Your go-to guide for those “what if” situations

What if you need money?

If you’ve got currency from your home country, exchange it for Renminbi (also known as the yuan or, more colloquially, as the kuai) at most hotels and branches of major banks such as Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Merchant’s Bank, Agricultural Bank of China and the Bank of Beijing. You’ll get a more favorable rate at a bank than at your hotel, but you will have to wait in line. You must present your passport when exchanging money. Exchanging RMB for foreign currency is capped at US$500 per day. If you want other currencies, be sure to check well in advance. There are also plenty of ATM machines in Beijing that can draw from your home account. Look for ones that have the MasterCard and Visa logo. Citibank, Standard Chartered and HSBC all have plenty of ATMs around which provide access to your funds back home.

What if you get sick?

Let’s face it, it happens. But if it does, be assured you can get international-level service in Beijing. There are at least nine clinics offering international-level care in a variety of languages. Many of these clinics have direct billing arrangements with most global health insurance providers. Choose these over local hospitals. Even if it is just an acute stomach cramp, the difference in service is stark. There is ambulance service available throughout the city for immediate emergencies. Clip and keep our Emergency Number Cheat Sheet on the facing page.

What if you lose valuables in a cab?

Leaving your things in a taxi happens to everyone sooner or later. Luckily there is something you can do. Get in the habit of taking the receipt (fapiao) every time you take a cab, even if it’s just down the block. At the top of the receipt is the phone number to call and the, most importantly, the number of the cab you rode. Most major cab companies will be able to help you out in English. Often, the cabbie will make a special trip back to hand off your lost items. Expect to pay the cab fare and tip generously.

What if you need to find a venue?

Use Guanxi, City Weekend’s exclusive mobile phone service. Send a text message with the name of the venue to 1066-9588-2929. It works for bars, restaurants, Olympic venues—anything that’s in City Weekend’s database, the largest in Beijing. Answers come back instantaneously, you can even get them in Chinese. Show the cab driver and you’re off. You must have a Chinese SIM card in your phone (see “What if I want a mobile phone?”). Now you can get great mobile phone discounts with our exclusive partners. See Page 23 for all the details.

What if you need a visa extension?

Thirty days not enough to see all of China? Not a problem. You can renew your L visa up to two times and will usually get 30 days per renewal. To apply, bring your passport, Temporary Lodging Registration Form (that pink or yellow paper you got when you first arrived) and one passport-sized photo to the Exit & Entry Management Section of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau (PSB) where they’ll provide you with another form to fill out. The waiting line could take a couple of hours, but once you submit your application, it only takes a week or so to process. If you want to travel within China while your visa is still pending, bring along an extra photo and they can provide a temporary travel document free of charge. Exit & Entry Management Section address: No. 2, Dongdajie, Andingmen, Dongcheng District.

What if you lose your passport?

Losing your passport in a foreign country is a scary prospect, but don’t panic and definitely do not postpone dealing with it—the longer you drag your feet, the bigger the hassle later on. As soon as you realize you’ve lost your passport, immediately report it to the nearest police station. They will issue a case report certificate that you must take, along with any personal identification, employment or lodging documents and a passport-sized photo, to the Public Security Bureau (PSB). The PSB will then provide you with a “Statement of Loss of Passport” that you can bring to your local embassy or consulate and apply for a replacement passport. Public Security Bureau address: No. 37 counter, reception hall, F2, Exit & Entry Administration, Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau at No.2 Dongdajie, Andingmen, Dongcheng District.

What if you want a mobile phone?

China has one of the largest GSM networks in the world, so if you have an unlocked phone with the right bandwidth, you can make calls in China, but expect to pay hefty long-distance and roaming fees when you get home. The easiest solution is to buy a new SIM card for your unlocked phone, which will automatically give you a local number. You can sign up for an account with China Mobile or China Unicom, but it’s usually cheapest to just buy a pre-paid phone card. SIM and pre-paid cards can both be found at any cellphone or convenience store. If you want to buy a completely new phone, a wide range of stylish – and cheap – mobiles can be found at local electronics markets, such as Xidan Mall, Zhongguancun Electronics Market or Hongqiao Market.

Be Aware!

Like anywhere else in the world, scams are a part of life in Beijing. The three most common scams are “Tea Sampling,” “the Ladybar” and the “art student.” If someone asks you to try some tea, do not assume it’s free (mianfei, 免费). Iron-clad rule: establish price first for anything! In the second case, if someone approaches you offering a “ladybar” or “massage,” this is a trick to get you to go to an out-of-the-way venue where you will be fleeced for money. “Art students” often lure tourists into galleries selling scrolls and paintings of questionable quality.

Getting Around

Traffic in Beijing has been a major headache for years, and will only get worse on July 20 when lanes on the Third and Fourth Ring Roads close to all but officially-designated Olympic vehicles (read: officials, athletes and VIPs) for two months.

Also on July 20, implementation of the even-odd license plate rotation system should cut down road congestion. Fortunately, this does not apply to taxi cabs. There should be plenty of cabs on the streets, but expect to wait for a ride in the rain, during high peak hours (Friday night) and around the Olympic Green, where traffic will be strictly regulated. Whenever you get in a cab, be sure that the driver uses the meter. And always get the receipt (fapiao) in case you accidentally leave something behind (see “What if you lose valuables in a cab?”)

The best way to get to and from the Olympic Green is the new Olympic subway spur, which meets Line 10 at the Xiongmao Huandao (Panda) Station. From Beijing proper, the best way to get to Line 10 is via Line 5, transferring at the Huixinxijie Nankou Station. Line 5 can be accessed from both Line 1 (transfer at Dongdan) and Line 2 (transfer at Yonghegong or Chongwenmen).

When you get into the subway buy an all-purpose traffic pass (yikatong, 一卡通). It costs an ¥20 deposit, but saves an immense amount of time. With this pass in hand, just swipe and go at any subway station and any public bus, but not taxi cabs. Unfortunately, cabs are still cash-only.

Get in the habit of taking a receipt (fapiao) every time you take a cab.

Essential Numbers

Security

Police (English) 8401-5300
Fire 119
Ambulance 120
Auto Accident 122
PSB (Foreigners) 6525-2729

Health

Int’l SOS/AEA 6462-9100
Intec Eye Hospital 6773-2909
Beijing United Family Hospital (24-hour Emergency) 6433-2345
Int’l Medical (24-hour Emergency) 6465-1561/2/3
Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital Foreign Section 6422-2951
Beijing Emergency Ambulance 6601-4433

Getting Around

Dial-a-cab 96103
Weather 96221
Olympic Hotline 1230-8002
Guanxi 1066-9588-2929

Essential Chinese

Olympics

Olympics Aoyunhui 奥运会
gold medal jinpai 金牌

Meeting People

I like… wo xihuan… 我喜欢
beautiful piaoliang 漂亮
handsome hen shuai 很帅
My name is… wo jiao… 我叫…

Eating

chopsticks kuaizi 筷子
tastes good! Haochi! 好吃
order food dian cai 点菜
Settle the bill mai dan 埋单
Cheers! Gan bei 干杯

Buying

How much? Duoshaoqian? 多少钱？
Too expensive tai guile 太贵了
Can you make it cheaper? Pian yi dian? 便宜点？
I want… wo yao… 我要
I don’t want wo bu yao 我不要