Tour Code: DBC-WS-HJCGF

Tour Type: Private car + private driver + One to One on call English service

Show Time: First show 17:15-18:30pm; second show 19:30-20:50pm

Show Duration: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Venue: Red Theatre (near Temple of Heaven)

Pick-up point and time: appointed hotel and appointed time
Drop-off point and time: appointed hotel and appointed time
Best time to go: All year round
Payment Types: Cash, online payment, bank transfer, credit card

Day:  MM, DD, YY (First show 17:15-18:30pm)

TIME              ACTIVITY

16:30 pm         Pickup from hotel at Beijing urban by driver

16:30-17:05     Transit from hotel to Red Theatre

17:05-17:15     Get settle and ready for Kungfu show

17:15 -18:30    Watch Kungfu show

18:30-18:40   Get on the car

18:40-19:20      Transit from Red Theatre to hotel at Beijing urban

Trip duration    Approx.4 hours

Day:  MM, DD, YY (Second show 19:30-20:50pm)

TIME              ACTIVITY

18:45 pm         Pickup from hotel at Beijing urban by driver

18:45-19:20     Transit from hotel to Red Theatre

19:20- 19:30    Get settle and ready for Kungfu show

19:30 -20:50    Watch Kungfu show

20:50-21:00      Get on the car

21:00-21:30      Transit from Red Theatre to hotel at Beijing urban

Trip duration    Approx.4 hours

Option 1 - Standard Car Rental Transfer Option (Car + Driver)

What's Included:

l   Private car

l   Private driver

l   One to One on call service by English speaking coordinator

l   Detailed bilingual itinerary hold by private driver and customer.

What's Excluded:

l   Kungfu show ticket to Red Theatre

l   Meal(s) or food, which are not included in the tour itinerary

l   Tour guide

Way of Payment:

l   Cash payment

l   Online payment

l   Wire transfer

l   credit card payment

     Only Visa and Master are accepted and payment needs to be made on spot at our office. Foreign credit card service fee will also be charged. 

Option 2 - All Inclusive Car Rental Transfer Option (Car + Driver + Kungfu show ticket)

What's Included:

l   Private car

l   Private driver

l   Kungfu show ticket

l   One to One on call service by English speaking coordinator

l   Detailed bilingual itinerary hold by private driver and customer.

What's Excluded:

l   Tour guide

l   Meal(s) or food, which are not included in the tour itinerary

Way of Payment:

l   Cash payment

l   Online payment

l   Wire transfer

l   credit card payment

     Only Visa and Master are accepted and payment needs to be made on spot at our office. Foreign credit card service fee will also be charged. 

Make a Reservation

Reservation Notes:

l   Please use our online booking or send your travel request via email. You are also welcome to call us at 00 86 10 5877 8965. We are also capable of providing tour booking service at short notice. Please dial 0086 138 109 022 18, 132 417 574 02 (English speaking staff on duty available from 6:00 to 23:00 daily).

l   Once your email is received in working hour (9:00-20:00), our coordinator will contact you through email within 1 hour.

Chengde, lying in the northeast of Hebei Province, is close to Beijing, about 230 kilometers (140 miles) away, Tianjin, Tangshan and Qinhuangdao. The topography of Chengde is mainly divided into plateau and mountainous regions, including Yanshan, Yinshan and Qilaotushan mountains, as well as the Luanhe, Liaohe, Chaobaihe and Jiyunhe rivers flowing through the city.
Chengde, originally called Rehe was once the summer resort capital of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It holds rich culture related to this history as well as many historic relics dating as far back as the Neolithic Age in this city. Ethnic groups such as Xiongnu, Xianbei, Qidan, Nvzhen, and Mongolian once led a nomadic existence in this region from the Qin (221BC-206) to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

As one of the first famous historic and cultural cities of the nation, Chengde has plenty of sceneries, with some of them being renowned both at home and abroad. The Mountain Resort and Eight Outer Temples are listed as the world cultural heritage sites, which have contributed towards Chengde being one of famous cities in the world.

Both the internal and the external transportation of Chengde are very well developed and although there is only a small-scale airport, chartered flights flying between Beijing and Chengde will provide you more choices for your journey. In addition, railway and road links can connect you to many cities, such as Tianjin, Shenyang, Baotou, Ulanhot, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia, etc. City buses provide a fine and integrated transport service; taxis are also a good choice due to their convenience and inexpensiveness.

While traveling in Chengde, you will have the opportunity to taste the unique local dishes and snacks, both of royal and folk flavors due to its historical links. Various hotels, rest houses and leisure places will also provide you with comfort and pleasure during your travels in this wondrous city.
 

