A new card similar to the Smart Card currently used for
Beijing's transportation system may soon be used to pay for hutong tours.
Beijing Youth Daily reported the city's Xicheng
District Tourism Bureau is planning to promote the card around its
famous Shichahai area. People will be able to use it to pay for
tricycle hutong tours, as well as entrance fees at tourist spots
there.
If implemented, the illegal tricycles currently running rampant
will be easily spotted, as they won't be able to accept the
card.
Shichahai is home to a number of Beijing's most well-preserved
hutongs.
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(CRI.com January 29, 2007)