including 3km, and 2 RMB for each additional km or if the taxi is going less than 15 kilometers per hour. After 11 p.m. taxi fare will start at 11 RMB. There is a meter installed on the dash board, and strict policy requests the drivers must run the meter.
Cash is the only accepted taxi fare payment method now. Beginning August 2008, pre-paid public transport cards used for buses and subways in Beijing will be accepted in taxis through the city’s newly introduced system. But credit card still cannot be used for paying the fare. Please do not forget to ask a receipt printed out form the meter, not only for reimbursement, but also for complaints if you are not satisfied or feel cheated by the driver.
On the dashboard at the passenger side is a placard with the driver’s registration number, photo and name. If this placard is missing, be careful and we suggest you take another taxi which has this appropriate license. Another way to figure out if it’s a legitimate taxi is to check the car’s license plate. All legal taxis have license plates beginning with the letter “B”, as in “京B”.