View Larger Map

$$ Beijing Duck, Modern Chinese cuisine

Area: Chaoyang, Hujialou CBD

Phone: +86(10)65956924

Rating from 0 (bad) to 30 (excellent)                                

Food:20  Service:16  Atmosphere:16

Average cost per person: RMB 66 Yuan

Reviews + Photos from dianping.com

Bilingual map from Robert Beijing Car Rental

 Printable address

Jingzun Peking Duck Restaurant 

Area: Hujialou CBD (Outer E 3rd Ring Rd)

Chaoyang

Guanghua Rd. 

East end of Guanghua Rd Bldg6

Daily 10:00am-11:30pm

+86(10)65956924

below is a list of partial trains departing from Beijing to other cities. Please choose different methods to search more train schedules to other destinations or via Beijing in the SEARCH FORMS above.

A number of participants in that trip are sharing their experiences and observations of the trip. Excerpts from those writings appear in the Sunday, Nov. 7, Lebanon Daily News.

They are presented here in their entirety.

The Lebanon Valley Chamber's inaugural overseas business mission and group tour began with our 97-member delegation of travelers meeting in the parking lot of the Lebanon Valley Mall on Saturday, September 25 for a 7:30 a.m. departure by bus to JFK Airport in New York City. Our ultimate destination this day was Beijing, China, for the start of a seven-day tour of key cities and sites and the opportunity to learn more about this intriguing country.

Our tour group was a diverse one and was made up of business people, educators, public officials, writers, artists, farmers, representatives from non-profit organizations and members of the general public. While largely drawn from the Lebanon Valley, our group also included residents from several neighboring counties as well as from a number of other states including Georgia, North Carolina and Texas. The one common thread among this group was the desire to learn more about China, its people, culture and history and to do so on a first-hand basis.

Our four-hour bus ride to JFK Airport was uneventful, but did provide tour group members with the opportunity to begin getting acquainted with some of the other people with whom they would be spending the coming week's travels and adventures.

Because of the large size of our overall group, we were broken into four smaller groups of 23 - 25 members each and were assigned ahead of time to either the blue, green, yellow or red bus tour group for our travels throughout China. On the bus ride to JFK, the blue and green groups shared one large bus, while the red and yellow groups traveled in the other.

As with virtually all other aspects of our nine-day, seven-night trip, the check-in process at JFK Airport was well organized by Citslinc International, the travel company with whom the Chamber partnered on this tour. Members of our tour group had several hours' time available to settle in and prepare for our flight prior to our departure at approximately 4:30 p.m.

Our 13 ½ hour flight followed a route over the North Pole.

Given the time change, we arrived in Beijing early Sunday evening (or Sunday morning East Coast time in the U.S.). Beijing and all areas we visited in China on our tour are, we learned, 12 hours ahead of our time on the East Coast.

Upon our arrival at the airport, we were greeted by our local tour guides provided by Citslinc. These knowledgeable and personable guides played a huge role in enhancing our group members' experience and enjoyment of our time in China.

From the airport, we traveled in our color-assigned bus groups to a restaurant where we enjoyed a family-style dinner comprised of a choice of eight or nine Chinese dishes. The quantity and variety of foods were plentiful throughout our trip.

Following dinner, we headed to the Beijing Marriot City Wall hotel, a five-star hotel that would be our home base for our first three nights in China. We learned that this hotel is the largest Marriott outside of the continental United States.

While we were all glad to reach our hotel after a full day of travel, many of us soon learned that it would take several days to adjust to the time change between the East Coast of the U.S. and China.

In fast-forwarding to Sunday, Oct. 3, on our group's return to the Lebanon Valley, I was struck by not only how much our tour group members had seen and experienced in a mere seven days in China, but also by how well our overall group of 97 travelers had learned about one another and had blended together and, by doing so, had added to the quality and success of this trip.

Larry Bowman

LVCC executive director

After a good night's sleep at our hotel, the Marriott Beijing City Wall, day three began with a wake-up call at 6 a.m. and breakfast a half-hour later. Breakfast is the only western meal we received while on tour, but it was hearty. Most of us had ready appetites, since Beijing is 12 hours ahead of our time in Lebanon County.

By 7:30 a.m., we boarded our bus to the Temple of Heaven, an impressive ancient structure of bright colors, topped with a gold plated dome. The entire building, built during the reign of Emperor Ming (1406-1420), is made of sturdy wood assembled with no nails, bolts or any metal reinforcements. Its shape is significant of an ancient theory. It is round on the north side resembling heaven and square on the south side resembling earth. On the vast grounds surrounding the Temple, numerous groups of mainly older Asians performed morning group exercises, and many older men gathered to play games with tiles and cards.

At 10 a.m. we departed for the Jade Museum, where we marveled at many large figures of dragons, tigers, birds and horses, carved in varying shades of jade. We learned how to distinguish fake jade from real, and watched workers busily carving various articles, including the intricately carved "family ball," which is made from one piece of jade but includes four balls contained one within the other that can move independently but not be separated, and takes one worker seven days to complete.

