The Chinese are the master of counterfeiters. But not always in a bad way.
My journey to go from where I live in Harrow in outer London (zone 5, Metropolitan line) to the middle of the city is something like £3.70 I think one way. Going on the metro in China is something like 20-50p.
Beijing’s metro has been going since 1969 and has 345 stations. London Underground has 270 but has been going since 1863. Some of it quite clearly is influenced by London
I think this was Beijing’s main central railway station. The individual stations are named with their English transliteration, but each line has just a number as well as a colour.
Stations can be very grand in their appearance with this large hanging pictures.
What’s a bit different, is the tougher security, X-ray machines which you are required to put your luggage through at every station, and they still have ticket offices, whereas the London Underground requires payment only by a machine meaning ticket offices are almost a thing of the past. The Chinese tube has a loud bell ringing when the doors are about to shut.
Brit In Jerusalem 