Beijing Travel Guide - Getting Around

By Bus: unless you have some reasonable command of Mandarin, attempting to negotiate the city’s public transportation system and in particular the bus system is not recommended and indeed few tourists bother trying. If you are brave enough however, you’ll find that city buses begin operating at 05:30 and provide service until 23:00. They are notorious for being crowded and most staff cannot speak any English.

By subway train: the subway is perhaps slightly less daunting for tourists however a lack of English speaking staff can still add to the difficulty of negotiating the service. Those prepared to tackle it will find two main lines in operation, with station signs in English. Ticket prices are generally based on a flat rate depending on the journey’s length.