I know the plan was to keep this blog focused on food and style, but sometimes I just can't help it. Is it just me or is China getting into the Christmas spirit in a unique way? I don't know about any other subway stations, but I've walked through the Guomao station (the Line 2 portion) a few times lately and heard muzak that sounded a lot like Christmas carols (lots of strings and horns, what sounds like 4 year olds singing, etc) except when I get closer and take a good listen, it turns out they are renditions of such classics as “Song for a Hero" （英雄赞歌) or "I Love You, Motherland" (我爱你，祖国).
There's nothing wrong with this except that its sudden appearance during the "holiday" season is really messing with my mind...
Showing posts with label transportation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transportation. Show all posts
2009/12/02
2009/11/25
PSA: Beijing Taxi's New Tax
For anyone who took a Beijing taxi today, there was a bit of a surprise (especially if you haven't been paying attention to the news). Midnight saw the start of implementing a RMB 1 gas tax on any fare that goes over 3 km (though this isn't understood by every driver). Most drivers have a book of receipts stating the new policy, however the RMB1 does not show up on the meter, creating a bit of confusion. I'm sure after a few days it will be more widely understood and accepted, but on day 1, it seems there's a lot of confusion for both passengers and drivers.
2009/03/04
What A Day - 不平凡的日子
Guomao Qiao during lunchtime.
I'm standing at the light in the midst of a large crowd, bikes flowing in front and behind when a middle age woman comes steaming through, walks her bike right over my foot, and doesn't say anything. When I say something, she swears at me as she rides away.
Ahh, I love Beijing...
在午饭的时候站在国贸桥，准备过马路。
我跟朋友在一起，聊聊，周围都是人。汽车，自行车像鱼一样穿梭。。。突然有个大妈推着她自行车过来，她的车轧我的脚，一句话没说。。。我受不了，“你咋不注意，你干什么?" 这个大妈，瞥了我一眼，上车就走了，狠狠的说: “妈的，你才干嘛?"
啊，我只能笑，这个就是真正的北京。。。
I'm standing at the light in the midst of a large crowd, bikes flowing in front and behind when a middle age woman comes steaming through, walks her bike right over my foot, and doesn't say anything. When I say something, she swears at me as she rides away.
Ahh, I love Beijing...
在午饭的时候站在国贸桥，准备过马路。
我跟朋友在一起，聊聊，周围都是人。汽车，自行车像鱼一样穿梭。。。突然有个大妈推着她自行车过来，她的车轧我的脚，一句话没说。。。我受不了，“你咋不注意，你干什么?" 这个大妈，瞥了我一眼，上车就走了，狠狠的说: “妈的，你才干嘛?"
啊，我只能笑，这个就是真正的北京。。。
2008/12/17
Riding the Rails for Crazy Prices
File this under crazy (h/t to Zhongnanhai). A couple weeks back we blogged about the announcement of the new overnight high speed D trains connecting Beijing and Shanghai and speculated that the price would remain similar to what it is now (or only be raised slightly). Well, today the price list came out and we're shocked, shocked I tell you.
Our guess on the times of the train were almost right on (the trains will all leave slightly before 10 pm and arrive slightly before 8 am). The price? As we mentioned, the Z trains (11 hours, 30 minutes) and T trains (13 hours) currently charge RMB499 (lower) and RMB478 (upper) for soft sleeper tickets. The new trains, like the Z trains, will be all soft sleeper, but will charge RMB655 and RMB730.
What?!? RMB730? A difference of RMB75 for upper or lower sleeper?!? Wow! This is truly stupid and has already met with complaints from travelers. And if you want to go between Beijing and Hangzhou, its RMB820! Flights (pre-tax) between Beijing and Shanghai would currently run you RMB450 on qunar. It doesn't make sense that adding the D overnight train has taken this long, but for these prices, though at these prices, its doesn't make sense to take it.
Our guess on the times of the train were almost right on (the trains will all leave slightly before 10 pm and arrive slightly before 8 am). The price? As we mentioned, the Z trains (11 hours, 30 minutes) and T trains (13 hours) currently charge RMB499 (lower) and RMB478 (upper) for soft sleeper tickets. The new trains, like the Z trains, will be all soft sleeper, but will charge RMB655 and RMB730.
What?!? RMB730? A difference of RMB75 for upper or lower sleeper?!? Wow! This is truly stupid and has already met with complaints from travelers. And if you want to go between Beijing and Hangzhou, its RMB820! Flights (pre-tax) between Beijing and Shanghai would currently run you RMB450 on qunar. It doesn't make sense that adding the D overnight train has taken this long, but for these prices, though at these prices, its doesn't make sense to take it.
2008/12/16
Let's Talk About Sex, Bei--jing!
News out of Beijing today is that next year condom machines that are currently set up (or will be soon) in bars, restaurants, clubs, and public baths around the city will allow you to purchase condoms using your transport card (一卡通). Just one more reason to make sure you have your card with you at all times and promoting safe sex all over the city.
