Beijing Transportation Guide 2025 - How to Get to & Around

As the capital of China, Beijing serves as a crucial transportation hub both internationally and within the country. The two international airports in Beijing ensure very convenient flying into the city from many significant cities around the world and all provincial capitals and major cities in China. Also, it boasts a highly developed rail and road transportation infrastructure, ensuring convenient access to/from cities and regions throughout the country.

Traveling around Beijing is also very convenient and comfortable thanks to the extensive metro network, numerous bus routes, taxis, ride-sharing services, and shared bicycles within the city.

Get to Beijing by Air

Currently, Beijing has two major civil airports: Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport. Both of them are important gateways to the world, and most other cities across the country.

Depending on the airline and your location, a flight from abroad to Beijing usually takes no more than 16 hours. And most international flights will land at Beijing Capital International Airport. Daxing International Airport is newer, but it has gradually expanded its network to include more international flights from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Major cities in almost all continents can now fly to Beijing by direct or connecting flights. Both Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport have designated 144-hour visa-free entry permit application areas. International travelers can easily locate these areas upon entering the international arrivals hall.

Beijing Capital International Airport

Chinese Name: 北京首都国际机场
Location: on Airport West Road in Chaoyang District, Beijing. About25 kilometers southwest of Beijing’s city center.
ICAO airport code: ZBAA
IATA airport code: PEK
Terminal area: 1410000 m²

The main international airport connecting mainland China and Beijing to the world, Beijing Capital International Airport is the busiest civilian airport in China and Asia, and the second busiest in the world, second only to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States.

It has two control towers and three terminals —T1, T2, and T3. Terminal 1 and 2 mainly handle domestic flights, and Terminal 2 also accommodates several international airlines such as Korean Air, Aeroflot, KLM, and others. Terminal 3 primarily serves international flights and several domestic flights. There are frequent airport shuttle buses running between different terminals.

Main cities with direct international flights to/from Beijing Capital International Airport include Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Rome, Phuket, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Dubai, etc.

From Beijing Capital Airport to the city center:

Beijing Capital Airport Express Line: A subway line with stations at Beixinqiao, Dongzhimen, Sanyuanqiao, Terminal 3, and Terminal 2. The entire line passes Dongcheng, Chaoyang, and Shunyi districts in Beijing. During the route, you can transfer to other subway lines to reach any attraction within the city.
Airport Bus Service: There are dozens of airport buses running between Beijing Capital International Airport and various locations within the city, including Gongzhufen, Beijing West Railway Station, Tongzhou, Beijing South Railway Station, and Daxing Airport. The journey generally takes about 30-40 minutes and costs about CNY 15-24.
Taxi: A taxi ride from the airport to the city center generally costs CNY 100-120 in the day and takes about 50 minutes.

Beijing Daxing International Airport

Chinese Name: 北京大兴国际机场
Location: at the junction of Yufa Town and Lixian Town in Daxing District, Beijing, and Jiuzhou Town in Guangyang District, Langfang City, Hebei Province.
ICAO airport code: ZBAD
IATA airport code: PKX
Terminal area: 780000 m²

Beijing Daxing International Airport is 46 km from Beijing city center and 67 kilometers from Beijing Capital International Airport. Officially opened in 2019, the airport has four civilian runways and features modern design and advanced facilities. As a new aviation gateway for Beijing, Daxing Airport has only one terminal but boasts one of the largest single-building terminals in the world. The terminal is shaped like a phoenix spreading its wings and has 82 boarding gates. This design ensures all boarding gates are within 8-minute walking distance from any area.

For the Winter-Spring flight season of 2024, Daxing Airport operates domestic flights to 133 cities and regions, and international flights to regions across Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and North America.

From Beijing Daxing Airport to the city center:

New airport subway line: Runs daily from Daxing Airport Station to Caoqiao Station, from 6:30 AM to 10:30 PM. The journey typically takes about 20 minutes, with a regular fare of CNY 35 (about 4.4 EUR/4.8 USD). From Caoqiao Station, visitors can transfer to Subway Line 10 or Line 19 to reach the city center or other destinations.
Taxi service: Taxi services are available 24/7, taking about 60-90 minutes to reach hotels in downtown, with a fare of about 220 RMB (29 EUR/30.5 USD). Just note that the heavy traffic congestion in Beijing may increase travel time and the final taxi fare.
Airport bus: There are six airport bus lines connecting Daxing airport to the city center. Bus lines 1-5 operate from 7:30 AM to 11:00 PM, in different directions. Line 6 runs from the airport to Xuanwumen at night (from 11:30 PM to the arrival of the last flights). A one-way fare is CNY 40 per person.
Jingxiong Intercity Railway: This high-speed train will take you from Daxing Airport to Beijing West Railway Station in only 20 minutes, with a one-way fare of 30 RMB (3.8 EUR/4.2 USD) per person.

