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It's easy for foreign tourists to get around Beijing using the subway. Each subway station has signs in English and easy-to-understand maps.
Beijing has five operational subway lines:
Line 1 - Stretching from Pingguoyuan in Western Beijing to Sihui in the East, this line has 21 stops including Dongdan, Xidan, Yonganli, Guomao, Wangfujing and Tiananmen. It is identified as the red line.
Line 2 - Known as The Loop, this line covers the Second Ring Road and Qianmen Avenue in Northern Beijing . It is identified as the blue line.
Line 5 - This line began operations in October 2007 and is the city's first line running from north to south. One of its most popular stops is the Temple of Heaven . It is identified as the purple line.
Line 13 - This line extends farther north than Line 2 and runs from Dongzhimen to Xizhimen. It is identified as the orange-yellow line.
Batong Line -- Also known as Line 8T, this last line travels east, from Tuqiao to Sihui. Foreign tourists rarely use this line. It is identified as the red line.
In addition, Beijing is presently building seven more subway lines, which will be operational in time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Tickets are priced depending on the distance you will travel. You can also avail of a pre-paid subway card for ¥20.
Look for the “Tickets" sign.
A ticket will take you
on the main two subway
lines. There are
other lines but not really
used by tourists. After
buying your ticket proceed
down the stairs to the
platforms where you present
your ticket. Just follow
the subway map to your
destination. The subway is undergoing a period of expansion and new lines are being built. Maps are available.
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