Getting Around the Capital -- Transport in Beijing.

Getting Around the Capital

- Transport in Beijing
HE number of motor vehicles in Beijing hit 3.2 million in February this year - almost double the figure of late 2001. Despite the municipal government having spent some RMB 110 billion on improving traffic systems since Beijing was announced as the host city for the 2008 Olympics, an average day still sees chronic congestion in the capital. In August, hundreds of thousands of athletes, coaches, sports officials, media personnel and tourists will flood into Beijing, placing even more pressure on the city and potentially creating a major headache for residents as well as the government. Below is a guide to finding your way around Beijing's transport options and dodging the traffic.

T

By staff reporter ETHEL LU

The Airport's New Terminal 3
Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) is the first stop for many foreigners coming to China. The long-established terminals 1 and 2 can handle 35 million passengers a year, but this clearly was not going to be enough to handle the Olympic influx. So a decision was made to build a large, ultramodern third terminal. After three years and nine months of construction and preparation, the new Terminal 3 was unveiled at the end of February. It can accommodate 45 to 50 million people a year. BCIA's 137 aircraft taxi-lanes and 314 aircraft parking

Routes of Capital Airport Shuttle Bus

N

Capital International Airport

Zhongguancun (No.4 Bridge) Friendship Hotel (north gate)

Beihang University (north gate) Line 5

Huixindongjie Huixinxijie (Anhui Tower) (Sinopec Building) Xibahe

Beitaipingzhuang (50 meters east of the intersection) Line 4 Gongzhufen (Xinxing Hotel) Chang'an Avenue Line 2 Xidan (CAAC Building)

Anzhen Tower Dongzhimen Line 3 Beijing International Hotel Beijing Railway Station

Jingxin Mansion (west gate)

Dabeiyao (Southern Airlines Hotel)

Second Ring Road

Fangzhuang (Guiyou Building)

Line 1

Third Ring Road

Fourth Ring Road Tian'anmen Xidan Bus station Route

Operation time of airport shuttle bus Notice: Buses of Line 2, 3 and 4 set off every 15 minutes; buses of Line 1 and 5 set off every half an hour. Ticket fare: RMB 16 Help line: 86-10-6459 4375 / 4376

14

CHINA TODAY

A bird's-eye view of the new Terminal 3 at Beijing Capital International Airport.

Beijing has arranged 34 special bus lines to Olympic venues, and prolonged the operating hours of some lines to 24 hours a day.
A …