2008/11/25
Getting Between Shanghai-Beijing Faster
Currently there is only 1 high speed "D" train plying the Beijing-Shanghai rails, taking just under 10 hours (9 hours, 44 minutes), basically trimming the time of the overnight "Z" trains by 2 hours. The "D" train leaves in the late morning and gets in late in the evening, but rumor has it that before the end of the year, there will be an overnight "D" train making the trip.
With the current price for the "Z" and "T" overnight soft sleeper trains at RMB499, it will be interesting to see if the price for a "D" sleeper berth will remain at RMB499 or go higher. If the price remains the same, it will definitely be an attractive option, most likely leaving around 9-10 pm and arriving at 6-7 am. While plane tickets can sometimes be had cheaper than the soft sleeper train tickets, this option is far more convenient, dropping you off in each of the city centers.
Of course, the "bullet" train that will make the trip in 5-6 hours is still a few years down the line.
With the current price for the "Z" and "T" overnight soft sleeper trains at RMB499, it will be interesting to see if the price for a "D" sleeper berth will remain at RMB499 or go higher. If the price remains the same, it will definitely be an attractive option, most likely leaving around 9-10 pm and arriving at 6-7 am. While plane tickets can sometimes be had cheaper than the soft sleeper train tickets, this option is far more convenient, dropping you off in each of the city centers.
Of course, the "bullet" train that will make the trip in 5-6 hours is still a few years down the line.
2008/08/01
Why Subway Security Doesn't Make Me Feel Safe
One of the measures put into place to protect against terrorism during the Games was security checks in all subway stations. Many thought this would lead to huge lines and big hassles, but it has yet to cause any real problems, even during rush hour, though there is a reason why, every station has a different degree of security. While Tiananmen East is being patrolled by 3 or 4 subway "security" as well as police officers (and occasionally swat police armed with automatic weapons, forcing me to laugh as I passed by), other stations have one or two subway "security" that are easily dodged.
It's not only that the security can be avoided (especially by foreigners "playing dumb" when called over in Chinese), it's that they are only checking bags. For those in Beijing who've witnessed the process from the time the security checks were originally put in place, it's well known that these checks have gotten stricter as we get closer to the Games, but there are still a lot of holes. The glaring one is that they don't actually check what an individual has on his person or any liquids they may be carrying. They aren't going to install airport style metal detectors that every individual must go through, nor do they test liquids, so all they are doing is forcing would be terrorists to move any weapons from their bag to their person.
With the threat of terrorism supposedly very real, these "security checks" do little to make me feel safer on the subway. Either get serious about security or give it up, none of this half-assedness that we've come to expect from the government. Terrorists are usually more committed to their attack then police are at stopping them, but the "security checks" in place are only for show and will do little to deter or stop a real terrorist.
2008/07/24
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Subways): The Changes
A lot of changes have gone into place during the month of July for travelers in Beijing and around China and this will serve as an attempt to summarize all of them. This can be extremely difficult as these changes are applied differently in each area and are continually revised.
Planes
The simple one. As of July 20th, a second set of searches/id checks has been put into place in 20 different airports around the country, including all Olympic city airports.
Trains
Heightened security is to be expected for those taking trains around China. The major change is that tickets for all trains other than the Beijing/Shanghai to Hong Kong train will go on sale 5 days ahead of time, instead of the previous 10 days. Rumor out of Shanghai, though, is that tickets for Shanghai to Beijing are now available only 3 days ahead of time.
More helpful changes will be the opening of the Beijing South Railway Station, expected to take place on or around August 1st. Another change that will be advantageous to Olympics fans in Beijing will be the opening of the high speed train to Tianjin, the world's fastest, which will get you there in under a half hour.
Automobiles
One of the most talked about changes was the "even-odd" traffic restrictions which have been called a last ditch effort to clean up the air. It doesn't seem like it's made a difference and with all those cars off the road and traffic hasn't gotten much lighter. Part of the reason for that are the new Olympic lanes that have been put into place on Chang'An Avenua, 2nd and 3rd Ring Road, and other major Beijing roads. These lanes can only be used by police or cars with Olympic plates.
Subway
The good: Line 10, the Olympic Spur, and the Airport Express opened up last week to much fanfare, though the Airport Express (ABC) has taken some criticism, perhaps just opening day issues that will be worked out soon. Many of the cars on Line 2 have been phased out, adding more new cars, and the ride will be quicker, reduced from the current 3 minutes to 2.
The bad(?): Security checks have been added to many (if not all) subway stations and range in strictness. Fears that these checks would cause lines and passenger delays have yet to become an issue, but the subway security guards have been relatively lax in doing their jobs. Things differ, however, when they add a number of cops in the stations. Despite fear of "international terrorists", laowai tend to have a far easier time avoiding the security checks than Chinese.
So here's a look at some of these changes, we'll try to update you as we find out more or new provisions are adopted.
Planes
The simple one. As of July 20th, a second set of searches/id checks has been put into place in 20 different airports around the country, including all Olympic city airports.
Trains
Heightened security is to be expected for those taking trains around China. The major change is that tickets for all trains other than the Beijing/Shanghai to Hong Kong train will go on sale 5 days ahead of time, instead of the previous 10 days. Rumor out of Shanghai, though, is that tickets for Shanghai to Beijing are now available only 3 days ahead of time.
