taking the subway in beijing. what i learned.

BellaT

used the beijing subway for a week. here's what i learned.

the system is huge. 20 something lines. but navigation is easy. signs in english everywhere. station names have pinyin.

buying a ticket. vending machines have english option. single ride ticket costs about 30-50 cents. you can also use alipay to scan at the gate.

rush hour is crowded. 8-9am and 5-7pm. trains are packed. if you have luggage, avoid these times.

the trains are clean and on time. announcements in english too.

line 1 and 2 are the oldest. still fine but a bit warm in summer.

line 10 and 4 are newer and nicer. air conditioning works well.

pro tip. download the metro beijing app. offline maps available.

i used the subway to go to the forbidden city, summer palace, and olympic park. all easy.

anyone used the subway in shanghai? how does it compare?