China - Beijing subway questions

I'm staying at the Rennaisance capital hotel in Beijing. It looks like the hotel is located near the guomao subway station where the 1 and 10 routes intersect. Is this an accurate assumption? If so, how far is this station from the hotel?

Secondly, I've read that there is an above ground light rail line. What is the name of that line? I'm a rail fan and would like to ride this line. Thanks

I think the one on the ground you are talking about is the Ba Tong line running from Si Hui to Tong County. You need to take line 1 to Si Hui and change to Ba Tong Line.

Thanks. How hard is it to ride the subway in Beijing? I understand it is pretty crowded. Is it worse than NYC? Are there signs that are in English?

The trains are crowded...much worse than NYC. Remember, there's no personal space in China.

English is available in the system, it's pretty easy to follow. The lines are numbered and colored and go in two directions.

Not too much to worry about compared w NYC where multiple lines share same platforms, some are express vs local, etc...none of this in BJ.

Thanks. How hard is it to ride the subway in Beijing? I understand it is pretty crowded. Is it worse than NYC? Are there signs that are in English?

I'm staying at the Rennaisance capital hotel in Beijing. It looks like the hotel is located near the guomao subway station where the 1 and 10 routes intersect. Is this an accurate assumption? If so, how far is this station from the hotel?

Secondly, I've read that there is an above ground light rail line. What is the name of that line? I'm a rail fan and would like to ride this line. Thanks

Email me if you want lounge access there.

The lines can be fiercely crowded, but like anywhere, if you go off-peak, it helps a lot. 2 yuan to anywhere, I think, so very cheap.

English everywhere, that should not be a problem on the subway, or in Beijing generally, the only thing there being, if you get lost, it might be very difficult to ask for help ...

#2 is not correct. The Capital Ren is near the Shuangjing subway station, on Line 10 one stop south of Guomao. You would go out northwest Exit A. There is a way to cut through the inside of the attached Viva mall, but for first-timers it's easier to exit to street, and then walk north one (long) block...about 5-8 minutes...keeping the mall building on your left and the elevated expressway on your right. When you hit the next side/cross street, the Cap Ren is the building on the corner in front of you. Main door faces west (opposite side from the expressway facade).

Beijing subway system can be crowded at rush hours 7:30 - 9:30 am and 4:30 - 6:30 pm. Line 1 is busy and crowded throughout the day and also on weekends when all the shoppers are out, but the other lines aren't so bad. I wouldn't let this be a deterrent if the system can get you close to where you need to go, as it can be much faster than sitting in surface traffic. It is easy to navigate and all signage and announcements are dual language Chinese and English. Also very cheap, RMB 2 per ride with unlimited transfers. The system is very safe to ride at all hours of operation and all routes (unlike NYC) and is much less of a dump (also unlike NYC) and while crowded, is more civilized (yep you guessed, also unlike NYC). :)

As most stations involve some sort of stair climbing (esp in the down direction), I don't advocate using the system for the mobility-challenged, or if burdened with more luggage than a small rollaboard. Transfers can involve long walks underground, and I particularly dislike the Line 1-Line 10 transfer (and vice versa) at Guomao station--my normal practice is to exit to the street after the first ride then go back down a different entrance from the street directly to the other line, paying the extra RMB 2 but avoiding the long underground cattle crush.

Light rail lines are twofold: 1) Airport Express which is a simple line running from airport to two points in town. This line is not part of the subway system for ticketing purposes, and a one-way ride is RMB 25. 2) Line 13 which is a U-shaped line serving northern suburbs. About a one-hour journey around the U from endpoint to endpoint, but not very interesting or useful for visitors. Some of the suburban lines like the Batong (to the east) and the recently-added Changping (to the northwest) run above ground also, but unless you have a specific reason to be out in those areas, probably not worth spending time riding.

