There is one metric that stands out as a sign that a city has come of age and fully embraced modernity. Can you easily lace up your trainers and head out for a run (running being easily the best way explore a new city)?
The last time I was in Beijing, in 2008, running was more a health hazard than a leisure pursuit. Running on the streets was a bit like going for a jog in a smoke-filled pub in the 90s. Actually maybe worse, more like doing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on an exhaust pipe. The ubiquitous three-wheeled tuk-tuks were the chief culprits, belching out generous plumes of black smoke seemingly designed to fill your lungs.
But there was another problem: there were scent pavements to run on and the ones there were ankle breakers. The priority was roads and buildings. Pedestrian walkways, particularly those that might encourage people to exercise, seemed pretty far down the list.
Fast forward to 2026 and Beijing has come on leaps and bounds on both fronts. The tuk-tuks have largely disappeared, replaced by swarms of e-scooters and yellow and blue Chinese versions of the Boris bikes. And, perhaps more importantly, there are pavements. Lots of them.
I took advantage of both today (despite waking up at midday, which had absolutely everything to do with jet lag, I promise). I headed out for a run along the main road and into a lovely park in Chaoyang. No need to inhale lethal quantities of exhaust fumes and, almost all the way, a pavement to run on, especially for people like me.
While the pavements and air quality have moved on considerably, the costs remain refreshingly low. A few comparisons:
- Bike hire around central Beijing: 20p
- Entry to Jingshan Park, with its views over the Forbidden City: 25p
- A craft beer: £3
- Airport coffee: £1.35
- Subway ride: 56p
An afternoon spent pootling around Beijing with my mate Phil – lunch, beers, a park visit, a taxi, bike hire and a subway ride – cost us less than the train journey into London.
The cost of getting around the city is within reach of pretty much everyone. Which struck me as a rather novel idea, and one that a few UK cities might want to consider. Particularly given that, while many do pretty well on the pavement and air quality front, the costs of a day out have become eye-wateringly expensive.
Perhaps the true measure of a modern city isn’t just whether you can run around it safely. It’s whether you can afford to enjoy it, too.
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