In an emergency
- Emergency110
- Police110
- Ambulance120
- Complaints12345Beijing government service hotline for non-emergency questions and complaints
UK FCDO lists police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119 and traffic police 122 for China. 12345 is the Beijing government service hotline (set up in 2007 as the city's non-emergency help centre); the city's English site runs a 12345 FAQ page for foreigners. National Immigration Administration 24-hour hotline 12367 (English option). In a dispute with a taxi driver, pay the metered fare and ask for the receipt with the taxi number; physical fights can lead to detention regardless of who is to blame. Carry your original passport: police do random checks and do not accept copies.
Fair prices
What locals pay. If you are asked for much more, you are probably being overcharged.
| Subway single rideDistance-based: CNY 3 up to 6 km, CNY 1 more for the next 6 km, then per 10 km; a 40 km trip is CNY 7. Tap a foreign Visa, Mastercard, JCB or Amex contactless card at the gate, no ticket needed. | 3-10 CNY |
|---|---|
| Subway unlimited pass (1 / 2 days)Bought as a QR code in the Yitongxing (亿通行) app; 3 days CNY 40, 7 days CNY 90. Not valid on the airport express lines. | 20 / 30 CNY |
| Airport express (Capital Airport line)Fixed fare. The Daxing Airport Express is CNY 10-35 by distance in ordinary class, CNY 50 business class. | 25 CNY |
| City bus rideCNY 2 for the first 10 km, CNY 1 per extra 5 km; half price with a Yikatong card, Alipay transit QR or the bus app, so most rides cost CNY 1. Cash must be exact: drivers give no change. | 2 CNY |
| Yikatong transit card depositRefundable deposit when you return the card; gives 50% off buses, no discount on the subway. | 20 CNY |
| Taxi flag fallCNY 13 covers the first 3 km, then CNY 2.3 per km (rates in force since June 2013). Insist on the meter and ask for the receipt with the taxi number. | 13 CNY |
| Hutong breakfast (baozi, shaobing, tangyoubing, mutton soup)Per-person spend at the breakfast shops in the Beijing tourism board's 2025 round-up ranges from CNY 10 (mutton soup) to about CNY 35. | 10-35 per person CNY |
| Jianbing (two eggs, crisp cracker)Per-person spend at the Muslim jianbing stall on Xihuashi singled out by the Beijing tourism board (2025). | about 15 CNY |
| Douzhi, jiaoquan and Beijing snacks at HuguosiPer-person spend at Huguosi Xiaochi's main shop (2025). Sweet shops on the same street run CNY 15-32 per person. | about 35 per person CNY |
| Zhajiangmian at a noodle shopPer-person spend at the hand-pulled zhajiangmian shop on Huguosi Street (2025), usually with a side dish or two. | about 40 per person CNY |
| Chaogan with small baoziPer-person spend at Tianxingju (Huguosi branch) for chaogan and baozi (2025). | about 40 per person CNY |
| Copper-pot mutton hotpot (shuan yangrou)Per-person spend at Zhangji Shuanrou, Huguosi branch (2025). Baodu (quick-boiled tripe) at Baodu Feng: about CNY 65 per person. | about 90 per person CNY |
| Peking opera ticketLiyuan Theatre CNY 120-380 (VIP tables CNY 380); Huguang Guild Hall CNY 150-380 (2026 guide). Resellers add fees on top. | 120-380 CNY |
| Park entryJingshan CNY 2, Beihai CNY 10 (combo CNY 20), Temple of Heaven CNY 15 (through ticket CNY 34), Summer Palace CNY 30 (combo CNY 60), peak season. Locals use a CNY 100-200 annual park pass. | 2-34 CNY |
| Rickshaw (pedicab) hutong loopLicensed pedicabs charge about CNY 150-200 per rickshaw (2-3 seats) for a roughly 40-minute loop near Houhai. The classic trick: a price quoted 'per ride' becomes per person at the end. A CCTV report found tourists paying CNY 180 for a 20-minute Shichahai tour that cost CNY 30 with a regulated agency. | 150-200 per rickshaw CNY |
Tickets
Official prices and the only places to buy. Anyone else selling on the street is a reseller.
- Palace Museum (Forbidden City)
CNY 60 (1 Apr-31 Oct), CNY 40 (1 Nov-31 Mar); Treasure Gallery CNY 10 and Gallery of Clocks CNY 10 extra.
Buy at: Official site https://intl.dpm.org.cn (Book Tickets) or the WeChat mini program 故宫博物院. Booking opens at 20:00 seven days ahead.
No tickets are sold on the day: anyone at the gate offering 'tickets' or 'skip-the-line' entry is not the museum. Third-party resellers add fees.
- Temple of Heaven
Park gate ticket CNY 15; through ticket (联票) CNY 34 including the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Echo Wall and Circular Mound Altar (peak season). Free for under-18s and over-60s with ID.
Buy at: WeChat accounts 畅游公园 (Visiting Beijing Parks) or 天坛 (Temple of Heaven), 1-7 days ahead.
Tour sellers outside the gates; the park ticket alone does not get you into the halls, so check you are buying the through ticket.
- Summer Palace
CNY 30 (Apr-Oct), CNY 20 (Nov-Mar); combo CNY 60 / 50 including the inner gardens (Tower of Buddhist Incense CNY 10, Suzhou Street CNY 10, Deheyuan CNY 5, Wenchangyuan CNY 20).
Buy at: Summer Palace official WeChat account, 1-7 days ahead, or the service window at the gate.
Package tours that bundle a shopping stop; buy the combo direct.
- Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan)
CNY 25 full price (gov listing) / main gate CNY 10 plus Xiyang Lou ruins area CNY 15 (Beijing tourism board).
