Get from A to B

Beijing's metro is the easiest way around: 29 lines and 523 stations (plus suburban line S2), fares by distance from CNY 3, and you can simply tap an overseas Visa, Mastercard, JCB or American Express card at the gate. Every station has a bag and body security check. Buses (over 1,500 routes, 5:00-23:00 plus night lines) are cheap but Chinese-only; taxis are metered and cheap by European standards, and Didi (English interface) is the usual way to get a car. Both airports have express rail links: the Capital Airport Express (flat CNY 25) and the Daxing Airport Express (up to CNY 35, 19 minutes to Caoqiao).

Lines and services

• MetroBeijing Subway (北京地铁)

  29 lines, 523 stations. Lines most useful to visitors: Line 1 (Xidan, Tiananmen Square, Palace Museum, Wangfujing), Line 2 loop (Beijing North Railway Station, Gulou, Lama Temple, Qianmen/Dashilan), Line 4 (Summer Palace, Peking University, Zoo, Beijing South Railway Station), Line 5 (Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple), Line 6 (Nanluoguxiang), Line 8 (Bird's Nest, Water Cube, Olympic Green), Line 15 (Olympic Park). Security check at every entrance. No eating or drinking on board (babies and ill people excepted).

  About 5:00-23:00; each line differs, check station notices

• TrainCapital Airport Express (首都机场线)

  Dongzhimen - Sanyuanqiao - T3 - T2. Flat fare CNY 25 (unchanged since 2008). About 21 min T2-Dongzhimen, 30 min T3-Dongzhimen, every 10 min. Station at T2: B2 of Parking Garage 2; at T3: 2F of Parking Garage 3.

  From T3 06:22-22:52, from T2 06:36-23:10, from Dongzhimen 06:00-22:30 (Visit Beijing page, undated - check before travel)

• TrainDaxing Airport Express (大兴机场线)

  Caoqiao - Daxing Xincheng - Daxing Airport, 19 min Caoqiao to airport, up to 160 km/h. Ordinary fare max CNY 35, business class CNY 50; CNY 10 for the short hop to Daxing Xincheng.

  First train from Caoqiao 05:30 (moved earlier permanently, 2026); last train not verified

• BusCity buses (北京公交)

  Over 1,500 routes; stops show names in Chinese and pinyin. CNY 2 up to 10 km, +1 per extra 5 km, 50% off with Yikatong or app QR in the city area. Pay by Alipay Bus QR code, Yikatong, Beijing Pass or exact cash (no change). Some suburban lines have a conductor: say your stop and buy from them. Info: +86-10-96166, apps 'Beijing Public Transport' (北京公交) or Ruubypay (亿通行).

  Most routes 5:00-23:00; 36 night lines

• TaxiMetered taxi (出租车)

  Official tariff: CNY 13 for the first 3 km, then CNY 2.3/km; +20% per km 23:00-05:00; +50% per km beyond 15 km on one-way trips (empty-return fee; not charged on round trips that end within 2 km of the start); low-speed/waiting fee below 12 km/h = the price of 2 km per 5 min in peaks (7:00-9:00, 17:00-19:00) and 1 km per 5 min at other times; fuel surcharge CNY 1 per trip; booking fee CNY 6 (booked 4 h or more ahead) or CNY 5 (less than 4 h); tolls paid by the passenger. Do not hail within 30 m of an intersection or on ring roads/expressways. No smoking. Show the address in Chinese. Taxi call: +86-10-96106. Pay by cash, WeChat, Alipay or UnionPay.

  24 hours

• Ride-hailingDidi (滴滴出行)

  Beijing's most popular ride-hailing app; English interface; register with a Chinese or foreign mobile number; pay by linked card, WeChat Pay or Alipay (no cash). Also usable as a mini-program inside Alipay. Built-in quick messages are auto-translated. Free cancellation within the time shown (about 5 min). Airports have designated pick-up areas.

  24 hours

• BikeShared bikes (blue, yellow, turquoise)

  Three operators, each with its own colour and app; the easiest for foreigners is Alipay: Transport > Bike > scan the QR code on the bike; park in the white-marked bays and end the ride in the app. Prices vary by operator (base fare plus per-minute) - check the app.

