Tips and FAQs on getting a taxi in Beijing
Beijing, as the capital of China, attracts thousands of tourists with its rich history and culture and modern cityscape. The convenient and fast transportation network makes travelling even easier and more enjoyable. Beijing’s transportation network is very well developed, covering a variety of transportation modes such as subway, buses and cabs. Among them, the subway lines cover a wide area, with 23 lines and a total length of more than 600 kilometers. Bus lines are even more well-connected, covering almost the whole city. In addition, cabs can be found everywhere, providing passengers with convenient travel services.
Beijing taxi price standards: the starting price, that is, up to 3 kilometers is charged at 13 yuan (1.60 euros / 1.8 U.S. dollars), 2.3 yuan (0.29 euros / 0.32 U.S. dollars) per kilometer, and after 15 kilometers, the price will become 3.45 yuan (0.43 euros / 0.48 U.S. dollars) per kilometer, and the fuel surcharge will be charged at 1 yuan each time, and if you travel by taxi from 23:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., you will be charged at the basic unit price. If you travel by cab between 23:00 pm and 5:00 pm the next day, you will be charged 20% more on top of the basic unit price. Payment can be made in cash or by using the Beijing Transportation Smart Card, WeChat, Alipay and UnionPay; international credit cards are not supported.
Regular cabs in Beijing have license plates that start with the letter “B” and use meters. The name of the cab company and the driver’s name are displayed on the front passenger seat. Most cab drivers do not speak English, so it is advisable to bring a card with your hotel’s name and address in Chinese.
It’s cheap to take a taxi in China, mainly because of the difference in prices, and also because of the low labor costs on the mainland, so cabs will be cheaper.
How do I call a taxi in Beijing?
Beijing has developed transportation, you can get a cab almost anywhere, most cabs are distributed around the city center, such as tourist attractions and landmarks, if there is no cab nearby, you can call +86 96106 or download the DiDi app to make a reservation for a taxi, DiDi is a kind of taxi hailing software similar to Uber.
There is no UBer in China. In 2016, DiDi acquired all the assets of Ubitus China’s brand, business, data and other assets operating in mainland China.
When you arrive at your destination and want to say thank you and goodbye to the driver, you can say this / xiè xiè . zài jiàn /
Frequently Asked Questions
1.How much is a taxi from Beijing International Airport to the city center?
A taxi from Beijing International Airport (PEK) to the city center costs about 135 RMB(18.5 U.S. dollars), but the price may vary depending on the traffic jam or the distance and travel time.
2. Are Beijing cabs reliable?
Beijing cab drivers are very professional and willing to help passengers, but it is still recommended to ask for an approximate price before you take a taxi, ask for a ticket when you arrive at your destination, and if you find that you have been overcharged, you can write down the license plate of the car and report it to the police station.