Transport · Metro · Beijing
Beijing Metro
北京地铁. One of the world's largest metro networks with 27 lines, excellent English signage, and foreign-card ticketing across 23 million daily trips.
About this metro system
Beijing Metro is the second-longest metro network in the world by total route length and one of the most heavily used, with peak-day ridership exceeding 14 million. The network began with a single line in 1969, built primarily for civil defence purposes; the current expansion wave began ahead of the 2008 Olympics and has continued with new lines opening almost every year since.
The network connects all major tourist areas: the Forbidden City and Tiananmen (Lines 1 and 2), the Summer Palace (Line 4), the Temple of Heaven (Line 5), the 798 Art District (Line 14), the Olympic Park (Line 8), and both Capital Airport and Daxing Airport (the Airport Express and Line 19 respectively).
For foreign visitors, Beijing Metro is one of the most accessible in China: English announcements on all lines, roman-alphabet station names on signage, and the availability of foreign bank cards for ticketing make navigation straightforward even without prior knowledge. The network does experience significant crowding on central lines during peak commuting hours — Lines 1 and 2 in particular can be extremely congested at rush hour, and platform queuing is enforced but not always orderly.
Foreigner notes
Excellent English signage throughout the network. Station names are displayed in English on all platforms and maps. Ticketing machines have an English-language mode. Foreign bank cards (Visa/Mastercard) are accepted at ticket machines and via mobile NFC payments. The Beijing Transit Card (一卡通) is available at customer service windows.
Peak hours
07:30–09:00 and 17:30–19:30 on weekdays