Tourist Information

Part of A Better Guide to Běijīng’s Practical A–Z

Once you’re in China, good information of any kind is hard to find. There are several tourist information offices in Běijīng, but these are know-little, lacklustre affairs unable to answer most questions. The most easily accessible are those at Běijīng Railway Station (t 6528 8448), and Běi Hǎi Park (t 6400 2378), but they’re not really worth seeking out.

There are also electronic information kiosks called Shùzì Běijīng Xìnxī Tíng (数字北京信息亭 ) but slow, not necessarily working, and in the most surprisingly useless locations.

You can call the Běijīng Municipal Bureau of Tourism (t 8516 2288), the Běijīng tourist hotline (t 6513 0828), or visit english.visitbeijing.com.cn, notable for its dreadful automated translations of what little information it offers. Tourism-related complaints may be made to t 6515 0918, but don’t expect anything to happen any more than if you call
t 96310 to report an unlicenced tour guide. In short, you’re on your own.

Make use of some of the websites and apps listed under Internet and Other Digital Resources, and elsewhere through the text.

Next in Practical A–Z: Tours
Previous: Tipping
Main Index of A Better Guide to Běijīng.

For moderated on-line discussion of China travel, join The Oriental-List.