Buy at: Ticket offices at the Palace Gate, East Gate, Second Palace Gate and Zaoyuan Gate; no reservation required.
None reported; ignore guides offering to sell tickets outside.
- Jingshan Park
CNY 2 (CNY 10 during flower exhibitions).
Buy at: Time-slot tickets in the 畅游公园 WeChat account up to 7 days ahead, or at the gate.
None; it is CNY 2, so anyone charging more is not the park.
- Beihai Park
CNY 10 (combo CNY 20 with Qionghua Island) in high season; CNY 5 in low season.
Buy at: Ticket office at the gates.
None reported.
- Lama Temple (Yonghegong)
CNY 25 (free for children under 1.2 m).
Buy at: WeChat mini program 雍和宫, opens 7 days ahead; or the ticket windows left of the south gate with your passport if slots remain.
Incense sellers on Yonghegong Street: a 2026 guide says a bundle of three incense sticks is given free at the incense station inside.
- Confucius Temple and Imperial Academy (Guozijian)
CNY 30 (one ticket for both); CNY 15 for full-time students in China.
Buy at: Ticket Service section of the museum's official WeChat account, or the ticket office.
None reported.
- Prince Gong's Mansion
CNY 40.
Buy at: Museum's official WeChat account or website; booking opens at 20:00 ten days before the visit.
Rickshaw drivers at Houhai bundle 'mansion tours'; buy the ticket yourself.
- National Museum of China
Free (permanent galleries); some special exhibitions charge.
Buy at: Official WeChat mini program 国家博物馆; slots open 7 days ahead at 17:00.
Third-party sites that charge a fee for this free ticket.
- Tiananmen Square
Free.
Buy at: Tiananmen Square reservation platform / mini program 天安门广场预约参观, 京城之约 mini program, Beijingtong app; 1-7 days ahead. A booking for the National Museum or Mao Memorial Hall also gives square access.
Agents selling 'square tickets'; the booking is free.
- Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
Free.
Buy at: Same official Tiananmen booking channels (separate booking from the square).
Paid 'reservation' services; the booking is free.
- Tiananmen Gate Tower (Rostrum)
CNY 15.
Buy at: Official Tiananmen booking channels and the Tiananmen Rostrum website.
None reported.
- Mutianyu Great Wall
CNY 45 adult, CNY 25 concession (gov listing); shuttle bus, cable car and toboggan are separate tickets run by different companies.
Buy at: Official site https://www.mutianyugreatwall.com (预订中心) with real-name booking up to 30 days ahead; one ticket per passport per day.
'Great Wall tours' that add jade, tea or silk shopping stops; agent vouchers that must be exchanged at the ticket hall.
- Badaling Great Wall
CNY 40 (Apr-Oct), CNY 35 (Nov-Mar); students CNY 20 / 17.5; under-18s and over-60s free. Night tours on weekends and holidays CNY 298 (30 Apr-7 Oct).
Buy at: WeChat mini program 长城内外 (Throughout the Great Wall) or on site; trains to Badaling station are booked separately on 12306.
Tours sold at Qianmen and outside hotels with shopping stops.
Traps
- Watch outThe 'tea ceremony' invitation
Friendly strangers, often pairs of young women speaking good English, start a chat around Wangfujing or Tiananmen and suggest tea, a bar or a massage. You never see a menu and the bill runs to hundreds of yuan a head, sometimes with threats or card fraud. Say no to any invitation from someone you just met.
Source: gov.uk, en.wikipedia.org, ikkyinchina.com - Watch outThe 'art student' gallery
A similar approach ends in a small 'student exhibition' where you are pushed to buy overpriced or fake paintings. Real galleries do not recruit buyers on the street; walk away from high-pressure selling.
Source: ikkyinchina.com - Watch outBlack cabs at airports and stations
Avoid unmarked or unmetered cars: the UK FCDO reports robberies and sexual assaults against foreigners in them. Use the official taxi queue or Didi, insist on the meter and note the taxi number.
Source: gov.uk, ikkyinchina.com - Watch outRickshaws that bill per person
Near Houhai and Nanluoguxiang a 'CNY 150' pedicab price becomes CNY 150 per person at the end, or the 40-minute loop shrinks to 10 minutes with a commission shop stop. Agree the all-in total, duration and route first and pay by QR before you sit down, or simply walk the lanes, which is free.
Source: chinafortravelers.com - Watch outUnlicensed hutong guides
Beijing's tourism authorities have warned about unlicensed guides who promise cheap tours and then add large extra charges; CCTV found tourists paying CNY 180 for a 20-minute Shichahai tour that cost CNY 30 with a regulated agency.
Source: global.chinadaily.com.cn - Watch out'Guide plus ticket' resellers
Before the summer 2025 holidays the Beijing culture and tourism bureau warned about high-priced 'guided tour guarantees entry' offers for sold-out museums: the big sights run their own booking platforms and have no third-party partners. Book only on the official site or mini program.
Source: bjnews.com.cn - RuleNo same-day tickets at the Forbidden City
The Palace Museum sells no tickets on the day; anyone at the gate offering tickets or 'fast entry' is not the museum. Booking opens at 20:00 seven days ahead on the official site or WeChat mini program.
Source: intl.dpm.org.cn, english.beijing.gov.cn - Watch outPaying for free museum tickets
The National Museum, Tiananmen Square and Mao Memorial Hall are free with a real-name booking. Sites that charge a fee for these bookings are middlemen, not the venues.
Source: wanderinchina.com, wanderinchina.com - Watch outCheap day tours with forced shopping
The tourism bureau warns against 'lowest price online' tours and shopping pitches dressed up as 'government subsidies'. For the Great Wall, book admission yourself (Mutianyu official site, Badaling mini program) and take the train or a licensed operator.