More helpful changes will be the opening of the Beijing South Railway Station, expected to take place on or around August 1st. Another change that will be advantageous to Olympics fans in Beijing will be the opening of the high speed train to Tianjin, the world's fastest, which will get you there in under a half hour.
Automobiles
One of the most talked about changes was the "even-odd" traffic restrictions which have been called a last ditch effort to clean up the air. It doesn't seem like it's made a difference and with all those cars off the road and traffic hasn't gotten much lighter. Part of the reason for that are the new Olympic lanes that have been put into place on Chang'An Avenua, 2nd and 3rd Ring Road, and other major Beijing roads. These lanes can only be used by police or cars with Olympic plates.
Subway
The good: Line 10, the Olympic Spur, and the Airport Express opened up last week to much fanfare, though the Airport Express (ABC) has taken some criticism, perhaps just opening day issues that will be worked out soon. Many of the cars on Line 2 have been phased out, adding more new cars, and the ride will be quicker, reduced from the current 3 minutes to 2.
The bad(?): Security checks have been added to many (if not all) subway stations and range in strictness. Fears that these checks would cause lines and passenger delays have yet to become an issue, but the subway security guards have been relatively lax in doing their jobs. Things differ, however, when they add a number of cops in the stations. Despite fear of "international terrorists", laowai tend to have a far easier time avoiding the security checks than Chinese.
So here's a look at some of these changes, we'll try to update you as we find out more or new provisions are adopted.
2008/06/02
On the Subway 6: Beijing vs. Shangahi Part 2
Wired has an article about the world's most impressive subways and the 10 they list are (this is not meant as a top ten list, this is just the order in which the pictures are included):
-Tokyo (Japan)
-Moscow (Russia)
-New York (US)
-London (UK)
-Berlin (Germany)
-Paris (France)
-Shanghai (China)
-Hong Kong (China)
-Bilbao (Spain)
-Chicago (US)
The multimedia photo gallery is to celebrate the fact that Chicago's L, the US' second oldest subway system, started operations on June 2, 1883. The blurb about the L explained how Chicagoans love it, but its definitely a love-hate relationship as the CTA is an absolute disaster.
As for Shanghai, the text accompanying the photo states:
-Tokyo (Japan)
-Moscow (Russia)
-New York (US)
-London (UK)
-Berlin (Germany)
-Paris (France)
-Shanghai (China)
-Hong Kong (China)
-Bilbao (Spain)
-Chicago (US)
The multimedia photo gallery is to celebrate the fact that Chicago's L, the US' second oldest subway system, started operations on June 2, 1883. The blurb about the L explained how Chicagoans love it, but its definitely a love-hate relationship as the CTA is an absolute disaster.
As for Shanghai, the text accompanying the photo states:
Shanghai's subway is efficient and has expanded a lot recently to accommodate a large portion of the city and areas that would have previously been considered suburbs. The transportation card is amazingly convenient, working in the subway, on buses, and in taxis. Yet the subway is extremely packed and the people are incredibly rude, it is a battle to get on and off the subway, especially at interchange stations. I'd take Beijing's subway over Shanghai's any day (especially with the RMB2 price and all the lines that are to open this month), though I don't have to deal with the maze of the Xizhimen interchange.Shanghai is the third city in China to build a metro system, and it has
become the country's largest in the 12 years since it opened. Shanghai Metro has
142 miles of track and plans to add another 180 miles within five years. By that
point, it would be three times larger than the Chicago L. The system carries
about 2.18 million people a day.
2008/05/29
On the Subway 5: Paper vs. Coin, Beijing vs. Shanghai
The US$1 coin didn't go over very well when it was introduced and these days you'll very rarely come across one. In China, there is a RMB1 coin as well as a paper bill, but interestingly enough in China's 2 major cities, things work very differently.
In Shanghai, you almost always will receive RMB1 coins from taxi drivers, shops, and restaurants, while in Beijing, you can go a month and not come across a single RMB1 coin, instead you almost always see bills here.
Why is this? The only possible hypothesis we have as to why RMB1 coins have such high circulation in Shanghai is because of the subway machines, the majority of which accept coins only. Any other guesses? It will be interesting to see if coins start popping up more in Beijing after the new ticketing machines open up in the subway.
In Shanghai, you almost always will receive RMB1 coins from taxi drivers, shops, and restaurants, while in Beijing, you can go a month and not come across a single RMB1 coin, instead you almost always see bills here.
Why is this? The only possible hypothesis we have as to why RMB1 coins have such high circulation in Shanghai is because of the subway machines, the majority of which accept coins only. Any other guesses? It will be interesting to see if coins start popping up more in Beijing after the new ticketing machines open up in the subway.
2008/05/13
On the Subway 4: Style Police
In the winter months in Beijing, everyone starts to bundle up and fur, sometimes real, more often of questionable origin, becomes an inevitable sight, as lining on coats, in/around hoods, and in totally fur coats. All too often, the fur isn’t even real fur, as chronicled by Stylites.
