Beijing Travel: Don't Get Got! (Tourist Trap Edition)

Wesley Parisian-Kerluke IV

Avoid metered taxis, especially right from the airport or high-speed train station. Even if they look official, they'll overcharge in traffic or drive slowly for short trips – they even scam locals! Better to book a ride online in advance or, to save money (though it's more tiring), just use the subway for everything. The subway is super convenient, but it gets packed because everyone uses it.
For buses, remember to tap your card when you get on AND when you get off! Many Beijing bus routes are really long, so they charge by distance, requiring two taps.
Beijing Subway Lines 1 and 2 don't have elevators because they're ancient. If your hotel is on one of these lines and you've got luggage, brace yourself! Haha. Best to avoid them if possible.

Lorena Runolfsson

Also, for Daoxiangcun pastries, make sure to buy the ones with the 'Sanhe' logo. You can buy them loose; grab one or two of each kind to try. Taste them first to see what you like before committing to a whole box, so you don't end up with a bunch you dislike.

Edith Friesen

For the Summer Palace, I'd suggest not buying the combo ticket. You can always buy specific entry tickets on-site if needed. Learned this the hard way today – the place is huge, and you really can't cover it all. My combo ticket basically just got me through the main entrance.

Kendra Howe

If I'm planning to spend just a morning there, is a single (main entrance) ticket enough?

Ms. Wanda Kilback

Skip Wangfujing. And for any attraction, buy your water beforehand – it's super expensive inside tourist areas.

Leon O'Keefe

If water is expensive at tourist sites, what are the prices like at regular convenience stores on Beijing streets?

Joanne Swift

Avoid anything marketed with 'Old Beijing' in the name, like 'Old Beijing Zha Jiang Mian' or 'Old Beijing Snacks.'

Hugo Witting

Usually, if it says 'Old Beijing,' it's not authentic.

Benjamin Dooley

Don't try to cram more than 3 sights into one day. Your feet will be covered in blisters – seriously, all that running for the subway is exhausting!

Mr. Philip Hudson

Already got blisters! Damn. Good thing today's my last day here.

Hugo Witting

Fangzhuanchang Zha Jiang Mian? Hardly any locals eat there; it's pretty much all tourists. It's the classic one-time-rip-off kind of place.

Abraham Kris

You're right. I fell for the hype and ate there too.

Miss Alison Collier

Don't bother with Nanluoguxiang; it's just a commercial street.

Wesley Parisian-Kerluke IV

I wandered around there, and not a single shop made me want to buy anything.