Beijing's public transport authorities are adding the English language to their more than 700 city bus routes to lure foreigners away from taxis.
The Beijing Public Transportation Corp is training ticket sellers to speak English and other foreign languages, adding pinyin signage to bus stops and offering an English route map online.
The bus system, like taxi companies and other Beijing service industries, is trying to make the ride smooth for foreigners before the 2008 Olympic Games.
Taxi drivers are also supposed to learn English. They seldom speak it at the moment because the training, which uses tapes and short courses, has just started. But the race is on.
'Buses are faster than cars during peak hours, because they have special lanes,' said Zhang Guifang, of the Transport Department's overseas propaganda department. 'Also, there is no problem with them taking detours.'
Bus tickets cost from one yuan (94 HK cents) to eight yuan per ride, but foreigners have stuck to taxis despite higher prices and the risks of dishonest drivers or rush-hour delays that can add five yuan to the price of a journey.
