Notes on the Beijing subway

The Beijing subway is fantastic.  For the most part, it’s clean, modern and relatively quiet.  The most pleasant lines are the newest as well, namely #5 (Chinese 第五号线）and #10 (第十号线).  For almost all of the system, a single trip costs a flat RMB 2, regardless of the number of transfers.  The only part of the system that costs more is the Airport Express (机场快轨)，which has a fare of RMB25 one way.

Things to keep in mind:

-         Make sure the map you’re using is current.  Several of the ones on Google are NOT current.  The best one right now (along with text) is at Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing_Subway.  At December 31, 2008, the following lines operated: #1, #2, #5, #8, #10, #13, Airport Express.

-         Be aware that transferring between #13 and #2, and between #2 and #1 involve LONG walks between lines

-         When you enter a subway line, you may need to know two station names: the name of the final station in the direction you will be traveling, as well as the name of the station where you’ll be getting off.  The exception is the #2 line, which runs in a circle.  In that case, you need to know NOT the final stop (because there is none), but rather the NEXT station in the direction you’re going.  On the #2 line, one direction is clockwise (the “inner loop”) and the other is counterclockwise (the “outer loop”).  It would be helpful if the signage made these distinctions, but they don’t.

-         If you purchase a single use card (each of which costs RMB2) at a particular station, you’re supposed to use that card for entry at that station.  If you buy multiple single use cards at station A, then try to use it to enter at station B, you might have a problem, in that the system won’t let you do so.  If that happens, the staff at that station probably can override the system and let you enter.  I don’t know why they do it that way, but they do.

-         There are no transfers from bus to subway, subway to bus or bus to bus.  When you get on the bus, subway or second bus, you have to pay the regular fare, and do not receive any discounted transfer fare.