Having lived in Beijing for so many years, I took buses and subways to and from work every day, following the fixed commuting routes without ever feeling that there was anything special about it. However, one day, when I put on my headphones and looked out of the bus window, I realized that the buses speeding along the urban roads were not just convenient means of transportation, but also excellent guides that could take us on a tour of Beijing.

Take a bus tour of Beijing. Xiao Ai recommends several wonderful bus sightseeing routes for you. Each stop will bring you a surprise and let you experience the most down-to-earth Citywalk tour of the imperial capital.

Bus No. 1. It travels along the ten-mile-long street and runs through the east and west of the capital city. Among the numerous bus routes in Beijing, if I didn't mention Bus No. 1, the fans would surely blame me. Because it is the memory of childhood outings for many old Beijingers. People affectionately call it "Big Bus No. 1". Since the day when Bus No. 1 was put into operation, it has a history of more than 80 years. As the only bus route that covers the entire length of Chang'an Jie (Ave), it holds a significant meaning in the hearts of local people. It represents the banner of the Beijing bus industry and also serves as the face of the capital city, enjoying the reputation of "the urban ship on Chang'an Jie (Ave)".

After several adjustments, Big Bus No. 1 has been transformed from an ordinary vehicle into a pure electric bus. With its bionic dolphin shape and streamlined appearance, it is different from other buses. Most importantly, its eye-catching "Chinese Red" makes it the most beautiful sight on Chang'an Jie (Ave).

Bus No. 1 has always been the main bus line running through the east and west of Chang'an Jie (Ave). It starts from the Laoshan Bus Station and ends at the Sihui Hub Station, passing through Tian'anmen, Xidan, Nanlishi Lu(Road), Wangfujing, the Military Museum and so on. When you count them one by one, you'll find that almost all of them are landmark scenic spots and must-visit places for tourists coming to Beijing. If you dislike the large crowds in the square and are worried about the congestion on the cycling lanes, then just take Big Bus No. 1 and enjoy the scenery on both sides of Chang'an Jie (Ave) to your heart's content.

Bus No. 107. I became an online sensation because of a song. "When Bus No. 107 passes by again, time is the tram that takes away our youth."Zhao Lei's song"The Drum Tower" made the whole street of the Drum Tower popular, and also turned Bus No. 107, which goes directly to the Drum Tower, into a newly emerging popular bus overnight. Isn't it a surprise? After it became famous, the number of tourists taking pictures at the Drum Tower increased significantly. Many tourists waited under the Drum Tower just to take a photo with Bus No. 107.

Bus No. 107 didn't let the tourists down either. Quite appropriately, it plays the song "The Drum Tower" when arriving at the Drum Tower. Listening to "The Drum Tower" under the Drum Tower, the passengers can't help singing along. Netizens all say, "This is the kind of romance that only exists in Beijing." Actually, the sudden popularity of the Drum Tower and Bus No. 107 isn't just a matter of chance. Because this place can satisfy people's longing for the hustle and bustle of the core area of Beijing. Bus No. 107, the street sign at the intersection near the Drum Tower, Pigeon - Flutes... all these are people's impressions of the old city of Beijing.

It has to be said that Bus No. 107 is really one of the best routes to understand the old Beijing. It runs from the Dongzhimen Hub Station to the East of Baishi Bridge, passing through Beixinqiao, Baochao Hutong, the Drum Tower, Di'anmen, and Beihai Park. It goes through alleys and along the streets, making it very convenient to have a tour around the Drum Tower area.

Baochao Hutong

As we all know, although the nearby Nanluogu Xiang(Alley) and Yandai Xiejie (Alley) around the Drum Tower are nice, they are too commercialized and full of tourists. In contrast, Baochao Hutong gives people a stronger sense of the original folk residences. Baochao Hutong starts from Dongtao Hutong in the north and ends at the Dong Jie (E. St) of the Drum Tower in the south. Saying goodbye to the liveliness of the main road, it is unusually quiet inside the hutong. There are mostly old and dilapidated houses in it. The relatively famous Prince Na's Mansion and Beijing No.1 High School are both located here.

Di'anmenwai Dajie(St)

This street full of the flavor of old Beijing is really suitable for a Citywalk. You can stroll around the well-known and time-honored Di'anmen Shopping Mall, explore the treasure trove of vintage stores to hunt for treasures, pay a visit to the Fire God Temple to draw a lucky lot, and there's also the Lotus Market that is deeply loved by Beijingers. Opposite it is Beihai Park. The charm of the capital city where the ancient and the modern blend together is truly bustling and lively.

Bus No. 5. Capturing all the scenic spots along the Beijing Central Axis in one go. The most wonderful bus in Beijing is neither Bus No. 1 nor Bus No. 107, but Bus No. 5 which can cover all the scenic spots along theBeijing Central Axis. It starts from Beitucheng in the north and ends at Caihuying in the south, with a total length of 17.22 kilometers. The route basically runs close to the north-south central axis. It passes through Tian'anmen, Jing Shan(Mountain), Beihai, the Drum Tower, Shichahai, Desheng Gate and Niujie. It also passes by Zhongnanhai and Xihuamen in a grand manner. It can be said that it traverses more than half of the old urban area of Beijing.

