Getting Around Beijing: Metro & Transport Guide

Beijing operates three coordinated metro networks under separate administrative systems. The Beijing Subway runs 27 lines covering 783 kilometers with 459 stations as of 2024. The standard fare is 3 RMB for journeys under 6 kilometers, rising to 9 RMB for distances beyond 32 kilometers using a distance-based calculation. Trains run from approximately 5:00 to 23:00 with headways of 2 to 5 minutes during peak hours and 5 to 10 minutes off-peak. Line 1 crosses the city east-west through Tian'anmen and the central business district. Line 2 follows the route of the demolished Ming city walls in a rectangular loop. Line 4 runs north-south connecting the Summer Palace to the southern districts. Line 13 serves the northern suburbs in an arc from Xizhimen to Dongzhimen. Airport Express connects Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 to Dongzhimen and Sanyuanqiao stations in 20 minutes for a flat 25 RMB fare. Daxing Airport Express opened in 2019 running 41 kilometers from Caoqiao station to Beijing Daxing International Airport in 19 minutes for 35 RMB. Yizhuang Line serves the southeastern economic development zone. The network carried 3.85 billion passenger trips in 2019 before pandemic disruptions reduced volumes. Payment accepts the Yikatong stored-value card, mobile payment through Alipay and WeChat subway codes, and single-journey tickets purchased from machines at stations with English interfaces.

Buses in Beijing number over 1,300 routes operated by multiple companies under Beijing Public Transport Holdings. Standard city buses charge 2 RMB flat fare regardless of distance. Express buses charge distance-based fares from 2 to 12 RMB. Night buses operate on 17 routes after metro closure with a 2 RMB fare. Route numbers indicate general direction: 1-series run east-west, 2-series north-south, 3-series diagonal or loop, 4-series suburban connections, and 8-series cross-district express. Buses display route numbers and major stops in characters and sometimes pinyin. Payment requires exact change in coins or Yikatong card. Front-door entry and middle or rear-door exit is standard procedure. Stops announce names in Mandarin only. Route 1 parallels metro Line 1 along Chang'an Avenue. Route 52 circles the Second Ring Road. Route 808 connects Beijing West Railway Station to the Summer Palace. Real-time arrival information appears on digital displays at major stops and through the Beijing Public Transport app. Air conditioning buses charge 2 RMB while non-air-conditioned vehicles charge 1 RMB on some older routes still in service.

Taxis in Beijing are regulated by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport with approximately 66,000 licensed vehicles. Metered fares start at 13 RMB for the first 3 kilometers during daytime hours from 5:00 to 23:00. Each additional kilometer costs 2.3 RMB up to 15 kilometers, then 3.45 RMB per kilometer beyond that distance including a 50 percent surcharge. Night rates from 23:00 to 5:00 add 20 percent to all distance charges with a 14 RMB flag fall. Waiting time or speeds below 12 kilometers per hour add 2.3 RMB per 5 minutes. Tolls on expressways are added to the metered fare. Drivers are required to provide printed receipts showing the taxi number, date, time, distance, and fare. Hailing on the street works in most areas except during peak hours when demand exceeds supply. Hotel taxi queues operate on a first-come basis with attendants managing the line. Airport taxis queue at designated ranks at both Capital Airport and Daxing Airport with typical fares to central Beijing ranging from 80 to 120 RMB depending on exact destination and traffic conditions. Didi Chuxing operates as the dominant ride-hailing platform with extensive coverage and competitive pricing often below metered taxi rates.

The Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway opened in 2008 as China's first high-speed line running 120 kilometers in 30 minutes at speeds up to 350 kilometers per hour. Trains depart every 10 to 20 minutes throughout the day from Beijing South Railway Station to Tianjin Station and Tianjin West Station. Second-class fares cost 54.5 RMB while first-class costs 65.5 RMB. Business class seats cost 103 RMB. The route serves intermediate stations at Yizhuang, Yongle, and Wuqing. Beijing South Railway Station also functions as the hub for high-speed services to Shijiazhuang in 1 hour 20 minutes covering 281 kilometers for 139 RMB second-class. The Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed line opened in 2019 running 174 kilometers in 47 minutes with second-class fares at 77 RMB. This line served the 2022 Winter Olympics venues. Beijing-Qinhuangdao high-speed service takes 1 hour 40 minutes covering 298 kilometers for 148.5 RMB second-class. Conventional trains still operate to smaller cities at lower speeds and prices. Hard seat tickets on conventional services cost approximately 40 percent of high-speed equivalents while taking twice the travel time.

