Beijing Capital Airport Subway, transit cards (Yikatong ?), future Beixinqiao stop

[crouchingdragon]

Please can someone inform me if you can buy a transit card at Terminal 3, Capital Airport, BJ  ?  

If not, I surmise that one pays for one-way on the airport subway (25 RMB),  then can buy a transit card later at another subway-line  stop ?

 

Is this transit card still referred to as,  Yikatong ?

 

 

As a LaoWai, I believe I use my passport #  for obtaining a transit card.  I only plan to be in BJ for one week for my next trip;  is the transit card valid for one-year ?     or longer,  so that I can keep to use for my future trips ?  

 

Is there a short-lived transit card versus a longer-lived card, which may require more deposit ?   It used to be that a 20 RMB deposit was required to get a transit card but this may have changed as well as various options ? 

 

Much has been said about the difficulty of navigating with luggage in-and-around the Dongzhimen Stop, the current terminus/start of the airport subway.   There are some reports of a new Western-extension of the airport subway over to the Beixingqiao stop (line 5) sometime in 2015; anybody have any Intel on when this new extension will be operational ?  

 

 

I look forward to hearing current-details from those of you in the Know,

 

Mark

[ChTTay]

If you are here for just a week, I would think about if you really need a transit card. It depends on how often you'll be using the subway and at what time. If you can mostly travel off peak then it won't be difficult to just buy a ticket to where you want to go using the machines (easy English interface - just like Shanghai) or going to the desk. If you think you'll be making serveral journey's on the subway everyday and travelling at peak times, then perhaps buying the transit card would save you some time queuing. This also depends on which station you'll be getting on at as some lesser stations where you can't change lines can be fairly empty.

 

The Beijing transit card in Chinese its still an 一卡通. If you're speaking English... i'd just say transit card though.

 

I imagine you can buy a transit card at the airport express counter. If you can't it's not that big a deal, just get the 25kuai ticket and get one in Dongzhimen. I have no idea about Beixinqiao extension.

 

If you have heavy luggage though, you may want to consider taking the express coach from the airport. Even with small luggage, these days I always take the coach as long as it's not 5-7pm. There are a variety of coach routes and stops. The one I take drops me off right outside Wudaokou where I live. The advantages are that you get a seat (sure there must be times when you don't but i've always got one), you just sit there comfortably until you arrive at your stop, you can either store you large luggage under the coach or keep your small luggage with you. You obviously don't have to change lines, deal with crowds etc.  From the airport to my stop it can take between 50 and 90 minutes depending on traffic. That is about the same time as the subway anyway for me.

[Demonic_Duck]

I think the main reason you'd want to get a transit card for a short stay is if you'll be using the bus lots.

 

You don't need a passport to get a transit card, all you do is pay 20 kuai plus whatever you want to top up with at the counter at any subway station (just ask for “yī zhāng yīkǎtōng”). I believe you can even return the card and get the 20 kuai back at the end of your trip, but you have to go to the Traffic Hub “交通枢纽” at Beijing Zoo subway stop, which might not be too convenient.

 

Not heard about any extensions of other lines to Beixinqiao myself, although that doesn't mean it's not happening.

[hedwards]

I wouldn't personally bother, but on the other hand those 1 RMB bills tend to get rather beaten up and as a result are a pain to use. Which means that coins are much better for riding the system. I've still got a rather large bag of coins because I was hoarding them for bus and subway fare.

 

If you're going to be there a while, just not having to deal with the hassle of managing your supply of coins or going to the desk when the bills aren't working might make it worth your while to have a card.

[889]

The card makes bus travel very cheap and very convenient. If not used, it expires some long time -- more than a year, certainly -- after the last top-up.

[ChTTay]

Currently the card doesn't give you a discount on travelling on the subway, although I heard they would introduce discounted fares eventually.

 

For the bus, I believe if your fare is 1rmb with the card (formerly 4 mao), paying without the card is 2rmb.

 

If i was here for a week I also wouldn't bother. It's up to you though ... have a nice trip

[langxia]

Didn't the system change now to prices based on the distance you ride ? I would buy the card no matter what, I use the same card since 4 years and would never want to bother with all the hassles to buy a ticket every time I want to take the subway.

I really don't know why so many people say for a stay of a week you should just buy tickets every time, for me it is normal that I will buy a card if I stay more than 2 days in a city as it saves you a lot of time. You top it up once and don't need to worry any more.

[crouchingdragon]

Thank you all for sharing !  

 

I have no previous experience to appreciate how crowded the subways can be let alone navigating with luggage.

 

While I am excited about #7 subway now being online allowing me to get to my DaGuangYing stop (Guang'anmen Waidajie) in Southern BJ,  I am reading your collective wisdom that trekking on the subway at Rush Hour with two or three transfers may not be prudent.  

 

Last November, by taxis it took 2-hours and 2-mins  ($200 RMB) to go from Capital Airport to  DaGuangYing.  The flight I always use,  lands about 4 PM,  BJ-time;  so after clearing Customs and getting my 23.5 Kg full-bag from the luggage carousel,  I am leaving Terminal 3 at the height of Rush Hour. 

 

Airport Buses, while cheaper, are no faster than cabs are they ?   There is one airport bus route that goes to Guang'anmen Neidajie stop, leaving me to walk or taxis on from there.   Do passengers put their luggage in the lower, cargo hold of he bus ?  Does the Driver stops long enough to open the cargo hold for riders to get luggage out at  each  stop ?   .. I heard one horror story that only at the terminus, i.e. Western Train Station, does the driver get out to open up the luggage hold. 

 

Thank you all for your input about the Transit Card.  Be Great to buy a transit card right away at Terminal 3,  IF they sell there,  then be all set for the rest of my trip and beyond, if they do not expire as langxia just shared.

 

 

Please let us keep this thread going to share with others.

 

 

Best Regards,

 

Mark

[ChTTay]

Regarding the buses, they are going to be about the same as taxis, maybe a bit slower but a lot cheaper.

Of course the driver lets you get your luggage. One isolated case from sometime, on some bus doesn't mean Beijing airport bus drivers throw off passengers and steal luggage. If you luggage is fairly small or medium sized, you can keep it on the bus seats. If it'sm large it goes in the hold below.

You could always take the airport express to DongZhimen then take a taxi from there. The aiport express shouldn't be as affected by Rush hour... Unless loads of flights arrive at 4pm when yours does.