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)