One day on a crowded Beijing subway car, there was a short, thick man (most likely from Dongbei) in a (very fake) fur coat, the type of coat that (if real) would only be worn by pimps and professional athletes in the US. It was hard not to notice him, but it’s not exactly an uncommon sight, one I’d only warrant a peak at and nothing more. However, a young French guy standing next to me conversing with his Chinese girlfriend thought it was much more important than that.
Frog: Do you see that guy?
GF: Yes, what?
Frog (excitedly): DO. YOU. SEE. THAT. GUY?
GF (even more puzzled): yes, what is so special with him?!?
Frog: He’s wearing a fur coat.
GF (perplexed): so?
Frog (perplexed and excited): He’s a man, he is wearing a fur coat.
GF: Do you have a fever? What’s wrong with you?
Frog (indignantly): He’s a MAN! Doesn’t he know that men don’t wear fur coats? What? Is he gay?
GF (pounding her head against the pole)
Ahh, don’t you just love the French？The US may serve as the “world’s police force”, but the French want to be the globe’s fashion police. My “biglaw” dreams and the salary that goes with it may have brought me to Japan, but the lack of these sort of exchanges have led me to miss Beijing on a daily basis.
One day on a crowded Beijing subway car, there was a short, thick man (most likely from Dongbei) in a (very fake) fur coat, the type of coat that (if real) would only be worn by pimps and professional athletes in the US. It was hard not to notice him, but it’s not exactly an uncommon sight, one I’d only warrant a peak at and nothing more. However, a young French guy standing next to me conversing with his Chinese girlfriend thought it was much more important than that.
Frog: Do you see that guy?
GF: Yes, what?
Frog (excitedly): DO. YOU. SEE. THAT. GUY?
GF (even more puzzled): yes, what is so special with him?!?
Frog: He’s wearing a fur coat.
GF (perplexed): so?
Frog (perplexed and excited): He’s a man, he is wearing a fur coat.
GF: Do you have a fever? What’s wrong with you?
Frog (indignantly): He’s a MAN! Doesn’t he know that men don’t wear fur coats? What? Is he gay?
GF (pounding her head against the pole)
Ahh, don’t you just love the French？The US may serve as the “world’s police force”, but the French want to be the globe’s fashion police. My “biglaw” dreams and the salary that goes with it may have brought me to Japan, but the lack of these sort of exchanges have led me to miss Beijing on a daily basis.
2008/05/09
On the Subway 3: Will Free Transportation Turn Out to be a Nightmare?
Having picked up the Olympic tickets I was (luckily) able to purchase in Phase 3 and, being a lawyer, I flipped one over and read the "fine print" (otherwise known as the Terms and Conditions) on the back of the ticket. There were 12 Terms with the most interesting of them being the last one:
That is, until I came across a post on Zhongnanhai's great blog which warns of heightened security in all subway stations, including x-ray machines, by July. If this turns out to be true, it could make the daily commute bad enough on an average day, but I can only imagine how insane it will be come the start of the Olympics. Please, say it ain't so?!
You may use your Ticket to travel for free on the date marked on your TicketWow! This will make things very nice for anybody with tickets to an event and this also represents a huge, HUGE loss in profit for the city. It is really a wonderful gesture that Beijing is making and I tip my hat to them.
(until 4 a.m. the next morning) by public bus and subway within the Beijing
Municipality (excluding passenger transport to suburban districts and counties,
and the airport express. You are responsible for checking transportation
information and setting aside enough time for security inspection.
That is, until I came across a post on Zhongnanhai's great blog which warns of heightened security in all subway stations, including x-ray machines, by July. If this turns out to be true, it could make the daily commute bad enough on an average day, but I can only imagine how insane it will be come the start of the Olympics. Please, say it ain't so?!
2008/04/30
On the Subway 2: Improvement or Nightmare?
Waiting for a train in a Line 1 or 2 subway station you get a phone call, your friend is looking to meet you, but you haven't decided where yet, the train comes and you get on, your friend is babbling about a trieste he/she had the night before and just about to get to the juicy details when...The train leaves the station, enters a tunnel, the line goes dead, and you curse loudly, drawing the ire of your fellow riders, who are squeezed against every possible part of your body.
The above scenario has happened to us all, probably countless times, right? Well, no more according to the Beijing government, as they are expanding cell coverage in the subway tunnels meaning that by June, there will be no more dropped calls on the subway.
Whether or not this is good news, it depends on your outlook on mobile phones, are they a gift or a curse? For those who think our world is already too connected, you have one more thing to complain about as you are attempting to enjoy the "peace" (yeah, right!) of a Beijing subway ride.
The above scenario has happened to us all, probably countless times, right? Well, no more according to the Beijing government, as they are expanding cell coverage in the subway tunnels meaning that by June, there will be no more dropped calls on the subway.
Whether or not this is good news, it depends on your outlook on mobile phones, are they a gift or a curse? For those who think our world is already too connected, you have one more thing to complain about as you are attempting to enjoy the "peace" (yeah, right!) of a Beijing subway ride.
