BJ-BK03: Bike for Fashion and Art in Beijing

This bike tour leads you to visit the most fashionable and popular areas in Beijing. 

Route: Wangfujing Street – Silk Market – The Place (Shi Mao Tian Jie) – Beijing Workers’ Stadium - Sanlitun – 798 Art District
Distance: around 14 kilometers (9 miles)

This bike tour starts from Wangfujing Street. It is a bustling shopping area in Beijing, lined with many old brands and modern malls, full of artistic stuff and stylish clothes. 

There are many sharing bikes in the area and you can easily find one and then start your cycling trip. 

See more: Bike Sharing in China

From the southern end of Wangfujing Street, ride eastwards for about 10-15 minutes, along East Chang'an Avenue and continue on to Jianguomennei Street and Jianguomenwai Street, you will find the Silk Market (Xiushui Market) on your left side.

The market is filled with cheap and beautiful items, such as clothing, silk fabrics, souvenirs, jewelry, handicrafts, and electronics products. It is also a good place to experience the fun of bargaining.

Turn left at the intersection of Silk Market to Dongda Bridge Road, and ride northwards to the Place (Shi Mao Tian Jie) which is on your right side. 

The Place is a first-class shopping mall for the high income groups. It has another name of "Everyone in Beijing Looks Up", for there is a 250 meters long and 30 meters wide LED skyscreen hanging above its main entrance, displaying beautiful and fantastic images of undersea life, alien culture, and natural landscape. Apart from the fancy shops selling world-famous brands, you will also find a mix of Chinese and western cuisine in the mall.

The next destination of this biking tour, Beijing Workers’ Stadium, is about 15 to 20 minutes away by bike. Ride northwards from The Place along the Dongda Bridge Road, passing Zhongjiang International Building, Landao Shopping Center, and a big intersection; where you should keep riding northwards onto East Worker's Stadium Road. After passing two crossings, you will soon see the Workers’ Stadium on your left, a giant oval building. 

Continue on northwards and turn right at the next crossing onto South Worker's Stadium Road, you will reach the core area of Sanlitun. You will see Taikoo Li on your left, SOHO on your right and many bars and pubs around.

Sanlitun is the earliest bar street in Beijing. Nowadays, it also gathers fashionable shopping malls, cinemas, Chinese and western food restaurants, etc. It has been one of the most popular places for nightlife in the city.

Afterwards, proceed to your last destination, 798 Art District, which is about one hour ride away. Turn left onto Sanlitun Road and ride northwards. Then from the north end of Sanlitun Road, cross the bridge on Liangma River and continue to ride northward for about 450 meters. Turn right to Shunyuan Street at the fork and ride all the way northeastward for about 4.3 km. At the end of West Fangyuan Road, turn right and then left to the south-north direction and enter Jiuxian Bridge Road. Ride northwards for about 870 meters and turn right to North Jiuxian Bridge Road, the 798 Art District is about 500 meters ahead on the right side (south side).

798 Art District or Dashanzi Art District, was once an electronic equipment factory in the Bauhaus style. Now it is a new rising, avant-garde and trendy space that hosts high-level cultural, artistic, and commercial activities. It has large exhibition area, places for entertainment and dining, book shops for contemporary art, cinema and theater. 

The 798 Art District is a little far from the other four destinations, so we suggest that you make another trip there if you feel tired. Thus you can arrange a two-day trip to the five attractions: visit the Silk Market in the first morning, and The Place, Workers’ Stadium and the Sanlitun in the afternoon and at night; visit 798 in the next morning.

The most convenient way is by subway. There is a subway station at the southern end of the street, also named Wangfujing on line 1. 

To its north along North Jiuxianqiao Road, there is a bus stop, where you may take buses no. 117, 403, 418, 593, 851 or 854 to leave. 

To its west on Jiuxianqiao Road, you may take buses no. 117, 401, 405, 445, 988 or 991 to leave.

To its south along 798 Road, you may take bus no. 53 to leave. 

In case you want to visit 798 Art District the next day and stay in Sanlitun till night, you may take subway line 10 at Tuanjiehu station to leave at the end of the day.