Beijing, China
Getting around Beijing
How to travel around Beijing — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.
Last updated 2026-08-08
1. Beijing Subway
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Vast, cheap and signed in English, with security screening at every entrance.
Cost: CNY 3–9 by distanceTip: Bring your passport — it is checked at some stations, and required to buy a travel card.
2. DiDi
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The dominant ride-hailing app, with an English interface in the international version.
Watch out Avoids the unlicensed 'black cabs' that tout at stations and tourist sites.
3. Bike share
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Dockless bikes everywhere, and Beijing's flat grid with protected lanes suits them.
Cost: CNY 1.5 per 30 minutesTip: Requires a Chinese payment app; set up Alipay before arriving.
4. High-speed rail
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Fast, punctual services to Shanghai, Xi'an and beyond from the main stations.
Tip: Book with passport details; collect at the station or use the e-ticket gate.
5. Metered taxi
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Cheap by international standards but a language barrier in practice.
Watch out Counterfeit notes given as change by taxi drivers at night is a known Beijing pattern. Pay through an app instead.
Booking apps in China
Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the
journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page —
lookalike apps are themselves a scam.
The dominant Chinese ride-hailing platform, with an English interface in the international app.
Coverage: Nationwide.Why it helps: Removes the unlicensed cars that tout at stations and airports, and records the route.
Handles metro and bus fares, taxi payment and most everyday transactions; supports foreign cards.
Coverage: Nationwide.Why it helps: Paying digitally sidesteps the counterfeit-banknote problem entirely, which is the most common change scam in China.
Books high-speed rail and domestic flights with an English interface and passport support.
Coverage: Nationwide.Why it helps: Avoids station touts reselling rail tickets at markups.
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