2008/03/19
On the Subway 1: Not Actually On the Subway
Strange things happen on the Beijing subway, I guess that's true of the subway anywhere in the world, but it just feels especially true in the strange cultural melting pot that is Beijing. It seems like everyone else in the city, every morning I wake up and get on the subway to go to work. Obviously during "rush hour" it goes without saying that the subway would be packed, but packed doesn't come close to defining the situation on a typical morning between 7 and 9 am on Line 1. It's a nightmare, but its a nightmare that gets me from my home to work in 15 minutes from the time I get on the subway to the time I get into my office, not bad for 2 kuai.
This isn't a post about being an old China hand or more acclimated or anything like that, but I'm working for a Chinese firm and not a foreign one and, more than anything, I have to deal with Chinese relatives and therefore, despite the low price of RMB2 for the subway, they often ask why I don't take the bus for RMB0.40. Granted, RMB2 is less than US$0.30, but RMB0.40 is basically a nickle, plus taking the subway I'd spend in a day what it would cost me to take the subway the entire week.
My reasons for not taking the bus were the crowds and the time it would take, especially considering my journey would be down Chang'an Rd and then Jianguomen Wai. I finally got up at an hour early enough that I had enough time to take the bus so I tried it, well, the crowds are far less than what you'd see on the subway and it only took an extra 5 minutes.
Wow, I have a few more "On the Subway" posts that I want to write, but this series could die pretty soon.
This isn't a post about being an old China hand or more acclimated or anything like that, but I'm working for a Chinese firm and not a foreign one and, more than anything, I have to deal with Chinese relatives and therefore, despite the low price of RMB2 for the subway, they often ask why I don't take the bus for RMB0.40. Granted, RMB2 is less than US$0.30, but RMB0.40 is basically a nickle, plus taking the subway I'd spend in a day what it would cost me to take the subway the entire week.
My reasons for not taking the bus were the crowds and the time it would take, especially considering my journey would be down Chang'an Rd and then Jianguomen Wai. I finally got up at an hour early enough that I had enough time to take the bus so I tried it, well, the crowds are far less than what you'd see on the subway and it only took an extra 5 minutes.
Wow, I have a few more "On the Subway" posts that I want to write, but this series could die pretty soon.
2008/03/17
The Many Train Stations of the 'Jing
I've spent entirely too much time on trains over the last few months and so I've come to know some of the train stations and routes fairly intimately. On my last trip, as the train got closer to the station, it came through a sparkling, modern building that is a total maze of scaffolding. Having seen it before, I had no idea what it was, no way was it something for Olympic prep, all the way in Yongdingmen, but what else could it be? On that occasion, I was able to see signs announcing that it would be the new Beijing South Station, Asia's largest train station, when it opens in August.
I'd been through the over 100 years old South Station a few times when it did the Beijing-Zhengzhou route, but that's back in the day of green trains, which are now almost completely gone. I didn't realize that the old South Station was blown up a few years back, replaced by the behemoth new station. Pretty strange to think that the old dump, not much more than some long-distance bus stations, served the capital for so many years. The new station that replaces it looks to be a modern marvel that is sure to make a difference, relieving some of the pressure off of Beijing's West Station and, of course, the main station.
Of course, there is also the North station at Xizhimen, though there doesn't seem to be many trains leaving from there, it always was a convenient spot for me to buy tickets due to its proximity to my old apartment. Also, there is an East Station, dating back to the 1930s in Chaoyang District, though it gets little use nowadays and will probably be replaced by a newer station at Tongzhou.
For those into train station history, you can also check out the old main Beijing Station, easily spotted east of Qianmen by the star on top of the roof which is now filled with shops and restaurants.
I'd been through the over 100 years old South Station a few times when it did the Beijing-Zhengzhou route, but that's back in the day of green trains, which are now almost completely gone. I didn't realize that the old South Station was blown up a few years back, replaced by the behemoth new station. Pretty strange to think that the old dump, not much more than some long-distance bus stations, served the capital for so many years. The new station that replaces it looks to be a modern marvel that is sure to make a difference, relieving some of the pressure off of Beijing's West Station and, of course, the main station.
Of course, there is also the North station at Xizhimen, though there doesn't seem to be many trains leaving from there, it always was a convenient spot for me to buy tickets due to its proximity to my old apartment. Also, there is an East Station, dating back to the 1930s in Chaoyang District, though it gets little use nowadays and will probably be replaced by a newer station at Tongzhou.
For those into train station history, you can also check out the old main Beijing Station, easily spotted east of Qianmen by the star on top of the roof which is now filled with shops and restaurants.
2007/12/17
Beijing's Subway IS Actually Better than Shanghai's...
Well, you can argue this amongst yourselves. Though I can blog, I can't leave comments, and so when somebody accused me of sarcasm (correctly) for my comment that Beijing's subway was better than our southern competitor, I couldn't respond. In fact, if the commenter would have clicked the link, it would have taken them to an old post on my site quoting a Virgin Air list of the world's top subways that listed Beijing ahead of Shanghai. At the time, I was pretty shocked by this, I admit to being a homer, but Beijing's subway is pretty poor at best (though it gets you almost everywhere you'd need to go).
