Section V: Beijing

The US-China Business Council Beijing Office
CITIC Building, Suite 10-01
19 Jianguomenwai Dajie
Beijing 100004, China
Tel: 86-10-6592-0727
Fax: 86-10-6512-5854
E-mail: info@uschina.org.cn

Contact:
Mr. Robert W. Poole
Vice President, China Operations

Weather/Climate

Beijing's winters are cold and dry, while the summers are hot and humid. Weather forecasts are available on the Internet at
http://weather.cnn.com/weather/forecast.jsp?locCode=PEKX

Also, you can dial "121" for local weather forecasts in both Chinese and English.

The following is a range of Beijing's monthly average low and high temperatures in Fahrenheit:

January 15-33
February 20-40
March 32-50
April 48-68
May 60-85
June 68-86
July 70-88
August 70-86
September 65-75
October 48-65
November 32-50
December 20-35
Source: Lonely Planet: China

Hotels

Southern Chaoyang District (US Embassy area)

The St. Regis, Beijing
21 Jianguomenwai Street
Beijing 100020
Tel: 86-10-6460-6688
Fax: 86-10-6460-3299
www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis/search/hotel_detail.html?propertyID=110

China World Hotel
1 Jianguomenwai Street
Chaoyang District, Beijing 100004
Tel: 86-10-6505-2266
Fax: 86-10-6505-0828
www.shangri-la.com/

Scitech Hotel
22 Jianguomenwai Street
Chaoyang District, Beijing 100004
Tel: 86-10-6512-3388
Fax: 86-10-6512-3542
www.travelchinaguide.com/hotel/scitech-hotel-beijing.htm

The Kerry Center Hotel
1 Guanhua Road
Beijing 100020
Tel: 86-10-6561-8833
Fax: 86-10-6561-2626
www.shangri-la.com/eng/hotel/index.asp

Jianguo Hotel
No.5 Jianguomenwai Street
Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020
Tel: 86-10-6500-2233
Fax: 86-10-6500-2871
www.beijing-hotels.net/jianguo.htm

Northern Chaoyang District

Great Wall Sheraton Hotel
No.10 Dong Sanhuan Bei Lu
Chaoyang District, Beijing 100026
Tel: 86-10-6590-5566
Fax: 86-10-6590-5938
www.sheratonbeijing.com/overview.htm

Hilton Beijing
No.1 Dong Fang Lu, Dong San Huan Bei Lu
Chaoyang District, Beijing 100027
Tel: 86-10-6466-2288
Fax: 86-10-6465-3052
www.hilton.com/

Holiday Inn Lido
Jiangtai Lu (the Capital Airport Street)
Chaoyang District, Beijing 100004
Tel: 86-10- 6437-6688
Fax: 86-10-6437-6237
www.lidoplace.com/

Jing Guang New World Hotel
Hu Jia Lou
Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020
Tel: 86-10-6597-8888
Fax: 86-10-6597-3333
www.newworldhotels.com

Kempinski Hotel
No.50 Liang Ma Qiao Road
Chaoyang District, Beijing 100016
Tel: 86-10-6465-3388
Fax: 86-10-6465-3366
www.kempinski-beijing.com/

Dongcheng District (Central Beijing)

Grand Hyatt Beijing at Oriental Plaza
No 1 East Chang An Avenue
Dong Cheng District
Beijing 100738, PRC
Tel: 86-10-8518-1234
Fax: 86-10-8518-0000
www.beijing.grand.hyatt.com

Beijing Hotel
No.33 Wangfujing Street
Dongcheng District, Beijing 100004
Tel: 86-10-6513-7766
Fax: 86-10-6513-7842
www.chinabeijinghotel.com/

Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza
48 Wangfujing Avenue
Dongcheng District
Beijing, 100006
Tel: 86-10-6513-3388
Fax: 86-10-6513-2513
www.crowneplaza.com

The Peninsula Palace Hotel
Jin Yu Hu Tong 8 Wangfujing Street
Dongcheng District, Beijing 100006
Tel: 86-10-6512-8899
Fax: 86-10-6510-6311
www.peninsula.com/

Swissotel
Beijing Hong Kong Macao Center
2 Chaoyangmen Bei Dajie
Dongcheng District, Beijing 100027
Tel: 86-10-6501-2288
Fax: 86-10-6501-2501
www.swisshotel.com

Xicheng District

State Guest Hotel
9 Fuchengmenwai Road
Xicheng District, Beijing 100037
Tel: 86-10-6800-5588
Fax: 86-10-6800-5888
www.stateguesthotel.com/

