Is Beijing Safe For Tourists? Crime Rates & Safety

The enormous number of people who congregate in this mega-city makes everyone ask the inevitable question: is Beijing safe? With a safety index score of 66 out of 100, Beijing is considered one of the safest cities in China for tourists to visit. As the capital of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing is home to a population of more than 21 million people. It is the world’s third most populous city, located in northern China, and one of the world’s great ancient capitals. The capital receives 140 million domestic and 4.4 million international tourists annually.

Beijing Crime Rate & Safety Index

• Crime: 50.02
• Safety: 66.98
• Overall Safety Risk: Low / Medium

Reasons Why Beijing Is Safe

• Visitors to the city will rarely experience incidents such as mugging and kidnapping. The crime rate is low to medium. Female travelers are rarely unsafe even when traveling alone, and reports of robberies and attacks are next to none.
• The city is almost like a fortress, with cameras everywhere as part of a nationwide surveillance project. Police surveillance cameras are placed throughout the city.
• The subway, metro, and some buses have tight security. Some carriages have police personnel on board for additional protection.
• Beijing has an extremely low threat of terrorist attacks targeting foreign tourists.
• Widely available public transport allows visitors to travel safely, reducing the threat of daylight robbery.
• Apart from the occasional summer typhoon, Beijing is relatively safe from natural disasters.

Safety In Beijing: Useful Information

Traveling: While traveling within the city, do not get into an unregistered taxi. If a taxi has no meter, the driver most likely has no license either, and you’ll be at risk of getting robbed or extorted.

Pickpockets: Beijing draws every type of person. Visitors and locals come across pickpockets fairly often. Don’t flash your cash or valuables in public, and stay vigilant of your surroundings.

Road Safety: The city is a sea of cars and other transport. Cross the street with caution.

Food and water: Avoid drinking water directly from the tap; always have bottled water with you while outside. Western food is often not the best quality here and could leave you with food poisoning. Eating freshly cooked Chinese food is the best choice.

Scams: Scamming visitors is fairly common in Beijing. The best thing you can do is not accept invitations from strangers. Be especially wary if an English-speaking native invites you to tea or drinks.

Currency: Beijing, like the rest of the country, primarily uses cash for payment. Don’t depend on your credit card, as most establishments don’t accept cards. Counterfeit currency is also an issue, so carefully examine notes while accepting change.

Visa: Citizens from 51 nations can stay in Beijing for 72 hours without a visa if they are transiting.

Weather: The weather in Beijing is relatively unpredictable, especially in summer. It can be sunny one hour and pour down the next, so always carry an umbrella or rain gear.

Much like any other big city, Beijing has minor issues with dishonest people and finicky weather. However, when it comes to serious crime, the city is safe. So far, the people of Beijing have done a remarkable job of taking good care of visitors to the city.