Getting Around in Beijing When you Study in Beijing

Beijing is one of the busiest and most vibrant cities in the world, but it can be hard to find your way around at times. Traffic can be a huge problem, and the city is large so it can take a long time to get from one side to the other. Although when you study in Beijing it is likely you will live close to your university, you will also want to explore the rest of the city, and so it is important to know how to get around.

The major decision is really between types of public transport or getting your own car or bicycle. Well, you should probably forget about any sort of car – Beijing has a limit on the number of new licenses available and one can only be obtained through a lottery. Also, with around five million cars on the road already, traffic and parking are extremely problematic.

For study in Beijing students whom want to travel downtown, a better option is to hitch a taxi. Licensed taxis are plentiful and are much cheaper than taxis in the UK or US. Prices start at RMB 10 for 3km, and then rise by RMB 2 or RMB 2.4 per km depending on the time of day. There is currently an extra RMB 2 surcharge on jou
eys over 3km because of rising fuel costs. However, this still means you can get from the university area in Haidian to downtown for around RMB 35-50.

If you want to pay far less, then try the buses. With an electronic travel card fares can be as low as RMB 0.4 per journey. Although most signs are only in Chinese and buses are crowded, for a study in Beijing student this provides for a language learning cultural experience.

If you want to avoid the traffic altogether though, the best options are the subway or riding a bike. Electric bikes can be purchased for around RMB 1,500 and pedal bikes for much less,whilst the subway system is expanding at a rapid rate. A recent study in Beijing student study suggested that over 90% of students own their own pedal or electric bike. And as for the subway’s, jou
eys on one of Beijing’s many new lines costs just RMB 2, and more lines are due to open up in the coming years.

Although getting round Beijing can be stressful, if you plan your journey properly you can avoid the traffic and breeze around town. If you need any help planning a journey, getting directions or tips on various types of transport, don’t hesitate to ask your Global Language advisors.

In general, although Beijing traffic is probably much worse than your hometown or city, very rarely will a study in Beijing student complain about it. One convenience of living in Beijing as a student is that fact that everything with one may need is situated within a close distance and therefore this eliminates most of daily traffic problems. Global Language will also go the extra step to ensure your place of residence is situated in a place convenient to your daily needs.