Source: bjnews.com.cn, mutianyugreatwall.com, english.beijing.gov.cn - Watch outFake 100-yuan notes
Counterfeit notes, especially CNY 100, are common, even from ATMs, and banks will not swap them. Check notes when you get change and pay by phone where you can.
Source: gov.uk - Watch outTaxi fare disputes
Arguments over fares can escalate quickly, and any physical scuffle can end in detention regardless of who started it. Pay the metered fare, ask for the receipt with the taxi number and call 12345 or the police later.
Source: gov.uk, zh.wikipedia.org - Watch outBusiness disputes and exit bans
If you get drawn into a business or civil dispute, the authorities can stop you leaving China until it is settled. Do not sign or pay for anything under pressure.
Source: gov.uk
Local life
- TipTemple of Heaven before 8 am
The park gates open at 6:00 but the halls only at 8:00; the two hours in between belong to retirees doing tai chi, ballroom and fan dancing, chess and opera singing under the cypresses. Enter by the East or North Gate.
Source: wanderinchina.com, english.beijing.gov.cn - TipThe Long Corridor card players
The covered Long Corridor at the Temple of Heaven fills with locals playing cards and chatting; it is a living room, not a sight, so watch quietly.
Source: wanderinchina.com - FunWater calligraphy on the paving
Between the West and North gates of the Temple of Heaven, calligraphers write poems on the stones with giant brushes dipped in water; the characters evaporate as you watch.
Source: wanderinchina.com - FunAmateur opera singers: piaoyou
The retirees singing Peking opera in the parks are piaoyou (票友), the word for amateur opera and folk-art singers since the Qianlong era. Listen in the Temple of Heaven groves in the morning.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, wanderinchina.com - TipJingshan's morning plazas
Before 9 am the lower plazas of Jingshan Park turn into open-air clubs: tai chi, fan dancing, and old men hanging cloth-covered birdcages in the branches.
Source: wanderinchina.com - FunWalking the birds
Liuniao (遛鸟), walking the birds, is an old men's morning habit: the cage is covered with a cloth and swung gently while they walk, to exercise the bird's legs and keep it calm.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, wanderinchina.com - FunSquare dancing
Guangchangwu, square dancing to remixed pop songs, fills park plazas and estate squares; a study found most dancers are women aged 45 to 65, and neighbours often complain about the loud speakers.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - FunDiabolo is a Beijing toy
The kongzhu (空竹) diabolo, a spinning top on a string that hums as it turns, comes from the Beijing area; a Qing writer described Beijing children making it 'sound like a great bell'. Beijing has a dedicated diabolo museum.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org - TipThe park annual pass
Beijingers buy a park annual pass: CNY 100 for union members and retirees, CNY 200 for anyone as a joint card, valid at 16 parks including the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Beihai and Jingshan.
Source: visitbeijing.com.cn - FunYuanmingyuan on a monthly pass
Regulars walk the Old Summer Palace on a CNY 15 monthly pass, renewed with a photo at the gate between the 25th and 31st of each month.
Source: english.visitbeijing.com.cn - TipA siheyuan is several homes now
Courtyard houses built for one family now usually house several, with extra rooms built into the yard and very few private toilets, so many residents use the lane's public toilets. City rules for hutong tourism say toilets in hutong businesses should be open to visitors free.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, global.chinadaily.com.cn - TipStep one lane off the strip
Nanluoguxiang is the busy, commercial face of the hutongs; the lived-in courtyards are one or two lanes east or west. Late afternoon is the nicest time.
Source: chinafortravelers.com - RuleResidents versus crowds
People living in lanes off Nanluoguxiang have long complained that weekend crowds disrupt daily life; the city's 2018 draft rules for hutong tourism say tours must not disturb local life.
Source: global.chinadaily.com.cn - FunPigeon whistles over the roofs
The humming sound above the hutongs comes from geshao (鸽哨), little bamboo or gourd whistles tied to pigeons' tails; with the circling flocks it is a classic sound of old Beijing.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - FunThe Bannermen's hobbies
Qing Bannermen, paid by the state, turned birdcages, cricket jars and katydid gourds into crafts; their descendants keep the habits, and cricket fighting is an autumn pastime with its own clubs and jars.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, zh.wikipedia.org - FunSpeak with an 'r'
Beijingers add an 'r' to many words (erhua): nǎr for 'where', yìdiǎnr for 'a little'. Locals once said the accent north of the Forbidden City was more refined than the craftsmen's speech in the south.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, zh.wikipedia.org - FunThe 2nd Ring Road is the old wall
The 2nd Ring Road and subway Line 2 follow the moat of the city wall pulled down from the 1950s to the 1960s, partly to build the subway; junctions keep the gate names.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, zh.wikipedia.org - FunJingshan is made of moat earth
The hill was piled up from earth dug out for the Forbidden City's moat and stands on the Central Axis; it was once the highest point of the city.
Source: wanderinchina.com, zh.wikipedia.org - FunDouzhi is only Beijing's
Historically douzhi was sold only within sight of the city walls; beyond them no stall sold it. Lovers drink it hot with jiaoquan rings and pickles; most visitors find it sour.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, zh.wikipedia.org - FunJiaoquan should shatter
A good jiaoquan is fried golden and brittle, 'shaped like a bracelet, still crisp after seven days, and shatters if dropped'.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - TipMiancha: turn the bowl
At Huguosi the breakfast miancha (millet porridge) has sesame paste on top: you turn the bowl and sip round the edge, with a sugar huoshao on the side.
