Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) – Terminals, Guides, Transportation

Beijing Capital International Airport (Beijing Shoudu International Airport), located 25 kilometers away from the city center, is the largest, busiest, and most important gateway of China. Over 70 airlines throughout the world have opened domestic and international flights to Beijing Capital Airport, enabling not only Chinese tourists but also visitors from major cities abroad, such as New York, Seatle, Paris, London, Moscow, and Tokyo… to arrive in Beijing in hours.

 

Fast Facts of Beijing Capital International Airport

Chinese Name: 北京首都机场

Airport Code: PEK

Address: Airport West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing City (25km from the downtown area)

Telephone Number: (+86) 010-96158

Terminals: 3 terminals in total, covering an area of 1,410,000 square meters

 

Visa-Free Policies of Beijing Capital International Airport

Beijing Capital International Airport has been implementing two types of visa-free policies: 24-hour direct transit and 144-hour visa-free transit. The former one grants citizens around the world visa-free transit at PEK within 24 hours, while travelers from 54 designated countries and regions are allowed to take a 144-hour layover tour in Beijing, as well as Tianjin and Hebei, without a visa.

Transiters need to apply for a temporary entry permit to leave Beijing airport during the layover. The passport, the application card, and the onward flight ticket to a 3^rd country or region are required for the application.

*Visa Office of Beijing International Airport:

T2: International entry area on 3F; T3: International entry area on 3F of T3-E

Read more on:

• 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Beijing
• Top 8 Things to Do During a Layover at Beijing Airport

 

Flight Information of the Three Terminals

It is necessary that passengers be aware of which terminal building they should go to. You can refer to the table below to learn about the distribution of airlines in Capital International Airport.

Terminal 1 (out of service)

Terminal 2: Operating Domestic & International Flights

• Arrival Hall: 1F
• Departure Hall: 2F

Domestic Airlines	Xiamen Airlines (MF), China Southern Airlines (CZ), Guangxi Beibu Gulf Air (GX), Air China (CA), Air Travel (A6), Air Guilin (GT), Sichuan Airlines (3U), Hainan Airlines (HU), China Eastern Airlines (MU), Hongkong Airlines (HX), Grand China Air (CN), Lucky Air (8L)
International Airlines	Sky Angkor Airlines (ZA), Jeju Air (7C), Mahan Air (W5), Azerbaijan Airlines (J2), NordStar Airlines (Y7), Cebu Pacific Air (5J), Delta Air Lines (DL), Korean Air (KE), Air France (AF), Uzbekistan Airways (HY), KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL), Air Astana (KC), Air Koryo (JS), PIA (PK), Garuda Indonesia (GA), SriLanka Airlines (UL), Turkmenistan Airlines (T5), Vietnam Airlines (VN), Air Algerie (AH)

Terminal 3: Operating Domestic & International Flights

• Arrival Hall: 2F of T3-C, 3F of T3-D, 3F of T3-E
• Departure Hall: 3F of T3-C, 2F of T3-E

Domestic Airlines

Juneyao Airlines (HO), Cathay Dragon (KA), China Express Air (G5), Donghai Airlines (DZ), Kunming Airlines (KY), Loong Air (GJ), Qingdao Airlines (QW), Tibet Airlines (TV), Air China (CA), Dalian Airlines (CA), Shandong Airlines (SC), Air Macau (NX), China Airlines (CI), Shenzhen Airlines (ZH)

International Airlines

Bangkok Airways (PG), ITA Airways (AZ), South African Airways (SA), S7 Airlines (S7), Air New Zealand (NZ), Cambodia Angkor Air (K6), LOT Polish Airlines (LO), Swiss International Air Lines (LX), Austrian Airlines (OS), Scandinavian Airlines (SK), Lufthansa Airlines (LH), Asiana Airlines (OZ), Air Canada (AC), United Airlines (UA), ANA (NH), Turkish Airlines (TK), Egyptair (MS), Thai Airways (TG), Singapore Airlines (SQ), Finnair (AY), Cathay Pacific Airways (CX), Japan Airlines (JL), Emirates (EK), Israel Airlines (LY), EVA Air (BR), MIAT Mongolia Airlines (OM), Ethiopian Airlines (ET), Philippine Airlines (PR)

 

Recommended Beijing Tour Packages:

