Train No. 1 Bar in Shuangjing is Worth the Ride

What appears to be an abandoned train car, parked just south of Today Art Museum in Shuangjing’s Pingod pocket, gets on-track after dark – no ticket required.

Approach Train No. 1 Bar from Huangmuchang Road, and you’ll encounter a neon sign screaming near the entrance: “You have a story,” its cursive font beckons. “I have wine.”

Inside, on a recent Wednesday night, a party of five enjoyed a bottle of red over cigarettes. Aside from wine and whiskey, Train No. 1 Bar’s modest shelf was crammed, but with few options. A tapped Boxing Cat keg meant only Guinness remained on draft. Bottled beer? They’ve got a few. Crafty cocktails? Nope. So we went for whiskey on the rocks. Roger, the bartender, defaulted to Jameson (RMB 50).

Take in the charming decor of this museum-meets-shabby speakeasy from one of the train’s eight tables, over cheap skewers of meat, or a bowl of free peanuts. The joint could use some music, but the gramophone player near the bar looks a bit too vintage to be up to the task.  

Sure, nearby in Shuangjing you can indulge in scores of craft bottles at Naughty Beer or endless flashy spirits at Mulan Whisky and Cocktail Bar. But where else can you get an inexpensive, unpretentious nightcap...on a train? Its cool simplicity makes Train No. 1 Bar a perfect spot for late-night, post-buzz conversation.

Hop aboard for a drink inside a well-traveled place straight out of a bygone era.

Read: Mulan Cocktail Bar Brings Inventive Drinks and Modern Vibes to Shuangjing

Train No. 1 Bar
Daily 6pm-2am. Baiziwan Nan Yilu, Shuangjing, Chaoyang District  
朝阳区双井苹果社区今日美术馆百子湾南一路西口

Photos: Patrick Flanary