Get to Beijing by Train

As one of the central hubs of China’s high-speed rail network, Beijing is where many key rail lines, such as the Jinghu Railway, Jingjiu Railway, and Jingguang Railway intersect. Its extensive railway network allows rapid and convenient connections to/from most major cities across the country.

Beijing Railway Stations

Among the many train stations in Beijing, Beijing Railway Station, Beijing West Railway Station, Beijing South Railway Station, and Beijing North Railway Station are the four main ones. All of them offer both high-speed trains and regular trains to/from various destinations, such as Xi’an, Chengdu, Shanghai, Zhangjiajie, Guangzhou, Harbin, etc.

Beijing Railway Station: Located in the city center, it is close to Tiananmen Square. As the starting/ending point of Beijing-Shanghai and Beijing-Harbin Railways, this station mainly serves trains heading to Tangshan, Qinhuangdao, Shenyang, Dalian, Jilin, Changchun, Harbin, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Shijiazhuang, Changsha, Shanghai, etc. It also offers trains to North Korea, Mongolia, and Russia.
Beijing West Railway Station: Located at 118 Lianhuachi East Road, Fengtai District, and can be reached by subway lines 9 and 11. Mainly serves trains heading to the south and northwest regions, including Shijiazhuang, Wuhan, Changsha, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Nanning, Kunming, Hong Kong, etc.
Beijing South Railway Station: Located at 12 Chezhan Road, Yongwai Street, Fengtai District. Visitors can take subway Line 4 or Line 14 and get out from Exit D to reach the station. It mainly serves many high-speed trains to Tianjin, Jinan, Qingdao, Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, etc.
Beijing North Railway Station: Located at 1 Beibinhe Road, Xicheng District, and visitors can take subway Line 2 or Line 13 and get out from Exit A2 Northwest of Xizhimen Subway Station to reach. Mainly serves destinations such as Hohhot, Datong, Taiyuan, Zhangjiakou, Yanqing, etc.

Recommended China train tours including Beijing

Travel from Beijing to Nearby Cities or Attractions

From Beijing to Xian, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Chengdu

Both bullet trains and flights are convenient for travelers to travel from Beijing to popular travel destinations in China, such as Xian, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Hong Kong. Visitors can fly from either Beijing Capital International Airport or Beijing Daxing International Airport to these destinations in about 2-3 hours.

Bullet train times from Beijing to these destinations are as below:

Beijing to Xian: take about 4h11mins – 5h40mins.
Beijing to Shanghai: take about 4.5-6 hours
Beijing to Chengdu: take about 7.5-9.5 hours
Beiijing to Hong Kong: take about 8-11.5 hours

From Beijing to Tianjin or Tianjin Cruise Port

From Beijing to Tianjin, a high-speed train ride takes about 0.5 hours. To get to Tianjin Cruise Port, you can take a train from Beijing South Railway Station to Tanggu Railway Station in about 50 minutes, then take a bus or taxi to reach the port.

You can also join one of our Tianjin Cruise Port to Beijing Tours to enjoy a hassle-free Beijing trip with pick-up and drop-off services included.

From Beijing Airport or City Center to the Great Wall

Travelers who have a layover at Beijing Capital International Airport or Beijing Daxing International Airport can join one of our Great Wall of China Tours from Beijing. Private transfer and a professional English-speaking guide will be included to ensure you a comfortable and hassle-free experience.

Beijing tour to Mutianyu Great Wall — Mutianyu Great Wall

Main Great Wall sections, such as Badaling, Mutianyu, and Jinshanling are all located in the remote suburban areas. Currently, there are no direct buses or subway lines from both airports to these sections. If you want to travel independently, taking a taxi should be the most convenient and time-saving option. Below are distances and travel times from the two airports in Beijing to different Great Wall sections:

Capital Airport – Badaling: about 80km, about 1.5 hours’ driving
Capital Airport – Mutianyu: about 55km, about 1.5 hours’ driving
Capital Airport – Jinshanling: about 130km, about 2 hours’ driving
Daxing Airport – Badaling: about 140km, about 2.5 hour’s driving
Daxing Airport – Mutianyu: about 138km, about 2.5 hours’ driving
Daxing Airport – Jinshanling: about 230km, about 3-4 hours’ driving

From the city center

To Mutianyu: Take the 916 Express Bus to Huairou Beidajie Station, then switch to the H23 bus to reach the Great Wall.
To Badaling: Take Bus 877 or 919, train S2, or a high-speed train from Beijing North Railway Station to reach Badaling directly.

