Place:Yanqing, Beijing
[ ⚑ ] 40°28′N 115°59′E / 40.46°N 115.98°E Yanqing (simplified Chinese: 延庆; traditional Chinese: 延慶; pinyin: Yánqìng) is a city about 75 km north-west of central Beijing, the capital city of China . The area around the city is the Yanqing District, one of the 16 districts of Beijing. It has good communication to the capital, by railway and road, through Badaling.
Yanqing is one of three sites for games of the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Urban area
The urban area is closely surrounded by farms. The total population of this town-farm area, including 90,000 in the urban area, is about 190,000.[1]
The urban area is bisected east-west by the lake, around which is a surrounded by major urban park.
The central business district is north of the lake, centred on Guishui Street (North and South, either side of the lake), with the major cross street being Gaota Street.
Cultural features
The Museum of Yanqing Geoparks, marking the Global Geoparks Network, is on Guishui Street North, beside the lake.
The Yanqing International Exhibition Centre is a major multi-hall site with a significant forecourt, in north Yanqing.
Yanqing has several hot spring spa resorts and hotels, using ground water at temperatures up to 50 °C (122 °F), although most pools are below 42 °C (108 °F). There is little to no smell of sulphur in the water.
The Guishui River flows through the city.[2]
Badaling: The name Badaling is so well known for the Great Wall that it is used, wrongly, in Yanqing as an identifier for buildings, businesses including hotels and resorts, and places.
Climate
Yanqing has a continental monsoon climate, between temperate to mid-temperate and from semi-arid to semi-humid zone. The weather is cold in winters and cool in summers, with an annual average temperature of 8℃ (4℃ lower than Beijing city).[2]
2022 Winter Olympics
Beijing was accepted as the site of the 2022 Winter Olympics, with games in Beijing, Yanqing, and Zhangjiakou.[3]
Yanqing will host Alpine skiing plus the luge, bobsleigh, and skeleton, plus have a major Olympic Village and media centre.
See Transport for intended land transport details.
Transport
Road
Yanqing is on the China National Highway 110 (G110), beginning at Beijing's Deshengmen hub. The Exit to S323 westbound is used.
The G6 Beijing–Lhasa Expressway passes just south of the city. The Exit to S236, continuing as a multi-lane highway, is used. The interchange is beside the Badaling Airport and the solar power research station[4] station with its distinctive white tower.
Both these numbered highways go through the pass at Badaling, then diverge.
Buses
Long Distance: The 919 bus leaves regularly from Deshengmen and Yanqing throughout the day. In 2016, the price was Yuan12. The Deshengmen bus station is adjacent to the Jishuitan Station. (Note that tourists may be mistakenly encouraged to take the 877 to Badaling Great Wall.)
Local: There is an extensive network of local buses, however, signs are mostly in Chinese writing. The fare around town is typically Yuan2.
Rail
Yanqing is the northern terminus of Line 2 of the Beijing Suburban Railway system, the other terminus being Beijing North railway station. The fare between the two stations is Yuan6. In 2016, there were 16 return train trips serving the stations on this line, between 0500 and 2300, with the journey being about 1h 40min. However, the timetable should be checked at the station.[5]
Great Wall: This train may also be taken to Badaling to visit the Great Wall at Badaling, for Yuan5. The journey south of Badaling passes several sections of the Wall.
For the 2022 Winter Olympics, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Intercity Railway will serve Yanqing with a spur line for fast trains between the other Olympic cities being one hour either side of Yanqing.
Transport pass
The train and bus network is on the Beijing transport network's Yikatong card system, although cash fares can be paid.
Air
Badaling Airport with its single 2,700 feet (820 m) runway is about 15 minutes drive by car or taxi from Yanqing.[6] This is the base for short sightseeing flights to the Great Wall by helicopter and fixed wing planes.
Taxis
There are several regular taxi fleets, that have a meter, most notably the teal-blue and white fleet of electric vehicles. Drivers will also go "off meter" for obvious tourists, at the rates used by the informal taxis.
A semi-official 'system' of taxis operates on an agreed fare system. The going rate for almost anywhere within urban limits is Yuan20 (early 2016), for example to and from the railway station. These taxis will also take a visitor anywhere, such as to Badaling (Great Wall). Only rudimentary English will be spoken, enough to indicate an offered price, and bargaining is encouraged. It is helpful to have an image of the destination, and/or the address written in Chinese characters.
Tourist Information
The Beijing tourist Information office is at 72 Guishui Street South. As of early 2016, no local Yanquing map is available, or a guide for bus routes, or a train timetable.
References
- ↑ Yanqing within Beijing, accessed 2016-04-13
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Yanqing Overview, 系统管理员, 03-13, accessed 2016-04-15
- ↑ Beijing 2022: Beijing named host city of Olympic Winter Games 2022, International Olympic Committee website, 2015-07-31, accessed 2016-04-13
- ↑ China (Yanqing) Solar Energy Demonstration, www.ccei.org.cn, accessed 2-16-04-15
- ↑ Train schedule for railway station(s) of Yanqing, www.chinatrainguide.com, accessed 2016-04-13
- ↑ Badaling or Yanqing airport, accessed 2016-04-13
External links
- Yanqing - official website (English version)
- Maplandia of Yanqing
- Snow at Yanqing resorts
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