Commute starts at 5 a.m. for Beijingers, data finds

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A recent report found that the average day for a Beijinger starts at 5 a.m., the earliest among all cities in China.

Statistics show Beijing's rush hour starts at 5 a.m., as there's already a high demand for taxis, according to recently gathered big data on what apps are used on mobile phones at certain times.

Rush hour during one of subway stops in Beijing. /Screenshot via Wechat

People living in Beijing face longer commutes, in both distance and time, especially for those living on the outskirts of the city. The average distance and time spent commuting in the capital city ranks the top in China, according to the 2018 study on commute in Chinese cities.

On average, Beijingers travel approximately 26 kilometers and spend nearly two hours commuting a day. Just getting to and from work is a several-hour-long routine for many.

Passengers fill up another subway stop in Beijing. /VCG Photo

And no matter how early Beijingers get up from bed and whichever means of transportation they use, commuting proves to be difficult.

As highly populated as the city is, Beijing's traffic can't be solely blamed for the number of cars and people on the go.

Bus stops are often far apart, which makes it diffcult for people to get to another stop in a hurry. /VCG Photo

Many have complained about the insufficient utilization of the public transportation system.

Bus and subway stops are often far apart, especially outside downtown areas.

The density of its subway stops is 25 times lower than that of Seoul which ranks the top in Asia, which often leads to over-crammed subway cabins that are not evenly distributed, Chinanewsweekly reports.