New Subway Prices Take Effect; English Interface is Excellent

New Beijing Subway prices took effect this morning and English speakers should have no worries as updated signage and the new ticket machines are fully translated into English.

On a test ride from the Shuangjing station this morning, the system appeared to be functioning normally and the English interface was almost flawless (with the exception of an embarassing error in the capitalization of our fair city's name, which appears as "BeiJing").

Typos aside, the system is easy to use even if you don't read Chinese.

There's two ways for you to buy single-ticket fares:

1. Select your destination station and the fare is calculated for you.

2. If you know your fare already, you can select the price directly from a menu.

It's so simple and straightforward it almost seems unnecessary to explain it here, but for those nervous about using the new interface, here's a step-by-step visual guide:

That having been said, commuters would be advised to use a stored value card as there's likely to be long lines in front of the machines as commuters get used to the new system.

And if at all possible, avoid attempting to buy tickets directly from station attendants during rush hours: at 7am on Sunday a line was already forming at the Shuangjing station attendants' booth, so expect long lines during the morning and evening commutes for at least the first week or two.

To help you understand the new fares, each station is now equipped with a station-specific sign that indicates the fares to all other stations from that point. Here's the one from the Shuangjing station:

Aside from new pricing, the system has just debuted four new lines and sections of track, giving subway riders first-time access to points such as Chaoyang Park and the Lido/798 area. Some stations remain closed however, most notably the Line 7 station at Shuangjing and the station at the south gate of Chaoyang Park.

We'd love to hear your experience with the new fares and lines; let us know in the comments below.