Get Around Beijing – Transportation within Beijing

Beijing boasts a highly convenient and diverse public transportation system, with various travel modes available, such as subway, bus, taxi, ride-hailing services, shared bicycles, etc.

Subway

As of August 2024, the Beijing subway system operates 27 lines, with a total length of over 830 kilometers. There are subway lines that traverse both urban and suburban areas. The extensive subway system makes it convenient to reach every corner of the city. And, considering the traffic congestion of Beijing during peak hours, the subway is recognized as the fastest and most convenient mode of transportation when traveling in Beijing.

Among all the lines, Line 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19 are regular subway lines. Batong Line, Changping Line, Daxing Line, Fangshan Line, and Yizhuang Line are subway express lines. Yanfang Line, and S1 Line are maglev lines. Capital Airport Line and Daxing Airport Line are airport express lines. And Xijiao Line is the tourist line.

Generally, the operational hours of the subway are from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM, with the train intervals ranging from 3-5 minutes. The fare varies based on the exact distance traveled, usually ranging from CNY 3-10. Visitors can buy the tickets through automatic ticket machines, service windows, or mobile apps.

Bus

Beijing boasts the most bus routs in the world. As of 2024, the bus network of Beijing has expanded to more than 2200 routes, including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), regular bus lines, express lines, sightseeing lines, night buses, and regional prefix lines. This vast network provide tourists and residents convenient options to travel around Beijing. Depending on the route and distance, most bus rides take about CNY 2-4.

Recommended tourist bus routes in Beijing:

“Beautiful Central Axis” Sightseeing Bus: This route features new vintage-style trolley cars, with both day and night tours available. It runs from Qianmen to Gulou, passing by Zhengyangmen, Yongdingmen, the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Wanning Bridge, and the Bell and Drum Towers. Please remember to make a reservation at least one day in advance.
Route 44: This route circles around Beijing’s core area, passing by many historical and cultural landmarks such as Yonghe Temple, the Ancient Observatory, Qianmen Street, Financial Street, and the Mei Lanfang Grand Theatre.
Route 107: Recommended for those who want to enjoy an authentic old Beijing experience. Passes by the Forbidden City, several hutongs, Drum Tower, and Beihai Park.
Route 5: One of the longest bus routes in Beijing, Route 5 is a convenient option for people to explore iconic sites along Beijing Central Axis, including the Bird’s Nest, Water Cube, Tiananmen Square, Deshengmen, and more.
Route 877: For your convenient visit to Badaling Great Wall. Visitors can take this route from Deshengmen Station.

Taxi and ride-hailing services

Taxis and ride-hailing services should be the most convenient options for foreigners to get around Beijing as long as you avoid potential traffic congestion during peak hours. To hail a taxi in China, you just need to raise and wave your hand anywhere when you see a taxi.

For your convenience, it’s recommended to download the English version of the DiDi app, which is similar to Uber and Lyft in the United States, and can be used to call for taxis and private cars.

The fare for Beijing taxi is CNY 13 for the initial 3 kilometers, and CNY 2.3 for each additional kilometer during the day, or CNY 3.3 when at night (11 PM to 5 AM). Note that, during peak hours, there may be traffic jams and extra charges in certain areas of the city.

Recommended Beijing City Tours:

How to Get to Popular Attractions in Beijing

Forbidden City& Tiananmen Square: Take Subway Line 1 to Tiananmen West Station or Tiananmen East Station, or Subway Line 2 to Qianmen Station. Alternatively, take Bus 1, 2, 52, 82, 120, Sightseeing Line 1, Sightseeing Line 2, Tourist Bus Line 1, Tourist Bus Line 2, or Night Bus Line 1 and get off at either Tiananmen East Station or Tiananmen West Station.
Temple of Heaven: Take subway line 5 and get off at Tiantandongmen Station, exit from A. Or take subway line 8 and get off at Tianqiao Station, exit from C. Also, you can take bus No. 6, 17, 34, 36, etc. to reach the park.
Summer Palace: Take subway Line 4 and get off at “Beigongmen” or “Xiyuan” Station, then walk about 10 minutes to reach the palace. Or, take bus No. 332, 374, T5.
Hutongs: Nanluoguxiang Hutong: take subway Line 6 or Line 8 and get off at Nanluoguxiang Station. Guozijian Street: take subway Line 2 or Line 5 and get off at Yonghe Palace Station. Yangmeizhuxiejie: take subway Line 2 and get off at Qianmen Station, then walk about 5-6 minutes.