So happy I found this thread! You guys are a wealth of info!! We're doing a stopover in Beijing for 3 days at the Renaissance Capital Hotel. I kept reading about the subway connection via the mall but sounded very confusing. Thanks jiejie for the details. Would someone be so kind as to tell me which stop to take for T-Square (I studied the map and it looks like there are two stops)? Which one would be a shorter walk? Someone told me to just take a taxi from the hotel. Good suggestion? Or due to one-way traffic it can be a longer ride than just going subway? We're dragging 2 smaller kids w/ us so fastest and painless is what I'm going for:) Thanks for the advice (I have ?s about Renaissance Cap but will post in other forum).

Would someone be so kind as to tell me which stop to take for T-Square (I studied the map and it looks like there are two stops)?

More like four, Hepingmen and Qianmen will work as well. They're at the south end; Tian'anmen West and East are at the north end.

Which one would be a shorter walk?

They're all nearly across the street. (It's a really big square.)

So happy I found this thread! You guys are a wealth of info!! We're doing a stopover in Beijing for 3 days at the Renaissance Capital Hotel. I kept reading about the subway connection via the mall but sounded very confusing. Thanks jiejie for the details. Would someone be so kind as to tell me which stop to take for T-Square (I studied the map and it looks like there are two stops)? Which one would be a shorter walk? Someone told me to just take a taxi from the hotel. Good suggestion? Or due to one-way traffic it can be a longer ride than just going subway? We're dragging 2 smaller kids w/ us so fastest and painless is what I'm going for:) Thanks for the advice (I have ?s about Renaissance Cap but will post in other forum).

You can post here. I know a great deal about the ren and really will hook you up with the lounge

Thanks moondog. I tried to find out all my answers via reading all the posts but there are a lot of posts..so here goes.
-Does the Ren. charge for extra child? Couldn't find anything on hotel website re: extra child policy. If I input 2 kids in the reservations they always say it exceeds max allowed. Do they charge extra per child? Can I settle it onsite or should I call ahead? For now I just reserve 2 adults w/ 2 twin beds to just get a room reserved.
-Is the front desk's English proficient enough so that if they charge me the DCC I could ask that they charge me in RMB or should I have a friend write it down for me? Have you experienced any problems w/ this? I'll mostly likely use Amex but prefer to use Capital 1 to avoid forex fee.
-Would you recommend reserving airport shuttle w/ hotel or just going with a taxi? I've read reviews where taxi's weren't sure where it was located (I'm printing the hotel card found on website). On other hand - shuttle is about 500-600 RMB (kinda expensive right?). Due to stopover & traveling onwards we have baggage which means airport shuttle out of the question.
-We don't have lounge access but didn't know if the hotel's concierge could advise or coordinate getting/reserving tix for the acrobatic show at the Chayong Theatre (didn't know if I should buy tix online & give c.c. and don't know if tix available at window). We wanted to do it in advance as we wanted to go eve of arrival (arrive at PEK 4 p.m. eta check-in 6). Is that realistic? Should we take subway to the the show or taxi? Tried to locate it on the map but it's taking me longer than just posting and asking.
-I also saw a review that getting a taxi from Forbidden City back to hotel can be a hassle. Have you heard or experienced same thing? Thoughts?
-Finally-we are also debating staying at Courtyard NE due to great reviews/better rates for us. However - that's pretty far out, right? Access to subway not as convenient? What do you think?
Thanks so much!

More like four, Hepingmen and Qianmen will work as well. They're at the south end; Tian'anmen West and East are at the north end.

They're all nearly across the street. (It's a really big square.)

Definitely not Hepingmen, that is not at the south end but quite a bit further west and a long walk.

Mom, your methodology may depend on time of day. If you are going in the morning, and if the "small children" are under 5-6 years old, I'd probably recommend a taxi. Taxis cannot stop on any of the Tiananmen Square streets, so they'll have to turn on a side street before they can stop, and you walk back to main square.

