IN THE KNOW

Government workers in Beijing are enjoying the sixday holiday, during which time authorities have encouraged residents to travel outside the city to ensure the best conditions for the APEC meetings from Nov 5 to 11.

China Daily has compiled useful information for people who plan to get out of town, as well as need-to-know information for those in town.

Traffic control

Several areas in the capital will be subject to temporary traffic control.

Traffic will be controlled from the Pan-Yanxi Lake area from midnight to 6 am through Nov 11. This includes the area between Yanxi Lake Road and Baiyashanzhuang Bridge, Yanxi Lake Road and South Yanxi Lake Road. Parking on these roads is forbidden from 6 am to midnight. Vehicles can circumvent affected areas via Yanxi Lake Road North.

Datun and North National Stadium roads will also be controlled until Nov 11.

From Monday until APEC ends, controls will be set up on East and West Beichen roads; South Kehui Road; North Datun Road; the underground tunnels of Datun and Huizhong roads; the main and side roads of the North Fourth Ring Road; and Aoti Central and Minzu Park roads.

Controls were set up on Nov 7 and will continue to Nov 12 on the Airport Expressway, East Second Ring Road, and Chang'an and Jianguomenwai avenues.

Subway

The Olympic Green and Olympic Sports Center subway stations on Line 8 will remain closed until Monday, and Beitucheng Station on lines 8 and 10 will be closed from midnight on Monday. Trains won't stop at these three stations.

License plates

Since Nov 3, cars are only allowed to drive on alternating days depending on whether their license plates are even or odd numbers. Violators will be fined 100 yuan ($16.30)

Vehicles from outside Beijing are also subject to the restriction.

Freight vehicles, low-speed trucks, three-wheeled automobiles, tractors, motorcycles, special motor vehicles and passenger-service vehicles that fail to meet national emission standards are banned within the Six Ring Road and Huairou district's downtown through Nov 12.

Rail

Beijing will have special trains to transport private vehicles to Shaanxi, Hubei, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces. Residents can make phone reservations and visit the office at No 130 South Fourth Ring Middle Road in Fengtai district to arrange the service.

Tourist attractions

The Bird's Nest (National Stadium) and Water Cube (National Aquatics Center) will be closed to the public during meetings. The Olympic Forest Park's southern section will be closed on Monday.

Museums and libraries

The Palace Museum, National Museum of China, Capital Museum, Capital Library of China and Beijing Museum of Natural History will operate as usual.