It was all systems go when Chinese President Hu Jintao got a sneak preview of Beijing's Olympic transport initiatives on June 25. Hu was whisked from downtown to the capital's airport on a newly built light rail system and was clearly impressed by the ride.

In the build-up to the Games in August, Beijing plans to launch several major traffic systems to cope with the expected multi-million visitor influx.

In early July, test runs of three metro lines, including one that extends from Beijing's northern suburbs to the main Olympic venues, will begin. The Beijing South Railway Station, Asia's largest, and the 113-km Beijing-Tianjin high-speed rail line, with designed speed of 350 km per hour, will open to the public at the beginning of August when group stage football matches kick off in Tianjin.

Earlier this year, Beijing Capital International Airport's mega Terminal 3 went into operation, increasing the aircraft handling capacity from 164 to 314.