Source: visitbeijing.com.cn - TipChaogan with small baozi
Chaogan is pork liver and intestine in a thick garlicky gravy; the old rule was to sip it round the rim of the bowl with little baozi. Tianxingju serves the classic pair.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, visitbeijing.com.cn - FunNo heart, no lungs
Huixianju near Qianmen is credited with inventing chaogan around 1900. A rhyme mocked its heart-and-lung recipe, so the owner dropped them, earning the new saying 'Huixianju chaogan: no heart, no lungs' (heartless).
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - TipTangyoubing queues
The sugar-oil cake (tangyoubing) is a Beijing breakfast classic; the tourism board's 2025 breakfast list names a tangyoubing shop as the city's top breakfast and puts these shops at CNY 10-35 per person.
Source: visitbeijing.com.cn - TipMendingroubing: eat it hot, carefully
The 'door-nail' beef pie, shaped like the studs on old city gates, is full of beef and scallion juice; eat it hot with a splash of vinegar and bite carefully.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - TipHuguosi Street sweets
Huguosi Street is where old Beijingers buy lüdagunr (glutinous rolls in soybean flour), wandouhuang pea cake (chilled in summer) and sugar huoshao, which they carry in a pocket as a snack.
Source: visitbeijing.com.cn - TipImperial cheese at Nailao Wei
Nailao is a milk pudding set with rice wine, once palace food; the almond tofu is the summer order.
Source: visitbeijing.com.cn - FunLuzhu from Nanhengjie
Luzhu huoshao began in the south city around Nanheng Street, as a poor man's version of a Qing palace pork dish; it was 'what let the poor satisfy their cravings'.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org - TipBaodu, seven up eight down
At a baodu counter the cook dips fresh tripe in the pot for about ten seconds; it comes with a sesame sauce of chive flower and fermented tofu and a sesame shaobing.
Source: visitbeijing.com.cn, zh.wikipedia.org - TipCopper pot in winter
Shuan yangrou in a charcoal copper pot is Beijing's winter meal: thin hand-cut lamb dipped for seconds, sesame and fermented-tofu sauce, then cabbage and glass noodles in the broth.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, visitbeijing.com.cn - TipZhajiangmian and its caima
Beijing zhajiangmian is 'xiaowan ganzha', a small bowl of dry-fried sauce; the seasonal vegetable toppings (caima) such as cucumber, radish, soybeans and sprouts are the point.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org - FunCounting the nines
From the winter solstice Beijingers count nine nine-day periods (shujiu); the third nine is the coldest stretch, and after 81 days spring has come.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - FunSanfu: the dog days
The 'sanfu' period, starting between 10 and 20 July and ending between 8 and 18 August, is the hottest of the year by the old calendar.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - TipWinter solstice food
In northern China the winter solstice is a day for dumplings and wontons.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org - TipLaba: New Year has started
On the 8th day of the 12th lunar month families cook laba congee of mixed grains; the saying goes 'after Laba, it's New Year'. In 2027 it falls on 15 January.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org - FunChestnuts roasted in black sand
In autumn and winter street shops roast chestnuts in black sand with sugar; the 'Liangxiang' name on the bag is a trading town, not the orchard.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - FunTanghulu at the temple fair
Tanghulu, sugar-glazed hawthorn on a stick, belongs to Beijing winters; the Changdian temple fair was famous for giant ones about five chi long, on thorn sticks with paper flags.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, zh.wikipedia.org - TipTie qiu biao: putting on autumn fat
At Liqiu (start of autumn, around 7-9 August) old Beijingers 'tie qiu biao', eat meat to regain what the summer heat took off: stewed pork, sauced pork knuckle, and above all zhizi kaorou, thin marinated lamb seared on an iron grill plate heated with fruitwood.
Source: news.bjd.com.cn, news.bjd.com.cn - TipKaorouji by Silver Ingot Bridge
Kaorouji, the 178-year-old grilled-meat house beside Yinding Bridge at Shichahai, is famous for 'wu chi zi kao', the 'martial' way of grilling your own lamb at the iron plate; for Liqiu 2026 it put its heritage-listed grilled meat into a take-away burger.
Source: news.bjd.com.cn - TipLaobing juan zhouzi on Liqiu
On the first day of autumn 2026 Huifeng's Huguosi shop and Huifeng Jiaozilou sold flatbread rolled round sauced pork knuckle, the standard 'autumn fat' meal, with take-away windows offering the meats.
Source: news.bjd.com.cn - FunBiting the autumn
On Liqiu families buy a watermelon and eat it together, 'kenqiu' (biting autumn), to bite off the tail of the summer heat.
Source: visitbeijing.com.cn, news.bjd.com.cn - TipBeijing-style mooncakes
Beijing's own mooncakes are zilaihong and zilaibai, tijiang and the flaky 'fanmao' kind; Daoxiangcun, a time-honoured Beijing brand, makes them by a listed intangible-heritage hand technique and sells paper-wrapped and fresh-baked ones until Golden Week.
Source: cs.com.cn, zh.wikipedia.org - FunYanjing, the 'Pujing'
The ordinary 10-degree bottle of Yanjing is nicknamed 'Pujing'; Yanjing has over 85% of the Beijing market and has been the state banquet beer since 1995.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org - FunBeibingyang orange soda
The polar bear soda dates to 1936, vanished in the 1990s and came back in 2011 by word of mouth; it is made with real mandarin juice and sold again in glass bottles.