That said, though, there is 1 area that I will definitely, unequivocally state Beijing's subway IS better than in Shanghai, and that's order. Ever since the Shanghai subway started running, they've had very clearly marked places on the platform for where to stand to get on the train. Similar markings have only existed in Beijing for a year or so. It's really a simple idea, when people are pushing to get on and off, nobody moves, so let people get off, and then board. Granted, to help order, Beijing has a mini-force of security guards who guarantee people will follow the proper procedures and, amazingly, in most cases, with or without the guards, they do. In Shanghai, however, getting off a train is a physical contact sport. Head down, elbows up, and ram through the masses.
That said, though, there is 1 area that I will definitely, unequivocally state Beijing's subway IS better than in Shanghai, and that's order. Ever since the Shanghai subway started running, they've had very clearly marked places on the platform for where to stand to get on the train. Similar markings have only existed in Beijing for a year or so. It's really a simple idea, when people are pushing to get on and off, nobody moves, so let people get off, and then board. Granted, to help order, Beijing has a mini-force of security guards who guarantee people will follow the proper procedures and, amazingly, in most cases, with or without the guards, they do. In Shanghai, however, getting off a train is a physical contact sport. Head down, elbows up, and ram through the masses.
2007/12/07
Paralympic-Sized Headache
So, with one hand I like to pat on the back, with the other, I'll deliver a major slap across the face. I have the utmost confidence that Beijing will be ready for the Olympics on August 8th of next year, but with the countdown to the Paralympics set at 273 days, I'll be more than a little shocked if the city can pull things off for those games without a hitch.
This post is going to focus on transportation, first off, if you thought Chinglish was dead in our fair city, Beijingers, fear not. Did you know that game-fighting was forbidden on the staircases of subway stations? Well, now you know! For all you budding game-fighters, do it on a subway staircase at your own risk.
Okay, now back to our regularly scheduled blog entry. For those visitors with disabilities who are coming to watch the Olympics (or for disabled fans in town for the Paralympics), well, you have an uphill task ahead of you. The competitors are bound to be treated to a sort of Potemkin city in that their movements will surely be "restricted" to "tours" which are bound to have fully accessible buses that will take them wherever they want to go. If they do venture out on their own, they are in for a pretty difficult time. This will focus solely on transportation issues.
I would estimate that currently 1% (but probably more like 0%) of Beijing buses are accessible for wheelchair users. For the blind, bus stops are called out by a recording or in some cases by the ticket taker, but getting on buses can be difficult because stations are usually serviced by a multitude of buses and there is really no way to know which bus has arrived at the stop and no time to ask in the chaos of 2 (or more) buses arriving at once.
If buses aren't a good option, what about the subway, you ask? While I highly recommended the subway to all non-disabled travelers to Beijing in my earlier post, I wouldn't recommend it to the disabled. Just look at the chaos I described on the modern Beijing subway and imagine going through that blind. While the transfers to/from Line 1 and 2 aren't bad, going to Line 5 and 13 is extremely difficult (which is why so few blind people venture out alone, more on that in a future post, though). For wheelchair users, you're in for an even rougher time. One would think Line 5 would be built to be accessible, however that is far from the case. While there are elevators, stairs aren't totally avoidable (though they have set up lifts at the staircases). As for Line 1 and 2, there are no elevators and there are just too many stairs for lifts at the platforms, making the stations virtually inaccessible. But that's getting ahead of ourselves, because first you need to get into the station and even the station entrances aren't accessible. Only Line 1 stops from Xidan to Dongdan have both up and down escalators at station entrances. Elevators? You must be dreaming. This won't only cause difficulties for the disabled, but also for older visitors who are visiting the city, get used to climbing stairs.
The Olympics website offers this:
Reassured to watch the Olympic and the Paralympic Games in Beijing from your hotel room, maybe? I've yet to see many of these obstacle-free facilities that the government is sparing "no efforts" to reconstruct. My guess is that they'll bring in some accessible buses for the games, but probably won't use them much after. They'll also probably attempt a publicity stunt like at this year's Paralympics in Kunming, where all taxis were made free for the disabled. While it sounds very nice, that's only because there was no other accessible means of transportation for them, so to save face, they came up with this.
In creating a "New Beijing" there was a real opportunity to make this city an accessible one and to help those with disabilities be able to play a greater role in society, unfortunately in the rush to make this city "modern," they've pretty much forgotten they have a responsibility to all citizens.
This post is going to focus on transportation, first off, if you thought Chinglish was dead in our fair city, Beijingers, fear not. Did you know that game-fighting was forbidden on the staircases of subway stations? Well, now you know! For all you budding game-fighters, do it on a subway staircase at your own risk.
Okay, now back to our regularly scheduled blog entry. For those visitors with disabilities who are coming to watch the Olympics (or for disabled fans in town for the Paralympics), well, you have an uphill task ahead of you. The competitors are bound to be treated to a sort of Potemkin city in that their movements will surely be "restricted" to "tours" which are bound to have fully accessible buses that will take them wherever they want to go. If they do venture out on their own, they are in for a pretty difficult time. This will focus solely on transportation issues.
I would estimate that currently 1% (but probably more like 0%) of Beijing buses are accessible for wheelchair users. For the blind, bus stops are called out by a recording or in some cases by the ticket taker, but getting on buses can be difficult because stations are usually serviced by a multitude of buses and there is really no way to know which bus has arrived at the stop and no time to ask in the chaos of 2 (or more) buses arriving at once.
