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On arrival visitors are given up to three forms to complete: health, immigration, and customs, all submitted to officials between the plane and the arrivals hall. Here there are ATMs, foreign exchange counters, public telephones, left-luggage services, over-priced restaurants, and a limited number of shops.

There are plans to extend the subway out to the airport but for the moment taking a taxi is the easiest option. Taxis wait for passengers at a marshaled rank outside the arrivals hall. If you have a hotel booked, check whether it offers a courtesy airport pick-up.

The subway is a swift way to get around and to avoid Beijing’s legendarily stationary traffic. The system is easy to use and fares are extremely cheap. Buy tickets at the booths near the station entrances.

The city bus network is extensive and cheap. Most trips within the city center require a flat flare, which is clearly posted on the side of the bus; typically ¥1 or ¥2. Air-conditioned services are usually a little more expensive. However, near- perpetual traffic jams mean journeys can often be unnecessarily lengthy. In addition, buses are almost always over-crowded and destinations are given in Chinese only.

Taxis are found in large numbers and can be hailed easily in the street. Make sure the driver uses the meter, which they usually only start once the journey is actually under way – so wait a moment, then say, “Dabiao” (meter), if necessary. Few taxi drivers speak English, so have your destination written down in Chinese by your hotel staff. Fares per kilometer (half mile) are clearly posted on the side of the car; these are usually ¥1.60 or ¥2.

Hiring a bicycle can be a great way to explore. Bike lanes are common and roadside repair stalls are every-where. Beijing is flat and very cyclable, but if you are not used to cycling in heavy traffic, it can be an intimidating experience. Handy bike stands are found all over and have an attendant to watch the bikes for a modest fee.

Bicycle rickshaws, once common in Beijing, are now relegated to the lakeside area of Hou Hai, north of the Forbidden City, where they offer tours of the old hutongs (alleys) to tourists. There are also rickshaws in the neighborhood of Ri Tan Park east of the center, which are used by locals to ferry them around after shopping at the area’s various markets.

Beijing is not a great city for walking. Most streets are inhumanely wide and traffic pollution can be choking. The few exceptions include the Hou Hai area and the embassy districts of Ri Tan Park and Sanlitun. Parks such as Bei Hai, Chaoyang, Di Tan, and the Temple of Heaven Park, are also excellent places for wandering.

Most hotels in Beijing organize tours around the major city sights, as well as out of town to the Ming Tombs and Great Wall. Even if you are not staying at the hotel in question, they are usually only too happy to sign you up for an excursion.

During the summer months tour boats ply the city’s ancient canal system. From 10am to 4pm there are sailings on the hour from Yuyuan Tan Park, near the Millennium Monument), and from the Beijing Exhibition Hall), out to the Summer Palace.