Mao Baohua, Vice President of Metropolitan Transportation Research Center, said, "The key is to persuade people not to drive their private cars and use public transportation instead."

But, for residents who commute to Beijing's Central Business District, this is far from an adequate solution.

A commuter in Beijing said, "It's impossible to squeeze onto buses or drive home during the rush hour. The only choice is the subway."

After anxious commuters cram into the subway, the next struggle is for a place to stand inside the trains.

"It's extremely crowded in the train carriage. We're crammed just like sardines."

Traffic experts are debating other alternatives, like levying higher parking fees in downtown areas, and cracking down harder on random parking. But before they settle on a solution, the traffic jams are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

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