After the jade museum, we traveled to the Ming Tomb where the third Emperor of the Ming dynasty was buried. Inside we learned that dynasties in China are passed down from one family to another. The Ming dynasty lasted 300 years, followed by the Ching. The emperor buried in this tomb was Zhu Di Young Le, whose tomb was unearthed in 1956.

Before eating lunch at the Friendship Store, we briefly toured an area where Cloisonné enamelware vases are made. These copper-lined enamel vases originated in Beijing during the Yuan dynasty and prevailed during the Jingtai period (1450-1456) of the Ming dynasty. These vases were typically created only for royal families, although today they are more commonplace and appreciated around the world.

Lunch was eaten family-style at round tables with a large lazy Susan in the middle. Our standard lunch was an assortment of beef, pork, chicken and fish, with rice, fresh fruits, soup and vegetables on the side. Available drinks were typically bottled water, hot tea or local beer. On this occasion we were offered "Fire Water," a distilled rice wine that is 120 proof! Needless to say, not too much of it was consumed.

After lunch we journeyed to the Great Wall, which you have most likely heard is the only human-made object on earth recognizable from outer space. Construction began over 2,500 years ago during a warring period in China, to keep the Mongols out. It's estimated that one million people participated in the hand labor of the wall, with machines being used only in later construction. It took 2,000 years to complete, and today only about 20 percent of the original wall is in good condition. The area of wall around Beijing is in the best condition, likely due to the 1997 renovations in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. This is an interesting item about the wall. Horses were commonplace in the armies of the time when the wall was being built. To deter the armies from approaching the way via the steps, the step's risers were of different heights. This caused the horses to stumble, and therefore deterred enemy attack.

Our day nearly at an end, we stopped for dinner at the River restaurant, which sits in the shadows of the Bird's Nest and the Media Tower, two edifices left over from the 2008 Olympics. At 7:20 pm we arrived back at our hotel, exhausted but having spent an enjoyable and informative day.

Finally, a tidbit I learned from our tour guide: according to the Chinese Zodiac, I was born during the year of the rat (1936), and am noted for my charm, association with money and success!

Bob Longenecker

Palmyra

Traditional vs. modern: China is a country of contrasts.

Thousand-year-old, wood-built temples and cities; the most modern and tallest skyscrapers in the world.

A master artisan taking more than a year to embroider in silk a traditional Chinese setting; a new machines does the same job in 5 minutes.

Another master artisan taking more a year to weave a traditional Chinese silk rug; a new machine that takes less than an hour.

A medical doctor utilizing three fingers and traditional Chinese methods and medicines to diagnose and treat a patient; another using Western diagnostic equipment to supplement his traditional treatments.

Government-sanctioned retail stores selling traditional jade, silk, tea and vases at prices that will rival any store on New York City's Fifth Avenue; street merchants (hawkers) selling the same items (maybe) for a fraction of the price.

This was a well-planned, event-packed, fascinating excursion to China with friends from the Valley yielding a lifetime memory that will be forever at the top of the list.

Peggy and Tony Lucci

North Cornwall Township

Beijing is one of the four great ancient capitals of China and is home of the Forbidden City, palaces and temples of the emperors. It was home to the 2008 Olympic Games.

It is crowded: 4.7 million cars can be found in Beijing alone. As the capital of China, many visitors, thousands of tourists and nationals are on the streets, as well as bicycles, scooters, buses and rickshaws. The noise of engines and honking horns is constant.

One of the tours for the Lebanon Valley Chamber group was a visit to the Hutong, or "old lane," also called Old Beijingtown by the locals. These traditional Chinese residential areas date back 1,000 years and are densely packed on narrow, zigzagging streets. Only 3 percent remain of these old, gray homes; 97% have been destroyed and replaced with modern buildings. The smells and sights in the Hutong are often unpleasant. Most side streets have their own public toilets to be shared by the families residing there. But, the noise of the city was gone behind these walls, and we felt we had stepped back in time to glimpse what life was like in the past and present. In spite of China's modern lifestyle of the big cities, many residents still live in traditional housing.

As our bus dropped us off for our visit to the Hutong, we saw our row of rickshaws awaiting us with smiling drivers. The rickshaws were rusty and old, but all decorated with cheerful red canopies and yellow tassels. Our driver took our picture, and then the parade of 13 rickshaws was off, occasionally stopping to allow a car to squeeze by. One pair in our group described how a repair was made to the chain of their rickshaw after it slipped off. The driver signaled to someone who quickly pedaled up on a bicycle and handed the driver a coat hanger. He then stuck the hanger between the chain and the sprocket as they continued to move forward, slipping the chain back on, and pedaled away!

