2024 Beijing Transportation Guide | How to get to & around Beijing
Beijing, China's historic and modern capital, is a must-visit destination for any traveler exploring this country. It is often the first or last stop on most itineraries, thanks to its excellent connections with both domestic and international cities. This guide provides essential information on the main transportation options to and from Beijing, including international flights, domestic flights, high-speed trains, and recommended routes from popular connecting cities. Additionally, we offer tips on how to navigate the city's transport network to reach top attractions, including the main sections of the Great Wall.
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| Transportation Options to Get to Beijing | How to Travel to Beijing from Popular Cities |
| Transportation Options for Getting Around Beijing | How to Get to Beijing's Major Attractions |
Transportation Options to Get to Beijing - Flights & High-Speed Trains
Flights to Beijing
As the capital of China, Beijing is the busiest city serving international flights to major cities in almost all continents (except sub-Saharan Africa and sub-USA American), and domestic flights to every provincial capital and major cities in China. Beijing Capital Airport and Beijing Daxing Airport have served over 160 domestic and international/regional routes which connected 136 cities. >> Learn More about Flights to Beijing
✈ International Flights to Beijing
Passengers can fly to Beijing normally within 1 day by nonstop/connecting flights, departing from international/regional cities, such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, Washington, Vancouver, London, Manchester, Sydney, Melbourne, Moscow, Amsterdam, Auckland, Paris, Rome, Milan, Madrid, Frankfurt, Prague, Zurich, Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Jeju, Bangkok, Bali, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Cairo, New Delhi, Doha, Hong Kong, Macao, Taipei, etc. Beijing Capital International Airport has set up 144-Hour Visa-free counters in Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, where the international or regional flights will land. >> Learn More about International Flights to Beijing
✈ Domestic Flights to Beijing
Besides the international flights from all over the world, there are also multiple domestic flights in Beijing opening to the visitors who come from/head to the other mainland cities in China including Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan, Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Guilin, Guiyang, Zhangjiajie, Huangshan, Lhasa, etc. Most of the direct flights take about 2 to 4 hours, and the flight route covers all the provincial cities in China.
Our Customers Visiting Beijing (July, 2019)
Click to Enlarge Flights to Beijing
Beijing Airports
✈ Beijing Capital International Airport (北京首都国际机场 IATA: PEK)
• Address: Jichang West Rd, Chaoyang District, Beijing 北京朝阳区机场西路
Located in the northeast of Beijing, Beijing Capital Airport is about 25 km away from Tiananmen Square, the center of Beijing, and it takes at least 100 CNY to the downtown by taxi. As one of the largest and busiest international airport in the world, it serves numerous international/regional flights which connect China with almost every continent of the world. There are also lots of domestic flights from/to every provincial capital city and other major cities in China. There are three Terminals, namely the Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Terminal 3. Terminal 1 is for domestic flights of China Southern Airlines Company only; Terminal 2 serves for China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Hainan Airlines (international flights) foreign airlines of SkyTeam, etc; and Terminal 3 is usually for China Air, Sichuan Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, and foreign airlines of Star Alliance and One World Alliance…
☛ Beijing Capital Airport Layover and Transit Visa Guide
☛ How to Transfer from Beijing Airports to Beijing Downtown
☛ Beijing Capital International Airport Express (Subway)
☛ Beijing Capital International Airport Shuttle Bus Lines & Timetables
✈ Beijing Daxing International Airport (北京大兴国际机场 IATA: PKX)
• Address: Daxing District, Beijing & Guangyang District, Langfang City, Hebei北京市大兴区礼贤镇、榆垡镇及廊坊 市广阳区交汇处
Beijing Daxing International Airport is Beijing’s second international airport. It’s much big in scale and highly advanced in techniques. It is linked with northern China’s other modes of transportation, such as high speed rail, highway, subway, etc. Beijing Daxing International Airport has only 1 terminal - Terminal 1 which has 4 floors. The first floor serves for international arrival; the second floor serves for domestic arrival; the third floor is for domestic departure; the fourth floor serves for international departures. There are 82 boarding gates, but it takes less than 8 minutes for passengers to get to each boarding gate by walking from the departure hall. It also receives many international/regional flights which connect China with almost every continent of the world, as well as domestic flights from many capital cities and some other big cities, including, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Chengdu, Chongqing, etc.