Beijing operates from six major railway stations each serving different geographic corridors. Beijing Railway Station handles trains to northeastern destinations and some southbound services. Beijing West Railway Station serves the western and southern networks including lines to Shijiazhuang and beyond. Beijing South Railway Station exclusively handles high-speed services. Beijing North Railway Station serves lines to Badaling, Zhangjiakou, and Inner Mongolia. Beijing Fengtai Railway Station reopened in 2022 as a hub for high-speed services to central and southern regions. Qinghe Railway Station serves the Beijing-Zhangjiakou line. Each station operates as a separate destination requiring specific planning since they are not adjacent or directly connected by pedestrian passages. Metro connections serve all major stations but transfers can require 20 to 40 minutes depending on the starting point. Tickets can be purchased at station windows, self-service machines with English interfaces, the official 12306 website, or the 12306 mobile app. Passport numbers are required for all bookings. Ticket collection requires the original passport even when booked online. Security screening precedes entry to all station waiting areas with baggage X-ray and metal detectors.

Tianjin operates its own metro system with 7 lines covering 220 kilometers as of 2024. Line 1 runs east-west through the city center. Line 2 forms a loop around the core districts. Line 3 connects Tianjin South Railway Station to the northern suburbs. Line 9 links Tianjin West Railway Station to multiple districts. Fares range from 2 to 6 RMB based on distance. The Tianjin Metro connects directly to Tianjin Station and Tianjin West Station for intercity rail transfers. Buses in Tianjin operate on over 800 routes with a standard 2 RMB fare. Taxis charge an 11 RMB flag fall with 2 RMB per kilometer.

Shijiazhuang Metro began operation in 2017 with 3 lines covering 91 kilometers. Line 1 runs east-west through the city center. Line 2 serves north-south corridors. Line 3 connects the eastern districts. Fares start at 2 RMB for distances under 6 kilometers rising to 5 RMB for longer journeys. The system connects to Shijiazhuang Railway Station for onward high-speed services.

Long-distance buses serve routes not covered by rail or where rail schedules do not align with travel needs. Beijing operates multiple long-distance bus terminals. Liuliqiao Long-Distance Bus Station serves western and southwestern destinations including routes to Zhangjiakou in 3 hours for 60 RMB and Chengde in 4 hours for 70 RMB. Sihui Long-Distance Bus Station handles eastern routes. Beijiao Long-Distance Bus Station serves northern destinations. Buses to Badaling Great Wall depart from Deshengmen Bus Station taking 1 hour 15 minutes for 12 RMB. Seats are assigned on purchase. Toilets on board are rare except on premium express services. Smoking is prohibited. Departure times are generally adhered to within 10 minutes. Highway speeds average 80 to 100 kilometers per hour on expressways connecting major cities.

Rental cars require a Chinese driving license which necessitates either passing the Chinese driving test or converting a foreign license through a local vehicle administration office with residence documentation. International Driving Permits are not recognized. This effectively limits self-drive rental access for short-term visitors. Some tour operators provide vehicles with drivers at rates from 600 to 1200 RMB per day depending on vehicle type and distance. Fuel costs approximately 7 to 8 RMB per liter for 92-octane gasoline. Expressway tolls are distance-based typically costing 0.4 to 0.5 RMB per kilometer. The G1 Beijing-Harbin Expressway runs northeast from Beijing. The G6 Beijing-Tibet Expressway heads northwest toward Zhangjiakou and Inner Mongolia. The G4 Beijing-Hong Kong-Macau Expressway runs south through Shijiazhuang. Traffic congestion in Beijing peaks from 7:00 to 9:00 and 17:00 to 19:30 on weekdays. Ring roads are numbered from Second Ring to Sixth Ring with the Second Ring following the former city wall route and the Sixth Ring approximately 50 kilometers in diameter encircling suburban districts.

Bicycles can be rented through dockless systems operated by multiple companies. Meituan bikes charge 1.5 RMB per 15 minutes. Hello bikes charge similar rates. Deposit requirements were eliminated in 2019 for users with sufficient Alipay Sesame Credit scores above 650. Bikes are unlocked through mobile apps by scanning QR codes on the handlebars. Dedicated bike lanes exist on major roads but are frequently encroached by parked cars and pedestrians. Helmet use is not mandatory and helmets are not provided with rental bikes. Electric bikes and scooters operate under the same dockless rental model with rates from 2 to 3 RMB per 15 minutes and maximum speeds limited to 20 kilometers per hour by software governors.

