'With a little IC card, people in Beijing can travel around the city easily.' The Transportation Smart Card can be used on public buses, subways and taxis. Even the toll for expressways can be paid with it. What's more, the smart card can even be used to make telephone calls (but only in a telephone booth on Chang'an Avenue at present).
For locals the card is used over a wide range of public buses. People can get a 60% discount with regular Smart card and an 80% discount with a Student Smart Card on most public bus lines in Beijing. On special tourist lines (starting with 9) and the Olympic special lines, a 20% discount is also attractive. It is the most convenient and economical way for taking public buses. Travel China Guide gives you some detail information on the card:
How to get a card?
You should pay the CNY20 card-deposit and then store money in your account at any Smart Card Selling Site.
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Where to buy a card?There are over 170 Smart Card Selling Sites around the city; you can also recharge your card at these sites.
Opening Hours: 07:00 – 19:00
Transportation Smart Card Selling Site (at the following bus station on each bus route in the brackets):
Deshengmen (315, 5), Andingmen (358, 328, 27), Beijing West Railway Station (beside the police station), Beijing Zoo (15, 103, 65), Fuchengmen (335, 409), Zhongguancun (320 Beihang Stop), Summer Palace (346), Dongdaqiao (109, 28), Jinsong (41), Gongzhufen (Huandao Center), Pingguoyuan (311, 664), Sihui (1, 322), Nanhu (the 7th Passenger Transport Co.), Xuanwumen (near the church), Dongzhimen (107), Chongwenmen (111)
Opening Hours: 07:00 – 19:00 (26th – 3rd each month)
Transportation Smart Card Selling Site (at the following bus station on each bus route in the brackets):
Tiantongyuan (358), Dong Sishi Tiao (42), Beijing West Railway Station (320), Muxiyuan (324), Beijing North Railway Station (20, 102), Daguanyuan (59), Xinjiekou Huokou (44, 331), Xidan (46), Beijing Railway Station (10), Fuxingmen (395), Summer Palace (374), Dongdaqiao (350), Dabeiyao (348), Capital Airport (359), Sihui (4, 402), Fangzhuang (37), Badachu (389), Baiyunlu (114, 308), Workers' Stadium (113), Dongzhimen (401, 359)
Apart from the site above, passengers can buy cards at the ticket office of the Beijing Subway (05:30 – 23:00), some supermarkets (e.g, Jingkelong Convenience Stores, Lianhua Quick, Good Neighbor Supermarket) as well as some Post Offices (09:00 – 17:00).
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How to use the card?The card is tactile. A passenger should move the card close to the card reader at the bus door for payment. Usually, the card is used only once when getting on the bus (signed clearly on the bus). But on some separately charged bus (charged according to the distance you go), the card should be used twice: both getting on and off the bus.
How to return a card?
Actually, it is a bit troublesome to return the card. After registering at a Smart Card Returning Site, you must wait for 7 days for your balance. If the balance is over CNY100, a 10% commission is charged.
If your smart card is broken and you want a new one, you must also wait 7 days for it. Further, the deposit will not returned unless you pay another CNY20 deposit, after which the balance can be transferred to the new card. If the old card cannot be read for any reason (broken or erased), the balance will not be returned. So, please take care of your card!!
Where to return a card?
Transportation Smart Card Co. (returning card, returning balance, transforming balance)
18/F, Bldg B, Tongtai Building, Jinrong Jie, Xicheng District
East of the Palace of Nationalities, Xidan, Xicheng District Public Transportation Co. (returning card, returning balance of less than CNY100, transforming balance)
1st Public Transportation Co. 328 (Andingmen Xi Stop)
2nd Public Transportation Co. 300 (Caoqiao Stop)
3rd Public Transportation Co. 50 (Beihang Liuliqiao Nanli Stop)
4th Public Transportation Co. 15 (Beijing Zoo Stop)
5th Public Transportation Co. 335 (Fuchengmen Stop)
6th Public Transportation Co. 28 (Dongdaqiao Stop)
7th Public Transportation Co. 403 (Beijing Zhan Dongjie Stop)
Trolley Transportation Co. 103 (Zhanlanlu Stop)
Trolley Transportation Co. 104 (Wuluju Stop) Subway Station (returning card, returning balance, transforming balance)
Fuxingmen Stop China Citic Bank (returning card, returning balance, transforming balance)
Sales Department of Chief Bank: Touzi Plaza, A27, Jinrong Dajie, Xicheng District
Jiuxianqiao Branch: Zhaowei Building, No.14, Jiuxian Qiao, Chaoyang District
Weigongcun Branch: 1/F, Zhongdian Xinxi Building, No.6, Zhongguancun Nan Dajie, Haidian District
Zhongliang Plaza Branch: Bldg A, No.8, Jianguomen Nei Dajie, Dongcheng District
Chaoyang Branch: No.12, Nongzhanguan Nanli, Chaoyang District
Fuchengmen Branch: Fuchengmen, Xicheng District
Shangdi Branch: West Section, 1/F, Kemao Building, No.4, Section 1, Shangdi Dongli, Haidian District
Olympic Village Branch: Bldg D1, Tianchuang Shiyuan Building, No.309, Huizhong Beili, Chaoyang District
Xidan Branch: No.45, Fuxingmen Nei Dajie, Xicheng District
Tourist Special Smart Card
Except for the Smart Card Selling Site mentioned above, visitors can buy a short-term smart card at an airport, railway station or long-distance bus station with a deposit of CNY20. The card can be used on regular public buses (not including bus routes starting with 9) in appointed times only (e.g. 3-day card can be used for 18 times in 3 days) and is not rechargeable. Visitors can get the deposit when returning the card immediately at any Smart Card Returning Site, but the balance cannot be returned.
