The Subway in Beijing is a great way getting around.
It is clean and safe. You find several apps to guide you, for example Beijing Metro. You can also use Apple Maps on your Iphone.
To buy tickets you use the machines when entering the Subway station or in case you don’t have change, you can go to the counter.
During Rush Hour it can be very crowded, but it is definitely faster than Taxi.
Buying a ticket for the Beijing Subay
1. Apple Wallet Subway Card
If you have an Iphone you can download the Beijing Subway Card for the Apple Wallet. Then you put some money on it with Apple Pay.
2. Pre-Paid Card (Yikatong Card)
You can buy this card at the counter and put some money on it. For 1 trip you pay CNY 3 – CNY 6 depending on distance. Putting CNY 100 on the card should be enough for 1 week. Each person needs their own card.
3. Vending Machines
The vending machines often only accept CNY20 and CNY10 bills and CNY1 coins. If you don’t have change, go to the counter.
In the bottom left corner you can change the language to English.
Getting around
You can use several apps to guide you through your Beijing Metro journey. The one I find the best is Apple Maps on the Iphone. The pictures below show how a short journey looks like.