It might have been nice to pedal through the Hutong at a leisurely pace, but our drivers created excitement by zooming and careening through the narrow streets, oftentimes passing by cars and bicycles with inches to spare. We even had the occasional traffic jam when a car tried to push through the line of rickshaws.

Our bus group arrived at our destination: lunch in the tiny home of Mr. and Mrs. Wong, a couple in their 50s. Before the 2008 Olympics, the Wongs applied for a permit to serve meals in their home. The government wanted to provide tourists with a sample of traditional Chinese life. We entered through a small outdoor hallway to a center courtyard, perhaps 5 by 8 feet and an opening to the sky.

There was a tiny kitchen, about six feet square, off the courtyard and another small room used for food storage with a small, modern refrigerator. This storage area had been their own private toilet and washroom, but they sacrificed it for the business of serving meals to tourists when they remodeled a few years ago.

We then entered the house proper that consisted of two living spaces set up with two tables for our group of 25. All the walls were whitewashed, but you could see the ancient beams stretching across the ceiling. The Wongs' furnishings were pushed to the sides. The rooms were divided by aluminum and glass panels, similar to our old screen doors. Mr. Wong said their home had been his grandfather's house.

Mr. Wong, a retired bus driver, was our chef. He had learned to cook the dishes from his mother, and he quickly went to work, with the occasional flame rising from his wok. Mrs. Wong, retired from her job at a television factory, assists her husband in serving the almost daily meals for tourists. She quickly began to serve bowls and plates to our tables - rice, eggplant, duck, pork and celery, beef and potatoes, chicken and vegetables, sprouts, cucumbers in lemon sauce - all the same dishes we've been eating for lunch and dinner since our arrival, but tastier.

Chinese beer, Coke and Sprite, water and green tea were our beverages. As a treat, we were offered a taste of the strong Chinese alcohol "firewater." When we finished our meal, the Wongs graciously answered our questions through translation from our guide.

Then it was time to once again take a rickshaw ride through the twisting narrow streets of the Hutong. A different set of rickshaws arrived to take us back, and our new driver entertained us by wiggling his ears and whipping the wheels from side to side. With a loose seat, this made the ride even more exciting ... and dangerous!

It certainly made returning back to our bus memorable, and this view of China unforgettable.

Lisa Miller

first-grade teacher, Union Canal Elementary School

Cheryl Batdorf

executive dean for academic affairs, HACC Lebanon

Throughout the trip, I had realized that there was a reoccurring theme, that of the dichotomy of China.

The extreme beauty of the very young and very old, the noisy busy streets of honking cars and the peaceful temples and gardens, the ancient hutongs and farms and the lighted modern skyscrapers, the grandeur of the mountains and the vast barren landscapes of cranes and construction are all examples of this.

China is a country pushing its people and its culture into the modern age while trying to maintain a grasp on its rich and lengthy past.

Becca Keller

executive chef, GoFish! Seafood Suchi Bar & Cafe

West Reading

Onto our bus, where we are greeted by our smiling guide, Celery, who asks if we "slept like pigs."

Slightly taken aback, we are told this is their version of "slept like a baby." And the characters needed to form the word "beautiful" are "big" + "goat." Hmm.

Our first destination is a cruise on the Grand Canal of Suzhou. It is a beautiful, sunny morning, and this feels a bit like a ride on a gondola in Venice - except there is laundry hanging from most windows.

Throughout the trip we have seen laundry hanging outside most of the apartment buildings. Even top-floor penthouse apartments have hanging laundry visible in their glassed-in patios.

We stop for a tour through the local market.

Wow! How to describe?

There are live chickens in a crate, with a bloody slaughtering board and cleaver and bucket of feathers next to it. Pans of raw meat - chicken and pork, mostly. Buckets containing live eels and small fish, the water frothy with their movement. Every fresh veggie grown here on display, crepes being made and decorated cakes in a display case.

There is no refrigeration, and people walk so close to the food, their jackets could drag through the pans. There are small dogs running through the area. By our standards, there are so many violations, the inspectors wouldn't know where to start!

We toured the Lingering Gardens, now fully restored to their original beauty. The Chinese value beauty in their ancient buildings and gardens, with care taken in the placement of each tree and rock, creating both a beautiful and tranquil setting.

I'm not sure who the Chinese government hired to write their translation of signage from Chinese to English, but we enjoyed the signs: No Photography Allowed translated as Not Shooting; another we saw was Civilized Behavior of Tourists Is Bright Scenery. We didn't quite know what to make of this one, hanging outside the gardens: Polite Sharing and No Challenging.

The highway system in the areas we traveled is quite modern, with three lanes each direction both in the cities and countryside. There is, however, a terrific amount of traffic at all times. In Beijing, truck traffic is limited to 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the city and within the two inner "loops," so there is only car and bus traffic there from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. There is no such restriction for trucks outside Beijing, however, so the highways are jammed with trucks, buses and passenger cars.

