Guide: How to get around Beijing?
- Júlia Partal
- Mar 21
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 23
Getting around China's big cities can seem complicated at first. Everything is vast, distances are deceiving, and many of the transportation and mobility apps we usually use don't work or are completely useless.
The reality, however, is that their system is perfectly organized and is surprisingly easy, efficient and cheap. In fact, I would gladly trade it for the one in any European city. Everything is centralized in an app, Alipay , which you can use to take public transport, a DIdi (carpooling taxi) or rent a bike by the minute!
In this post I explain what the best options are for getting around by public transport, and everything I would have liked to know before arriving so you can enjoy the city without complications from the moment you land!
Table of contents
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📲 An app to do absolutely everything
To move around Beijing - and any city in China -, you will need to have the Alipay app downloaded and configured .
With this app you can:
Pay for the metro
Pay for the bus
Book and pay for DiDi
Unlock rental bikes
Just activate the “Transport” option and use the QR code. The payment is automatically charged to your linked card. I explain it in more detail here .
🚇Metro : the best option
Advantages
Fast, comfortable and very economical
Extensive coverage throughout the city
Also ideal for going to/from the airport (Airport Express)
Prices:
They are measured by distance, with a minimum fee of 3 yuan
No need to buy tickets. You can pay by scanning the Alipay transportation QR code .
Schedule
Until 23:00 (also weekends and holidays)
It is very important to keep in mind that Beijing is huge , and this is noticeable when you want to move around by metro:
Stations can be very far apart
Transfers can be very long (laugh at the one on Passeig de Gràcia)
🚌 Bus: the cheapest option
Advantages
Very economical and with good frequency
Allows you to observe the city landscape
Ideal for short distances
Price
Flat rate of 2 yuan (~€0.25)
Pay with Alipay (scanning when boarding and disembarking)
Schedule
Until 23:00 (also weekends and holidays), with the exception of night buses (which I must confess I have never used, at night it is too tempting to take a Didi...)
🚖 Didi: your new best friend
Advantages
Safe and reliable
Fixed and transparent price
Very economical (especially if you are a group, but if you are just one person it can also be cost effective sometimes)
Price
Short journeys from 10-15 yuan (~1.50-2 €)
May vary depending on distance and demand
🚲 HelloBike: Alipay bikes
Advantages
Flexible, you can pick them up and drop them off wherever you want without fixed stations
Very cheap
Ideal for a flat city like Beijing
You can see the scenery and stop wherever you want!
Prices
They are metered by time of use, with a very low minimum fee (around 1–2 yuan for the first 30 minutes).
There is no registration fee, nor is there any need to purchase any type of subscription or pay a deposit!
How does it work?
Open the HelloBike miniapp in Alipay (you will need to have your bank card linked to it)
Scan the QR code, unlock the bike and start pedaling!
🗺️ Navigation apps
Google Maps doesn't work in China.
Best alternative:
⭐ Amap (Gaode) - available in English!
Advantages:
Very accurate
Integration with Didi
Reliable time/price comparison for all available transports
Other options:
Apple Maps
Maps.me
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