Beijing Public Transport Holdings,Ltd (BPT) is a large state-owned enterprise mainly operating surface public transport. By the end of 2005, BPT has 24,091 operating vehicles of various kinds and 773 bus routes, with annual mileage and passenger trips topping 1.45 billion km and 4.41 billion respectively, accounting for 82.61 percent of the total by transit modes in Beijing. BPT consists of 27 subordinate units, including 11 branch companies, 6 wholly-owned subsidiaries... [more]
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Beijing: 750,000 more bus passengers each day
The number of bus passengers using IC cards in Beijing has surged 7.4 per cent after the city implemented discount bus fares to attract more passengers to take public transportation, the Beijing News reports.
Beijing has issued 7.8 million IC cards to citizens. The number of daily passengers using IC cards for bus travel has reached 8.8 million.
Figures issued by the Beijing Bus Group on January 15 show that the total average number of passengers each day has increased by 750,000, reaching 11 million.
Beijing significantly lowered its bus fares on January 1 to draw more people to public transportation and ease the city's traffic pressures
Beijing has issued 7.8 million IC cards to citizens. The number of daily passengers using IC cards for bus travel has reached 8.8 million.
Figures issued by the Beijing Bus Group on January 15 show that the total average number of passengers each day has increased by 750,000, reaching 11 million.
Beijing significantly lowered its bus fares on January 1 to draw more people to public transportation and ease the city's traffic pressures
Bus tour Beijing
You might have planned to spend the week-long May Day holiday idly, if so it's quite likely you have got a bit bored by now. But it is still not too late to get about and see more for less.
Beijing has a large, densely-woven network of public transportation, which operates a total of 708 routes with a fleet of 19,065 vehicles running between more than 4,000 stops scattered in downtown, urban and suburban areas of the city. Although having developed dramatically over the years, the public transportation system always seems a step behind the demands for more efficiency and comfort from commuters. Everyone has had the nightmare experience of being packed like sardines on a bus during rush hour, which is made worse everyday by the fading tempo of the traffic jams.
The idea of using the buses for sightseeing could sound oddly romantic regarding the unpleasant conditions both inside the carriages and outside on the streets during normal days. However, the situation is greatly relieved by the week-long holiday during which you will have noticed bustling Beijing become less populated with millions having gone back home or on trips.
Preparation time for such an outing is minimal: a bottle of water, a portable music player, a digital camera and, ideally, a city map with some introductions to the sites.
1. Bus No 10-from Beijing Railway Station East to Nancaiyuan:
Beginning near the Beijing Railway Station, the bus goes by Wangfujing, the arbor-covered Nanheyan and Tian'anmen Square, along Chang'an Avenue until it makes a turn to the south and enters Beijing's Muslim neighbourhood, the Niujie area, where you will also see a mosque.
2. Bus No 20-from Beijing South Railway Station to Beijing Railway Station East:
You can get on from the Beijing Railway Station East stop and go on the same route as the Bus Te 1 mentioned above until the bus turns south at Tian'anmen West to pass Qianmen, Dashilan, Tianqiao areas and the Temple of Heaven before it stops at Beijing South Railway Station, whose worn, nostalgic look is subject to an on-going renovation project.
3. Bus Te 1-from Beijing West Railway Station to Sihui:
The air-conditioned bus route cruises along almost the entire length of Chang'an Avenue, arguably the most famous street in China. Five stops from Sihui, you will come to the Dabeiyao marked by the skyscrapers of the China World Trade Centre, Motorola Building and the China Merchants Tower that are signature buildings of the Central Business District (CBD). Continuing westward, you will see the colossal Oriental Plaza spanning between Dongdan crossing and the south end of the Wangfujing Street. Then you will pass by Tian'anmen Square where the Great Hall of the People, the Gate of the Heavenly Peace (Tian'anmen) and the nearly completed National Grand Theatre are in sight. You will also pass Xinhuamen, the formal gate to the Zhongnanhai, and the military museum.
4. Bus No 24-from Beijing Railway Station to Zuojiazhuang:
This route mainly wanders through the streets reclaimed from the old hutong neighborhoods including Waijiaobu Jie, Lumicang, Yanyue Hutong and the east ends of the numbered hutong in the Dongsi area such as Dongsi Liutiao, Dongsi Jiutiao.
5. Bus No 120-from Zuojiazhuang to Tiantan Nanmen:
This route provides a temporary trip from the modern to the past as it takes you from one of the city's night life zones near the Workers' Stadium to pass by Wangfujing, Tian'anmen Square, Qianmen, Dashilan and finishes at the Temple of Heaven.