Source: jsmsj.org.cn, zh.wikipedia.org - FunErguotou is Beijing's baijiu
Erguotou, 'second pot head', is the Beijing style of light-aroma baijiu; Red Star and Niulanshan are the bottles on every shop shelf.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - FunChuan'r nights
Lamb skewers with cumin are the classic Beijing summer street food; in 2013 the city confiscated hundreds of open-air grills to cut smoke, which residents ridiculed.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - FunGui Jie, Ghost Street
Dongzhimennei Street became a late-night food street around 1997 and people called it 'ghost street' (鬼街); officials renamed it with the homophone 簋 (an ancient food vessel). Queues form outside the restaurants in the evening.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - TipShichahai: boats and bars
In summer Beijingers rent boats on Shichahai, in winter they skate on it; the lakes are also the city's best-known bar district.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org - TipWudaokou: the student quarter
Wudaokou, by Tsinghua and Peking universities, is full of students, many Koreans and cheaper bars and clubs than Sanlitun.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipCrosstalk at Deyunshe
Deyunshe, founded in 1995 by Guo Degang and others, brought xiangsheng crosstalk back to small theatres such as Tianqiao and Guangdelou. It is the big name in Beijing crosstalk.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipIce bikes on Shichahai
When the coldest weeks come the Qianhai rink opens (10 January in 2026): 35,000 square metres of ice with single and double ice bikes and ice cars.
Source: globaltimes.cn - TipNeighbourhood rinks
Zizhuyuan Park, Tuanjiehu Park, the Old Summer Palace and Peking University's Weiming Lake also open rinks; Zizhuyuan posts the ice thickness several times a day.
Source: globaltimes.cn - FunRow on Beihai
Rowing on Beihai under the White Dagoba is in the children's song 'Let us row the oars', which every Beijinger knows.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - TipRed leaves at Fragrant Hills
About 100,000 smoke trees turn red on Xiangshan; the best viewing is late October to mid-November. The cable car was closed for an upgrade in 2025.
Source: bjnews.com.cn, news.cn, en.wikipedia.org - TipOsmanthus at the Summer Palace
In late September and early October the Summer Palace sets out century-old osmanthus trees in tubs; the scent is strongest early morning and evening.
Source: bjnews.com.cn - TipSpring flower calendar
Ming city wall plum blossom in March, Taoranting crabapples from late March, peach at the National Botanical Garden in April and Yuyuantan cherries into mid-May (2026 dates).
Source: visitbeijing.com.cn - TipPeonies at Jingshan
In late April and early May the Peony Garden at Jingshan draws crowds of photographers; in late October the maples frame the Forbidden City view.
Source: wanderinchina.com - TipTemple fairs at Ditan and Longtan
At Spring Festival the Ditan fair (since 1985) and Longtan fair run from the 1st to the 7th day of the new year, 8:30-17:00, with folk performers and snacks; in 2026 tickets were sold online with QR entry.
Source: stdaily.com, zh.wikipedia.org - TipChangdian, the books fair
The Changdian temple fair by Liulichang dates from the Qing and since 2018 has dropped stalls and snacks to focus on books, calligraphy and brushes.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, news.bjd.com.cn - TipPanjiayuan at the weekend
Panjiayuan, China's biggest flea market, has shops every day, but the street-stall sellers only come at weekends: Mao-era relics, old books, jade, shadow puppets.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org
Money
- TipSet up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly
Almost everyone in Beijing pays by scanning a QR code. Install Alipay or WeChat, register with your phone number and link a Visa, Mastercard or other foreign card; foreign users can spend up to USD 5,000 per payment.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn, english.www.gov.cn, gov.uk - TipSmall payments are cheapest on WeChat
WeChat Pay waives its 3% foreign-card fee on every payment under CNY 200; new users also get the fee waived on daily spending under CNY 1,000 for 60 days.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn - RuleCash must be accepted
Since 1 Feb 2026 national rules require anyone taking payment face to face to accept renminbi cash, and machines must offer a cash option. Merchants may still lack change for a CNY 100 note.
Source: mothership.sg, english.beijing.gov.cn - TipKeep coins and small notes for buses
Bus drivers give no change, so pay exact cash or use a transit QR code or Yikatong card (half price).
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn, en.wikipedia.org - TipTap your foreign card on the metro
Since June 2025 Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express and UnionPay contactless cards work at every fare gate of all metro lines and suburban line S2, with no ticket or app.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn - TipCards in shops: ask first
Hotels and big malls take foreign cards; small restaurants, bars and street stalls often do not. Many Michelin Bib Gourmand places in Beijing are listed as cash only or do not take foreign cards.
Source: english.www.gov.cn, guide.michelin.com - TipDeparture tax refund
Spend at least CNY 200 in one tax-refund shop on one day, keep the goods unused and leave within 90 days: the refund is about 9% (or 6%) of the invoice. Ask the shop for the refund form with your passport.
Source: english.shanghai.gov.cn - TipInstant refund to your credit card
Beijing tax-refund shops can now pay the refund almost instantly to a Visa or Mastercard, alongside cash and Alipay 'Tap-to-Refund'.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn - TipBeijing's visitor pass and SIM
The Travel Pass app (version 2.0 from Sept 2026) bundles payment, Didi, translation and online tax refund; the CUBe Card SIM carries e-CNY and taps in on buses and the subway.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn - TipCheck the bill, not the tip
Your risk in Beijing is the overpriced bill, not the tip: menus with prices, metered taxis and QR payments to the shop's own code keep you safe. Refuse any 'tea house' or bar where you cannot see prices first.
