It became clear, after my first solo trip in a Beijing taxi, I would need to find an alternative for cross-city transportation. Without at least a basic foundation of Chinese language, it's nearly impossible to get from Point A to Point B in a cab. Often, you are not trying to get to a major landmark, requiring any passenger to know the directions and be able to communicate them. The drivers – prone to slurring their speech, as locals do in any language – also have thick dialects that can cause expat-locals who have been here a while to take pause. They are also often poor readers, I'm told, and cannot always understand a written address.
Luckily, what the taxi services lack in convenience, the subway system more than makes up for. If you can work your way through basic pinyin, you'll have no problem navigating this efficient transportation option. Especially helpful for the frequent subway rider will be the public transportation card.
To get a public transportation card:
It's easy to secure your own gōngjiāokă, or public transportation card even without much Chinese under your belt. Upon entering the subway station, you'll first put any bag you have through the security check and pass through a metal detector. Those with particularly tight security will have a guard there to scan your pockets and take a closer look at drinks or water bottles. Then you'll head to the ticketing office. Often, there is a photo or example of the card nearby for you to point to while holding out your money. Those who work these booths also know a few English words – or will find someone who does. New cards require a ¥20 deposit, plus however much you would like to add. Most trips you take will cost between ¥3 and ¥5 round trip. This expat-local often puts ¥100 on to decrease my trips to the reloading machine.
To get a temporary ticket:
For those not looking to invest in a card – or have forgotten theirs at home – you can also buy a temporary card. If you have the names of the stations rehearsed, you can purchase one from the same ticketing office you would visit for a public transportation card. Even easier is the ticketing machine you'll find at nearly every station in the city. Just select the English option and follow the steps to purchase your ticket. You will need to know your final destination, so be sure to check the map before you make your way through the process. They will have both pinyin and characters, so don't fret if you cannot remember each character in the station's name.
To add money to a public transportation card:
These machines are also where you will reload a public transportation card: simply put your card in the machine, followed by the money you would like added to it. It will then spit your card back out, and you are ready to go. There is no delay between when you can use a reloaded card.
To return your public transportation card:
When you leave Beijing, or find you have no more use for this card, there are a number of locations you can return the card at for a refund of that initial ¥20 deposit. Those stations are often transfer stations, or those with high traffic volumes. Here is a list of those that will accept well-preserved cards, all with less than ¥100 on them.
Line 1: Guchenglu, Sijui; Line 2: Fuxingmen, Xizhimen; Line 5: Lishuiqiao, Yonghegong, Dongdan, Songjiazhuang, Xizhimen; Line 8: Jianguomen, Beitucheng; Line 10: Shaoyaoju, Zhichunlu; Line 13: Dongzhimen; Airport Line: T3 of the Capital Airport.
It's worth noting:
You will not want to add too much to a public transportation card at one time. They are only bearer cards, and do not have any identification or PIN associated with it. If it is lost, that money is also lost. So add funds to the card as you see fit. These cards will also work on most buses in the city – just scan it as you board the bus you need and scan again as you get off.
Pronunciation Guide
gōngjiāokă - gohng-zee-ow-kaw || Often it helps to exaggerate your mouth's movement. Take the "o" in "gōng": Your mouth will form a small circle, giving it the proper "oh" sound. The "j" in Chinese is said on the back of your upper teeth. So while it mimics a "z" sound, you press off the back of your teeth when saying "jiāo".
Resources
There are many Beijing subway apps that will help you navigate the city's train system. I chose "Explore Metro" for Beijing. The map is easy to navigate, with a search option that zeros in on the station you may be searching for. You can also use it to find what station is nearest to you, if you have a data plan or WiFi connection.
Luckily, what the taxi services lack in convenience, the subway system more than makes up for. If you can work your way through basic pinyin, you'll have no problem navigating this efficient transportation option. Especially helpful for the frequent subway rider will be the public transportation card.
To get a public transportation card:
It's easy to secure your own gōngjiāokă, or public transportation card even without much Chinese under your belt. Upon entering the subway station, you'll first put any bag you have through the security check and pass through a metal detector. Those with particularly tight security will have a guard there to scan your pockets and take a closer look at drinks or water bottles. Then you'll head to the ticketing office. Often, there is a photo or example of the card nearby for you to point to while holding out your money. Those who work these booths also know a few English words – or will find someone who does. New cards require a ¥20 deposit, plus however much you would like to add. Most trips you take will cost between ¥3 and ¥5 round trip. This expat-local often puts ¥100 on to decrease my trips to the reloading machine.
To get a temporary ticket:
For those not looking to invest in a card – or have forgotten theirs at home – you can also buy a temporary card. If you have the names of the stations rehearsed, you can purchase one from the same ticketing office you would visit for a public transportation card. Even easier is the ticketing machine you'll find at nearly every station in the city. Just select the English option and follow the steps to purchase your ticket. You will need to know your final destination, so be sure to check the map before you make your way through the process. They will have both pinyin and characters, so don't fret if you cannot remember each character in the station's name.
To add money to a public transportation card:
These machines are also where you will reload a public transportation card: simply put your card in the machine, followed by the money you would like added to it. It will then spit your card back out, and you are ready to go. There is no delay between when you can use a reloaded card.
To return your public transportation card:
When you leave Beijing, or find you have no more use for this card, there are a number of locations you can return the card at for a refund of that initial ¥20 deposit. Those stations are often transfer stations, or those with high traffic volumes. Here is a list of those that will accept well-preserved cards, all with less than ¥100 on them.
Line 1: Guchenglu, Sijui; Line 2: Fuxingmen, Xizhimen; Line 5: Lishuiqiao, Yonghegong, Dongdan, Songjiazhuang, Xizhimen; Line 8: Jianguomen, Beitucheng; Line 10: Shaoyaoju, Zhichunlu; Line 13: Dongzhimen; Airport Line: T3 of the Capital Airport.
It's worth noting:
You will not want to add too much to a public transportation card at one time. They are only bearer cards, and do not have any identification or PIN associated with it. If it is lost, that money is also lost. So add funds to the card as you see fit. These cards will also work on most buses in the city – just scan it as you board the bus you need and scan again as you get off.
Pronunciation Guide
gōngjiāokă - gohng-zee-ow-kaw || Often it helps to exaggerate your mouth's movement. Take the "o" in "gōng": Your mouth will form a small circle, giving it the proper "oh" sound. The "j" in Chinese is said on the back of your upper teeth. So while it mimics a "z" sound, you press off the back of your teeth when saying "jiāo".
Resources
There are many Beijing subway apps that will help you navigate the city's train system. I chose "Explore Metro" for Beijing. The map is easy to navigate, with a search option that zeros in on the station you may be searching for. You can also use it to find what station is nearest to you, if you have a data plan or WiFi connection.