On July 20th, Beijing city tour buses started operating. Beijing has finally got its own city tour buses, comparing with other major cities overseas.
There are only 2 routes at the moment, far from enough to cover all the fantastic spots of the city, but this is just a start. Tourists, natives and foreigners alike, have been swarming the bus stations since the first day of operation. The first route covers major historical tourist spots such as the Temple of Heaven, Forbidden Palace, Jingshan Park (built in 1179 A.D., royal park since the Yuan Dynasty, fantastic birdseye view over the Forbidden City), Shicha Lake (one of the places to find the best pubs and traditional Beijing food), and the Bell and Drum Towers. The other route covers major Olympic stadiums like the Bird’s Nest and the Wartercube. No doubt that most foreigners and young people take the first route, and the native and elderly prefer the second.
Ticket cost is 3 RMB per person, obviously a bargain compared with other major international cities. Due to the huge number of tourists, it is highly recommended to have sun burnt protection in place and don’t forget to take portable entertainment devices such as Sony Psp, because you are most likely to wait for around 30 minutes under the sun to be able to get on a bus. But it’s totally worth it because the much improved traffic inside the city (thanks to Olympic traffic control) will sure make it a pleasant trip, no need to mention the charming girl tour guides speaking in both Chinese and English.