Forbidden City (2018)
Beijing Daxing International Airport Location Map
Mutianyu Great Wall (2019)
High Speed Trains to Beijing
In Beijing City, there are four railway stations offering thousands of rail lines connecting to other cities in China, and they are Beijing Railway Station, Beijing West Railway Station, Beijing South Railway Station and Beijing North Railway Station. You can take the high-speed train traveling to other popular China destinations, like Xian, Shanghai, Harbin, Guangzhou and even Tibet from Beijing by train.
☛ Read More About Trains to / from Beijing
Beijing High Speed Bullet Train
The capital Beijing has been connected to numerous cities in many areas in China, including a lot of popular tourist destinations - Xian, Shanghai, Luoyang, Qingdao, Harbin, etc. You can conveniently take the fast and comfortable high speed trains to these cities, or get to Beijing from these cities. >> More details about High Speed Trains to/from Beijing.
Recommended Beijing High Speed Bullet Train Tour
☛ 7 Days Shanghai & Beijing Essential Tour
High-Speed Train in China (2018)
Click to Enlarge High Speed Trains to Beijing
Beijing Railway Stations
Beijing, the great capital of China, mainly has five railway stations running for the passengers, Beijing South Railway Station (the largest and uppermost high speed train station operating 383 G & C trains), Beijing West Railway Station (the second high speed train station running 191 G & D trains ), Beijing Railway Station (handling 48 D trains), Changping North Railway Station (departing 10 normal trains) and Beijing East Railway Station (freight train station with few subsidiary normal trains) are included. Currently, the former three in downtown Beijing are frequently used for high speed train travels while the latter two are slow trains and specialized short-distance tourist trains.>> More details about Beijing Railway Stations.
Beijing South Railway Station (北京南站 Pinyin: běi jīng nán zhàn)
• Location: No.12, Yongwai Avenue, Fengtai District, South Beijing 北京市丰台区永外大街12号
Beijing West Railway Station (北京西站 Pinyin: běi jīng xī zhàn)
• Location: No.118, East Lianhuachi Road, Fengtai District, Western Beijing 北京市丰台区莲花池东路118号
Beijing Railway Station (北京站 Pinyin: běi jīng zhàn）
• Location: No.13, Maojiawan Hutong Jia, Dongcheng District, Southeast Beijing 北京市东城区毛家湾胡同甲13号
Beijing East Railway Station (北京东站 Pinyin: běi jīng dōng zhàn)
• Location: No. 27, Baiziwan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 北京市朝阳区百子湾路7号
Changping North Railway Station (昌平北站 Pinyin: chāng píng běi zhàn)
• Location: North Ring Road, Changping District, North Suburb of Beijing 北京市昌平区北环路
Beijing Railway Stations on Beijing Map
High Speed Bullet Train Schedules
- Shanghai to Beijing
- Hong Kong to Beijing
- Xian to Beijing
- Guangzhou to Beijing
- Wuhan to Beijing
- Harbin to Beijing
- Chengdu to Beijing
- Chongqing to Beijing
- Lhasa to Beijing
- Guilin to Beijing
- Zhangjiajie to Beijing
- Huangshan to Beijing
- Kuming to Beijing
- Hangzhou to Beijing
- Suzhou to Beijing
- Nanjing to Beijing
- Changsha to Beijing
- Shenzhen to Beijing
- Guiyang to Beijing
- Xiamen to Beijing
- Datong to Beijing
- Pingyao to Beijing
- Tianjin to Beijing
- Qingdao to Beijing
- Dalian to Beijing
- Dandong to Beijing
- Hefei to Beijing
- Chengde to Beijing
- Zhengzhou to Beijing
- Yichang to Beijing
- Nanchang to Beijing
- Urumqi to Beijing
- Lanzhou to Beijing
- Shenyang to Beijing
- Xining to Beijing
How to Travel to Beijing from Popular Cities
Most travelers don't just visit Beijing during their trips to China, as there are many other beautiful destinations to explore. Fortunately, it's easy to connect Beijing with other major cities. If Beijing is your final stop, it's simple to reach the city after visiting popular destinations like Hong Kong, Shanghai, Xi'an, Guilin, Zhangjiajie, Chengdu, and more.
