Yes, the school will send someone to pick you up in Beijing. Usually Li Chen, the school’s translator, will go. He is responsible for the foreign student program and is the only person at the school who speaks English. For more information, contact him. Click here for more information about wushu training in China.
More: Beijing Pick Up
Of course, you will have to pay Mr. Li Chen’s travel expenses, but it’s not much money. All together, you will spend about 300 yuan if you don’t have to stay overnight in Beijing. Sometimes tickets for the evening train are sold out, so you may be forced to stay one night in Beijing and take the train in the morning. I recommend the three-star hotel opposite the West Train Station. The last time I stayed there, it cost 350 yuan for a room with two beds.
Li Chen will take you to the West Train Station and then you’ll take a train to Yun Cheng. The ticket costs about 70 yuan (around 10 USD) per person, but the ride is not very comfortable. For just a few dollars more, you can get a sleeper berth. That way you’ll have enough space, nobody will smoke in your face, and you’ll be able to rest. A ticket in the sleeping car costs about 130 yuan. Prices change quite often. Yun Cheng is about a six-hour train ride from Beijing. From the Yun Cheng train station, you’ll take a taxi to the school, which costs about 10 to 15 yuan.
When you arrive at the Yun Cheng train station, you’ll notice that you’re in the middle of nowhere. It’s probably the poorest place you’ve ever seen with your own eyes. The school itself is a bit better, but it’s still very different from what you might expect.
If you want, you can also ask Li Chen to stay in Beijing for a few days and show you some sights. Of course, you’ll have to cover all his expenses. A three-star hotel in Beijing costs between 300 and 500 yuan. There are also cheaper hotels where you can stay for a little over 100 yuan, but those are usually not as clean or as safe.
Advice: Beijing Pick Up
Don’t go to Beijing without Li Chen’s cell phone number. If he doesn’t show up on time, you should be able to call him. The first time I went to China, I waited for him for half a day because he wasn’t able to get a train ticket. There are plenty of public phones at Beijing Airport. Call him as soon as you arrive and ask how long it will take him to pick you up.
Also, print the school’s name and address in both Chinese and English. Keep one copy in your suitcase and another in your wallet. If Li Chen loses his phone or his battery dies, you won’t be able to reach him. At least then you’ll be able to ask someone at the airport to call the school for you.
Don’t try to go to the school on your own if you don’t speak enough Chinese. If you still decide to go by yourself, take a bus to Xidan, then a bus to Xizhan, and from there a train to Yun Cheng. In Yun Cheng, everyone knows the school.
Taxi drivers in Beijing usually try to cheat foreigners. Taking a public bus is just as fast and much cheaper. The last time I was there, it cost 16 yuan.
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