6. Bus No 365-from Minzhuangnanli to Yongfengzhan:
This bus belongs to the suburban route that runs within the northern part of the city. You can get on at Remin University and then pass by Zhongguancun, China's silicon valley, and the Shangdi area where many domestic and foreign IT companies are headquartered. Continuing northward you will arrive at Hangtiancheng for China's space aviation centre, where all three of China's astronauts were trained.
7. Bus No 103-from Beijing Railway Station West to Beijing Zoo:
The trolleybus passes the municipal government quietly located at the Taijichang Lu and turns west at the north end of Wangfujing after it enters the bustling pedestrian street from the south. Then you will see the China National Art Museum en route along the Jingshan Qianjie that runs between the north entrance to the Forbidden City and the south entrance to Beihai Park before you pass by the lake of the Zhongnanhai on your left. After two stops, you will also see the White Pagoda Temple (Baitasi).
Beijing has a large, densely-woven network of public transportation, which operates a total of 708 routes with a fleet of 19,065 vehicles running between more than 4,000 stops scattered in downtown, urban and suburban areas of the city. Although having developed dramatically over the years, the public transportation system always seems a step behind the demands for more efficiency and comfort from commuters. Everyone has had the nightmare experience of being packed like sardines on a bus during rush hour, which is made worse everyday by the fading tempo of the traffic jams.
The idea of using the buses for sightseeing could sound oddly romantic regarding the unpleasant conditions both inside the carriages and outside on the streets during normal days. However, the situation is greatly relieved by the week-long holiday during which you will have noticed bustling Beijing become less populated with millions having gone back home or on trips.
Preparation time for such an outing is minimal: a bottle of water, a portable music player, a digital camera and, ideally, a city map with some introductions to the sites.
1. Bus No 10-from Beijing Railway Station East to Nancaiyuan:
Beginning near the Beijing Railway Station, the bus goes by Wangfujing, the arbor-covered Nanheyan and Tian'anmen Square, along Chang'an Avenue until it makes a turn to the south and enters Beijing's Muslim neighbourhood, the Niujie area, where you will also see a mosque.
2. Bus No 20-from Beijing South Railway Station to Beijing Railway Station East:
You can get on from the Beijing Railway Station East stop and go on the same route as the Bus Te 1 mentioned above until the bus turns south at Tian'anmen West to pass Qianmen, Dashilan, Tianqiao areas and the Temple of Heaven before it stops at Beijing South Railway Station, whose worn, nostalgic look is subject to an on-going renovation project.
3. Bus Te 1-from Beijing West Railway Station to Sihui:
The air-conditioned bus route cruises along almost the entire length of Chang'an Avenue, arguably the most famous street in China. Five stops from Sihui, you will come to the Dabeiyao marked by the skyscrapers of the China World Trade Centre, Motorola Building and the China Merchants Tower that are signature buildings of the Central Business District (CBD). Continuing westward, you will see the colossal Oriental Plaza spanning between Dongdan crossing and the south end of the Wangfujing Street. Then you will pass by Tian'anmen Square where the Great Hall of the People, the Gate of the Heavenly Peace (Tian'anmen) and the nearly completed National Grand Theatre are in sight. You will also pass Xinhuamen, the formal gate to the Zhongnanhai, and the military museum.
4. Bus No 24-from Beijing Railway Station to Zuojiazhuang:
This route mainly wanders through the streets reclaimed from the old hutong neighborhoods including Waijiaobu Jie, Lumicang, Yanyue Hutong and the east ends of the numbered hutong in the Dongsi area such as Dongsi Liutiao, Dongsi Jiutiao.
5. Bus No 120-from Zuojiazhuang to Tiantan Nanmen:
This route provides a temporary trip from the modern to the past as it takes you from one of the city's night life zones near the Workers' Stadium to pass by Wangfujing, Tian'anmen Square, Qianmen, Dashilan and finishes at the Temple of Heaven.
6. Bus No 365-from Minzhuangnanli to Yongfengzhan:
This bus belongs to the suburban route that runs within the northern part of the city. You can get on at Remin University and then pass by Zhongguancun, China's silicon valley, and the Shangdi area where many domestic and foreign IT companies are headquartered. Continuing northward you will arrive at Hangtiancheng for China's space aviation centre, where all three of China's astronauts were trained.