How to Get to Beijing from Hong Kong
Hong Kong, with its extensive connections to international cities, is an excellent starting point for exploring China. You can travel to Beijing from Hong Kong by either nonstop flight or high-speed train. There are more than 20 daily nonstop flights from Hong Kong International Airport to Beijing Capital Airport and Beijing Daxing Airport, with a flight time of approximately 3 hours. Alternatively, 2 daily high-speed trains depart from Hong Kong West Kowloon Terminus to Beijing West Railway Station, with a journey time of around 8 hours. Check detailed Hong Kong to Beijing travel information >>.
Hong Kong to Beijing Transfer Map
How to Get to Beijing from Shanghai
If you're planning an extended tour of China, we recommend starting and ending your trip in Beijing and Shanghai, as both cities are well-connected with convenient transportation options to domestic and international destinations. However, if you're short on time, traveling between Shanghai and Beijing is still a great option. Both flights and high-speed trains are available, but high-speed trains are highly recommended. The railway stations are centrally located, and the check-in process is quicker than at airports. There are over 40 daily high-speed trains from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station and Shanghai Railway Station to Beijing South Railway Station, with a travel time of 4.5 to 6 hours. Flights are also frequent, with over 30 daily departures, and the flight time is approximately 2 hours. Check detailed Shanghai to Beijing travel information >>
Shanghai to Beijing Transfer Map
How to Get to Beijing from Xian
Many travelers choose the Xian-Beijing route to explore the world-famous Terracotta Warriors, the Great Wall, and the Forbidden City in one trip. If you're planning to travel from Xi'an to Beijing, taking a high-speed train is the best option. There are about 20 daily high-speed trains running from Xi'an North Railway Station to Beijing West Railway Station, with a travel time of just 4 to 6.5 hours. While flights are also frequent, they are less convenient due to the airport's distance from the city center. There are over 30 nonstop flights, with a flight time of approximately 2 hours. Check detailed Xian to Beijing travel information >>
Xian to Beijing Transfer Map
How to Get to Beijing from Guilin
Guilin is a popular tourist destination, renowned for its stunning karst landscape. You can easily travel between Guilin and Beijing by both flight and high-speed train. Guilin Liangjiang International Airport offers more than 10 nonstop flights to Beijing Daxing Airport and Beijing Capital Airport, with a flight duration of around 3 hours. For those preferring the train, high-speed services are also available, though they take longer. Guilin Railway Station operates 2 daily high-speed trains to Beijing West Railway Station, with a journey time of about 10 hours. Check detailed Guilin to Beijing travel information >>
Guilin to Beijing Transfer Map
How to Get to Beijing from Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie, famous for inspiring the movie *Avatar*, and Beijing, the capital of China, are two of the country's most popular tourist destinations, showcasing the natural beauty and cultural heritage of China. Due to the long distance, flying is the most efficient way to travel between the two cities. There are typically 2 daily direct flights from Zhangjiajie to Beijing: one nonstop flight, taking just 2.5 hours, and one with a stopover, which takes around 4.5 hours. However, flight schedules can be more variable than train services. In addition, there is 1 daily high-speed train from Zhangjiajie to Beijing, with a journey time of 11 hours. Check detailed Zhangjiajie to Beijing travel information >>
Zhangjiajie to Beijing Transfer Map
Transportation Options for Getting Around Beijing
By Subway
Beijing has the largest network of subway which consists of 17 lines and an airport express. You can get to most famous attractions (Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace...), shopping malls, and train stations conveniently by subway. Taking subway is very recommended for catching trains to other destinations to avoid traffic jam - Beijing Railway Station(Line 2), Beijing South Railway Station(Line 4), Beijing West Railway Station(Line 9), Beijing North Railway Station(Line 2,4 and 13)
By Bus
By the end of 2016, there are over 29515 operating vehicles and over 1000 bus lines in Beijing, and the bus network covers most of the scenic spots in both urban and outskirt areas. Beijing buses mainly consist of BRT buses, suburban buses, tourist buses, long distance buses, and sightseeing buses. In addition to daytime buses, there are more than 38 nighttime buses running from 23:00pm to 4:30am in Beijing City area.