Reaching the Great Wall sections near Beijing requires different approaches depending on the specific location. Badaling is the most accessible section located 75 kilometers northwest of central Beijing. Direct tourist buses depart from Qianmen and Deshengmen charging 80 to 100 RMB round trip with entry tickets sometimes included. The S2 commuter train runs from Beijing North Railway Station to Badaling Station in 1 hour 20 minutes for 6 RMB but operates limited schedules with gaps of several hours between departures. Mutianyu lies 73 kilometers northeast of Beijing. Bus 916 from Dongzhimen to Huairou costs 12 RMB followed by a shuttle bus to Mutianyu for 25 RMB or taxis charging 50 to 80 RMB for the remaining distance. Jinshanling sits 130 kilometers northeast near Luanping County in Hebei. Direct tourist buses from Beijing operate on weekends only charging 120 RMB round trip excluding entry fees. Private car hire costs 600 to 800 RMB round trip. Simatai lies adjacent to Jinshanling and can be reached via the same routes. Tour groups operate daily from Beijing hotels with packages from 300 to 600 RMB including transport, entry, lunch, and sometimes ropeway tickets.

Chengde lies 225 kilometers northeast of Beijing accessible via high-speed rail from Beijing Chaoyang Station in 1 hour for 70 RMB second-class or conventional trains from Beijing Station in 4 hours for 40 RMB hard seat. Buses from Sihui Long-Distance Bus Station take 4 to 5 hours for 70 to 90 RMB depending on service class. Within Chengde, local buses charge 1 RMB flat fare with routes connecting the Mountain Resort, Puning Temple, Putuo Zongcheng Temple, and other Eight Outer Temples sites. Taxis charge an 8 RMB flag fall and are readily available for trips between temple complexes typically costing 15 to 30 RMB.

Qinhuangdao on the Bohai Sea coast lies 298 kilometers east of Beijing. High-speed trains from Beijing South or Beijing Chaoyang stations take 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours for 148.5 RMB second-class. Conventional trains take 4 to 5 hours for 60 RMB hard seat. The Beidaihe beach resort district sits 15 kilometers southwest of Qinhuangdao city center connected by local bus route 34 in 40 minutes for 2 RMB or taxis for 40 to 60 RMB. Shanhaiguan Old Dragon Head where the Great Wall meets the sea lies 15 kilometers northeast of Qinhuangdao accessible via bus 25 or 35 for 2 RMB taking 30 minutes.

Zhangjiakou lies 180 kilometers northwest of Beijing accessible via high-speed rail from Beijing North Railway Station in 47 to 56 minutes for 77 RMB second-class. Buses from Liuliqiao take 3 hours for 60 to 80 RMB. The 2022 Winter Olympics venues in Chongli district sit 50 kilometers north of Zhangjiakou city center. Local buses connect but schedules are infrequent outside winter season. Taxis charge approximately 150 RMB one-way.

Datong in Shanxi Province lies 350 kilometers west of Beijing accessible via high-speed rail from Beijing Fengtai Station in 1 hour 40 minutes for 145 RMB second-class or conventional trains in 5 to 6 hours for 62 RMB hard seat. The Yungang Grottoes sit 16 kilometers west of Datong city center reached by bus route 3 in 40 minutes for 2 RMB. Hanging Monastery at Hengshan lies 75 kilometers southeast of Datong accessible via buses from Datong Long-Distance Bus Station in 1 hour 30 minutes for 25 RMB.

Domestic flights within the North operate from Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport. Capital Airport serves primarily international flights and some domestic routes. Daxing Airport handles growing domestic traffic. Flights to Tianjin take 40 minutes gate-to-gate but total travel time including airport access often exceeds high-speed rail. Flights to Shijiazhuang take 50 minutes with similar total journey considerations. Hohhot lies 470 kilometers northwest accessible by air in 1 hour 10 minutes for fares ranging from 300 to 800 RMB depending on booking time and carrier.

Ferry services operate from Qinhuangdao port to destinations including routes across the Bohai Strait though these primarily serve freight with limited passenger capacity. Coastal boat tours operate seasonally at Beidaihe and around Qinhuangdao harbor charging 80 to 150 RMB for 1 to 2 hour excursions.

Walking remains essential for navigating hutong neighborhoods in central Beijing where vehicles cannot access narrow alleyways. The Forbidden City requires approximately 2 to 3 hours to traverse on foot covering the 720,000 square meter complex. The Summer Palace grounds extend over 2.9 square kilometers with walking circuits around Kunming Lake spanning 5 to 6 kilometers. Temple of Heaven park covers 2.7 square kilometers with the main temple complex requiring 1 to 2 hours for thorough exploration on foot.