The Beijing subway is one of the largest in the world and, for visitors, one of the easiest to use: every station and train has English signage, announcements are bilingual, and fares are cheap. This page covers what you actually need on day one.
Fares and payment
Fares are distance-based, starting at CNY 3 for short trips and rarely exceeding CNY 7 within the city. You can pay with a transport card, buy single-journey tokens at machines, or use QR codes through Alipay / WeChat Pay / the official app.
Single journey tokens — Machines have an English option; touch your token at entry and drop it at the exit gate.
Transport card (Yikatong) — A refundable deposit card, useful if you are staying a while.
QR code entry — Fastest option once set up — scan at the gate, no queueing.
Hours and frequency
Most lines run around 05:00 to 23:00, with trains every 2–5 minutes at peak. Airport Express and a few lines run later. Check the last train time for your specific station — they vary by up to 30 minutes.
Lines that matter for visitors
You do not need to learn 20+ lines. These cover almost everything:
Line 1 — Runs east–west through the centre: Tiananmen East, Wangfujing, Tiananmen West.
Line 2 — The loop line around the old city — Qianmen, Beijing Railway Station, Lama Temple.
Line 4 — Summer Palace, Yuanmingyuan, Beijing South Railway Station.
Line 8 — North–south spine: Nanluoguxiang, Shichahai, Olympic Park.
Line 9 — Southwestern Beijing, including Guogongzhuang — interchange with the Fangshan Line.
Riding tips
Security checks are routine — Bags go through scanners at every station. It is quick.
Avoid 08:00–09:30 and 18:00–19:30 with luggage — Carriages are genuinely packed.
Follow exit letters — Exits are labelled A, B, C, D — use the letter, not the street name.
Stand right on escalators — Left side is for walking.