While there's no way to avoid heavy traffic, I would advocate a taxi route that does NOT use Jianguomen Blvd, but instead goes westbound on Guangqumen Blvd (nearer to Cap Ren), crosses the 2nd Ring Road, and turns up towards Qianmen, with taxi letting you off just before hitting the south end of the Square. A map will make this clear to you, and a hotel concierge/doorman can assist with telling the taxi driver how to go. You'll also better appreciate the Arrow Tower, Qianmen, and the Square itself starting at this south end then walking north towards the famous gate with Mao portrait.

If heading over between 10 am - 2 pm non-rush period, you could do the subway Line 10 transfer to Line 1. Either Tiananmen East or West will do.

rmartinez - thanks for the info!

Mom, your methodology may depend on time of day. If you are going in the morning, and if the "small children" are under 5-6 years old, I'd probably recommend a taxi. Taxis cannot stop on any of the Tiananmen Square streets, so they'll have to turn on a side street before they can stop, and you walk back to main square.

While there's no way to avoid heavy traffic, I would advocate a taxi route that does NOT use Jianguomen Blvd, but instead goes westbound on Guangqumen Blvd (nearer to Cap Ren), crosses the 2nd Ring Road, and turns up towards Qianmen, with taxi letting you off just before hitting the south end of the Square. A map will make this clear to you, and a hotel concierge/doorman can assist with telling the taxi driver how to go. You'll also better appreciate the Arrow Tower, Qianmen, and the Square itself starting at this south end then walking north towards the famous gate with Mao portrait.

If heading over between 10 am - 2 pm non-rush period, you could do the subway Line 10 transfer to Line 1. Either Tiananmen East or West will do.


Awesome information! Would not know any of this stuff (like taxi at T-Square streets). Thanks!

-We don't have lounge access but didn't know if the hotel's concierge could advise or coordinate getting/reserving tix for the acrobatic show at the Chayong Theatre (didn't know if I should buy tix online & give c.c. and don't know if tix available at window). We wanted to do it in advance as we wanted to go eve of arrival (arrive at PEK 4 p.m. eta check-in 6). Is that realistic? Should we take subway to the the show or taxi? Tried to locate it on the map but it's taking me longer than just posting and asking.
-I also saw a review that getting a taxi from Forbidden City back to hotel can be a hassle. Have you heard or experienced same thing? Thoughts?
-Finally-we are also debating staying at Courtyard NE due to great reviews/better rates for us. However - that's pretty far out, right? Access to subway not as convenient? What do you think?
Thanks so much!

I'll let moondog do the specific Cap Ren questions. Don't stay at the Courtyard NE, it's a terribly inconvenient location for you. Others:

--Take taxi from airport, from the official queue. Have the address written in Chinese also a phone number for the hotel. (Chinese cabbies all have mobile phones even if you don't.)

--No, you do not have time to get to the Chaoyang Acrobat show on the day of arrival, if your scheduled in at 4 pm. Pick another evening. When you arrive, ask hotel to help you get tickets. You can also buy at box office but better not to waste valuable sightseeing time. It's actually very easy to get to Chaoyang Theater by subway from your hotel: get on Line 10 Shuangjing station, then up 3 stops to Hujialou Station, Exit C. The theater is immediately south of this Exit, can't miss it.

--Yes, getting a taxi from the Forbidden City (including the exit/north gate) can be wicked. And the subway is a long, long walk. If you don't want to deal with having a prearranged car (tough to sync the logistics if you can't speak to the driver in Mandarin), then public bus is an option. There are a pile of bus lines with stops near the north gate, choice depends where you'd be heading next.

Thanks moondog. I tried to find out all my answers via reading all the posts but there are a lot of posts..so here goes.
-Does the Ren. charge for extra child? Couldn't find anything on hotel website re: extra child policy. If I input 2 kids in the reservations they always say it exceeds max allowed. Do they charge extra per child? Can I settle it onsite or should I call ahead? For now I just reserve 2 adults w/ 2 twin beds to just get a room reserved.


