|
Module 2 Reading Getting Around in Beijing Taxis Taxis are on the streets 24 hours a day. Simply raise your hand, and a taxi appears in no time. They are usually red, and they display the price per kilometre on the window. You should check the cab has a business permit, and make sure you ask for a receipt. Buses and trolleybuses Public transport provides a cheap way to get around in Beijing. There are 20,000 buses and trolleybuses in Beijing, but they can get very crowded. It's a good idea to avoid public transport during the rush hour (6:30 a.m.–8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m.). Fares are cheap, starting at 1 yuan. Air-conditioned buses cost more. Buses numbered 1 to 100 are limited to travel within the city centre. Higher numbers have destinations in the suburbs. Tourists shouldn't miss the 103 bus which offers one of the most impressive routes, past the Forbidden City and the White Pagoda in Beihai Park. If you get on a double-decker bus, make sure you sit upstairs. You'll have a good view of the rapidly changing city. Most buses run from about 5:00 a.m. to midnight. However, there is also a night bus service, provided by buses with a number in the 200s. Minibuses Minibuses with seats for 12 passengers offer an alternative to expensive taxis and crowded public transport in some areas. They run regular services and follow the same routes as large public buses. And in a minibus you always get a seat even in rush hours. Underground There are four underground lines in Beijing, and several lines are under construction. Trains are fast and convenient, but rush hours can be terrible. A one-way trip costs 3 yuan. Station names are marked in pinyin. The underground is open from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Pedicabs Tourists like these human-pedalled "tricycle taxis", but they can be expensive. You should talk to the driver, and make sure you know the price before you begin the journey, for example, if it is per person, single or return. Tricycles are worth using if you want to explore the narrow alleys (hutong) of old Beijing. Module 2 行在北京 出租车 北京大街上的出租车是24小时服务的。只要你招招手，立刻就会有出租车。它们通常都是红色车身，并且在车窗上显示每公里的路价。你要做的，就是确认司机有营运照，并且索要发票。 公交车和电车 公共交通为人们游览北京提供了低价位的出行方式。北京大约有两万多辆公交车和电车，但是，它们有时会很拥挤。最明智的做法是避免在高峰期（上午6:30-8:00，下午5:00-6:30)乘坐公交车和电车。这些车车票价格便宜，一元起价。空调车则要贵一些。公交线1到100路都是仅限于市中心内的，车号更高一些的线路，可以通达郊区。对于游人来说，最不该错过的是103路电车，它途经紫禁城和北海白塔，沿途风景令人印象深刻。如果你乘坐双层公共汽车，请务必坐在上层，这样你会一览这个飞速发展城市的亮丽风景。 小公共汽车 在一些地区，这种12个座位的小型公共汽车给人们在昂贵的出租车和拥挤的公共汽车外，提供了第三种选择。它们跟大公共汽车走同样的路线，提供有规律的服务。在小公共汽车上，即使在高峰期也能找到空位。 地铁 北京有四条地铁线，还有几条线也正在建设之中。地铁方便快捷，但在高峰期，情况会很糟糕。地铁票价单程为三元，站名用拼音标注，运营时间为上午5点到晚上11点。 三轮脚踏车 游客们喜欢这些人力驱动的“三轮脚踏车”，但价格可能会较贵。因此坐之前要先弄清楚价格，明确价钱是否按人数计算、是单程还是往返双程的问题。如果想去老北京的胡同探秘，三轮脚踏车绝对是值得一坐的。 Cultural Corner The London Congestion Charge Beijing isn't the only city with traffic problems. You can get stuck in a traffic jam anywhere in the world. The worst problems occur in cities which are growing fast, such as Sao Paolo in Brazil and Lagos in Nigeria. But even cities in developed countries such as the US suffer. Los Angeles, which was built with the motor car in mind, and is famous for its six-lane highways, is now the USA's most congested city. In Europe most capital cities were planned and built before cars, and city centre traffic jams have been part of daily life for a long time. The situation in central London, where drivers spent fifty percent of their time in queues, became so bad that the local government decided to do something about it. In February 2003 the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, introduced a "congestion charge"—a tax for cars entering the centre of the city. The idea is simple: every car coming into the centre has to pay 5 a day. Drivers can pay the charge at any of 10,000 pay points in the capital before 10 p.m. As the cars come into the centre, video cameras record their registration numbers, and these are checked with a list of drivers who have paid the charge for that day. People who do not pay the charge will face a fine of ? 80. Most Londoners are not happy with the idea. They agree that London has a traffic problem, but the congestion charge is expensive, and limits their freedom ... But does the congestion charge work? A survey carried out at the end of 2003 suggests it does. After only six months, traffic coming into central London was reduced by about 30 percent, and journey times by 15 percent. More people used public transport to get to work, and bicycles were suddenly very popular. What's more, central London shops did not lose business even though there were fewer cars. But there are a few people who think the charge should be much higher, for example rich businessmen who work in the city centre and can easily afford it. This would keep even more cars out of central London, and the roads would be nearly empty. However, there are no plans to increase the charge. |