The trucks are almost always painted blue and loaded so high they look extremely unstable. Surprisingly to me, the passenger cars are mostly mid-sized. I expected to see compact and Smart cars like one sees in Europe.

The speed limit is 100 kilometers per hour or 60 mph, but that was just a starting point for most vehicles. Our trip from Suzhou to Hangzhou by bus was to say the least, wild - our bus darting in and out between these overloaded trucks, honking horns and flashing headlights to clear the path, and our driver chatting away on his cell phone the entire time. Fortunately we were having dinner at a German restaurant that night, where I was able to get my first COLD beer!

Our day in Hangzhou started at a tea plantation. On our drive out we saw the landscape I was picturing for China: lush, green latticed fields on hillsides shrouded in low-hanging clouds. It was so beautiful. At the plantation, we met "Dr. Tea," who actually has a university degree in Tea Science!

He schooled us in the finer points of green tea and of course gave us the opportunity to buy some. We would love to back this guy on a buy of time on QVC; he could sell ice to Eskimos!

His spoken English was almost perfect, so we inquired about where in the U.S. he had visited or studied. To my surprise, he has never been here. He does, however, have a library of 3,000 American movie DVDs!

I could go on for pages with my thoughts and impressions, but I'll spare you and end here. Fred and I found this trip to be so well planned and executed and gave us the opportunity for a small but amazing view of China.

Kathy Wolfson

homemaker and community volunteer

On this day in China we were in the town of Suzhou. Our tour guide, Henry, was well versed in the history of the dynasties, as well as what is happening today.

It was once the capital of the Wu Kingdom. With over five million people, Suzhou is a major contributing city to economic growth in China because of its location in the Yangtze River Delta with the longest canal in the world running through it.

It is a beautiful city with a mixture of new and old. Henry told us an old Chinese proverb, "In Heaven there is Paradise. On Earth, Suzhou."

Suzhou is a city of gardens. We visited one of the many - Lingering Gardens - the fourth-most famous. As the name implies, one just wishes to linger in this place. It is quite large and exquisite with flowers, bushes, designed stone walkways and open buildings.

Lingering Gardens is classical in design, and I found it a very relaxing place to be.

Tiger Hill was another place of natural beauty and a historical site. King Helu is buried in this hill, and it is said that a white tiger appeared there after the King's death to guard his burial place.

Located on the hill is the Yunyan Temple Pagoda, which is leaning and expected to fall in about 20 years, despite attempts to straighten it. This pagoda predates the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Wandering these beautiful grounds was a joy, and the view of Suzhou from the top of the hill was magnificent. You could see the power plant in Suzhou from there, too.

Suzhou being the silk capital of China, we toured a silk factory, were we heard stories of the first person to raise silkworms and saw women weaving silk on ancient looms. It was so fascinating to watch this tedious work. Continuing with this handicraft, we visited the National Embroidery Institute, where women work with the finest sewing needles I have ever seen and the smallest, most perfect stitches to embroider silk patterns on fabric.

Some of the pieces are called double faced - a pattern on each side of the fabric; and others are single faced - one side fabric pattern. The women working in these factories must have the best eyesight ever. Their work is exquisite!

Last, we all took the optional canal-boat tour. Our guide lived along the canal as a young boy and said most people start off living here. We saw people washing clothes, sneakers and dishes in the canal. You can just imagine what else they do in the canal. Houses and shops are close together and not very pleasant. The tour gave us a true sense of how many people live.

Beverly Moran

marketing assistant, Columbia Cottage

Everyone appeared a bit sleepy at 5 a.m. as we gathered for our next adventure. The Beijing Airport was highly organized and pleasant. The efficiency of the Chinese is truly amazing. We arrived in Shanghai after a quick trip and were immediately bused to the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China.

The Expo represents the first time a developing nation is hosting the event. The motto for the Expo is "Better City, Better Life," and the Mascot is Haibao, meaning people, which embodies the character of Chinese character.

The Expo is expected to attract 70 million people, mostly from China. Today there are approximately 400,000 people attending the 240 country and company pavilions. It was amazing to witness the Chinese queuing for more than 4 hours to visit some of the attractions. We were able to visit a few pavilions, but did not have the time or inclination to wait in line for the China or USA pavilions.

Nevertheless, it was very obvious the "soft" power of China and its growing influence in the world. Especially noticeable was the willingness of other countries to exhibit at the Expo, apparently so as not to offend China.

We certainly benefitted from the infrastructure provided by the Expo in the new roadways and new airline terminal. Luckily, all members of the group returned to the bus awaiting our next Chinese meal (lazy Susan filled with lots of exotic entries) and our daily ration of beer, and then onto Suzhou, a city known for silk factories and silk embroidery. The Chinese, actually the Chinese government, are terrific at promoting their products. America, wake up and smell the roses. We need to kick it up if we want to stay on the top of the heap.

Ted Hummel

commercial Realtor, North Cornwall Township

Edited By Robert Beijing Car Rental

I. Essential Materials

A.      Motor Vehicle Driving License Application Form

B.      Medical Examination Report

      Medical Examination Report provided by the medical organization at or above the county level according to the regulations of Beijing Sanitary Bureau.

      This medical examination document is not needed for verification if the applicant is from embassy, consulate or international representative organizations in China.

C.      Identity credentials of the applicant

      Passport & 1 Copy of the Passport Page

      Travel Permit & 1 Copy of the valid Chinese Visa

      Temporary Residence Permit by local police station & 1 Copy of the latest Entry Stamp in your Passport

      Applicant from embassy, consulate or international representative organizations in China should provide the valid identity credentials issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

D.     Foreign valid driving license

      1 Copy of both Sides of foreign driving license

       Chinese translated version of the foreign driving license

E.      Five one-inch pictures of the applicant

       32mm×22mm (one-inch) and 300 dpj.

      Color Pictures with white background

      Recent glossy photographs without hat

       Eyesight-rectified applicants should wear glasses

Ⅱ Service location

Beijing Traffic Management Bureau

Imagine over 3-million cars and 18-million people using the streets and roads, that’s what Beijing will look like in 2008. Existing transport facilities are already unable to deal with the increasing traffic pressure. Will the situation ever improve and to what extent? What plans are being mapped out and will they be put in place in the near future?

In recent years, traffic jams on major Beijing roads have been getting more and more frequent. The very first thing I do when I get up every morning is try to figure out how to get to work without getting stuck in traffic. I believe my experience is not an isolated one. The road network in the city is being expanded, but is still unable to meet the ever-increasing demand for traffic facilities. Many people worry if Beijing is capable of dealing with its current traffic demands, and especially whether it can meet the traffic needs of the 2008 Olympic Games. Let’s take a look.

A couple of years ago, the journey from Xizhimen in northwest Beijing to Dongzhimen in the east took around 20 minutes by public transport using the northern section of the 2nd ring road. Now, however, covering the same distance takes double the time, and if you get caught in traffic jams like this it can be as much as two hours.

A Driver said, “There are too many cars and inexperienced drivers. Some sections of the roads are not designed properly. There are not enough exits on the 3rd Ring Road. Today I drove from the military museum to the airport. I went via the south 3rd ring road, traffic was banked up there. I chose the 4th ring road, the same. I had to go by the 5th ring road! ”

“Driving is a nerve-racking experience for me. Too many cars on the roads! It’s my first time today driving on the 3rd Ring Road. I often drive outside the 3rd Ring Road. Now I’m sweating a lot. Even the air-conditioning doesn’t help. From the Lize Overpass to the Liuli Overpass, I’d to go up and down the slopes. I am very nervous and stressed,” said by a new driver.

Another said, “When I bought my first car in 1997, it wasn’t as crowded on the roads as it is now. There were traffic jams in only a few places. Now, the 2nd, and the west 3rd Ring Road are banked up all day long. ”

Others complain that at rush hour Beijing roads are one big parking lot, and that riding a bike or even walking is often faster than driving. Indeed, cars cannot move once they get stuck on the road, but bikes still can. Bicyclists and pedestrians weaving their way between buses and cars in all directions are routine. Yet, that’s not the worst. The coming winter reminds us of the disastrous December 7th two years ago when a sudden snow fall paralyzed Beijing’s entire transport system. The city is vulnerable to emergencies such as this. Traffic pressure in Beijing is one big headache for its residents and city planners.

How did the problem start?

At a press conference last week, Director Quan Yongshen of the Beijing Municipal Communications Research Center analyzed the reasons for traffic pressures.

Quan Yongshen, Director of Beijing Municipal Communications Research Center, said, “A rapid increase in the number of automobiles, especially private cars, is the major contributor to traffic pressures in Beijing. Judging from its overall economic growth, Beijing has entered an era of rapid increase in car numbers. Another reason lies in the fact that Beijing is one of the leading cities in China and is experiencing rapid urbanization. The combination of these factors has resulted in major changes in supply and demand for transport facilities. Beijing has a severe shortage of land resources. It’s an important historical city with several thousand years of history. Of the 62 square kilometers of land inside the 2nd Ring Road, protected historical sites take up 40 percent. It’s impossible to carry out large-scale road construction projects here. The city’s traffic problems are the result of all the competing pressures when the city reaches a certain stage of development. It’s not simply a problem of the traffic system itself, at least not entirely. In other words, it’s not just a simple issue of more cars and less roads.”

