If you've ever seen the traffic in China's capital Beijing, you'll know that taking the subway is pretty much the best way to get around the city.

A total of 23 lines covers most portion of the city, extending 678 kilometers across 12 urban and suburban districts of Beijing with 394 stations. 

In July 2019, the daily ridership of the Beijing Subway set a record of 13.75 million passengers and an average of 10.54 million trips.

Living in Beijing, we flood through the world's busiest metro system every day and forget it's also an ideal gateway for tourism. Though it can be crowded sometimes, they are fast, clean and comfortable. This series will travel along subway lines, hopping off at stations to explore local attractions.

It's not too much to call Subway Line 1 the central line of Beijing. It runs underneath Chang'an Avenue, the city's grand east–west thoroughfare, right through the heart of Beijing with stops on either side of Tian'anmen Square. 

Interested in where the oldest metro line will take you? Hop aboard!

Guomao Station

The Beijing Central Business District (CBD)

As Beijing is one of the most important international financial centers in China, Beijing CBD was recently positioned as the core area of Beijing's international financial firms, creativity industry and media center.

Skyscrapers and landmark buildings form the skyline of Beijing, showcasing Beijing's modernity and illuminated night. It is also a photogenic spot, especially for a night view of Beijing.

Wangfujing Station

Wangfujing Street

Monolithic shopping malls face each other across this prestigious avenue thronged with mostly out-of-town tourists. Beijing Wangfujing Street, as one of the symbols of Beijing's commerce, is the most well-known and prosperous shopping street with modern and fashion trends. Apart from that, there are also many time-honored stores with traditional commodities standing in the street for hundreds of years.

Tian'anmen east Station

Tian'anmen Square

This stop deserves a whole-day staying. Prepare to be overwhelmed by the sheer size of one of the world's largest public squares, Tian'anmen Square, which measures 440,000 square meters.

You can visit the Tian'anmen Tower, Monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People, Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall and see the national flag raising ceremony. Thousands of people come to the Square every day. It is the must-visit place in Beijing City.

Muxidi Station

Beijing Capital Museum

Collecting, exhibiting cultural relics, and undertaking related research are the three main tasks of Beijing Capital Museum, which  has fully adopted internationally advanced technology in its construction and ranks among the best in China. A neat timeline exhibit charts the history of Beijing from the Jin Dynasty to the 20th century via artifacts and diorama rooms, while galleries of porcelain and Buddhist art are also nicely presented.