Transportation at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Entry and transport

It seems that everyone dreams of participating in the Olympic Games. As kids, athletes all over the world imagine themselves on the sports world’s biggest stage, competing for glory while representing their countries and their families in friendly competition.

For those of us who aren’t able to compete at an Olympic level, the next best thing is to be able to attend the Olympic Games. For as long as they have existed, the Olympic Games have had an appeal and a tradition that set it apart from similar sporting events, and which somehow manage to capture the collective imaginations of people all over the world, whether or not they are normally sports fans.

If you are among those that are lucky enough to be attending the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, you are most likely excited, but maybe a bit stressed out as well. After all, there are a lot of things to arrange and prepare before the Olympic Games arrive. You may not have quite as much to think about as say, an Olympic gymnast or sprinter, but it’s understandable if the prospect of getting around during the 2008 Beijing Olympics is a bit daunting!

With a city the size of Beijing, China, combined with the tremendous influx of visitors that only an Olympic competition can bring, getting around town to various events as well as other tourist attractions can be pretty intimidating. It’s vital for an Olympic city to not only provide great public transportation, but also to be easy to get around for those who choose to transport themselves to where they need to go. For those folks, there has to be ample parking, and the roads must be able to occupy a larger than usual amount of drivers without causing chaos, and worse yet, traffic jams!

Luckily, the public transportation system in Beijing appears to be ready for the rather formidable challenge that such a large number of new visitors and athletes will bring. Not only can you get around for a fairly small fee (1 yuan for a bus ride in the city, and 2 yuan if you’re in the suburbs), but Public Transportation Cards are available, even to visitors, so that you can save money. It’s probably a good idea to take advantage of that offer if you’re going to be making lots of trips, which you likely will if you’re attending the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
If buses aren’t your style, you can also get a quick ride from one of the over 60,000 taxi cabs within the city of Beijing. Taxis can be a great way to travel because, although they are more expensive than buses, they can get you where you need to go quickly. Also, with a taxi, you can give the driver a specific destination, without having to tailor your arrival to a pre-set location along a bus route.

If you’re still not pleased, you’ll probably want to go with the subway or city rails that Beijing have to offer. For little more than what you would pay for a bus ride, you can take the subway and possibly get to your destination even faster.

Of course, officials in the city of Beijing, China have been preparing for the influx of visitors for years now, and they have made adjustments within the public transportation system to guarantee convenient and quick travel for all Olympic enthusiasts. The venues that have been built for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China have been placed in locations that are easily reachable using the public transportation system.

Congratulations to any of you who are attending this summer’s Beijing Olympic Games. You can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you will be able to get around quickly and efficiently, even if you don’t know your way around Beijing (which you probably don’t). Be sure to explore all the options available to you before choosing your preferred method of getting from place to place, and enjoy your Olympic experience!