I don't believe they charge extra, but I would consider not telling them about the kids. I'd be happy to send them an email though.


-Is the front desk's English proficient enough so that if they charge me the DCC I could ask that they charge me in RMB or should I have a friend write it down for me? Have you experienced any problems w/ this? I'll mostly likely use Amex but prefer to use Capital 1 to avoid forex fee.


I haven't used a credit card there in ages because of DCC. None of us have cracked Jiao Hang yet.


-Would you recommend reserving airport shuttle w/ hotel or just going with a taxi? I've read reviews where taxi's weren't sure where it was located (I'm printing the hotel card found on website). On other hand - shuttle is about 500-600 RMB (kinda expensive right?). Due to stopover & traveling onwards we have baggage which means airport shuttle out of the question.


Get a taxi. While not all drivers know the Ren, the Melody KTV that is attached to it is kind of a landmark.


-We don't have lounge access but didn't know if the hotel's concierge could advise or coordinate getting/reserving tix for the acrobatic show at the Chayong Theatre (didn't know if I should buy tix online & give c.c. and don't know if tix available at window). We wanted to do it in advance as we wanted to go eve of arrival (arrive at PEK 4 p.m. eta check-in 6). Is that realistic? Should we take subway to the the show or taxi? Tried to locate it on the map but it's taking me longer than just posting and asking.


Like I said, I can help out with the lounge thing, but I will state that concierge service is not one of the hotel's strong suits... though I'm sure they can arrange theater tickets. IIRC, Chaoyang Theater is close to a stop on Line 10. If so, the subway would be a good way to go.


-I also saw a review that getting a taxi from Forbidden City back to hotel can be a hassle. Have you heard or experienced same thing? Thoughts?


Assuming you do make it all the way through Beihai Park, taxis are fairly easy to come by in the Houhai area.


-Finally-we are also debating staying at Courtyard NE due to great reviews/better rates for us. However - that's pretty far out, right? Access to subway not as convenient? What do you think?
Thanks so much!


It is pretty far out, but there is some decent stuff to do in the area (Lido, 798, and a few nice parks).

You can post here. I know a great deal about the ren and really will hook you up with the lounge

Got any hookups at the Holiday Inn downtown? ;)
I'm leaving IAD now on my way to PEK!
Plan is to take Airport Express to the Line 2 to the station by the hotel. Any further tips about how to exit, etc.?

Thanks guys, as always, for the help!

The lines can be fiercely crowded, but like anywhere, if you go off-peak, it helps a lot. 2 yuan to anywhere, I think, so very cheap.

English everywhere, that should not be a problem on the subway, or in Beijing generally, the only thing there being, if you get lost, it might be very difficult to ask for help ...

As others mentioned, it is very crowded but not much worst that NYC during the evening rush. We did the subway with our 6 year old and it was fine, if the car is too crazy crowded, just wait for the next car. One thing that was unusual was the x-ray machines at each subway station to check people's baggage. Not sure if that has changed.

Got any hookups at the Holiday Inn downtown? ;)
I'm leaving IAD now on my way to PEK!
Plan is to take Airport Express to the Line 2 to the station by the hotel. Any further tips about how to exit, etc.?

Thanks guys, as always, for the help!

I'm assuming this is the Holiday Inn near Financial street, at 98 Beilishi Rd.

When you arrive at the terminus of the Airport Express (Dongzhimen), you should follow the signage for Line 2. There will be some walking and some steps involved. You'll need to buy a separate subway ticket (RMB 2) when you get to the subway ticketing hall. On the train platform, position yourself for train heading towards Yonghegong. Line 2 is a circle but the quickest way to your stop (Fuchengmen) is counterclockwise. At Fuchengmen, you'll want the northwest exit A.

In advance, print out a detailed map of that area so you can find your way to the hotel, also the address and hotel name in Chinese in the unlikely event you get lost--you can stop a passerby and show them and ask directions. As always, take hotel phone number with you.