By Taxi
In the Beijing city area, taking a taxi is quite easy. However, if you plan to visit the different sections of the Great Wall, which are located further from the city, taxi fares can become quite expensive. Typically, the fare starts at CNY 13 for the first 3 kilometers within a 15 km radius. For distances over 15 km, an additional CNY 3.45 per kilometer is charged. Taxi fares also vary depending on the type of vehicle (e.g., petrol or electric car) and the time of day (day or night).
Beijing Subway Map
How to Get to Beijing's Main Attractions
How to Get to Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
Forbidden City is rightly located at the center of Beijing City, very close to Tiananmen Square. You could easily find it and get there by taxi, subway, bus, bicycle, etc. If you go there by subway, you could take the metro line 1 to get off at Tiananmen East Stop (天安门东), and walk about 1 kilometer to Forbidden City. You can also get to Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square from the airports directly.
How to Get to Temple of Heaven
The visit of Temple of Heaven takes about 1~2 hours, so it is usually recommended to tour with other sites in Beijing city, such as the Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City. Subway and public buses are also available for independent travelers. You can take subway Line 5 to Tiantan Dongmen Station which is only several minutes’ walking away from the East Gate of Temple of Heaven.
How to Get to Summer Palace
Located in the northwest outskirts of Beijing, Summer Palace used to be the royal park where the emperors of China dwelt during Summer. As a famous scenic site, summer palace is surrounded by multiple bus stops around its 4 entrances. Besides multiple buses, you can also take the metro line 4 and get off at Palace Gate Station to the Summer Palace. You can easily get there and transfer to other attractions such as Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven. >> Learn More about Getting to Summer Palace
How to Get to Beijing Hutongs
Many visitors in Beijing will ask: “Where is Beijing Hutong?” Actually, there are hundreds of them interlaced in Beijing. They are alleys lined with traditional Chinese quadrangle courtyards where Beijing people live. Among them, the most famous hutongs are Nanluoguxiang (南锣鼓巷), Yandaixie Street (烟袋斜街) and Bell & Drum Towers Hutongs (钟鼓楼胡同). To get to their surrounding area, you can take subway Line 2 to Guloudajie Station (鼓楼大街站) or Line 6 to Nanluoguxiang Station (南锣鼓巷站).
How to Get to Olympic Park
Though Beijing Olympic Park is a little far from downtown, the complete transportation network of Beijing City still can take you there on a subway or bus. You can take subway Line 8 or Line 15 and get off at Olympic Green Station (奥林匹克公园站) or get to Guojia Tiyuchang Dong Station (国家体育场东站) / Guojia Tiyuguan Station (国家体育馆站)by bus 82, 419, 538, 81, 82, 86, 510, 607 or Special Line 13 or 15, etc.
Recommended Beijing City Tour
☛ 2 Days Beijing Layover Highlights Tour
Forbidden City (June, 2018)
Tiananmen Square (2018)
Summer Palace (2018)
Bird's Nest (2019)
How to Get to Great Wall
Top recommended sections of Great Wall in Beijing suburb include Mutianyu Great Wall, Badaling Great Wall, Jinshanliang Great Wall, Huanghacheng Great Wall, Juyongguan Great Wall, Simatai Great Wall and Gubeikou Great Wall, etc. It is available to get to these sections of directly from Beijing.
Some travelers will start their journey to Great Wall as soon as they reach Beijing while others prefer a good rest in the hotel in Beijing City and then start a journey to their favorite Great Wall. Those travelers who want to make full use of their tour time will travel to to Great Wall from Beijing airports and railway stations directly. Check the different transfer from Beijing airports, Beijing South Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station to Great Wall.
Besides getting to the great wall from Beijing city or the major transportation hubs, you can always choose to visit them from one section to another one, especially for the walls which are closed to each other. The followings are popular transferring ways between different Great Wall sections.