• 2 Days Beijing Stopover Tour: Great Wall + Forbidden City
• 3 Days Beijing Package Tour

 

Instructions to Passengers

Time for Taking Flights

1. Check-in

Terminal	Flights	Open Time	Close Time
T2	Domestic Flights	90 minutes before taking off	30-45 minutes before taking off
	International Flights	150 minutes before taking off	40-60 minutes before taking off
T3	Domestic Flights	2 hours before taking off	45 minutes before taking off
	International Flights	3-4 hours before taking off (for most airlines)	60-75 minutes before taking off

2. Boarding

Terminal	Flights	Open Time	Close Time
T2	Domestic Flights	30 minutes before taking off	10-20 minutes before taking off
	International Flights	40-60 minutes before taking off	10-20 minutes before taking off
T3	Domestic Flights	30 minutes before taking off	10-20 minutes before taking off
	International Flights	30-45 minutes before taking off (for most airlines)	10-15 minutes before taking off

How to Take a Departure Flight at PEK?

Domestic Departures:

1. Checkin at the corresponding counter and obtain the boarding pass;
2. Check your luggage at the check-in counter if needed;
3. Go through security check;
4. Find the boarding gate and wait for your flight in the departure lounge.

International Departures:

1. Go through customs inspection and fill in a Declaration Form if you have anything to declare;
2. Checkin at the corresponding counter and obtain the boarding pass;
3. Check your luggage at the check-in counter if needed;
4. Accept inspections by the health quarantine officials;
5. Prepare your passport, visa and departure card for the frontier inspection;
6. Go through security check;
7. Find the boarding gate and wait for your flight in the departure lounge.

*If you are to leave from T3, the procedure goes like this: customs declaration → check-in → check-in luggage → security check → health quarantine → frontier inspection → customs inspection → waiting and boarding

What to Do After Landing at PEK?

Domestic Arrival:

1. Flight arrives;
2. Follow the signs to the “Luggage Claim” area to pick up your baggage;
3. Go to the Arrival Hall and leave the airport from there.

International Arrival

1. Flight arrives;
2. Accept necessary inspections by the health quarantine officials;
3. Prepare your passport, entry visa and arrival card for the frontier inspection;
4. Follow the signs to the “Luggage Claim” area to pick up your baggage;
5. Go through customs inspection and fill in a Declaration Form if you have anything to declare;
6. Go to the Arrival Hall and leave the airport from there.

How to Transit at Beijing Capital International Airport? – Transfer Guide at PEK

Domestic to Domestic

1. Upon arrival, confirm the terminal building of your connecting flight with the airport staff;
2. Handle transit formalities at the transfer counter;
3. Find the boarding gate and wait for your flight in the departure lounge.

Domestic to International

1. Upon arrival, confirm the terminal building of your connecting flight with the airport staff;
2. Go through customs inspection and fill in a Declaration Form if you have anything to declare;
3. Handle transit formalities at the transfer counter;
4. Refer to the procedure of “International Departure” to take your connecting flight

International to Domestic

1. Upon arrival, confirm the terminal building of your connecting flight with the airport staff;
2. Accept necessary inspections by the health quarantine officials;
3. Prepare your passport, entry visa and arrival card for the frontier inspection;
4. Go through customs inspection and fill in a Declaration Form if you have anything to declare;
5. Confirm the terminal building of your connecting flight with the airport staff;
6. Handle transit formalities at the transfer counter;
7. Refer to the procedure of “Domestic Departure” to take your connecting flight

International to International

1. Upon arrival, confirm the terminal building of your connecting flight with the airport staff;
2. Handle transit formalities at the transfer counter;
3. Go through necessary inspections by the health quarantine officials;
4. Pass through the channel for self-service immigration inspection;
5. Accept the security check;
6. Go through customs inspection and fill in a Declaration Form if you have anything to declare;(If you are to leave from T3, it only takes one check for both customs and security inspections.)
7. Find the boarding gate and wait for your flight in the departure lounge.

Popular Beijing Day Tours:

• Day Beijing Culture and Sightseeing Tour
• Beijing Panda and Forbidden City Day Tour

 

Transportation Between Terminals at Beijing Capital International Airport

If you need to transfer to a different terminal, there are 24-hour inter-terminal shuttle buses available at Beijing Capital International Airport to help save you time.

Boarding Points	T2: No. 7 Gate of the Arrival Floor
	T3: No. 7-9 Gate of the Arrival Floor
Service Time	06:00 – 23:00 with an interval of around 10 minutes
	23:00 – 06:00 with an interval of around 15 minutes
Routes	No. 7-9 Gate of the Arrival Floor in T3 → the Departure Floor in T2
	No. 7 Gate of the Arrival Floor in T2 → the Departure Floor in T3

Transportation Between Beijing Capital International Airport and City Center

Airport Express (Downtown – PEK)

• Route:

Beixinqiao – Dongzhimen – Sanyuanqiao – T3 – T2 (the whole ride takes about 30 minutes)

• Ticket Price: CNY 25 per person
• Service Time: (with an interval of about 10 minutes)

T3	06:22 – 22:52
T2	06:36 – 23:10
Sanyuanqiao	06:04 – 22:34 (to PEK)
	06:55 – 23:28 (to Beixinqiao)
Dongzhimen	06:00 – 22:30 (to PEK)
	07:01 – 23:34 (to Beixinqiao)
Beixinqiao	05:56 – 22: 26

• Boarding Points at PEK:

T2: B2 of the Parking Garage; T3: 2F of the Parking Garage

Airport Shuttle Bus

1. 5 Local Bus Lines Between Downtown Beijing and PEK Airport

Bus Fare:

Tiered prices include CNY 20, CNY 25, CNY 30, and CNY 55 depending on which stop you are to get off.

Boarding Points at PEK:

T2: Outside No. 11 Gate on 1F; T3: No. 1 Gate on 1F

 

• Gongzhufen Line

To PEK	Route	Gongzhufen – North Gate of Friendship Hotel – Beitaipingzhuang Bridge West – Anzhen Bridge West (North Gate of Puppet Theater) – Xibahe – PEK
	Departure Time	05:00, 06:00, 07:00, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00, 20:00
To Downtown Beijing	Route	PEK – Sanyuan West Bridge – Xibahe – Anzhen Bridge West – Madian Bridge East – Beitaipingzhuang Bridge West – Jimen Bridge West – Friendship Hotel (Sitong Bridge West) – Zizhu Bridge North – Hangtian Bridge – Gongzhufen
	Departure Time	07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 17:30, 18:00, 19:00, 20:00, 21:00, 21:30, 22:00, 23:00 * The night line departs from PEK every one hour from 00:00 till the last domestic flight lands.

• Beijing West Railway Station Line

To PEK	Route	Beijing West Railway Station (South Square) – PEK
	Departure Time	06:00, 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 17:30, 18:00, 18:30, 19:00, 20:00
To Downtown Beijing	Route	PEK – Dongzhimen North – Beijing Railway Station East – Qianmen East – Xuanwumen East – Changchun Street Intersection West – Daguanying – Beijing West Railway Station (South Square)
	Departure Time	07:30, 08:30, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:30, 18:30, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30, 22:30, 23:30 *The night line departs from PEK every one hour from 00:00 till the last domestic flight lands.

• Daxing International Airport (PKX) Line

Route	PKX – Liujiayao Bridge South – Fangzhuang Bridge East – Shuangjing Bridge North – Liangma Bridge – PEK
Service Time	To PEK: 13:30, 16:00, 18:30
	To PKX: 09:30, 12:00, 15:00

• Beijing South Railway Station Line

To PEK	Route	Beijing South Railway Station – North Entrance of Fanggu Road – Shuangjing Bridge North – Dabeiyao Bus Station – Liangma Bridge – PEK
	Departure Time	06:00, 07:30, 09:00, 10:30, 11:30, 13:00, 14:30, 15:30, 16:30, 18:00, 19:30, 20:30
To Downtown Beijing	Route	PEK – Sanyuan Bridge South – Liangma Bridge – Shuangjing Bridge North – Shuangjing Bridge South – Panjiayuan Bridge North – Shilihe Bridge North – Fangzhuang Bridge East – Fangzhuang Bridge West – Puhuangyu – Liujiayao Bridge North – Beijing South Railway Station
	Departure Time	08:00, 09:00, 10:30, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:30, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00, 20:30, 22:00

Note: The night line leaves Beijing Capital International Airport for Liujiayao Bridge North at 23:15, 00:15, and 01:15, and stops at Sanyuan Bridge South, Liangma Bridge, Guomao (Dabeiyao South), Shuangjing Bridge South, Panjiayuan Bridge North, Shilihe Bridge North, Fangzhuang Bridge West and Puhuangyu in the midway.

