Travel information

Weather

The climate in Beijing is "continental", with cold and dry winters, due to the Siberian air masses that move southward across the Mongolian Plateau. Summers are generally hot owing to warm and humid monsoon winds from the southeast bringing Beijing most of its annual precipitation. January is the coldest month and July is the hottest. Winters usually begin by the end of October. The summer months, June to August, are wet and hot with about 40% of the annual precipitation. Weather forecast for Beijing of the following days is as below. Data is updated automatically.

Electricity

The electrical current in China is 220 V, 50 Hz. Hotels provide 220 V and 110 V outlets. 110 V outlets are provided in the bathrooms for shavers only. Please bring appropriate plug adapters and converters. The following picture shows a typical electrical socket in China.

Currency and money exchange

China's currency is the Renminbi Yuan (RMB, CNY, Yuan, or ￥) which currently has an exchange rate of USD 1 ~ CNY 6.6 (January, 2018). The Yuan is divided into 10 Jiao or 100 Fen. Notes come in denominations of ￥100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Exchange your leftover Yuan before returning home as it can only be exchanged within China's borders. Euros and US Dollars can be exchanged at your hotel or at any bank. Traveller’s cheques can only be exchanged at Bank of China. Banks usually open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. From Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Currency exchange services are available for the following foreign currencies: US Dollar, British Pound Sterling, Euro, Japanese Yen, Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Hong Kong Dollar, Swiss Franc, Danish Krone, Norwegian Krone, Swedish Krone, Singapore Dollar, Malaysian Ringgit, and Macao Pataca.

Major credit cards are accepted at many establishments, such as American Express, Diners Club, JCB, Master Card and Visa.

Exchange rate references for CNY are listed below. Data is updated automatically.

ATM

Beijing is a very ATM-friendly city. There are many banks with ATMs, but only about 50% of these accept foreign cards. The main foreign currency friendly ATMs are operated by Bank of China. Bank of China ATMs work in both Chinese and English (depending on your card), use the latest equipment, and are reasonably easy to find. The following picture is the logo of Bank of China, you can see it on the ATMs.

Insurance

Organizers of the Congress do not take any liability for personal accidents or injury or loss or damage to private property of any participant arising from travelling to Beijing and/or attending the Congress. Participants are advised to purchase adequate travel and health insurance before leaving their own countries.

Safety and security

In general China is a very safe country. However, be aware of pickpockets and be careful when crossing the road. Passports should be kept in the hotel for safety until the departure day. Also note the serial numbers of your traveller’s checks if you carry those. We also recommend having copies of your passport and credit cards with you in case of loss or theft.

Tipping

Gratuities are not customary in China.

Smoking

Smoking in indoor public places has been banned in Beijing from June 1, 2015 following the rolling out of the toughest ever anti-smoking regulation in China. The regulation extends smoking bans to include all indoor public areas and workplaces, plus a number of outdoor areas including schools, seating areas in sports stadiums and hospitals where women or children are treated.

Time

China covers four time zones. Beijing time (UTC+8) is the only official time throughout the country.

Transportation

Public buses

Buses are the main means of transport in Beijing. Please prepare small bills as not all buses will carry change. Buses can be very crowded during peak times, which are generally from 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.

The subway

The subway system in Beijing has 15 lines. The fare is CNY 3 ~ 9. Trains run from 5:30 in the morning until 11:00 in the evening. A ticket can be bought at the ticket office at each station or at an automatic ticketing machine. Subway stops are announced over the train's speaker system in Chinese and English. Please refer to the following website for details: https://www.bjsubway.com/en/.

Taxis

Taxis in Beijing have several colours. All of them show a taximeter inside. You can easily find them in every part of Beijing. All Taxis will charge CNY 2.3 per kilometer with a base rate or minimum charge of CNY 13.