Source: gov.uk, en.wikipedia.org
Transport
- RuleSecurity check at every subway station
Bags and riders are screened at every Beijing subway entrance, a rule since the 2008 Olympics. Leave knives and flammable items out of your day bag.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipSubway fares are by distance
Fares start at CNY 3 for up to 6 km and rarely pass CNY 7-8 in the city; transfers are free except to the airport lines. Tap a foreign contactless card at the gate.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, english.beijing.gov.cn - TipDay passes in the Yitongxing app
Unlimited subway rides as a QR code from the Yitongxing (亿通行) app: CNY 20 for one day, 30 for two, 40 for three, 90 for seven.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - FunLine 2 is the old city wall
Line 2 runs under the 2nd Ring Road, which follows the moat of the old city wall; station names such as Dongzhimen, Xizhimen and Chongwenmen are former gates.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, zh.wikipedia.org - TipYikatong card
The Yikatong card (CNY 20 refundable deposit) works on buses and the subway and gives half-price bus rides; buy it at subway ticket counters.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipBuses: tap twice
Buses cost CNY 2 for the first 10 km, CNY 1 with a card or Alipay transit code; with a card you tap on and off so the distance can be charged.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - RuleTaxis: meter, receipt, number
Flag fall is CNY 13 for the first 3 km, then CNY 2.3 per km. Use marked taxis only, insist on the meter and keep the receipt.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, gov.uk - TipDidi works in English
Didi has an English interface, accepts foreign phone numbers and does not take cash; you can also open it as a mini program inside Alipay.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn - TipShared bikes in Alipay
Shared bikes, metro and bus QR codes are all reached through Alipay mini programs, so one app covers most short trips.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn - TipMaps
The Beijing government notes most Chinese map apps lack English and suggests Apple Maps; Amap also has an English version.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn, english.beijing.gov.cn - RuleTrains need your passport
Train tickets are real-name: book on 12306 with your passport and show the same original passport at the gates.
Source: enghunan.gov.cn, gov.uk
Etiquette
- RuleIn a working temple
At the Lama Temple and other active temples speak quietly, dress modestly (no sleeveless tops or short shorts), walk clockwise round halls and stupas and do not photograph monks without permission.
Source: wanderinchina.com - TipIncense the local way
Light three sticks together, put the flame out by waving, not blowing, hold them at chest height and bow; place them in the burner, never throw them. At the Lama Temple the incense is given free inside.
Source: wanderinchina.com - RuleNever stand chopsticks in rice
Chopsticks stuck upright in a bowl look like incense offered to the dead. Rest them across the bowl or on the holder.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipGanbei means empty the glass
Ganbei (干杯) literally means 'dry the glass'. At a banquet the host leads the toasts; expect several rounds.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, en.wiktionary.org - TipFace matters
Mianzi, 'face', is a person's dignity in front of others. Do not correct or contradict someone sharply in public; raise problems quietly and give people a way out.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - FunCigarettes as gifts
Tobacco is still a common gift in China, and public enforcement of smoking bans is rare.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - RuleHutongs are people's homes
Residents of the lanes off Nanluoguxiang have long complained of noisy crowds. Keep your voice down, do not walk into courtyards uninvited and keep doorways clear.
Source: global.chinadaily.com.cn - TipPark dancers and tai chi groups
Morning exercise groups in Jingshan and the Temple of Heaven are happy to be watched from a respectful distance; do not walk into their space for photos.
Source: wanderinchina.com, wanderinchina.com - RuleNo drones anywhere in Beijing
Since August 2025 the whole Beijing municipality is restricted airspace for drones; flying needs approval from the air traffic authority. Leave the drone at home.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn, gov.uk - RulePhotography and sensitive places
Foreigners taking photos near sensitive sites, military areas or political events attract attention; restricted military zones are signposted and offenders can be fined or deported.
Source: gov.uk - RuleReligion rules for foreigners
Foreigners may take part in religious activity only at registered venues; preaching and handing out religious material are restricted (rules updated 1 May 2025).
Source: gov.uk
Food
- TipBreakfast is a set
Old Beijing custom says douzhi (fermented mung bean drink) must come with jiaoquan fried rings and finely shredded pickles. Douzhi is sour and divides visitors; try a small bowl at a Hui snack shop.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org - TipDuck in three stages
Peking duck is carved at the table: first the crisp skin dipped in sugar, then meat wrapped in thin pancakes with cucumber, spring onion and sweet bean sauce; ask what they do with the bones (often soup).
Source: en.wikipedia.org, zh.wikipedia.org - TipZhajiangmian with the 'caima'
Beijing zhajiangmian is thick noodles with a sauce of diced pork belly fried in yellow soybean paste, served with separate bowls of toppings (caima): cucumber and radish strips, green soybeans, bean sprouts. Mix it all in yourself.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org - TipCopper-pot mutton in winter
Shuan yangrou is Beijing's own hotpot: paper-thin hand-cut lamb dipped for seconds in plain boiling water in a charcoal copper pot, then in sesame sauce, eaten with sesame shaobing. It is above all a winter meal.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, visitbeijing.com.cn - TipBaodu: tripe in ten seconds
Baodu is fresh beef or lamb tripe boiled for a few seconds and dipped in sesame sauce with chive-flower paste and fermented tofu. Order the sesame shaobing with it.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, visitbeijing.com.cn - TipLuzhu for the brave
Luzhu huoshao is pork offal and bread stewed in an old broth; the cook cuts the bread in a criss-cross, the tofu in triangles, then you add garlic, chili oil and chive-flower paste.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org - TipChuan'r and a cold Yanjing
Lamb skewers with cumin and chili are Beijing's summer-night food; the drink is a big bottle of Yanjing, which holds over 85% of the Beijing beer market.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, zh.wikipedia.org - TipTanghulu is a winter snack
Hawthorn berries on a bamboo skewer in a sugar shell that hardens in the cold; the classic winter street sweet, now also with strawberries or grapes.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipUse Dianping like a local
Beijingers pick restaurants on Dazhong Dianping (now part of Meituan), which runs consumer reviews for restaurants and shops; look at the per-person price (人均) shown for each place.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, visitbeijing.com.cn - TipFollow the Bib Gourmand queue
MICHELIN's Beijing Bib Gourmand list includes cheap local places such as No. 69 Fangzhuanchang Zhajiangmian and Man Heng Ji copper-pot hotpot, and tags some as 'Worth Queueing For'.