So happy I found this thread! You guys are a wealth of info!! We're doing a stopover in Beijing for 3 days at the Renaissance Capital Hotel. I kept reading about the subway connection via the mall but sounded very confusing. Thanks jiejie for the details. Would someone be so kind as to tell me which stop to take for T-Square (I studied the map and it looks like there are two stops)? Which one would be a shorter walk? Someone told me to just take a taxi from the hotel. Good suggestion? Or due to one-way traffic it can be a longer ride than just going subway? We're dragging 2 smaller kids w/ us so fastest and painless is what I'm going for:) Thanks for the advice (I have ?s about Renaissance Cap but will post in other forum).

I would take a taxi with kids. Line 1 subway line I try to avoid at Rush hour, as its so packed you have hard time getting in the train door, and if not near an exit, hard time getting out with out pushing a bit (or a lot in some cases).

Also a note on line 13 (I just got back home via line 13/10 ), it does run above ground so for me its interesting to look out. Also visitors find the ads (the video wall ads on line 1) interesting. Also beware of closing times, unlike New York, its not 24 hours

I would take a taxi with kids. Line 1 subway line I try to avoid at Rush hour, as its so packed you have hard time getting in the train door, and if not near an exit, hard time getting out with out pushing a bit (or a lot in some cases).


With or without kids, I also vote for the taxi. jiejie's suggestion in post #12 is particularly good. Taking a taxi to Wangfujing (also worth seeing) is also a decent option. (I prefer this method because I like to do an early lunch at Made in China before setting off for my "long marches" to the north.) One thing about Tiananmen (Tiananmen itself, as opposed to Tiananmen Square) is that that it is impossible for taxis to get super close, due to the large fences that line Chang'an Jie. As such starting off at Qianmen or Wangfujing isn't such a big handicap.

Thanks all for the input. I've been busy checking out sites, maps etc. Plz excuse all the questions. If you can't tell-I'm somewhat of a planner:D

I'm taking jiejie's advice to do acrobatic show the next night instead. Take subway Ln10 from hotel. Should I buy show tix ahead of time or in your experience I can just walk up to tix booth? I keep reading from TripAdv that people buy it from agents and found a couple sites??

Also on day of arrival, would taking taxi to T-Sq and walking around appropriate to do in the evening around 7ish? Will lights be on in there? Or not worth the effort/trip at night.

How far in advance should we make dinner reservations for Made In China or Fat Duck? Do I tell them I'd like to pre-order the duck? Not much of a duck fan but my husband is.

These questions must be quite mundane but you're a tremendous help. I feel smarter every time I go on FT! Thx again!

How far in advance should we make dinner reservations for Made In China or Fat Duck? Do I tell them I'd like to pre-order the duck? Not much of a duck fan but my husband is.

These questions must be quite mundane but you're a tremendous help. I feel smarter every time I go on FT! Thx again!

Made in China - def make reservations well in advance. If full you should give Duck de Chine a try - it is in an arty area near Sanlitun.

Also on day of arrival, would taking taxi to T-Sq and walking around appropriate to do in the evening around 7ish? Will lights be on in there? Or not worth the effort/trip at night.

Though you can find some references online to the square closing at 10:30pm, in my experience that happens only during holidays season or for big events (like the Olympics). Every time I've been there, the square closes (you might not think a square can close, but trust me, it does ;)) after the flag-lowering ceremony at dusk. So between the hassle of getting a cab to/from the square at that hour, and that risk, I'd be careful with this one.


How far in advance should we make dinner reservations for Made In China or Fat Duck? Do I tell them I'd like to pre-order the duck? Not much of a duck fan but my husband is.

As for pre-ordering the duck, I find it's best to call and do that a half an hour or hour before you plan to actually arrive at the restaurant. Any earlier and it's liable to get dropped.

kcirteid - LOL! Thanks for the info!

Sl00001 - I'm going to google duck de chine..may have questions later:) Thx!