Haidian District

Friendship Hotel
3 Bai Shi Qiao Road
Haidian District, Beijing 100873
Tel: 86-10-6849-8888
Fax: 86-10-6849-8825
www.bjfriendshiphotel.com

Shangri-La Hotel Beijing
29 Zizhuyuan Lu
Haidian District, Beijing 100081
Tel: 86-10-6841-2211
Fax: 86-10-6841-8005
www.shangri-la.com/

Diaoyutai Hotel
49 Sanlihe Road
Haidian District, Beijing 1000045
Tel: 86-10-5859-1199
Fax: 86-10-5859-0888
www.dythotel.com

Links to Hotels in China

Asia Travel Hotels and Resorts Reservation Service
www.asiatravel.com/china/china.html
Beijing Hotel Discounts and City Guide
www.worldexecutive.com/cityguides/beijing/hotels.html
Hotels in Beijing Municipality
www.cbw.com/hotel/beijing.htm
Hotels in China
www.cbw.com/hotel/

Hiring a Car

Most hotels can arrange for hired cars, which is often most convenient, but may cost more than contacting a car service directly.

State Guest Service Special Co. Shouqi Group Tel: 10-6763-5376 Fax: 10-6763-5375 Contact: Dispatching Center Business hours: 8:00 am-6:00 pm

Car and Price (RMB per day for 100 km)

Cadillac (standard) 2,500
Benz (560) 3,500
Audi A6 1,000
Red Flag 600
Lincoln Standard 2,500
Lincoln Special Edition 3,800
Small Bus 800

Prices include the cost of driver, service charges, a cellular phone, and two hours for driver's meal and rest.

Transportation in Beijing

Beijing is well known for its bad traffic. The city, with a population of 16 million, has around 2 million automobiles, which account for about 10 percent of the total number of automobiles in China. It is very easy to hire a taxi anywhere and anytime in the city, but to avoid heavy traffic and save time during rush hour, it is more convenient to use the subway system, which leads to main areas of business areas and tourist sites.

Beijing Subway

Although at times overcrowded, the subway is usually the fastest way to get around the city center. There are currently four lines in operation: Line 1, Line 2, Line 13 (also called CityRail) and Ba Tong Line (Line 1 extension to the east).

Line 1 and Line 2 are the two major subway lines. Line 1 runs east to west along the major thoroughfare, Chang'an Avenue. It leads to Wangfujing, Tiananmen Square, and Xidan going west. Going east, it leads to the Guomao (China World Trade Center) and Dawanglu in the Central Business District. This line provides two options to transfer to Line 2, one at Fuxingmen and the other at Jianguomen. Line 2 runs in a circle around the city center, parallel to the Second Ring Road. Line 13 connects to Line 2 at Xizhimen and Dongzhimen and covers the north of Beijing. The Ba Tong Line links the eastern suburbs of Tongzhou to the terminus of Line 1 at Sihuidong.

All the lines are equipped with acoustic station announcements in both Chinese and English, although these can be difficult to hear. Ticket prices vary by line, but combination/transfer tickets are available:



Subway Lines Price
Anywhere on lines 1 and/or 2 3 RMB
Line 13 only 3 RMB
Ba Tong Line only 2 RMB
Transfer 1, 2, 13 5 RMB
Transfer 1, 2, Ba Tong Line 4 RMB

For a map of the Beijing subway, please see
http://www.urbanrail.net/as/beij/beijing.htm

Airport Shuttle

There is convenient shuttle service to/from Beijing International Airport, with different lines connecting much of the city. The buses leave every 30 minutes, and the price is RMB 16 per person.

To Beijing International Airport

Route 1: (06:00-19:30, 7 days/week)
Xidan Civil Aviation Building--Xidan--Dongzhimen--Beijing International Airport

Route 2: (06:00-19:30, 7 days/week)
Beijing Railway Station (west gate of Beijing International Hotel)--Southern Airlines Hotel--Jing Xin Plaza--Beijing International Airport

Route 3: (06:00-19:30, 7 days/week)
Gongzhufen (Xin Xing Hotel)--Beijing Friendship Hotel--Beitaipingzhuang--Anzhen Plaza--Beijing International Airport

From Beijing International Airport

Route 1: (07:30-arrival of last flight, 7 days/week)
Beijing International Airport-Yu Yang Hotel-Dongzhimen--Dongsishitiao Bridge-- Chaoyangmen Bridge--Yabao Road--Xidan Civil Aviation Building--Dongsi Art Museum

Route 2: (07:30-22:00, 7 days/week)
Beijing International Airport--Sanyuan Bridge--Liangma Bridge--Hujialou--Guomao Bridge-Beijing Railway Station (west gate of Beijing International Hotel)

Route 3: (07:00-22:00, 7 days/week)
Beijing International Airport--China International Exhibition Center--Anzhen Bridge-Madian Bridge-Beitaipingzhuang--Jimen Bridge-Beijing Friendship Hotel--Beijing TV Station--Zizhu Bridge--Huayuan Bridge--Hangtian Bridge--Gongzhufen

Translation Services

Government Offices

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Commerce can offer top-notch interpreters for business meetings and conferences if they are available. Normally they do not provide written translation services.

