Beijing Nighttime Sightseeing Buses Begin
Tourists will be able to tour famous Beijing landmarks after dark as the city's first-ever nighttime tour bus begins service this Sunday (today).
Starting July 23, tourists can experience Beijing's culture and history by night by traveling on specially-designed buses on two very different bus tours.
The eastern nighttime bus tour will visit such notable city hotspots such as Chang'an Street, the Central Business District (CBD), Guomao, Sanlitun, Gui Street (the famous restaurant street, minus its lanterns), Nanluogu Xiang, and Shichahai.
The western nighttime bus tour will set out from Qianmen and make stops at the Beijing Exhibition Hall, the CCTV tower, West Chang'an Street, Ping'an Street as well as allow passengers to climb the Beijing TV Tower and take part in a boat tour.
READ: Expat Recommended: Beijing's Best Tour Companies
The eastern tour will consist of two buses that will depart every day at 8 and 8.30pm. Adult passengers will be charged RMB 30 for the 30-minute ride.
The western tour will have one bus departing at 7.30pm every day, and due to its length of three-and-a-half hours, tickets will cost RMB 100 for adults and RMB 80 for children and the elderly.
All tours will be staffed by a tour guide. Children under 1.3 meters in height will be allowed to ride free of charge. Tour buses will display the first and last stop at the front of the bus, and passengers may depart at any time.
Passengers will not be allowed to pay for tickets using the regular Yitongka transportation card, but coupons are available offering discounts of RMB 20 for adults and RMB 10 for children and the elderly.
Interested parties can find out more information at the "Beijing Hub of Tour Dispatch" website (bjlyjszx.com or 83531111.com) or call the hotline at 8353 1111.
Want to splurge as you tour Beijing by night? Temple Restaurant Beijing offers an exclusive nighttime tour of the Temple of Heaven complete with a sumptuous banquet. Or, if you want to experience Beijing in an unconventional fashion, you can always book a tour in a motorcycle sidecar.
For everyone else who wants to sightsee Beijing on a more economical budget, there's always the fleet of double-decker sightseeing buses that have been running on city streets since 2008.
Images: Weibo.com, Viator.com, Blog.Sina.com.cn, CET.com.cn, CTrip.com, QQ.com
Top Stories This Week:
Beijingers Are Buzzing About: