How do I get from the airport to Beijing?

Most international flights still land at Beijing Capital (PEK), about 27 km northeast of Tiananmen Square. The Airport Express train is the right move. It connects Terminals 2 and 3 to Dongzhimen station in 25 minutes for 25 CNY ($3.70). Follow the signs marked "Airport Express" down to the B2 level of either terminal. Trains depart every 10 minutes from 6:20am to 10:50pm. At Dongzhimen, transfer to Metro Line 2, which is the circle line through the center of the old city, or Line 13 heading north toward Wudaokou and the university district. The full trip from baggage claim to a hotel lobby in Wangfujing takes about 50 minutes including the transfer. The platform at Dongzhimen smells faintly of steamed buns from the food stalls one level up. Mind you, that last Airport Express leaves T3 at 10:50pm. If your flight touches down after 10pm and immigration runs slow, you will likely miss it.

Some Chinese carriers and a growing number of international routes now use Daxing (PKX), 46 km south of the city center. The terminal opened in September 2019, and the Zaha Hadid-designed roof filters amber daylight through its 5 radiating concourses. The Daxing Airport Express reaches Caoqiao station on Metro Line 10 in 19 minutes for 35 CNY ($5.17). Trains run from roughly 6:30am to 10:30pm. From Caoqiao, Line 10 connects to most of central Beijing, but Caoqiao sits in the far south of the city. If your hotel is in Dongcheng or near the Drum Tower, budget another 30-40 minutes on the metro after you reach Caoqiao. PKX is quieter than PEK. The air conditioning hits hard after the humid walk up the jet bridge. That said, fewer restaurants and shops stay open late at PKX compared to PEK's Terminal 3, so eat before you land if you're arriving after 9pm.

Taxis and Didi are your fallback after the last train. From PEK, a metered taxi to central Beijing runs 100-130 CNY ($15-19) and takes 40-60 minutes depending on traffic along the 3rd and 4th Ring Roads. From PKX, expect 150-200 CNY ($22-30) and 45-70 minutes. At either airport, use the official taxi queue outside the arrivals hall. The freelance drivers who approach you inside the terminal will quote 300-400 CNY for a ride that costs a third of that on the meter. Beijing taxis are required by regulation to run the meter, so if a driver refuses to turn it on, step out and take the next car. Didi works well in Beijing but requires a Chinese phone number to register and defaults to Mandarin. If you activate an eSIM and register before landing, Didi rides tend to be 10-15% cheaper than the taxi queue. One thing that catches visitors off guard. Beijing traffic after 5pm is severe. A 40-minute midday ride can stretch to 90 minutes during evening rush hour.

Beijing's metro and most taxis now run on mobile payment through WeChat Pay or Alipay, and cash can feel awkward at the turnstile. Since 2024, both apps accept linked foreign credit cards, which has removed the biggest friction point for visitors at PEK and PKX alike. You can also buy a Yikatong transit card at any metro station vending machine for a 20 CNY deposit. Pick one up at Dongzhimen or Caoqiao when you step off the airport train. The machines have an English toggle in the top-right corner. One more thing to sort before you land. Google Maps does not work in China without a VPN. Download Amap before departure. It has partial English labeling and is far more accurate for Beijing metro routing than anything else. Even on a drizzly mid-June evening at 24°C, the 93% humidity makes the walk from the terminal to the taxi queue feel sticky within 2 minutes. Pack a light layer and keep your phone charged for navigation.