Taxi in Beijing
Using a taxi in Beijing is the cheapest and most convenient transportation option if you are staying for a short time in the city. There are around 25,000 taxis in Beijing, and you’re most likely to use a taxi to travel between your accommodation and the airport. If you are travelling to Beijing for the first time, it pays to know some tips about the way taxis operate in the city. Read on to get essential taxi riding tips.
Know what kind of taxi to use
Beijing has three kinds of taxis with respective rates for each kind. The cheapest and smallest cab, usually a China-made model and colored red, costs only a few RMB per kilometer. You might find the ride a bit bumpy and you may have no air conditioning, but you get to your destination as cheaply as possible.
The next, slightly more expensive ride is for a Volkswagen or Citroen model with air conditioning and suspension. Third is the black classic taxi, which goes for twice the rate of the red ones. The driver of a black taxi is more likely to have English skills. No matter the price level, make sure that your taxi is licensed for service and the fare is printed in the rear left or right window. A ride from the airport to the city center usually costs more than a hundred RMB.
Make sure to get legit cabs
You will find it easy to hail a taxi ride from almost anywhere in Beijing, but be sure to do it from the part of the street where pick ups are allowed. This way, your taxi won’t have trouble with the traffic cops. It may also be cheaper to get a cab from the street rather than from a queue near Beijing’s hotels. Legitimate cabs use lighted signs on their roofs.
When you get in, check for the large photo ID card that the driver should have on top of the meter. Make sure that the driver presses down the lever to start the meter, and flips it back up at the end of the trip, at which point the meter automatically prints your receipt. Refuse offers of a pre-arranged price or tales about having a damaged meter. You can get off and find another cab very easily.
Got problems with language?
Not being able to talk with your driver who knows only Chinese shouldn’t be too big a problem. Always carry the business card of your hotel or apartment written in Chinese. You can ask your hotel staff to write down your destinations for the day or ask the doorman to translate for you. With thousands of maps available online, you can also print your routes in both English and Chinese before your trip.
Long-haul city transport via taxis
Once you get acquainted with a trustworthy taxi driver, you two can fix a price for your day trips in and outside Beijing, and he can even act as your tour guide. For a few days’ trip, a cab’s services can be cheaper and faster than hiring a car.