Beijing Transportation Cost
Sep 8th, 2005, 03:15 PM
#1
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Beijing Transportation Cost
We are flying into Beijing and wondering the best way to get from the airport to the Shangri-La China World Hotel and how much it should cost.
We will to take a cab the next from the Shangri-La China World Hotel to the Kempinski Hotel at the Luftansa Center. How much should this cost?
In general, how much should we pay for any taxis in Beijing?
Thanks in advance for your help!
We will to take a cab the next from the Shangri-La China World Hotel to the Kempinski Hotel at the Luftansa Center. How much should this cost?
In general, how much should we pay for any taxis in Beijing?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Sep 8th, 2005, 05:09 PM
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I'm not familiar with either hotel, but judging from the streets they're located in, a cab from the airport to the Shangri-la shouldn't cost more than 120 yuan or US$15, and from there to the Kempinski I'd allow maybe Y40 (US$5), probably less.
Catching cabs around Beijing is easy, but as the cabbies don't speak English you should if possible arrive with the name and address of the Shangri-la written in Chinese - I'm sure they can fax that to you. Failing that, get the airport cab line marshal to help. We found Beijing cabbies invariably efficient and honest. Your fare will be printed out at the end of the trip -it's a good idea to keep the recipt, just in case you leave something of value in the cab.
When we visited Beijing last year cabs cost between Y1.6 and Y2.0 (US$0.20-0.25) per km depending on the standard of the car. Tipping is neither practiced nor expected in China. The per-km rate is usually displayed on the rear quarter-window of the car.
If you get the hotel to send a car to meet you, you can be sure that they'll tack on a healthy margin, maybe a multiple of the metered fare, for their trouble.
To ensure that you don't fall victim to the occasional unlicenced scammer, make sure that the driver has an official id on the dashboard and a clearly visible properly mounted meter in the centre of the dash. That shouldn't be a problem at an airport rank, though - they mostly haunt a few well-known tourist sites.
By the way, if you want to guide a cabbie using a street map, it's perfectly acceptable to sit up front with him (which made this Australian feel quite at home
).
Then, ask the Shangri-la staff to write your next destination in Chinese, or just ask the doorman to tell the driver where you're going.
Last word of advice, ignore anyone who hangs around the airport offering to wheel your bags. Accepting their offer will only lead to grief.
Catching cabs around Beijing is easy, but as the cabbies don't speak English you should if possible arrive with the name and address of the Shangri-la written in Chinese - I'm sure they can fax that to you. Failing that, get the airport cab line marshal to help. We found Beijing cabbies invariably efficient and honest. Your fare will be printed out at the end of the trip -it's a good idea to keep the recipt, just in case you leave something of value in the cab.
When we visited Beijing last year cabs cost between Y1.6 and Y2.0 (US$0.20-0.25) per km depending on the standard of the car. Tipping is neither practiced nor expected in China. The per-km rate is usually displayed on the rear quarter-window of the car.
If you get the hotel to send a car to meet you, you can be sure that they'll tack on a healthy margin, maybe a multiple of the metered fare, for their trouble.
To ensure that you don't fall victim to the occasional unlicenced scammer, make sure that the driver has an official id on the dashboard and a clearly visible properly mounted meter in the centre of the dash. That shouldn't be a problem at an airport rank, though - they mostly haunt a few well-known tourist sites.
By the way, if you want to guide a cabbie using a street map, it's perfectly acceptable to sit up front with him (which made this Australian feel quite at home
). Then, ask the Shangri-la staff to write your next destination in Chinese, or just ask the doorman to tell the driver where you're going.
Last word of advice, ignore anyone who hangs around the airport offering to wheel your bags. Accepting their offer will only lead to grief.
Sep 8th, 2005, 07:32 PM
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In the Beijing airport you will be approached by folks with "id cards" offer a taxi. Ignore them and head out front to the taxi line. You will find a line of red taxis. Insist that the driver start the meter. I stay at the Swissotel and the fare is around 50 RMB. This has always worked for me although I have a arm waving tussel everytime I insist the meter be started. Many of my work associates have been scamed at the airport and paid between 250 and 500 RMB for the same ride - Either the cabbie didn't start the meter or they followed one the ID carrying cabbies in the arrival hall.
My expense reports ususally consist of 10 Yuan cab fares. I don't think I've ever paid more in town.
Having the location you want to go to printed in Chinese is essential.
My expense reports ususally consist of 10 Yuan cab fares. I don't think I've ever paid more in town.
Having the location you want to go to printed in Chinese is essential.
Sep 9th, 2005, 01:42 PM
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Thank you Neil_Oz and EmptyNest for the great information!!!!
Great tip on making sure to run the meter. I will definitely get the names of the hotels written in chinese before I leave. I have found that if you have an idea of how much you should pay that you don't get ripped off.
BTW, the Shangri-La offered to pick us up in their hotel limo for 400 RMB....clearly too much.
Great tip on making sure to run the meter. I will definitely get the names of the hotels written in chinese before I leave. I have found that if you have an idea of how much you should pay that you don't get ripped off.
BTW, the Shangri-La offered to pick us up in their hotel limo for 400 RMB....clearly too much.
Sep 9th, 2005, 02:35 PM
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The limo certainly sounds like a nice little earner.
Now I think of it, we paid Y85 from the airport to our hotel, a bit closer to town than EmptyNest's Swissotel but not as far to travel as the Shangri-La. As it happens we were a tad overcharged, as the return trip was only Y60 (a bit over US$7). As you can see, we're not talking big bucks here.
Now I think of it, we paid Y85 from the airport to our hotel, a bit closer to town than EmptyNest's Swissotel but not as far to travel as the Shangri-La. As it happens we were a tad overcharged, as the return trip was only Y60 (a bit over US$7). As you can see, we're not talking big bucks here.