The Translation Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tel: 10-6596-3811 Fax: 10-6596-3809 Contact: Ms. Zeng Rong zeng_rong@mfa.gov.cn

The Translation Office, Ministry of Commerce Tel: 10-6519-8208 Fax: 10-6519-8207 Contact: Ms. Xi Gelian xigelian@mofcom.gov.cn

Commercial Translation Companies

For a list of interpreting and translating service providers in Beijing, see Interpreters and Translators.

US Embassy Information

US Embassy
3 Xiu Shui Bei Jie
Beijing 100600
Tel: 86-10-6532-3831
www.usembassy-china.org.cn

NOTE: The American Citizen Services section is open every Monday through Friday, except holidays, between the hours of 9:00 am-12:00 noon and 2:00-4:00 pm. Be sure to bring your passport for identification if you go.

US Foreign Commercial Service
31/F Kerry Center
1 Guanghua Lu
Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020
Tel: 10-8529-6655
Fax: 10-8529-6658/9

Beijing Medical Facilities

International SOS (An AEA Company) Tel: 10-6462-9112
Beijing United Family Hospital Tel: 10-6433-3960
International Medical Center (IMC) Tel: 10-6465-1561
Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital Tel: 10-6422-1122
Beijing Hospital Tel: 10-6513-2266
Hotline for local ambulance: 120

News and Information

China Daily (www.chinadaily.com.cn/), International Herald Tribune, and Asian Wall Street Journal are available for free when a guest at many local hotels and can also be purchased around the city. Xinhua News (www.chinaview.cn) is published daily and is an informative source for the latest PRC business topics. Other English-language news sources and business magazines can be found in hotel gift shops and around town. In addition, most hotels have CNN, BBC, and CNBC.

Internet and E-mail

Most hotels have a business center with Internet and e-mail capabilities. Internet access is standard in most rooms, but should be confirmed beforehand. Dial up connections are available in most places, and broadband is now common in 4- and 5-star hotels in major cities, including Beijing. Wireless connections can be found in some hotels, but this is still rare. Starbucks coffee bars in Beijing also offer free Internet access services.

Beijing Entertainment

Beijing is a large city with an exciting nightlife. Two English city newspapers come out bi-weekly on Fridays and both contain large entertainment sections. City Weekend and That's Beijing are available at hotels, restaurants, and bars around the city.

For online restaurant and entertainment listings, see
www.thatsbeijing.com
www.cityweekend.com.cn

Shopping/Sites of Interest

Clothes

Silk Alley (Xiushui Jie, East of the Friendship Store, 8:30am-7pm)
Chaowai / Yabaolu Russian Market (North end of Ritan Lu at Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, 9:30 am-4 pm)
Hongqiao Pearl Market (East gate of Temple of Heaven at 16 Hongqiao Lu, 8:30 am-7 pm, Tel: 10-6711-7429)

General/Malls:

China World Trade Center (Guomaoqiao, China World Hotel, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, 10 am-9:30 pm, 10-6505-2288)
The Malls at Oriental Plaza (1 East Chang'an Dajie, Tel: 10-6526-3366)
Lufthansa Center (3rd Ring Road, 50 Liangmaqiao Lu, 9 am-9 pm, Tel: 6465-4488
Friendship Store (Jianguomenwai, Tel: 10-6500-3311, next to USCBC Beijing Office)
Scitech Shopping Center
22 Jianguomenwai Street, Beijing
Tel: 86-10-6512-4488

Antiques

Panjiayuan ("Dirt Market", Southeast of downtown, between the 2nd and 3rd Ring Roads, weekends only, 4:30 am-4 pm, Tel: 10-6775-2405)
Liulichang (South of the Xuanwumen Subway station, 9 am-6 pm)

Books

Friendship Store (above)
Wangfujing Foreign Language Bookstore (Wangfujing Dajie, 9 am-8:30 pm, Tel: 10-6512-6911)

Return to Table of Contents

Last Updated: 11-Nov-04