Sl00001 - I'm going to google duck de chine..may have questions later:) Thx!

http://www.elite-concepts.com/Promotions/1949/DuckDeChine.htm

Thanks all for the input. I've been busy checking out sites, maps etc. Plz excuse all the questions. If you can't tell-I'm somewhat of a planner:D

I'm taking jiejie's advice to do acrobatic show the next night instead. Take subway Ln10 from hotel. Should I buy show tix ahead of time or in your experience I can just walk up to tix booth? I keep reading from TripAdv that people buy it from agents and found a couple sites??

Also on day of arrival, would taking taxi to T-Sq and walking around appropriate to do in the evening around 7ish? Will lights be on in there? Or not worth the effort/trip at night.

How far in advance should we make dinner reservations for Made In China or Fat Duck? Do I tell them I'd like to pre-order the duck? Not much of a duck fan but my husband is.

These questions must be quite mundane but you're a tremendous help. I feel smarter every time I go on FT! Thx again!


Also visit the Summer Palace/頤和園, which can be accessed via Subway, Line 4 good place to visit on a warm day (Last time I went was in early March, too cold)

Went for lunch yesterday and pre-ordered the duck. Wanted to have the Beggar's Chicken but was told that also needed pre-order ....

Though you can find some references online to the square closing at 10:30pm, in my experience that happens only during holidays season or for big events (like the Olympics). Every time I've been there, the square closes (you might not think a square can close, but trust me, it does ;)) after the flag-lowering ceremony at dusk. So between the hassle of getting a cab to/from the square at that hour, and that risk, I'd be careful with this one.



As for pre-ordering the duck, I find it's best to call and do that a half an hour or hour before you plan to actually arrive at the restaurant. Any earlier and it's liable to get dropped.

Welcome to FT and the China board in particular kcirteid! Hope you stick around to share more of your expertise!

tb

Made in China - def make reservations well in advance. If full you should give Duck de Chine a try - it is in an arty area near Sanlitun.

I may be the only one, but we had a lousy experience at Duck de Chine in September when we were there. We felt it was pricey for what you get (and they add a service charge!). The duck was OK, the service was terrible. They mostly ignored us. I would chalk it up to us being an American couple who speak no Mandarin, but I noticed tables of Chinese couples and groups getting the same treatment...

We're going again to Beijing in a couple of weeks. If I can talk my husband into giving Peking Duck another chance, I'll be looking for another place.

Also visit the Summer Palace/頤和園, which can be accessed via Subway, Line 4 good place to visit on a warm day (Last time I went was in early March, too cold)

Summer Palace is a great idea with kids. You can rent a paddle-boat and go out on the lake if the weather is nice. (We didn't do that last time, but might on this trip if there's time!)

Thanks moondog. I tried to find out all my answers via reading all the posts but there are a lot of posts..so here goes.
-Does the Ren. charge for extra child? Couldn't find anything on hotel website re: extra child policy. If I input 2 kids in the reservations they always say it exceeds max allowed. Do they charge extra per child? Can I settle it onsite or should I call ahead? For now I just reserve 2 adults w/ 2 twin beds to just get a room reserved.

I'm staying there right now until May 28th. I don't know their extra child policy, but just keep your children on the 1st floor entry lobby while you go up to the 4th floor check-in desk. Get your room card key, then directly take you and your children from the 1st floor to your room.

-Is the front desk's English proficient enough so that if they charge me the DCC I could ask that they charge me in RMB or should I have a friend write it down for me? Have you experienced any problems w/ this? I'll mostly likely use Amex but prefer to use Capital 1 to avoid forex fee.

The front desk is pretty proficient in English, but I think it's irrelevant since everything will be charged to your card in RMB.

-Would you recommend reserving airport shuttle w/ hotel or just going with a taxi? I've read reviews where taxi's weren't sure where it was located (I'm printing the hotel card found on website). On other hand - shuttle is about 500-600 RMB (kinda expensive right?). Due to stopover & traveling onwards we have baggage which means airport shuttle out of the question.

