Beijing will begin raising its public transport fares on December 28, doubling the current prices on average, but including some discount schemes.

According to the pricing adjustment plan, the minimum price for a subway ride will be 3 yuan ($0.5) for a ride of less than 6 kilometers, compared with the current flat-fare of 2 yuan with unlimited transfers. The scheme excludes the capital airport link, whose price will remain steady at 25 yuan for a one-way trip.

A subway ticket will cost 4 yuan if the ride is between 6 and 12 kilometers, 5 yuan for 12 to 22 kilometers and 6 yuan for 22 to 32 kilometers. If the subway ride is longer than 32 kilometers, one yuan will be charged for every extra 20 kilometers.

For bus passengers, a ride of less than 10 kilometers will be 2 yuan, with one additional yuan charged for every additional 5 kilometers. Smart card users will enjoy a 50 percent discount and student card users 75 percent discount.

Bus transport in Beijing is currently 1 yuan on most lines with a smart cards price of only 0.4 yuan per trip.

For subway commuters using a smart card, the first 100 yuan each month will be charged at full fare; the next 50 yuan will be discounted by 20 percent and from 150 yuan to 400 yuan by 50 percent. Spending beyond 400 yuan per month will not be eligible for discounts as this is deemed excessive for normal commuting purposes.

After the adjustments, the average price of subway transport will be around 4.3 yuan and that of buses 1.3 yuan, covering about 50 percent and 38 percent of their real costs respectively, said an official with the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission on Thursday.

The hikes were finalized after a public hearing on the program last month in Beijing. Some residents worried that higher prices may drive more subway commuters onto the roads and exacerbate Beijing's traffic congestion.

The number of subway rides hit 3.2 billion last year in Beijing. Subsidies jumped from 13.5 billion yuan in 2010 to 20 billion yuan in 2013.