• Tongzhou Line

To PEK	Route	Tongzhou (Asia Pacific Garden Hotel) – Cuiping Beili – Tongzhou Beiyuan – Beiguan (Huangmuchang) – PEK
	Departure Time	06:00, 07:00, 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00
To Downtown Beijing	Route	PEK – Beiguan (Fuheyuan) – Xinhua West Street – Tongzhou Beiyuan – Cuiping Beili – Tongzhou (Asia Pacific Garden Hotel)
	Departure Time	08:30, 09:30, 11:30, 13:30, 15:30, 17:30, 18:30, 20:30, 22:30

2. Intercity Buses Between Beijing Capital International Airport and Langfang/Tianjin

Boarding Points at PEK

T2: Outside No. 15 Gate on 1F; T3: No. 11 Gate on 1F

 

• LangfangCity Terminal – PEK

Departure Time	To PEK: 05:30, 07:30, 09:30, 11:30, 13:30, 15:30, 17:30, 19:30
	From PEK: 08:30, 10:30, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30, 22:30
Duration	2.5 hours
Bus Fare	CNY 50 per person

• Tianjin East Railway Station –PEK

Departure Time	To PEK: 06:00, 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:30, 20:00
	From PEK: 06:30, 08:30, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:30, 21:00, 22:30
Duration	2.5 hours
Bus Fare	CNY 100 per person

Licensed Taxi

• Taxi Stands

T2: No. 5-9 Gate on 1F; T3: the waiting area on B1

• Taxi Fare

The flag-fall price is CNY 13 for the first 3 kilometers. Every extra kilometer costs CNY 2.3 in daytime and CNY 2.76 during 23:00~05:00. Extra fee will be charged for low-speed driving and waiting time.

Airport Bus (PEK – Shunyi District)

Bus Line	Terminals	Bus Fare (per person)
Line 1	T2 – Cherry Garden	CNY 3
Line 2	T2 – Vocational Training School	CNY 4
Line 3	T2 – TravelSky High – Tech Industrial Park	CNY 5
Line 5	T3 – West Jiangzhouying Village	CNY 8
Line 5 (Shuttle Line)	T3 – Wangquansi Residential Community	CNY 4
Line 7	T3 – Zhangzhen	CNY 10
Line 8	T3 – Longwantun	CNY 11
Line 9	T3 – Wuxiongsi	CNY 10
Line 10	T3 – Shunyi International School	CNY 3
Line 11	T3 – Cherry Garden	CNY 2
Line 13	T3 – Hualikan	CNY 3

 

How to Get to Beijing Daxing International Airport from Beijing Capital Airport

Aside from PEK Airport, there are two other airports in Beijing, namely Daxing International Airport and Nanyuan Airport. Daxing Airport is 67 kilometers away from the Capital Airport and is still in service today, but Beijing Nanyuan Airport was closed in 2019 and transferred all the flights to the airport of Daxing.

If your connecting flight takes off at Daxing Airport, taking the shuttle bus to Daxing International Airport Line from PEK is the most convenient way and you will reach the destination in around 2 hours. However, there are only 3 buses per day. If you miss the bus, an alternative approach is to take Airport Express to Sanyuanqiao, transfer to subway line 10 there, and get off at Caoqiao, where you can board Daxing Airport Express to the terminal station.

 

Accommodation around Beijing Capital International Airport

There is a great variety of accommodation choices around the Beijing Capital International Airport, ranging from economic hostels to starred hotels. Hotels like Comfort Free (康福瑞), Qiu Guo Hotel (秋果酒店), CITIC Hotel Beijing Airport (北京国都大饭店) and Voyage International Hotel (远航国际酒店) have got a bunch of great reviews and are only a few minutes’ drive from the airport.

Inside Peking Capital Airport, there are hourly hotels on the first basement floor of T2, and the second floor of T3-C and T3-E, offering single rooms, standard rooms and hourly lounges to passengers.

Recommended China tours from Beijing:

• 7 Days Beijing –Xi’an – Guilin Package Tour
• 8 Days Beijing –Xi’an – Shanghai Highlight Tour
• 11 Days Exploration Tour of Beijing –Chengdu – Xi’an – Zhangjiajie