Up to now, the number of the city’s motor vehicles has increased to 2-million, with 9-million bicycles. By 2008, the number of cars is expected to get close to 4-million, according to the director. Last year, Beijing recorded over 16-thousand traffic jams. In certain parts of the city, the rush hour extends to 11 hours a day. Although billions of yuan annually have been poured into building more roads over the past few years, it is still hard to balance supply and demand for traffic facilities. The city’s poor traffic management and physical layout make it impossible to ease traffic snarls. Both central and local government offices, as well commercial and cultural locations, are concentrated in the downtown areas, forming a centripetal traffic structure with the bulk of vehicular and passenger flow moving towards the central area. There have been loud calls from the public for a more rational layout of the traffic network, including subway lines, flyovers, pedestrian overpasses and underpasses, and for an increase in the capacity of public transport facilities such as public buses and railways.

The art of achieving a balance between preserving historically significant sites and meeting the demand for growth is one of the conundrums facing city planners today.

In early 1998, after many debates by specialists, the local government decided to shift its focus of construction from urban districts to suburban areas and from expansion of the city proper to transformation of urban traffic infrastructure. At last week's press conference, Mr. Quan outlined the municipal government's future plans for relieving traffic problems.

Quan said, “The provision of public transport facilities must be accelerated. Measures to be put in place over the next few years include establishing a rail transport network that will play a key role in the public transport system. Besides, a Bus Rapid Transit system or BRT system should be put in place. The advantages of such system are cost effectiveness and quick returns. Both systems are expected to play a major role in public transport. Inside the city proper, we won’t encourage the use of cars. In other words, we will tighten up controls over the excessive use of cars. In the outer city area, we will encourage car use and provide enough transport facilities for cars. ”

According to Quan, an efficient road network will be built connecting 10 new towns located around the city proper, offering good road facilities for car drivers living in these places. On the other hand, the use of cars in the city proper will be discouraged by measures such as raising parking fees. Besides, Park and Ride facilities will be in place along the outer city to encourage the use of public transport to get to the city center.

Urban road networks will include the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th ring roads and 15 feeder lines. Another 15 arteries will link the central area and expressways, to the highest standards and the greatest possible capacity of transportation. All expressways will be built as three-level, fully enclosed lanes with no traffic lights. This will guarantee high-speed, continuous traffic flow, and smooth communication between urban districts and suburban areas.

Poor south-north communication, which has plagued Beijing for many years, will be improved after the completion of two new subway lines. By 2006, subway lines will extend from the current 53 km to 138 km. Beijing is mobilizing think tanks from around the world to deal with traffic challenges in the host city of 2008 Olympic games. Since there’s a will, there will be a way. Beijing is forging ahead with its grand traffic plan.

As of last week, an important project three years in the making, the 98km-long 5th ring road, opened for traffic. It connects with all the expressways radiating from Beijing. Its completion will definitely help relieve traffic pressure in the city center.

A decrease in the amount of traffic jams is not only the responsibility of the host city of the Olympic games but also the duty of the government and of ordinary citizens. In this period before all the planned facilities are put in place, think about smart travel such as using bicycles, and avoiding rush hours on the roads.

Biking through the streets of Beijing is my favorite way to see the city. You can leisurely cycle from sight to sight, stop for a local lunch, explore old alleys (hutongs) and become one with the Chinese in the bike lane. People chat as they cycle, carry oversize loads and you'll even see arm-powered cycle wheelchairs. Traffic jams will have little effect on you. During the 2008 Olympic Games a bike may be the ideal way to get around in Beijing.

Biking is not just a way to get from one place to another but also an eye into the minds of local people. Cycling in Beijing you sense the mood of those with who you share the road. At times cycling is relaxing and you feel Zen, other times you might feel like you are playing a video game. In general its entertaining, humorous and a great way to explore the nooks and crannies of Beijing and possibly meet some local people.

Roads all accommodate bikes - or maybe one should say they accommodate cars in addition to the bikes. Most people in China cannot afford a car (and imagine the traffic jams if they could). So a bike is their personal mode of transport - and part of Chinese culture.

Don't try and bike fast. The pace of traffic is a leisurely slow and keeps you from sweating or getting in accidents with pedestrians, cars, holes in the road and other bikes. Do not assume someone is going to get out of your way - they may be assuming the same about you.

Renting a bike in Beijing might not be easy (although it is easy in tourist spots outside Beijing). A reasonable rent would be 10 to 20 kuai a day but you may have to pay more. You will likely have to leave a cash deposit as well. Ask at your hotel or corner shops. You can also try renting at places where bikes are sold. Someone may even offer to rent you their own bike.

A bike traffic light keeps things moving smoothly.

