Beijing – capital city of the People's Republic of China – is located in northern China.
The most convenient route to Beijing is by air to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), located 32km (20mi) northeast of Beijing's city centre.
Note: It is expected that in 2020, most foreign airlines will join domestic carriers China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines in transfering flight services to Beijing's new Daxing International Airport, located 45km (28mi) south of central Beijing. When running at full capacity, the airport is expected to become one of the busiest in the world.
The following are the most convenient flights to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK).
Within China: Air China, Hainan (with Cathay Dragon and Cathay Pacific to and from Hong Kong) offer the most convenient daily scheduled flights to Beijing.
Hong Kong to Beijing is 2 hrs 45 min, direct flight
Shanghai to Beijing is 2 hrs 10 min, direct flight
From Australia: Qantas, Air China, China Southern Airlines and Cathay Pacific offer the most convenient daily scheduled flights to Beijing.
Sydney to Beijing is 11 hrs 50 min, direct flight
Adelaide to Beijing is 13 hrs 20 min, connecting flightˆ
Brisbane to Beijing is 12 hrs 45 min, connecting flightˆ
Melbourne to Beijing is 11 hrs 50 min, direct flight
Perth to Beijing is 11 hrs 50 min, connecting flightˆ
From New Zealand: Air China offers the most convenient scheduled flights to Beijing.
Auckland to Beijing is 13 hrs, direct flight
From Singapore: Singapore Airlines and Air China offer the most convenient daily nonstop flights to Beijing.
Singapore to Beijing is 5 hrs 5 min, direct flight
From United Arab Emirates: Emirates and Air China offers the most convenient flights to Beijing.
Dubai to Beijing is 7 hrs 30 min, direct flight
From United Kingdom: British Airways, Hainan and Air China offer the most convenient daily nonstop flights to Beijing.
London to Beijing is 9 hrs 40 min, direct flight
Manchester to Beijing is 10 hrs 10 min, direct flight
From France: Air France and Air China offer the most convenient daily nonstop flights to Beijing.
Paris to Beijing is 10 hrs 5 min, direct flight
From Germany: Lufthansa, Hainan and Air China offer the most convenient flights to Beijing.
Berlin to Beijing is 9 hrs 10 min, direct flight
Dusseldorf to Beijing is 10 hrs, direct flight
Frankfurt to Beijing is 9 hrs 10 min, direct flight
Munich to Beijing is 9 hrs 10 min, direct flight
Hamburg to Beijing is 11 hrs 15 min, connecting flightˆ
From United States: United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hainan, American Airlines and Air China offer the most convenient daily scheduled flights to Beijing.
Boston to Beijing is 13 hrs 50 min, direct flight
Chicago to Beijing is 13 hrs 30 min, direct flight
Dallas-Fort Worth to Beijing is 14 hrs 10 min, direct flight
Houston to Beijing is 14 hrs 50 min, direct flight
New York to Beijing is 13 hrs 30 min, direct flight
Los Angeles to Beijing is 12 hrs 40 min, direct flight
San Francisco to Beijing is 11 hrs 55 min, direct flight
Seattle to Beijing is 11 hrs 20 min, direct flight
Atlanta to Beijing is 16 hrs 33 min, connecting flightˆ
Charlotte to Beijing is 15 hrs 33 min, connecting flightˆ
From Canada: Air Canada, Hainan and Air China offer the most convenient daily scheduled flights to Beijing.
Toronto to Beijing is 13 hrs 25 min, direct flight
Montreal to Beijing is 13 hrs 40 min, direct flight
Vancouver to Beijing is 10 hrs 40 min, direct flight
(ˆincludes transfer time.)
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) is located 32km (20mi) northeast of Beijing's city centre.
The airport provides a free inter-terminal shuttle bus between Terminals 1/2 and 3. They operate every 10 minutes from 6am to 11pm, and every 30 minutes from 11pm till 6am. Terminals 1 and 2 are connected by a long corridor.
The Airport Expressway links the airport to central Beijing, a 40-minute drive during good traffic conditions.
Taxi: Metered taxis (tel: +86 10 6454 1100) are available at officially designated taxi ranks. Journey time to the city centre is between 45 and 60 minutes depending on traffic conditions.
Fares start at around ¥13 covering the first 3km, with an additional ¥2.3 per km. Passengers are advised to have the destination address either written in Chinese or marked clearly on a map.
Shuttle: Dedicated airport shuttle buses operate to and from all terminals, with stops throughout the city including Xidan, Beijing railway station, Beijing South railway station, Beijing West railway station, Zhongguancun, Fangzhuang and Shangdi.
The most popular route is to Xidan (Line 2) in central Beijing, a short walk from the Forbidden City. The shuttle bus also includes stops at some major hotels.
Tickets are sold at each terminal and certain bus stops in the city. Fares start at ¥20.
Bus: The airport also offers inter-city bus services to and from neighboring cities including Tianjin, Qinhuangdao, Baoding, Langfang and Tangshan.
Buses to the Shunyi District depart from outside Terminals 2 and 3. Fares start at ¥4.
Rail: A dedicated rail link – the Airport Express Line – operates as part of the Beijing Subway system.
The 28km (17.5mi) line runs from Terminal 1/2 to Terminal 3 and then to the city with stops at Sanyuanqiao and Dongzhimen, every 10 minutes. Journey time to Dongzhimen is 30 minutes. The fare is ¥25.
Driving in China requires a Chinese-issued driving licence, so car rental usually includes a driver. A number of local agencies offer this service and there is a car rental booth within the airport terminal.
Recent legislation enables non-nationals to obtain temporary licences. Avis and Hertz offer services at the airport.
Money: Full-service bank desks can be found in Terminal 3. Several bureaux de change and ATMs are available at each terminal.
Food: The airport offers a good choice of eateries, including tea houses, fast-food outlets, Chinese and Western restaurants, ice cream parlours and bars.
Shopping: Numerous shops in each terminal sell everything from jewellery and books to children’s toys and tea leaves. A large selection of duty-free shopping is available to international passengers in Terminals 2 and 3.
Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi internet access is available throughout the airport. Passengers without mobile phones need to use the self-service terminals near the information desk to activate the service (using their passports or ID cards).
Multimedia telephones are available throughout the terminals, as are mobile device charging points, and post offices in Terminals 2 and 3.
Other: Other facilities at Beijing Capital International Airport include a 24-hour medical centre, massage areas, a children’s play area and hourly transit rooms for relaxation.
The business centres in each terminal offers internet access, fax, photocopying and computer facilities.
Beijing Capital International Airport is fully accessible to disabled travellers, including Braille signage and pathways for the blind, disabled toilets, lowered counters and lifts.
Any passengers who may require additional assistance are advised to contact their airline in advance of travel.
A passport valid for at least one month beyond intended period of stay, a return/onward ticket (except when in transit to mainland China or Macao) and proof of sufficient funds. No visa is required for stays of up to 90 days.
As well as walking and cycling, Beijing offers convenient transport solutions on subway trains, buses and metered taxis.
The Beijing Subway has more than 370 stations, and 608km (378mi) of rail lines. It is the second longest subway system in the world with a flat fare of ¥2 (0.31USD) per ride with unlimited transfers on all lines except the Airport Express.
Bicycles are still an important form of local transportation in Beijing and most main roads have dedicated bicycle lanes. Beijing is relatively flat, which makes cycling convenient.
Electric bicycles and scooters, with similar speeds also use the same cycle lanes. It is possible to cycle to most parts of the city. A large number of dockless app based bikeshares are available, including Mobike, Bluegogo and Ofo.
Latest update: How to get to Beijing: 1 June, 2022
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