If you are to have a layover at Beijing Capital International Airport (Beijing Shoudu Airport) or Beijing Daxing International Airport, it is highly recommended you make the most of the time to embark on a memorable trip to Beijing City. In this article, we list the top 8 things to do during a layover at Beijing airport. But before you set out, there are 3 common questions that you need to get clear about.
Do I Need a China Visa for a Layover at Beijing Airport?
Today, both Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport are implementing 24-hour direct transit and 144-hour visa-free transit policy, enabling eligible foreign passengers to transit in Beijing without a China tourist visa. All you need to do is apply for a temporary entry permit in the dedicated area with your passport, an application card, and an interline flight ticket to a 3rd country or region with a fixed departure date and seat.
Learn more information on: 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit in Beijing
Can I Leave Beijing Airport for a Visit During My Layover?
If you are qualified for either of the mentioned visa-free policies, you can leave Beijing airport after you get the temporary entry permit for a sightseeing trip for up to 6 days to famous Great Wall sections and major attractions in downtown area. But make sure you return to Beijing airport at least 2 hours before the departure time of your onward flight, so you will have sufficient time for check-in.
Note:
The customs inspection at Beijing airport usually takes around 1.5 hours and a round-trip journey between the city center and Beijing airport may require 2-3 hours in general. If there are only a few hours left after deducting the time spent at the airport and on the road, it is advised you stay at the airport during the layover.
There are many ways to kill time at Beijing airport. You may do shopping at the duty-free shops, pick some characteristic commodities at the souvenir stores, have some meals at a restaurant in Beijing airport, or sit down in a café to recharge yourself.
How Can I Get to Downtown Area from Beijing Airport?
- From Beijing Capital International Airport:
- By Airport Express: Board the train at B2 of Terminal 2 or F2 of the Parking Garage of Terminal 3 to reach Dongzhimen Station in about 30 minutes, where you can transfer to Subway Line 2 to the city center;
- By Airport Shuttle Bus: Tourists are suggested to take Beijing West Railway Station Line or Beijing South Railway Station Line to the terminal, which will take about 1 hour on the way. Upon arrival, it is convenient to get to the downtown area by subway from either railway station.
- From Beijing Daxing International Airport:
It is recommended visitors take the shuttle bus Beijing Railway Station Line near Gate No. 20 to the terminal. The bus ride takes around 1.5 hours. And then transfer to Subway Line 2 at Beijing Railway Station to reach the city center.
What to Do for the Layover Tour from Beijing Airport
1. Embark on a Half-Day Great Wall Hiking Tour
You should never miss the chance to set foot on this ancient architectural wonder during your Beijing airport layover tour. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Great Wall of China has attracted numerous foreign visitors with its majestic scenes. There are many famous Great Wall sections around the suburb area of Beijing City. Each has its own characteristics that will meet visitors’ different interests. For example:
Well-restored Great Wall sections such as Badaling and Mutianyu are strongly recommended for families and first-timers, as the path on the wall is relatively gentle and there are various facilities such as cable car and slideway to make the hiking tour much easier.
Visitors with good physical strength may choose some difficult sections, like Jinshanling and Simatai. Less renovated, both sections enjoy high popularity among experienced hikers because of the steep slope and primitive scenery.
Popular Great Wall Hiking Tours in Beijing:
2. Explore Forbidden City – the World’s Largest Imperial Palace
The Forbidden City, located at the very heart of the city of Beijing, is the best place for you to delve into the imperial history of the city during this layover tour. It was once the royal palace for 24 emperors and their families during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). It is the largest and best-preserved ancient wooden complex in the world, housing more than 70 splendid halls and over 8,000 rooms.
The Forbidden City is also known as the Palace Museum of a great many imperial architectures and articles. During the trip, you will admire magnificent halls built of golden glaze-tiled roofs, crimson walls and gilded colored paintings, stop by elegant courtyards of concubines and the elaborately-designed Imperial Garden, and appreciate a large collection of imperial artifacts, including jewelry, gold and silver wares, jade, embroideries…
3. Have a Relaxing Time in the Summer Palace
The Summer Palace is a great destination for leisure enjoyment during your Beijing airport layover tour. It was a graceful resort built for the imperial family during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), spreading across over 290 acres. Modelled on the West Lake in Hangzhou, it is the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China, perfectly combining elegant architecture with the tranquil Kunming Lake and the verdant Longevity Hill.
