Beijing
Beijing Taxi
There are over 70,000 taxis running in every corner of the city. Most of the taxi drivers in Beijing can speak some simple English, which offers western visitors a great convenience of being able to communicate with them.
The flag fall will start at RMB10
The fuel charge will be a flat rate of RMB 2, regardless of distance
The rate per kilometer will be RMB2.3
The flag fall from 11pm-5am will be 20% higher, which (if our math is correct) would put it at RMB15.6. Since all amounts are rounded, this actually means RMB16.
During peak times (7-9am and 5-7pm), you will be charged the equivalent of 2km (RMB4.6) for every 5 minutes of waiting. When it’s not a peak time, this charge will be the equivalent of 1km (RMB2.3).
Beijing Capital International Airport
Beijing Capital International Airport is about 25 km (about 15.5 miles) northeast of Tiananmen Square, and is China’s busiest and most important international airport. It consists of three terminal buildings. Most international flights land at either Terminal 2 or Terminal 3. You can take Airport Express Train or shuttle bus to downtown.
You can also choose CUCAS’s “Airport Pick up service”. Our staff will meet you at the arrival area of Airport, and send you to the universities safe and sound.
Beijing Subway
The Beijing Subway now has 16 lines in operation, namely Line 1, Line 2, Line 4, Line 5, Line 6, Line 8, Line 9, Line 10, Line 13, Line 15, Batong Line, Changping Line, Daxing Line, Fangshan Line, Yizhuang Line and airport express.
A flat fare of ¥2 with unlimited transfers applies to all lines, except the express link to the airport, which costs ¥25.
Beijing Transportation Smart Card
Beijing Transportation Smart Card is available for paying for the services of subway, city buses, some taxis (taxis with the sign of ‘Welcome to Use IC Card’) and the airport express train. Passengers can get 80% discounts when paying for the city-bus fare by the card. What’s more, the Transportation Smart Card can be used at some designated supermarkets, restaurants, department stores, book stores and so on.
Beijing has more than 170 sites, which are located at the ticket offices of every Beijing metro stations, some bus stations and some supermarkets.You can apply this card easily.
Beijing City Bus
Currently, there are over 800 bus routes in operation from 05:30 to 23:00 in Beijing. Bus fares are usually ¥1 or ¥2. They are mainly divided into the following categories:
- Numbered 1~100-Bus routes are within the 3rd Ring Road.
- 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 111, 112, 114, 115, 118 and 124—Trolleys, most of them run within the 2nd Ring Road.
- Numbered 201~215—Night routes are only in operation after 23:00.
- Numbered 300~810—Bus routes are from downtown area to suburban Beijing.
- Numbered 900~998— Bus routes are long distances such as from downtown area to the Great Wall.
- See more on Beijing Bus.
Summer
Summer months in Beijing (June to August) are long and hot with plenty of rainfall. With the exception of the hilly areas, the monthly average temperature is above 24°C (75.2°F). The highest temperature on record is 43.5°C (110.3°F) which was in June, 1961.
Summer is also a rainy season. About 70% of the city’s rainfall happens in summer. Heavy rainstorms are common throughout the summer, and may occur on sunny afternoons without warning. Heavy rain may block traffic. Summer resorts are a great way to escape the summer heat.
Autumn
Autumn (September to October) is perhaps the most attractive season in Beijing, when there is plenty of sunshine and cooler temperatures. Autumn is a harvest season, when fruits and vegetables are ripe. One great activity in autumn months is picking fresh fruits and vegetables in local orchards. This is regarded as a great way to relax and get fresh air.
Autumn is short and days become cooler and cooler as rainfall increases. As in spring, visitors should bring lightweight clothing such as long-sleeved shirts or T-shirts, plus one or two jackets or sweaters.
Winter
Winter in Beijing (November to March) is cold. A trip during these months may be a shock to visitors from tropical countries. The monthly average temperature is below 0°C (32°F) from December to February. In January, the monthly average temperature is below -4°C (28°F) in Beijing’s plains. It seldom rains in the winter but there is plenty of sunshine.
Enjoying the snow scene on West Hill, skating in Beihai Park, followed by a steaming hotpot with mutton slices will drive out the chills. Skiing and hot springs are the most popular activities in chilly winter. Be sure to bring winter clothes, including woollen sweaters and down coats.
Beijing Weather
Beijing has four discernible seasons – short windy spring, long hot summer, cool pleasant autumn but long chilly winter. July and August temperatures can exceed 40 °C (104 °F). January can dip to -20 °C(-4 °F).
Throughout the spring months (April to May) temperatures in Bejiing rise quickly day to day. They also vary greatly (around 12°C-14°C) between day and night. Spring is a windy, dry season, frequented by heavy sandstorm. Cold winds are also frequent throughout spring months. In early spring, the temperature may drop abruptly. Sandstorm hits Beijing frequently in spring and may delay trips.
Noodles with Soybean Paste
Noodles with Soybean Paste(炸酱面), also called Zha Jiang Mian, is very popular when it comes to traditional Beijing cuisine. As an added bonus, it is not expensive at all. Zha Jiang Mian consists of three main materials. They are wide hand-tossed noodles, vegetable pieces as well as pork. Local Beijing people, especially elder ones like to eat hot noodles in the cold days and to eat cold noodles in hot weather. According to different seasons, vegetable pieces are served in various types but always no less than seven kinds.