You are correct in stating that most taxi's do not know where the hotel is located. The majority of travel here for me has been a mix of subway and taxis and most of the time I have to tell the taxi where to go. They know major bridges and subway stops as navigation points, so I start the conversation with the taxi driver that I'm going to "shuangjing station". Then when close, I point to the hotel. The shuttle is expensive, but that's because they pick you up in an Audi A6 or BMW 5 series. They also wait for you as you come out of customs with a sign with your name on it. The hotel has a van shuttle which could probably fit all your luggage if you're not sure the trunk of an A6 or 5 series could fit all the bags.

Your other option is to take the subway from the airport to the hotel. But with kids and luggage, I'd not recommend it as your 1st foray with the Beijing subway system.

-We don't have lounge access but didn't know if the hotel's concierge could advise or coordinate getting/reserving tix for the acrobatic show at the Chayong Theatre (didn't know if I should buy tix online & give c.c. and don't know if tix available at window). We wanted to do it in advance as we wanted to go eve of arrival (arrive at PEK 4 p.m. eta check-in 6). Is that realistic? Should we take subway to the the show or taxi? Tried to locate it on the map but it's taking me longer than just posting and asking.
-I also saw a review that getting a taxi from Forbidden City back to hotel can be a hassle. Have you heard or experienced same thing? Thoughts?
-Finally-we are also debating staying at Courtyard NE due to great reviews/better rates for us. However - that's pretty far out, right? Access to subway not as convenient? What do you think?
Thanks so much!

With a 6pm check in time and the show at 7:15, you will be pressed for time. Subway is a much better choice, but again I'd recommend against learning the subway system when you're trying to meet a tight schedule. Taking a taxi at that time would be suicidal since that's peak rush hour time. You'll be stuck in traffic and probably won't make it in time.

I'd recommend doing it a different day than your arrival and take the subway once you know the system. Subway line 10, Hujialou stop, exit C.

Forbidden City is overrated in my book. It's one large courtyard with a large red gate, repeated, ad naseum. But if you do go, do it via subway. From the hotel, line 10 towards bagou, ride for 1 exit to guomao, transfer to line 1, then take the line 1 to pingguoyuan till you get to Tian'anmen East exit. Try to do it on a weekday since there will be less people.

Having access to a subway is VERY convenient, taxis are hit or miss at times. Especially since you're a foreigner and your lack of chinese, with the driver's lack of english will be frustrating at times.

KINetics - Thanks so much for info and suggestions -esp about Cap Ren check in.

Hard2please - It's our first time to Beijing so I have to say I went to the Forbidden City :) But w/ my own 2 kids (and another family w/ 4 kids) we may be zooming thru it under 1 hour:D

The front desk is pretty proficient in English, but I think it's irrelevant since everything will be charged to your card in RMB.


Well, that's news to me. Like I said in an earlier post to this thread, I've stopped using cards for the most part in China due to DCC, but particularly at Marriotts in Beijing because, at last check, all of them still used BankComm machines with no opt out feature. That having been said, I had one client stay at the Ren recently who convinced the checkout person to use a different type of POS machine that he had spotted in the Italian restaurant.

I may be the only one, but we had a lousy experience at Duck de Chine in September when we were there. We felt it was pricey for what you get (and they add a service charge!). The duck was OK, the service was terrible. They mostly ignored us. I would chalk it up to us being an American couple who speak no Mandarin, but I noticed tables of Chinese couples and groups getting the same treatment...

We're going again to Beijing in a couple of weeks. If I can talk my husband into giving Peking Duck another chance, I'll be looking for another place.

Agree it is a bit on the pricey side but so is Made in China - you pay more for the location. As for service - in China it is always a hit or miss ...even at the upper end establishments.

To be honest I prefer Cantonese style Duck more ( but I am biased)