If buses aren't a good option, what about the subway, you ask? While I highly recommended the subway to all non-disabled travelers to Beijing in my earlier post, I wouldn't recommend it to the disabled. Just look at the chaos I described on the modern Beijing subway and imagine going through that blind. While the transfers to/from Line 1 and 2 aren't bad, going to Line 5 and 13 is extremely difficult (which is why so few blind people venture out alone, more on that in a future post, though). For wheelchair users, you're in for an even rougher time. One would think Line 5 would be built to be accessible, however that is far from the case. While there are elevators, stairs aren't totally avoidable (though they have set up lifts at the staircases). As for Line 1 and 2, there are no elevators and there are just too many stairs for lifts at the platforms, making the stations virtually inaccessible. But that's getting ahead of ourselves, because first you need to get into the station and even the station entrances aren't accessible. Only Line 1 stops from Xidan to Dongdan have both up and down escalators at station entrances. Elevators? You must be dreaming. This won't only cause difficulties for the disabled, but also for older visitors who are visiting the city, get used to climbing stairs.
The Olympics website offers this:
Obstacle-free service -- For the sake of welcoming the Olympic Games, all
the municipal authorities of Beijing Municipal Government are sparing no efforts
to reconstruct the obstacle-free facilities in Beijing, including the
obstacle-free buses, bus stops, slopes, bathrooms and blind roads [ed. note: I believe this is referring to the yellow paths in the sidewalk, which are often more dangerous than walking on the regular sidewalk] across the whole city. If you or your family members traveling along are the spectators with special demands, including the old, the young, the sick, the disabled and the pregnant, you may leave the marks on the reservation sheets for Olympic tickets, and then you'll receive one free copy of the Guide to the Obstacle-free Information Service of the Olympic and the Paralympic Games. You're reassured to watch the Olympic and the Paralympic Games in Beijing.
Reassured to watch the Olympic and the Paralympic Games in Beijing from your hotel room, maybe? I've yet to see many of these obstacle-free facilities that the government is sparing "no efforts" to reconstruct. My guess is that they'll bring in some accessible buses for the games, but probably won't use them much after. They'll also probably attempt a publicity stunt like at this year's Paralympics in Kunming, where all taxis were made free for the disabled. While it sounds very nice, that's only because there was no other accessible means of transportation for them, so to save face, they came up with this.
In creating a "New Beijing" there was a real opportunity to make this city an accessible one and to help those with disabilities be able to play a greater role in society, unfortunately in the rush to make this city "modern," they've pretty much forgotten they have a responsibility to all citizens.
2007/12/06
"New Beijing"=Unlivable Beijing? Part 1 (Or Trying to Defend the Undefendable)
I consider myself a "老北京人" and my love for and pride in this city has been on display since my very first blog post. The slogan in 2001 when Beijing was bidding for the Olympics was "New Beijing, Great Olympics" and while its unclear how the latter will turn out, its obvious there has been "success" in achieving the former, whether that's a good thing has yet to be determined.
I've been in the "New Beijing" for about a month and my shock and dislike of many aspects of the city I call home is jarring. I've been meaning to blog about it, but after trying to combine it together in one post, I've quickly realized its best as a number of separate posts, though they will be interconnected.
To me, Beijing has always been the little city inside the 2nd Ring Road, or at the very most, inside the 3rd Ring Road. Thus, if there was someplace that I didn't choose to bike to or due to inclimate weather, the subway was always an excellent option for getting around. The movements toward a "New Beijing" that occurred during the first Olympic bid and also as preparation for the 50th Anniversary of China in 1999 were very welcome, an expanding of line 1 that was convenient for shoppers (Wangfujing, Yonganli) as well as tourists (Tiananmen East & West) and office workers (GuoMao). There was basically no place the loop line and line 1 couldn't take you (or at least a subway ride and a 10 minute bus/cab ride). The subway showed its age and could really use a good scrubbing, made all the more obvious riding the loop line after line 1 opened up, but it was convenient and never too crowded.
Over the past few years, as more and more people come to the city, the subway has gotten more crowded, but it always rationally so, during the morning/evening rush it could get pretty packed, but rarely (and only at the very height of rush hour) uncomfortably so.
However, the Beijing government has decided to reduce the prices of subway tickets to RMB2 and for your 2 kuai, you can now go ANYWHERE the subway will take you (instead of the previously scaled pricing). They've also ingeniously (sarcasm detector is going off the charts) decided to experiment with the proper number of cars needed at certain times of day. Well, the laobaixing have voted with their feet and now, no matter what time of day it is, if you're on the subway, expect a crowd. Whether its 7 pm on a Tuesday, 10 am on a Thursday, or 3 pm on a Sunday, don't expect to find a seat.
If its around 8 am or 6 pm, haha, you're in for an experience. First, just because a train is arriving doesn't mean you will get on, due to the lines it may be 2 or 3 trains later before you actually get on. Further, walking isn't necessary, just stand still and let the surge of the masses push you forward (as they surely will) and go from standing outside the train to finding yourself pushed into the middle of the car, squeezed tightly up against four people and with barely enough space to breath.