Recommended Great Wall Tour
☛ 4 Days Beijing Essence Tour with Simatai Great Wall Night Sightseeing
☛ 2 Days Jinshanling and Simatai Great Wall Scenic Hiking
☛ 2 Days Mutianyu & Huanghuacheng Lakeside Great Walls Hiking Tour
Get from Beijing City to Different Sections of Great Wall
Mutianyu Great Wall (2019)
Huanghuacheng Great Wall (2018)
How to Plan Your Travel in Beijing
To explore Beijin's highlights, such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall (with Mutianyu as the top recommendation), the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, and the Beijing Hutongs - plan for about 4 days, including arrival and departure.
☛ 4 Days Classic Beijing Tour Package
☛ 3 Days Beijing Essential Highlights Tour
If you have extra days, consider hiking the scenic Jinshanling Great Wall, enjoying the stunning night views of Simatai Great Wall, or visiting other sections like Huanghuacheng, Gubeikou, and Juyongguan.
☛ 4 Days Beijing Essence Tour with Simatai Great Wall Night Sightseeing
☛ 4 Days Classic Beijing Tour with Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking
Families with children should not miss Universal Beijing Resort, while museum enthusiasts should visit the National Museum of China, home to the nation's most valuable treasures.
☛ 5 Days Beijing Family-friendly Tour with Universal Studios Fun
☛ 5 Days In-depth Beijing Tour with History and Culture Discovery
As a major transportation hub, Beijing offers easy access to other top destinations in China by flight or train, such as Xi'an, Shanghai, Guilin, Chengdu, and Tibet. China Discovery provides a variety of tour packages from Beijing, or we can customize an itinerary to suit your preferences.
Recommended Beijing Tours with Other Top Cities in China:
☛ 6 Days Classic Beijing Xian High-speed Train Tour
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☛ 10 Days Classic China Tour from Beijing (Beijing - Xian - Guilin - Shanghai)
We have helped many global travelers enjoy their memorable wonderful trips to Beijing for the past few years. Among them, a special team of over 50 VIPKID teachers from North America traveled with us to see their dear studends in China with amazing experience in Beijing and shared us their special travel story! Travel with China Discovery to create your great China trip memories!
Top China Recommended Destinations
Keep Reading on Getting to Beijing
- Beijing Transportation
- Beijing Trains
- Flights to Beijing
- Travel from Hong Kong to Beijing
- Travel from Guilin to Beijing
- Travel from Guangzhou to Beijing
- Travel from Chengdu to Beijing
- Travel from Tianjin to Beijing
- Travel from Beijing to Harbin
- Travel from Zhangjiajie to Beijing
- Travel from Chongqing to Beijing
- Travel from Shenzhen to Beijing
- Travel from Hangzhou to Beijing
- International Flights to Beijing
- Beijing Daxing Airport
How to Get Around Beijing
- How to Get to Great Wall
- Get from Beijing to Great Wall
- Airport to Forbidden City
- Airport to Beijing Downtown
- Beijing Airport Layover
- Beijing Capital Airport Express
- Beijing Capital Airport Shuttles
- Beijing Airport to Great Wall
- Beijing Subyway Map
Top Beijing Tours & Travel Guide
- Popular Beijing Tours
- Great Wall Hiking Tours
- Forbidden City Tours
- Beijing Visa Free Tours
- Beijing Layover Tours
- Tpo 6 Beijing Vacations
- Beijing Family Tours
- Beijing Travel Guide
- Beijing Travel Articles
- Great Wall Trip Planning Guide
- How to Plan a Beijing Trip
- Things to do in Beijing
- Top Experiences Recommended by LP
- Featured Activities in Beijing
- How to Get to & around Beijing
- Weather & Seasons in Beijing
- Beijing Maps
- Beijing 144/24 Hour Visa Free
- Recommended Hotels in Beijing
- Beijing Photo Gallery
- Top Beijing Food and Snacks
- Beijing Shopping
- Beijing Nightlife
- Beijing FAQs & Tips
Recommended Beijing Tours
Top 3 Beijing tours chosen by most customers to explore Beijing in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.
8 Days Best of China Tour (Flight/Bullet Train Covered)
Beijing / Xian / Shanghai
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