If renting proves difficult or you are staying for a while, you can buy a bike. Bikes cost between 150 kuai for inexpensive ones to 500 or more for the nice, big, heavy and indestructible Flying Pigeons models. I've owned two of them and they are the Mercedes Benz of the Chinese bike world. However inexpensive mountain bikes with lots of gears are gaining popularity. Gears are not that important though as Beijing is flat and easy to cycle. Also remember if your bike is too nice it could get stolen. Never washing your bike makes it look old and undesirable.

If your bike gets a flat tire or the pedal falls off, fear not as you are probably within a short distance of a bike repairman stationed at the side of the road. There is usually a sign and parts of bikes such as tire tubes hanging from it. Fixing a flat or mechanical problem should be inexpensive - under five kuai unless you're doing something major like getting a new seat or installing a deluxe bell.

Roadside bike repair stall

Bike parking lot near Tiananmen Square

Bike Lane

Biking past the bus stop

A bike parking area in Wangfujing.
Pay about RMB 1 and your bike will be guarded.

Beijing by Bicycle

By DAVID SPARKES

(LI SHIGONG)  Okay, I just want to get something out in the open here. I am a bikeoholic. It's not that I have always had this affliction: In the past, I could take it or leave it. But my addiction has had a firm hold on me for seven months now—the exact same amount of time I have been living in Beijing. Coincidence? Not likely. This city has turned me into an obsessive bike-rider. My attraction to peddling around town started when I moved in with my first housemate in Beijing, Uwe, a teetotaling German who believed taxi trips were a pathetic overindulgence, and who I firmly suspect held plans for achieving world dominance via his dedication to the bicycle. He rode around town on the largest bicycle I have ever seen. Uwe set me up on a spare bike that had been left over by a housemate from an unspecified Latin country, who apparently had a tendency to ride home after a few too many frothy ones in Sanlitun. (This is the standard history of any secondhand bicycle in Beijing.) From that moment, I never looked back. Put simply, Beijing is a wonderful city for riding. It's dead flat, so you can cruise along without too much exertion. The fantastic bicycle lanes that adorn the city's streets make for a carefree life in the saddle, and the roads generally run west-to-east and north-to-south, making it easy to find your way around. But it's more than a question of convenience. Unless you have spent a lot of time biking in Beijing, I don't think you can understand how connected it makes you feel with the city's pulse. The hutongs, streets and lakeside boulevards, rather, seem to have so much more effect when seen on two wheels.     I reckon it's because you are moving faster than walking, so your mind takes in much more food for thought. At the other extreme, a taxi takes you too fast to absorb anything at all, not to mention shutting out the sounds of the streets. Making my way through Beijing's rush hour madness is part of the buzz of my lifestyle here. I love watching this town come to life on its streets in the morning. People are everywhere: walking, peddling, and riding buses. It is like watching one big, fluid mass of humanity. Say what you will about cycling in this city, but it's never dull. You are rubbing shoulders with all walks of Beijing life. Every day, some old boys will pull up alongside me at the traffic lights, stare fixedly at me from half a meter away and say to themselves, "Yep, that really is a white guy on a bicycle. Now I've seen it all." Of course, the younger Chinese riders don't find me so alien, so they are no fun at all. But it's all the same to me: I am usually having too much fun to notice. I have become a big fan of weaving between of taxis, preferably while they are moving. It's part of the charm of the experience. Safety-wise, I have gone through an evolution of sorts. Seven months ago, I approached cycling in Beijing with a "conservative" philosophy. Then it shifted to something along the lines of "assertive." After that I adopted a philosophy of "que sera sera"—what will be will be. But lately I have given up on waxing philosophical. It clouds my thoughts and prevents me from throwing the full force of my being at Beijing's taxi drivers. God bless 'em. Sure, you could take the subway. I mean, the subway is definitely very safe. I hear croquet is also very safe, but I won't be doing that any time soon. Seriously, who wants to live the suburban nightmare, trapped like humanoids in the underground drabness on the way to work? I'd much rather dedicate myself to becoming Beijing's answer to Evil Knievel, an ambition I cling to passionately. One of my favorite places to ride is around the Tiananmen Square. I love the sprawling expanse of asphalt that channels vehicles around the outskirts of this supersized public area. I love to weave through the traffic and the tourists like a maniac and as I pass under the giant image of Chairman Mao, I like to imagine that he is giving me a wink and a smile. What I love most of all is to ride around the Tiananmen Square in the dead of night during the week. A couple of times on my way home from watching a late Tuesday night movie at Xidan, I have ridden through Tiananmen after midnight and found no one except for a few police patrolling the square. Under a dark, slightly misty sky on a biting winter's night, the square is a picture of Beijing at its most serene. On nights like these, you can weave sweeping arcs across the five empty lanes that circumnavigate the square. It is mesmerising to see the heart of such a frenetic city ease into a peaceful stillness, while leaving itself open to the whimsical incursion of a freezing foreigner on a bicycle. But that's how it is riding around this town. The author is an Australian living in Beijing