3-day card: CNY10 / 18 times
7-day card: CNY20 / 42 times
15-day card: CNY40 / 90 times
Tips:
1. Do not store too much money in the smart card for one time. The card is a bearer card with no compensation for loss.
2. The card can only be used by one person for each bus.
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Travelers' Voices on Smart Card of Beijing City-Bus
1.
Nov. 15,2009 16:37 Reply
Mr.shwikar (eg) said:
i am going to stay in Beijing Yayuncun Hotel and go to convention exibition centre everyday is smart card is good for me and which line i am going to take ,subway or bus
Nov. 15,2009 19:58
Ms.Kay replied:
Hi:
You didn't mention the address of the exhibition center. There are several ones in Beijing.
2.
Nov. 2,2009 07:04 Reply
Ms.deb(usa) said:
so with the smart card you pay for each trip----it only allows you to do so without purchasing a card each time
so --how much is a trip on the subway--???average price--in us dollars?
Nov. 2,2009 21:29
Ms.Joan replied:
Ms.deb
You can take subway and bus with the smart card. Once you purchase the smart card, it could be used for many times. RMB2 is charged for each subway trip. That is equal to $0.3. Please make sure to store enough money.
3.
Nov. 1,2009 18:02 Reply
Ms.deb(USA) said:
hello
Could you tell me in US dollars how much a 7 day smart card costs--and does that mean you can travel on the subway or buses AS MUCH AS YOU WANT for the 7 days or is there a limit to the number of trips on and off?
Will the subway take you to the Great Wall?
Will the subway take you to Summer Palace?
Will the subway take you to the Temple of Heaven?
thanks
Nov. 1,2009 19:37
Mr.Bruce replied:
Hi,Ms. Deb, the fee depdends on the frequency of the card use. If you will use the card many times one day, you'd better deposit more money. There is no limit to the number of trips on and off.
There is no subway to the Great Wall, you need to take bus No 919, and the smart card is accepted.
You could take subway line 4 to Summer Palace, get off at Beigongmen Station（the north gate of summer palace）
Please take subway line 5 to the Temple of Heaven, get off and Tiantan East Gate Station (the east gate of the temple of heaven)
4.
Oct. 26,2009 05:52 Reply
Mrs.lie(Indonesia) said:
is there any difference between smart card and IC card?
and can a tourist use the facility of smart card?
where to buy it?
Thx
Oct. 30,2009 21:27
Mr.Shan replied:
They are the same. You could purchase the card from the ticket office at any subway station of Beijing. Then, you could use the card freely when takeing the city-bus or subway. Very easy!
5.
Oct. 28,2009 22:46 Reply
Mr.Don(USA) said:
What bus do I take from the Beijing Internationl Airport
to travel to Miyun? Or is there a train or better way to get there? What is the cost?
Oct. 29,2009 00:30
Ms.Joan replied:
Hello Mr.Don
First，take the airport express to Dongzhimen. Then transfer to bus No.980 to Miyun.
6.
Oct. 19,2009 03:05 Reply
Ms.Joleen(Singapore) said:
Can i use the smart card for airport express train and beijing railway? Where can i get the smart card in airport?
Oct. 20,2009 04:58
Mr.Eric replied:
Hi, Ms.Joleen, the smart card could be used for airport express, but you need to pay cash for the railway. Besides, there is no Smart Card Selling Site in the airport; you could buy it in other subway stations except the airport.
7.
Oct. 6,2009 22:05 Reply
Mrs.Francesca said:
Hello!
I need infos regarding public transportation and the cost from Beijing airport to Jade Garden Hotel (No 1 Nanheyan Ave).
Thank you!
Oct. 10,2009 04:12
Mr.Jamie replied:
Take airport express train to Dongzhimen, then change to Subway Line 2 to Jianguomen and then to Subway Line 1 to Wangfujing. The hotel is about 15 minutes (1.2km) from Wangfujing Station. The cost is 25 2 RMB.
8.
Oct. 4,2009 10:57 Reply
Mr.fernando(Germany) said:
Where to buy a railway tiket Beijing to shanghai.
Best regards
Fernando
Oct. 6,2009 01:38
Mr.Jamie replied:
At the railway Stations in Beijing. There are also many ticket offices all round the city center.
9.
Oct. 4,2009 09:10 Reply
Mrs.Smart(Netherlands ) said:
The smartcard is great!!! No waiting in long qeues anymore!!it,s simple!
10.
Sep. 21,2009 23:37 Reply
Mrs.Dang(Tha) said:
I am going to beijing and stay at Mengxi Hotel, Xueyuan20,Haidian District. Will you please advise me how to go to the hotel using public transportation fro the airport (only one person)?
Thanks
Dang
Sep. 22,2009 01:43
Mr.Jamie replied:
Well, when you arrive at Beijing Capital Airport, please take the Airport Express (25RMB) or shuttle bus Line 2 (16RMB) and then get off at Dongzhimen. Here, you could take the subway Line 13, by which you could arrive at Wudaokou station (2RMB). Go out from the Exit to Chengfu Road, you could walk along the road eastwards to get to the hotel. The distance is about 1.5 kms on foot.