There are many ways to enjoy yourself at the Summer Palace. You may climb up Longevity Hill to admire some Tibetan Buddhist architecture and take a bird’s-eye-view of the whole garden, or stroll around Kunming Lake and stop by a few exquisite pavilions and halls. Taking a boat ride on Kunming Lake is a must-do, which enables you to take in the scenery in a more leisurely way.
4. Delve into Ancient Chinese Ideology at the Temple of Heaven
As the site for emperors to hold national sacrificial ceremonies, the Temple of Heaven was arguably the most sacred place during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The overall layout and distinctive architectures there all reflect traditional cultural concepts of China and ancient people’s understandings of the Heaven and the Earth.
Besides intricate buildings, there are also displays introducing the evolution of Chinese worshipping ceremonies. You are able to learn about the specific process of the traditional sacrificial ritual and see a variety of utensils and instruments used in the ceremonies.
5. Visit Hutongs to Experience the Culture of Old Beijing
Crisscrossing hutongs flanked by quaint courtyards are not just passengers, but also the living quarter for ordinary people in Beijing. Wandering along the alleys is like walking into a living folk museum with every single brick and tile existing for hundreds of years. And it also offers a chance for tourists to have a glimpse of local people’s life.
Today, some famous hutongs, such as South Gong and Drum Lane (Nanluoguxiang), Dashilar and Qianmen Street, have been converted to prosperous pedestrian streets for shopping and dining. Shichahai Area is another popular destination for hutong tours, which is lined up with a great variety of restaurants, food stalls, bars and handicraft shops. Besides, you are able to have a special hutong exploration there by taking a rickshaw, which used to be the main transportation means in Beijing in old times.
Popular Beijing Day Tours:
5. Try Local Foods at Wangfujing Snack Street
Food lovers could never miss the Wangfujing Snack Street during their layover tour from Beijing airport. The street is filled with food stalls serving a wide array of authentic traditional Beijing cuisines, including noodles in black bean sauce, stewed liver, douzhir (fermented soybean milk) and quick-fired tripe, as well as snacks like Tanghulu (candied fruit skewers) and roasted chestnuts.
Apart from delicious foods, Wangfujing Snack Street is also a great destination to feel the traditional culture of Beijing City. While strolling around, you may encounter some buskers performing traditional Beijing folk arts, such as sugar painting and dough figures making. There are also a few handicraft stalls for you to pick some characteristic souvenirs.
6. Feast Yourself with Roasted Duck & Mutton Hotpot
Speaking of China food tours in Beijing, roasted duck and mutton hotpot must be mentioned, both with high reputation all over the world.
As a royal court dish, Beijing roasted duck uses fruit tree branches as firewood to lend more flavor to the meat. And the time and temperature are well controlled, so it can get the special taste mixing the crispy skin with the tender and juicy duck meat. Here, we recommend the time-honored Quan Ju De (全聚德) and the emerging Da Dong (大董烤鸭), two of the most famous Peking duck restaurants for you. The two brands are popular among locals and have many branches in downtown area.
The instant-boiled mutton hotpot is another traditional Beijing cuisine whose origin can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Tender mutton is served in slices. Dinners use chopsticks to pick up a slice of meat, boil it in the steaming broth for a few seconds, and then take it out and dip it in the specially-made sauce to get the perfect taste. Dong Lai Shun (东来顺), You Yi Hao (又一號) and Nan Men Hotpot (南门涮肉) are all popular brands for you to savor the authentic mutton hotpot.
7. Go Shopping at Traditional Markets in Beijing
Before returning to Beijing airport, you might want to hang out to buy something as a souvenir of this short but unforgettable China tour. Then the Panjiayuan Antique Market and Silk Street should be your destinations. Panjiayuan is the largest antique fair in China with over 3,000 stalls selling a great variety of artifacts, including jewelry, jade, furniture, old books, calligraphy and paintings, porcelains… Silk Street, as its name indicates, is arguably the shopping paradise to purchase clothes, silk fabrics, shoes, bags, and Chinese-style handicrafts.