7. Bus No 103-from Beijing Railway Station West to Beijing Zoo:
The trolleybus passes the municipal government quietly located at the Taijichang Lu and turns west at the north end of Wangfujing after it enters the bustling pedestrian street from the south. Then you will see the China National Art Museum en route along the Jingshan Qianjie that runs between the north entrance to the Forbidden City and the south entrance to Beihai Park before you pass by the lake of the Zhongnanhai on your left. After two stops, you will also see the White Pagoda Temple (Baitasi).
Beijing to set up Olympic special bus lines
Beijing will start to set up Olympic special bus lines in the second half of 2006. Now the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) is planning to set up 38 special lines around the 16 Olympic stadiums. Meanwhile, BOCOG is designing free travel methods for volunteers and journalists.
Road condition is another key problem in traffic. Now the BOCOG is planning to check 134 motor interchanges on the Third Ring Road in the second half of 2006, and more than 1.5 million sq m of underground passages there will be whitewashed, too.
The seven-kilometer-long Chang'an Avenue, the east-west axis of Beijing will under careful check and renovation in 2007, for which the work will be carried out at night, for the convenience of both traffic and people.
Road condition is another key problem in traffic. Now the BOCOG is planning to check 134 motor interchanges on the Third Ring Road in the second half of 2006, and more than 1.5 million sq m of underground passages there will be whitewashed, too.
The seven-kilometer-long Chang'an Avenue, the east-west axis of Beijing will under careful check and renovation in 2007, for which the work will be carried out at night, for the convenience of both traffic and people.
Public bus: Visit Badaling on public transport
I have read from others about joining tour buses to Badaling and how: 1. the time spent is limited at the Great Wall 2. have to go to Ming's tomb 3. have to spend plenty of time at 'shopping' places 4 costs about 20euros. So I decided to go there independently but found the information on the web to be rather scarce. Hopefully some info here will help others to this otherwise absolutely amazing place!
The bus which goes to Badaling from Beijing is 919. But there are several versions of 919 and the one that we want is 919 'kuai' (express). The bus stop is at Deshengmen, which is located close to Jisuitan metro station. So the directions are the following: Go to Jisuitan metro station. From one exit (sorry did not note down which one) turn right and walk along the road. You should see a pedestrian overhead bridge some distance away (like in the photo). Walk further down the road so that you can cross over and take the overhead bridge and get to the other side of the road. Continue to walk along the same direction (you will probably see other 919s at this stage but ignore them) until you reach a bend to the left and a nice looking building looms ahead of you. Continue walking for about 50m and you will see a 919 signboard across the road, bwhind the large building. That is the bus that you will need to take. Crossing the road is a challenge, you may want to cross before you turn left at the bend.
The bus itself is a little small, and space may be tight. It costs 12yuan for each journey, and Badaling is the second stop (the first stop is Juyonguan). I do not know the schedule but I arrived at 8am and the bus left almost immediately. My return trip I arrived at ~12pm and again there was already a bus there. I have the feeling that the driver tries to wait until the bus is almost full before departing but I may be wrong. The journey takes about an hour each way.
The bus which goes to Badaling from Beijing is 919. But there are several versions of 919 and the one that we want is 919 'kuai' (express). The bus stop is at Deshengmen, which is located close to Jisuitan metro station. So the directions are the following: Go to Jisuitan metro station. From one exit (sorry did not note down which one) turn right and walk along the road. You should see a pedestrian overhead bridge some distance away (like in the photo). Walk further down the road so that you can cross over and take the overhead bridge and get to the other side of the road. Continue to walk along the same direction (you will probably see other 919s at this stage but ignore them) until you reach a bend to the left and a nice looking building looms ahead of you. Continue walking for about 50m and you will see a 919 signboard across the road, bwhind the large building. That is the bus that you will need to take. Crossing the road is a challenge, you may want to cross before you turn left at the bend.
The bus itself is a little small, and space may be tight. It costs 12yuan for each journey, and Badaling is the second stop (the first stop is Juyonguan). I do not know the schedule but I arrived at 8am and the bus left almost immediately. My return trip I arrived at ~12pm and again there was already a bus there. I have the feeling that the driver tries to wait until the bus is almost full before departing but I may be wrong. The journey takes about an hour each way.
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Copyright (c) 2008 Beijing Travel Information 2007 - All Rights Reserved
2008 Beijing Travel Information E-Mail:zhijilong@hotmail.com
Copyright (c) 2008 Beijing Travel Information 2007 - All Rights Reserved