Source: guide.michelin.com - TipDrink Beibingyang
Beibingyang orange soda, made with real mandarin juice since 1936, came back in 2011 and is back in glass bottles; Huguosi regulars drink it with copper-pot hotpot.
Source: jsmsj.org.cn, visitbeijing.com.cn
Safety
- RuleTurkish passports need a visa
Ordinary Turkish passport holders must get a Chinese visa before travel; the Turkish Embassy in Beijing (notice of 26 Feb 2026) says individual tourist (L) visas cannot be applied for, so tourists travel on a group visa. Türkiye is not on the 30-day visa-free or the 240-hour transit lists; only 24-hour airside transit at Beijing Capital or Daxing is visa-free.
Source: pekin-be.mfa.gov.tr, en.nia.gov.cn - RuleCarry your original passport
Police make random ID checks, especially around big events, and do not accept copies; not producing it can mean a fine or detention. You also need it for sights, trains and hotels.
Source: gov.uk, pekin-be.mfa.gov.tr - RuleRegister where you stay
Hotels register you automatically; if you stay with friends or in a private rental you must register with the local police within 24 hours.
Source: en.nia.gov.cn - RuleDo not drink tap water
Tap water is generally not safe to drink; buy bottled water.
Source: gov.uk - TipHot, humid summers
July averages 27 °C with high humidity, and most of the year's rain falls in July and August; the old calendar's 'sanfu' days from mid-July to mid-August are the hottest of the year.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, zh.wikipedia.org - TipSpring sandstorms, dry cold winters
Spring can bring sandstorms from the Mongolian steppe; winters are cold, windy and very dry (January averages -2.7 °C). Check the forecast on dusty days.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - Watch outTraffic accidents
If you are involved in a traffic accident, get to a safe place and call the police (122 for traffic police); drivers are held responsible for hitting pedestrians and can be liable for passengers' medical costs, so do not let a driver talk you out of calling.
Source: gov.uk, gov.uk - Watch outDrug tests in bars
Police can raid bars and test foreigners on the spot (urine and hair), including on entry to the country.
Source: gov.uk - RuleInternet controls
Google, Facebook, YouTube and X are blocked; VPN services must be licensed. Arrange roaming or a Chinese SIM before relying on them.
Source: gov.uk, english.beijing.gov.cn - RuleEmergency numbers
Police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119, traffic police 122; 12345 for city questions and complaints.
Source: gov.uk, zh.wikipedia.org
Free
- TipNational Museum of China
Free permanent galleries including the Ancient China exhibition; book a time slot in the official mini program 7 days ahead (slots open at 17:00) and bring your passport.
Source: wanderinchina.com - TipCapital Museum
Free with an advance booking; closed Mondays (Tuesdays during the summer holiday).
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn - TipTiananmen Square and the flag ceremony
The square is free with a real-name booking 1-7 days ahead; the flag-raising at dawn and lowering at sunset need their own time slot.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn, wanderinchina.com - TipParks for CNY 2-10
Jingshan costs CNY 2 for the best view of the Forbidden City, Beihai CNY 10, the Temple of Heaven grounds CNY 15; Zizhuyuan (Purple Bamboo) Park is free.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn - TipFree for over-60s and children
At the Temple of Heaven and Badaling, visitors over 60 and under 18 enter free with their passport.
Source: english.visitbeijing.com.cn, wanderinchina.com - TipWalk the hutongs
Walking the lanes around the Drum Tower, Houhai and Nanluoguxiang is free at any time; step one lane off the main strip for lived-in courtyards.
Source: chinafortravelers.com - TipHan Meilin Art Gallery
Free with a reservation in the gallery's WeChat mini program; closed Mondays.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn - TipOld Summer Palace monthly pass
Residents walk the Yuanmingyuan ruins on a CNY 15 monthly pass; the main gate ticket is CNY 10.
Source: english.visitbeijing.com.cn - TipMao Memorial Hall
Free with a separate real-name booking through the Tiananmen booking channels; leave bags and cameras in the designated storage.
Source: wanderinchina.com
Words
- TipHello: nǐ hǎo (你好)
The everyday greeting.
Source: en.wiktionary.org - TipThank you: xièxie (谢谢)
Use it everywhere; 'bù kèqi' (不客气) means you're welcome.
Source: en.wiktionary.org, en.wiktionary.org - TipHow much is it?: duōshǎo qián (多少钱)
Point and ask at any stall.
Source: en.wiktionary.org - TipThe bill, please: mǎidān (买单)
Say it to the waiter; jiézhàng (结账) also means to settle the bill.
Source: en.wiktionary.org, en.wiktionary.org - TipNo chili: bùyào là (不要辣)
bùyào = don't want, là = spicy. Ask for wēilà (微辣) if you want only a little heat.
Source: en.wiktionary.org, en.wiktionary.org, en.wiktionary.org - TipI want this one: wǒ yào zhège (我要这个)
Point at the menu photo or the tray. zhège (这个) = this one.
Source: en.wiktionary.org, en.wiktionary.org - TipToilet: cèsuǒ (厕所)
Where is the toilet? cèsuǒ zài nǎr (厕所在哪儿) - nǎr is the Beijing 'er' form of 'where'.