That said, if you wait until 9 (if your job gives you that sort of flexibility), the experience is much more humane. The subway is clean, with line 1 being cleaner overall than the older line 2 (the "loop line") stations, though the line 2 stations are often more interesting. The "notorious" nature of the subway and the smell talked about by this blogger is not something I've experienced. Granted, in the summer when you're squished that tightly against your fellow human and its already freaking hot outside, it can be a bit unpleasant and at the same time, you may be squeezed up against some peasant, but the subway cars and stations are pretty clean, especially compared to most major city subways around the world. Some of the older cars seem to have strange electrical problems at times, creating the surreal experience of riding (albeit briefly) in a dark subway car while an ultramodern, electronic led ad is showing just outside the subway window.
The Beijing subway is cheap, clean, and fast (and it even beat out Shanghai's subway, to my surprise). It's the best way to avoid the insane traffic on the streets and exceedingly easy for tourists to use as everything is well marked in Chinese and English, even which exits to use (something that was lacking in Shenzhen and I think Shanghai as well). As the city has expanded, so has the subway, and expansion is only going to continue in the run up to the Olympics. The great, old (very retro feel) paper tickets are now a thing of the past, but most Beijingers (me included) are happy about that, as most people use the modern transportation card that can be used on the subway and buses of Beijing. While I've avoided the crazy masses of the subway lately and once again returned to taking the bus (and in many cases been able to avoid the crowds), for my money, the subway is still the best way to get around the city.
I've been in the "New Beijing" for about a month and my shock and dislike of many aspects of the city I call home is jarring. I've been meaning to blog about it, but after trying to combine it together in one post, I've quickly realized its best as a number of separate posts, though they will be interconnected.
To me, Beijing has always been the little city inside the 2nd Ring Road, or at the very most, inside the 3rd Ring Road. Thus, if there was someplace that I didn't choose to bike to or due to inclimate weather, the subway was always an excellent option for getting around. The movements toward a "New Beijing" that occurred during the first Olympic bid and also as preparation for the 50th Anniversary of China in 1999 were very welcome, an expanding of line 1 that was convenient for shoppers (Wangfujing, Yonganli) as well as tourists (Tiananmen East & West) and office workers (GuoMao). There was basically no place the loop line and line 1 couldn't take you (or at least a subway ride and a 10 minute bus/cab ride). The subway showed its age and could really use a good scrubbing, made all the more obvious riding the loop line after line 1 opened up, but it was convenient and never too crowded.
Over the past few years, as more and more people come to the city, the subway has gotten more crowded, but it always rationally so, during the morning/evening rush it could get pretty packed, but rarely (and only at the very height of rush hour) uncomfortably so.
However, the Beijing government has decided to reduce the prices of subway tickets to RMB2 and for your 2 kuai, you can now go ANYWHERE the subway will take you (instead of the previously scaled pricing). They've also ingeniously (sarcasm detector is going off the charts) decided to experiment with the proper number of cars needed at certain times of day. Well, the laobaixing have voted with their feet and now, no matter what time of day it is, if you're on the subway, expect a crowd. Whether its 7 pm on a Tuesday, 10 am on a Thursday, or 3 pm on a Sunday, don't expect to find a seat.
If its around 8 am or 6 pm, haha, you're in for an experience. First, just because a train is arriving doesn't mean you will get on, due to the lines it may be 2 or 3 trains later before you actually get on. Further, walking isn't necessary, just stand still and let the surge of the masses push you forward (as they surely will) and go from standing outside the train to finding yourself pushed into the middle of the car, squeezed tightly up against four people and with barely enough space to breath.
That said, if you wait until 9 (if your job gives you that sort of flexibility), the experience is much more humane. The subway is clean, with line 1 being cleaner overall than the older line 2 (the "loop line") stations, though the line 2 stations are often more interesting. The "notorious" nature of the subway and the smell talked about by this blogger is not something I've experienced. Granted, in the summer when you're squished that tightly against your fellow human and its already freaking hot outside, it can be a bit unpleasant and at the same time, you may be squeezed up against some peasant, but the subway cars and stations are pretty clean, especially compared to most major city subways around the world. Some of the older cars seem to have strange electrical problems at times, creating the surreal experience of riding (albeit briefly) in a dark subway car while an ultramodern, electronic led ad is showing just outside the subway window.
The Beijing subway is cheap, clean, and fast (and it even beat out Shanghai's subway, to my surprise). It's the best way to avoid the insane traffic on the streets and exceedingly easy for tourists to use as everything is well marked in Chinese and English, even which exits to use (something that was lacking in Shenzhen and I think Shanghai as well). As the city has expanded, so has the subway, and expansion is only going to continue in the run up to the Olympics. The great, old (very retro feel) paper tickets are now a thing of the past, but most Beijingers (me included) are happy about that, as most people use the modern transportation card that can be used on the subway and buses of Beijing. While I've avoided the crazy masses of the subway lately and once again returned to taking the bus (and in many cases been able to avoid the crowds), for my money, the subway is still the best way to get around the city.
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