Beijing Capital Airport and Daxing Airport Express (Subway)

The fast and mordern Airport Express Train, also known as Beijing Airport Subway Line, is the fastest way to get to central Beijing area. With only 2 stops in the downtown area, the Airport Express is rather the gateway to the city downtown than the final transportation to your hotels or attractions. One usually takes the Airport Express to the city center area first, then change to taxi, subways or public buses to get to the final destinations of hotels, attractions or other locations in the city.

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Beijing Capital Airport Express Routes, Timetable and Hours

With a lenth of 28.1km, the Airport Express which was put into operation in 2008 before the Olympic Games, links these stops including Beijing Capital International Airport's Terminal 3 (3号航站楼) and Terminal 2 (2号航站楼) with Dongzhimen (东直门 - 8km to the city center Tian'anmen Square), Sanyuanqiao (三元桥 - 9.5km to the city center Tian'anmen Square)and and Beixinqiao Station (北新桥 - 6.4km to ian'anmen Square) in Beijing downtown, and allows passengers to transfer from the Capital Airport to downtown area within 30 minutes. The cost is only CNY 25 which is much cheaper than taxi. The timetables of the Airport Express are quite frequent.

The Express Train has two directions. The trains heading for Capital International Airport will depart from Beixinqiao Station, Dongzhimen Station, Sanyuanqiao Station, T2 to T3, while the trains heading for Beixinqiao Station run the opposite. The trains depart every 10 minutes.

Beijing Capital International Airport Express (Subway)

From Capital Airport to Downtown

Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 3 (3号航站楼) – Terminal 2 (2号航站楼) – Sanyuanqiao (三元桥) - Dongzhimen (东直门) - Beixinqiao (北新桥)

From Downtown to Capital Airport

Beixinqiao (北新桥) - Dongzhimen (东直门) – Sanyuanqiao (三元桥) – Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 3 (3号航站楼) – Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 2 (2号航站楼)

Notice: For real-time information, please check the official website.

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Where to Take Express Train from Beijing Capital Airport

Passengers can go to take Airport Express trains at Terminal 3 and Terminal 2 of Beijing Capital International Airport, Sanyuanqiao Subway Station and Dongzhimen Subway Station.

Terminal 3

B2 of Parking Garage No. 2

Terminal 2

B2 of Parking Garage No. 3

Sanyuanqiao Subway Station

Address: Sanyuan Bridge, Chaoyang, China, 100105

Sanyuanqiao Station is on the northeastern 3rd Ring Road, about 9.5km to the city center Tian'anmen Square. Passengers can change to subway Line 10 from Express train here.

Dongzhimen Subway Station

Address: Dongzhimen, Dongcheng, Beijing, China, 100006

Dongzhimen Station is located on the northeastern 2nd Ring Road, about 8km to the city center Tian'anmen Square, 700m to Dongzhimen Long-distance Bus Station. Passengers can change to subway Line 2 and Line 13 from Express train here.

Beixinqiao Subway Station

Address: Dongzhimen Inner Street, Dongcheng, Beijing, China, 100007

Beixinqiao Station is on the northeastern 2nd Ring Road, about 6.5km to the city center Tian'anmen Square. Passengers can change to subway Line 5 and Inner 2 from Express train here.

How and Where to Buy Beijing Capital Airport Express Ticket

Passengers can purchase Beijing Capital Airport Express ticket from the ticket offices in each station, usually near to the ticket checking gate. The ticket offices only accept Chinese cash, Alipay and Wechat Pay. You can also purchase ticket on the Ticket Vending Machines in the stations. The ticket machines only accept Chinese paper cash of ￥10 and ￥20, and Chinese coins of ￥1. English service is available on the machines.

The Airport Train ticket is a card with route map on the backside. You should keep the paper ticket all the time because it will be reclaimed when you exist from the train station.

How to Take Airport Express Train from Beijing Capital Airport

The flows of taking the Airport Express is simple and quick. Once you exiting the airport arrival halls, or stepping into Sanyuanqiao, Dongzhimen or Beixinqiao, you will find clear signs with both Chinese and English. Just follow the signs to find the ticket office, safety check-in, elevators and waiting hall.

1. Follow the signs to find the gate to the Express Train;

2. Purchase trian ticket from the ticket office or Ticket Vending Machines;

3. Take elevator or walk along stairs to find the Waiting Hall;

4. Board the Aiport Express train;

5. Exit from the station or change to other subway lines.

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Beijing Daxing Airport Express Routes, Timetable and Hours

There are 6 local shuttle bus (expres) lines connecting Daxing Airport to Beijing City center, and you can take one bus every 30 minutes during the day time usually. The price is ¥40 (around $5.5).

Note: The information above are listed only for your reference. For real-time information, please check the official website.

Subway from Beijing Daxing Airport to Downtown

It is available to get to Beijing downtown from Beijing Daxing International Airport, but you need to transfer several times. You need to take Daxing Airport Line from Daxing Airport Station (大兴机场站) to Caoqiao Station (草桥站) after 2 stopover stations), Line 10 to Jiaomen West Station (角门西站) after 1 stopover station, Line 4 to Xuanwumen Station (宣武门站) after 5 stopover stations, and then Line 2 to Qianmen Station (前门站). Get out the station via E2 exit. Then, you will walk about 700 meters to Tiananmen Square, adjacent to Forbidden City.

High Speed Train from Beijing Daxing Airport to Downtown

Daxing International Airport is the second stop of Beijing-Xiong'an Intercity Railway. This high-speed railway starts from Beijing West Railway Station, goes southward to Daxing International Airport with a scheduled speed of 250km/h, and keeps running to Xiong'an via Bazhou City. The price of Beijing-Xiong'an Intercity Railway ranges from ¥30 (about $4) to ¥90 (about $13).

Generally, there are 9 daily high speed trains running from Beijing Daxing Airport to Beijing West Railway Station, with a duration of 21 minutes. The earliest train departs at around 07:30 and the last train departs around 17:20. As you reach Beijing West Railway Station, you can easily travel around by metro, taxi or bus. To get to Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City (about 8 km away from Beijing West Railway Station), you can take metro Line 7 (Universal Studio Line) at Beijing West Railway Station, then transfer to Line 8 (Zhuxinzhuang Line 朱辛庄) at Zhushikou Station (珠市口) and get off at Qianmen Station.

How and Where to Buy Beijing Daxing Airport Express Ticket

The shuttle bus station is in the west of the first floor of Terminal. Just follow the sign and you'll easily find the station where you can find Ticket Vending Machines to buy tickets and it only accepts Wechat Pay. If you want to take a train or a subway, you can go to B1 of the Terminal. Just follow the sign and you can find the entrances.

How to Plan Your Travel in Beijing

To explore Beijing'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.

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