Beijing News: India Flights, Tourist Platform & Intercity Rail
Beijing is a happening city! Don't miss a thing with our weekend roundup of the latest news.
China and India to Resume Direct Flights
On Oct 6, a spokesman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that China and India will resume direct flights by the end of October 2025. This move comes after the leaders of both countries met in Tianjin in August and is intended to strengthen China-India relations and facilitate exchange between the Chinese and Indian people. It is also a reflection of renewed cooperation between China and India on issues of peace, security and development in Asia.
Beijing to Launch Unified Reservation Platform for Tourists
Efforts to make Beijing an attractive international city continue, with the newest initiative being a unified reservation platform for foreign visitors to the city.
The first phase of the project will see reservation channels for major tourist sites, museums and scenic spots in Beijing available on one platform, enabling users to make, view and manage their reservations and itineraries conveniently all in one place without the hassle and confusion of trying to juggle plans across multiple platforms.
The platform is currently in the testing stage and should launch soon. Foreign residents can also expect to be able to make use of this service when it launches.
Beijing Integrated Central Transit Hub to Open This Year
Beijing is on track to open Asia's largest underground integrated transport hub in Tongzhou District later this year. The Beijing Sub-Center Station, also known as the "Jing Fan" or "Beijing Sail," has an underground construction area of 1.28 million square meters and integrates four subway lines (Line 6, Pinggu Line, M101 Line, S6 Line), two inter-city lines (the Beijing-Tangshan Intercity Railway and the Huairou-Daxing Airport Intercity Railway), one suburban railway (the Beijing-Harbin Railway), 15 public transport shuttle lines and even, apparently, a dock reserved for cruise ships.
The underground structure has three floors:
- B1 – Station entrance and urban commercial space with a sunken plaza
- B2 – Intercity railway waiting hall, the main purpose of which is to facilitate transfers
- B3 – Platform level of the intercity railway with eight platforms and 14 lines
In addition to making fast connections to the city center and surrounding locations from outer areas possible, the new hub represents a major step in the development of an interconnected Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Upon completion and opening of the transit hub, it is expected that travelers will be able to reach Beijing Capital International Airport in 15 minutes, Beijing Daxing International Airport or Tangshan in 35 minutes and Hebei Xiong’an New Area or Tianjin in one hour.
READ: Apartments in Beijing for Expats
Images: Unsplash, Beijing Fabu
