IC Cards for public transportation

Two in three people in Beijing now have the card.

Population in Beijing: 15.8 million

Adult card users: 8.5 million

Student card users: 1.2 million

Cost: 20 yuan

Where to buy: Bus terminals, metro stations

Benefits: 60 percent off regular bus fare 80 percent off for students

Applicable for bus and metro rides

By Bus

About 23,000 public buses run on nearly 700 routes in Beijing. With IC card (gongjiao yikatong,traffic cards to take public buses and subways), adults may enjoy a discount of 60 percent and students a discount of 80 percent. Generally, the buses operate between 6 am and 10 pm to midnight. Their frequency varies but a bus should arrive every five to ten minutes.

Beijing transportation information: http://www.1039.com.cn

See Beijing maps here: http://www.go2map.com

Beijing bus information: http://www.bjbus.com

Public traffic service hotline: 96166

By Subway

Beijing subway (Photo by He Peng)

The Beijing Subway has seen unprecedented construction in recent years, greatly easing traffic congestion in the Chinese capital.

By the end of 2012, including a new line and extensions to lines, the city boasts a network of 15 lines, covering 11 districts, with 221 stations and 442 km of track.

The Beijing Subway is the busiest on the Chinese mainland in terms of passenger volume, and the largest in terms of operational length.

It is estimated the total operational length of the Beijing system will reach 1,050 km by the end of 2020, with 30 lines and some 450 stations, according to the Beijing government.

Subway/light-rail trains arrive every few minutes, generally speaking from 5:15 am to 11:40 pm. Route signs are bilingual; useful maps showing station exits are located at the center of every platform, and all stops are announced on the trains in English and Chinese.