Normal price is between ¥10 to ¥40.
Peking Duck
There is simply quite nothing like a perfectly roasted duck with bronzed crispy skin and tender, succulent meat. It is said that there are two things that you must do when visiting Beijing: One is to enjoy the roast duck and the other is to take a stroll on the Great Wall. There are literally dozens of restaurants that serve this famous dish, but perhaps the best known one is Quanjude (全聚德).
Quanjude (全聚德) is the most famous restaurant for Peking Duck and is a national chain. Unlike McDonald’s, the quality, as well as price, among different Quanjude restaurants differs greatly. For quality and authentic Peking Duck, only two Quanjude restaurants should be patronized: one in Qianmen (前门) and one in Hepingmen(和平门).
Palace Chicken Cubes
Palace Chicken Cubes (宫保鸡丁),it is a spicy chicken dish with peanuts and other vegetables. For some reason this dish is never the same from one restaurant to another. Perhaps this adds to its appeal, as it is very popular among foreigners.
Normal price is between ¥10 to ¥40.
Rolling Donkey
Rolling Donkey(驴打滚) refers to a kind of traditional Beijing snack, also known in south area of China as Rolling Horse (Ma Da Gun), with soft skin made of glutinous rice flour and the stuffing made of red pea.
Actually speaking, it refers to a kind of cake made with steamed glutinous millet or steamed sticky rice, filled with red pea, and then drizzled over with fried bean flour. Having been cut into blocks, the cakes will be rolled in soybean flour before being served, hence the name. The cake taste sweet and sticky with a strong fragrance of fried bean-flour.
Normal price is between ¥10 to ¥40 per 500g.
The Great Wall
The construction of the Great Wall started during the Warring States Period in the 7th century B.C, it has a history of more than 2,500 years. Many dukedoms built walls in Central China to protect themselves and their northern territories.
798 Art Zone
Located in Dashanzi Art District (original 798 Factory), the heart of a growing art and culture community in Beijing, 798 Space is the center and the biggest space providing cultural, artistic and commercial activities in the area. It was designed by East German architects in the Bauhaus style in the early 1950’s. Through reconstruction and redesigning with contemporary aesthetics, the space combines the past, present, and future of the “New China”.
National Centre for the Performing Arts
The National Centre for the Performing Arts is a dynamic new icon to the arts in the heart of old Beijing. The Centre’s ultra-modern architecture is in sharp contrast to its neighbours, the Great Hall of the People, Tian’anmen Square and the ancient Forbidden City. The National Centre for the Performing Arts is far more than a spectacular and futuristic building; it hosts world-class events and performances throughout the year.
Olympic Stadiums
The National Stadium, known as the “Bird’s Nest”, served as the main venue for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. It is located in the Olympic Green and occupies 21.4 hectares. It stretches 333 meters from north to south and 298 meters from east to west, covering an area of 258,000 square meters. The National Stadium is 68 meters high and holds 91,000 seats, including 11,000 temporary seats. The construction of the National Stadium began in December, 2003.
Forbidden City
Located in the center of urban Beijing, the Forbidden City served as the residence of the Ming and Qing Emperors. It is the largest and best preserved extant group of ancient architecture in the world. Built in 1420 in the Ming Dynasty, it was the center of feudal rule in China until the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. The complex has been designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Tiananmen Square
At the very heart of Beijing, sits Tian’anmen Square, the largest urban square in the world. This vast space, measuring 40 hectares, has a historical significance to rival its size. Enlarged in the 1960s, Tian’anmen Square now measures 880 meters from north to south, 500 meters from east to west and can accommodate up to one million people. Classical Beijing planning however, didn’t permit public squares.
Temple of Heaven
Located in the southern part of urban Beijing, this was where the Ming and Qing emperors went to worship Heaven and pray for a better harvest. With an area of 270 hectares, the Temple of Heaven counts as the world’s largest extant group of temple buildings. Its distinct architectural design and pattern represents the ancient Chinese belief in a round heaven, square earth, and the supreme imperial power.
Foreign Embassies
Royal Thai Embassy, Beijing
Add: 15th Fl. West, LG Twin Towers, Jianguomenwai Road, Chaoyang District
Consular District: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei Province, Hubei Province, Henan Province, Shandong Province, Shanxi Province, Hei Longjiang Province, Jilin Province, Liaoning Province, Nei Monggol Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province, Xinjiang Autonomous Region , Xizang Autonomous Region
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-12:00, 13:00-17:00
Tel: 86-10-6532-1749
Medical Service
All the local hospitals in Beijing are open to international students. Students with minor illness can go to schools’ clinic for help. If you are badly ill, you can see a doctor in any of the local hospitals.
Tips for seeing a doctor in the local hospitals.
Process:
- Bring your passport, then fill in a form in the hospital which contains your name (English name or Chinese name), date of birth and contact person in China (name and contact)
- Register with a doctor
- Waiting at the corresponding section
- Seeing the doctor