Beijing, the capital city of China, is certainly one of the perfect cities to visit for tourists both foreign and domestic. In order to thoroughly enjoy yourself, you should prepare well for the trip.

Transportation

When you arrive in Beijing, you should first buy a travel card that allows you to take buses and the subway and provides a map of Beijing. If arriving at Beijing Railway Station, go across the platform bridge, turn right and walk for 300 meters. Here you can buy the travel card more easily than in the station itself since there are fewer crowds.

Beijing transportation is quite cheap. Bus lines cost one yuan per line, and lines with fewer stations only need 0.4 yuan. The subway costs two yuan per one-way trip, and you can visit most of the tourist attractions by subway. The subway is generally cleaner and more comfortable than the buses, and it is not as crowded as the subway systems of other large Chinese cities such as Shanghai. It is difficult to take taxis in Beijing, and both buses and taxis are susceptible to traffic jams. Therefore, it’s best to take the subway to visit the tourist areas.

To find a Beijing tourist map, visit a Xinhua Bookstore location (there are many throughout the city). Tourist maps clearly indicate bus lines, subway lines and tourist areas.

Accommodation

Choosing the right season to visit Beijing is very important. Visit in autumn when the weather is good and it is mostly sunny with stable temperatures. It can be dry in autumn, however, so remember to wear moisturizer and sunscreen when exploring the city.

The Great Hall of the People

Choosing the right accommodation is of course also very important. It’s recommended to stay in the Chongwenmen (崇文门) Commercial and Trade Zone where there is a subway station, a bus station, a shopping center, a hospital and several restaurants. Subway Lines 2 and 5 converge at Chongwenmen Station. You can also find a bus station within 300 meters. The location is very convenient for exploring the city.

The area around Qianmen Station (前门站) is another good choice, as it is within 15 minutes of such tourist sites as Tiananmen Square (天安门广场), the Great Hall of the People (人民大会堂), the National Museum (国家博物馆), the International Theatre (国际大剧院), the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (毛主席纪念堂), the Monument to the People’s Heroes (人民英雄纪念碑), the Forbidden City (故宫), Zhongshan Park (中山公园), Qianmen Street (前门大街), Lao She Teahouse (老舍茶馆) and more. After dinner in the area, you can take a 10-minute walk to Tiananmen Square to enjoy the charming night scene. Subway Line 2 runs through the area, and there is a bus station at Qianmen Station. Qianmen Street (前门大街) and Xianyukou Snack Street (鲜鱼口美食街) are also nearby, where there are abundant authentic Beijing snacks as well as restaurants with various cuisines. The food choices are quite delicious and cheap. Be aware, however, that the Qianmen Station subway will be closed during the National Day holiday.

Food

Wangfujing Street

There is a great deal of delicious Beijing food to be found in Dongcheng district (东城区), around Qianmen Street (前门大街) and Wangfujing Street (王府井大街).

Qianmen Street and Dazhalan Business Area (大栅栏商务区) have many old and famous shops, such as the celebrated Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (全聚德烤鸭店), Jiulongzhai (九龙斋), Beijing Tongrentang pharmacy (同仁堂), Goubuli stuffed steamed buns (狗不理包子) and so on. You can find a lot of authentic Beijing snacks in this area, including Rolling Donkey, a kind of sticky-rice cake with a red pea filling. Buy these tasty and cheap Beijing snacks opposite the Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant. The dried apricot in the supermarket on Dazhalan Street is also strongly recommended.

Snack Streets

Also read top 10 snack shops in Beijing.

Xiaoyukou Snake Street on Qianmen Street has a special layout and structure, which gives you a sense of old Beijing’s hutong (胡同) neighborhoods. When walking to the central area, you may feel that you have left Beijing and traveled abroad. The environment is elegant and clean and there are many rich local snacks such as authentic Beijing fried pork liver.

Wangfujing Snack Street

Wangfujing Snack Street is another great place to visit, mainly for traditional Beijing foods and beverages. When you enter the street, you will quickly feel the narrow lanes of old Beijing. There are rows and rows of tables on both sides of the street with people milling around everywhere. People walk in the center, and it’s very crowded and busy. You can hear the traditional melodious hawking of the street vendors now and then. The whole atmosphere is warm and alive. The two food centers, Xianyukou Snack Street and Wangfujing Snack Street, both have different characteristics and environments, which make a trip to each a special and unique treat. These two streets are great places for you to experience the unique flavor and culture of Beijing.

Traditional Beijing snacks are have interesting characteristics and many varied flavors. Many snacks are sweet and are soft, crispy pastry and cakes with different shapes and flavors. There are dozens of famous snacks with Beijing characteristics including bean juice, seasoned millet mush, fried doughnuts, sausages, steamed buns with coarse food grains, rice cakes, pea cakes, almond tea, fried pork liver, fried dough twists and various preserved fruits. These and more are all Beijing specialties. You can also find authentic Tianjin Guifaxiang 18th Street fried dough twists at Qianmen Street. Finally, the Wuyu Tai barley tea is a classic tea with a great taste and cheap price.

When visiting Tiananmen Square (天安门) and Chang’an Street (长安街), you can go to Qianmen Street (前门大街) or the hutong on the left side of the National Theatre. Continue walking to the pedestrian crossing to the south, and you will find Bingbuwa Hutong (兵部洼胡同), where there is a series of small hotels and restaurants. This hutong is a very clean, cheap area with excellent foods to try.

of the south and north lakes. Beside the bridge, try the traditional Beijing barbecue (烤肉季) and Quick-Fried Zhang Tripe (爆肚张). There are also several Muslim-cuisine vendors nearby. After dinner, take a walk on the hundred-year-old Tobacco Pipe Lane (烟袋斜街) to appreciate the traditional Beijing city scenery. On the east end of the street there is a bus station to take you back to your hotel.