2nd Ring Road

A small number of these city gates themselves still stand: Southeast corner tower, Deshengmen and Yongdingmen (which has been rebuilt).

It extends beyond Dongbianmen and Xibianmen, thus reaching Zuo'anmen to the southeast and the Caihuying overpass complex in the southwest.

Traffic jams are common, and it is hard to find immediate alternative routes as the 2nd Ring has few direct links to expressways.

The speed limit is 80 km/h except for sharply turning sections such as between Xiaojie Bridge and Dongzhimen.

Speed checks are very frequent and cameras are often operating, some of the locations of these are known, while some are hidden beneath bridges or behind screens.

The northern stretch between Andingmen and Xiaojie Bridge is often jammed, particularly in the lead to the turn-off for the Airport Expressway.

The entire eastern side is frequently jammed due to its proximity to the Beijing CBD.

Less frequently jammed traffic can be found on the southern stretch of the 2nd Ring Road from Caihuying through Zuo'anmen.

Electronic message signs (or screens) are placed throughout the 2nd Ring Road, displaying information about current traffic.

The western part of the 2nd Ring Road has "smart" electronic screens, automatically updated every five minutes.

The Jingkai Expressway is easily accessible by proceeding south to the complex-and-impressive Caihuying overpass.