Bus No. 5 is also the first bus route in the history of the urban area of Beijing. Taking this 80-year-old bus, passing by the red walls and black tiles in Beijing, going through the famous "Eight Great Hutongs" and turning into Qianmen Dajie (St) is also a very unique experience. From the Drum Tower heading west and leaving the old urban area, it runs to Deshengmen. Here is the starting and ending station for many long-distance buses. If you want to go to Changping, Badaling or Yanqing, you can take Bus No. 5 and transfer here.

Niujie

When you feel hungry, you can get off at the west of the intersection of Niujie and go to look for something to eat. This is the most authentic food street in Beijing. There are the charcoal-burning copper hot pot at Manhengji, the baked sesame cake with meat at Baodu Man, the door nail meat pie at Xiangyunxuan, the beef cubes at Hongji Snack Shop... Besides, there are Baiji's rice cake, lamb spine hot pot, fried cake and sugar ears. There are crowds of people queuing up, and many of them are repeat customers.

Bus No. 141. The double-deck sightseeing bus offers wonderful views all the way. Bus No. 141 runs through the north and south of Beijing. It has a large vehicle model, a long route and many stops. It starts from the Songjiazhuang Hub Station and ends at the North Station of Shidai Zhuangyuan, with a total length of 34 kilometers. It passes by the Yongdingmen, goes by Qianmen Dashilar and Dongjiaomin Xiang(Alley), and arrives at the Wangfujing Church under the street lamps in the dusk, bustling with people coming and going.

After passing through the old neighborhoods, it reaches the National Stadium. What a pity it would be not to stop at the Bird's Nest and the National Aquatics center for a while. Bus No. 141 also passes by the Temple of Heaven, Zhu Shikou, the New Dong'an Market, the Altar of Earth and Fangjia Hutong, all of which are the golden attractions of Beijing. Moreover, since Bus No. 141 is a double-decker bus, it has always been regarded by people as "the bus most suitable for sightseeing and enjoying the night view". By chance, if you sit in the first row on the second floor of the bus, with a high angle and a wide view, you can enjoy the street views of Beijing in the best position all the way. It's really delightful.

Qianmen / Dashilar

"We've arrived at Qianmen. Please get off from the rear door!", this old joke has finally popped up. As the main gateway of the south gate of Beijing, no matter how much people complain that the renovated Qianmen Street is not "old" enough, it has always been a must-visit stop for tourists. There are numerous time-honored brands gathered along the whole street. When there are a lot of people, you have to queue up at every traditional snack bar or small shop. You can't be impatient when strolling around and having something to eat. It's obvious that everyone here is a foodie.

The vintage Dangdang

Ding-ding-dang-dang~ In just a short while, you will see a unique tram departing from the entrance of Dashilar. It starts from the south side of the Arrow Tower of Zhengyangmen, makes a loop around the area near the central axis, reaches Jing Shan(Mountain) and then returns to Qianmen. Along the way, it passes through Tian'anmen, the Northeast Corner Tower and Wangfujing Dajie (St). You can choose the daytime sightseeing route where you can stop and get off halfway, or experience the newly opened night tour route along East Chang'an Jie (Ave). Let the tram take you to enjoy the brightly lit Chang'an Jie (Ave)!

Bus No. 300 Express

The "Specialist of the 3 Huan Lu (3rd Ring Rd)" in Beijing. During the period when there were few private cars in Beijing and the subway was not so developed, Bus No. 300 was a very important bus route for people's daily travel. There are four buses including Bus No. 300 Inner Huan (Ring), Bus No. 300 Outer Huan (Ring), Bus No. 300 Inner Huan (Ring) (Express), and Bus No. 300 Outer Huan (Ring) (Express). No matter which bus it is, they have always been consistent and only run around the Third Ring Road. So it can be truly called the "Specialist of the Third Ring Road", and thus has established its dominant position in the "transportation world".

There is a joke that goes, "Bus No. 300 Express is not as fast as 300." It's a bit confusing, right? In fact, their general situations are similar. The starting and ending stations of the inner and outer rings and the express buses are different. The express buses just have a few fewer stops than the regular ones, along with the difference in driving speed. So they can be talked about together. Besides, Bus No. 300 Express is also one of the few double-decker buses in Beijing. When you have nothing to do, you can sit on the second floor of Bus No. 300 Express, spend two hours going around Beijing. You can see numerous high-rise buildings, heavy traffic, pass through the bustling CBD blocks of Beijing, and also catch sight of the down-to-earth residential areas.

The Panjiayuan Flea Market. Along the line, Panjiayuan is a very interesting place and a well-known treasure-hunting destination in Beijing. There are more than 3,000 stalls selling all kinds of items, such as jewels, jade, old books and periodicals, collectibles, toys and so on. If you take a liking to something, you can have a chat with the boss and bargain with them. That's where the fun lies. The "Ghost Market" on Wednesday and Friday evenings is more popular among young people. It's a lively night market with all sorts of novel and miscellaneous trinkets. There's always something you'll like.