Source: en.wiktionary.org, en.wiktionary.org - TipSorry / excuse me: duìbùqǐ (对不起)
For bumping into someone or getting attention politely.
Source: en.wiktionary.org - TipI don't understand: tīngbùdǒng (听不懂)
Literally 'hear but not understand'.
Source: en.wiktionary.org - TipDelicious: hǎochī (好吃)
The compliment every cook wants.
Source: en.wiktionary.org - TipCheers: gānbēi (干杯)
Literally 'dry the glass'.
Source: en.wiktionary.org - TipCheap: piányi (便宜)
piányi yìdiǎn? = a little cheaper? Bargain at markets such as Panjiayuan, not in shops with price tags.
Source: en.wiktionary.org, en.wiktionary.org - TipWeChat: Wēixìn (微信)
What locals call WeChat; you will be asked 'Wēixìn háishi Zhīfùbǎo?' (WeChat or Alipay?).
Source: en.wiktionary.org
Fun
- FunHutong means 'well'
The word hutong appeared under the Yuan dynasty and comes from Mongolian, meaning 'water well'.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - FunDuck carved in 2½ minutes
A master duck carver should slice a whole roast duck in about two and a half minutes; hung-oven duck keeps skin on every slice, closed-oven duck separates skin and meat.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - FunThe diabolo reached Europe from Beijing
The first Western description of the diabolo was written by a missionary in Beijing in 1792, during Lord Macartney's embassy.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - FunCixi named the door-nail pie
Legend says a palace cook named mendingroubing after the studs on the palace gates when Cixi asked what the new snack was called.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - FunKublai Khan's hotpot
Legend credits shuan yangrou to Kublai Khan's cook, who sliced the lamb thin and dipped it in boiling water because the enemy was coming.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - FunThe ring road did not replace the wall
The 2nd Ring Road was not built on the wall itself: comparing maps shows it mostly follows the old moat, which still survives as a canal in places.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - FunSiheyuan face south
In a courtyard house the main building sits on the north side facing south; the side houses face east and west.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - Fun798 was an East German design
The 798 art district's factories were built in the 1950s to a Bauhaus-influenced East German design, which caused disputes with the Soviet advisers.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - FunBeihai is the oldest imperial garden
Beihai, begun in the Liao and Jin periods, is described as the oldest surviving imperial garden in the world; the White Dagoba dates from 1651.
Source: zh.wikipedia.org - FunLive air data at the Great Wall
The Mutianyu Great Wall home page shows live PM2.5, PM10 and negative-ion readings next to the date.
Source: mutianyugreatwall.com - FunBeer at a 'stock exchange'
In summer 2026 the century-old brand Sonhoshin ran a Beer Exchange pop-up at Beijing Fun (Qianmen) with jasmine-tea beer and Beibingyang wheat beer, prices moving every 10 minutes on a screen.
Source: english.beijing.gov.cn
When to go
- RuleSpring Festival 2027: 6 February
Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday 6 February. The official 2027 holiday dates had not been published when checked (Oct 2026); in 2026 the holiday ran nine days (15-23 Feb).
Source: en.wikipedia.org, hko.gov.hk - TipTemple fairs
Ditan and Longtan temple fairs run from New Year's Day to the 7th day (in 2026: 17-23 Feb, 8:30-17:00); Changdian opened on the same first day.
Source: stdaily.com, news.bjd.com.cn - TipLantern Festival: 20 February 2027
The 15th day of the first month ends the New Year period with lanterns and tangyuan.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipLaba and the winter solstice
Winter solstice 21 Dec 2026 (dumplings), Laba congee on 15 Jan 2027.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org - TipIce season: January
Lake rinks open in the coldest weeks; Shichahai opened on 10 Jan 2026.
Source: globaltimes.cn - TipSpring blossoms: March to May
Plum on the Ming wall in March, crabapple at Taoranting from late March, peach at the National Botanical Garden in April, Yuyuantan cherries to mid-May; watch for spring sandstorms.
Source: visitbeijing.com.cn, en.wikipedia.org - TipBeijing International Film Festival: April
The 16th edition ran 16-25 April 2026; the 15th was 17-27 April 2025. 2027 dates were not yet announced.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipPeonies: late April to early May
Jingshan's Peony Garden is at its best.
Source: wanderinchina.com - TipSummer: hot, wet July and August
July averages 27 °C and most rain falls in July-August; the sanfu dog days run roughly mid-July to mid-August.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, zh.wikipedia.org - FunQixi: 8 August 2027
The Chinese Valentine's Day (7th day of the 7th month).
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipMid-Autumn: 15 September 2027
Family reunions and mooncakes; 2026 fell on 25 September with a three-day holiday.
Source: en.wikipedia.org, m.gmw.cn - Watch outNational Day Golden Week: 1-7 October
In 2026 the holiday ran 1-7 October with make-up working days on 20 Sep and 10 Oct; sights and trains are packed. Avoid these dates.
Source: m.gmw.cn - TipBeijing Design Week: autumn
An annual design festival held in the autumn; Beijing has been a UNESCO City of Design since 2012.
Source: en.wikipedia.org - TipRed leaves: late October to mid-November
Fragrant Hills' smoke trees peak from late October; in 2026 the park's autumn market runs 1 Oct-15 Nov, and Pofengling's red-leaf festival 1 Oct-16 Nov.
Source: bjnews.com.cn, news.cn - TipThe best months
Autumn is short, crisp and dry, and spring warms quickly but can bring sandstorms; summer is hot and humid and winter cold, windy and very dry. For mild, dry weather aim for autumn but avoid Golden Week (1-7 Oct).
Source: en.wikipedia.org, m.gmw.cn
Checked October 2026. Every item links to where it came from.