  24 hours

• TrainSuburban line S2 (市郊铁路S2线)

  Huangtudian (new station south-east of Huoying metro, Lines 8/13; about 1 km walk) to Badaling, about 70-80 min, CNY 7. Yikatong and overseas contactless cards work. Extra trains are added in spring flower season.

  Timetable varies by season - check before travel

• TrainHigh-speed and intercity rail (高铁)

  Book on 12306 (English site/app) with your passport and pass the gates with the same passport. Main stations: Beijing South (Beijingnan), Beijing West (Beijingxi), Beijing (main station), Beijing North (Beijingbei, for the Zhangjiakou line and Badaling), Qinghe, Fengtai, Chaoyang, Tongzhou. Arrive early: there is a security check and a passport check at the entrance.

  not verified

Common trips

• PEK Terminal 3Dongzhimen30 min

  Capital Airport Express direct (CNY 25)

  • Taxi (45-60 min)
  • Airport shuttle bus

• PEK Terminal 2Dongzhimen21 min

  Capital Airport Express direct (CNY 25)

  • Taxi

• PKX Daxing AirportCaoqiao19 min

  Daxing Airport Express (CNY 35, change to Line 10 at Caoqiao)

  • Intercity train to Beijing West (about CNY 30)
  • Airport bus

• PKX Daxing AirportBeijing West Railway Station30 min

  Beijing-Xiong'an intercity train (book on 12306)

  • Airport bus to Beijing West

• WangfujingPalace Museum (Forbidden City)

  Metro Line 1 west to the Tiananmen stations, then walk to the Meridian Gate entrance (the only way in; book ahead with passport)

  • Walk west along Chang'an Avenue

• Palace Museum (Forbidden City)Temple of Heaven

  Metro Line 1 to Dongdan, change to Line 5 south to the Temple of Heaven

  • Taxi or Didi

• Houhai / NanluoguxiangLama Temple

  Metro Line 6 (Nanluoguxiang) to Line 5 (Lama Temple)

  • Shared bike through the hutongs

• SanlitunGulou (Drum Tower)

  Metro Line 2 loop (Visit Beijing lists Line 2 for Sanlitun) to Gulou, or Didi/taxi

  • Shared bike

• City centreSummer Palace

  Metro Line 4 to the Summer Palace stop

  • Taxi or Didi

• City centreOlympic Park (Bird's Nest, Water Cube)

  Metro Line 8 (Olympic Green area) or Line 15 (Olympic Park)

  • Taxi

• City centre798 Art District

  Didi or taxi

  • Bus (route not verified)

• Beijing South Railway StationTiananmen Square

  Metro Line 4 north, change to Line 1 east to Tiananmen (Line 4 serves Beijing South)

  • Taxi rank at the station

• Beijing North (Xizhimen) or QingheBadaling Great Wall30 min

  High-speed train (Beijing-Zhangjiakou line) to Badaling Great Wall Station, about 30 min, second class about CNY 29; book on 12306 and check the train stops at Badaling

  • S2 from Huangtudian (near Huoying, Lines 8/13) to Badaling, 70-80 min, CNY 7
  • Bus 877 from Deshengmen (CNY 12, about 1.5 h)

• City centreMutianyu Great Wall

  See Day trips (public-transport route to Mutianyu not verified in this research)

  • Didi or hired car with driver

To and from the airport

PEK

• Train · 30 minCNY 25 flat (Beijing Subway, via english.beijing.gov.cn, checked 2026-10)

  Capital Airport Express to Dongzhimen (Lines 2 and 13) via Sanyuanqiao (Line 10): about 30 min from T3, 21 min from T2. Tap an overseas contactless card at the gate.

• BusCNY 20-55 (Beijing government guide 2024, checked 2026-10)

  Airport shuttle buses from all terminals to city hubs (e.g. Xidan, Beijing Station, Beijing South, Beijing West, Wangfujing, Zhongguancun, Olympic Village); a night bus runs about 21:00-04:00. Buy at terminal machines (WeChat/Alipay) or booths (international cards). Duration not verified.

• Taxi · 50 minAbout CNY 60-200 to the city (Beijing government guide 2024, checked 2026-10); meter plus tolls

  Follow English signs to the taxi queue, 24/7. 45-60 min to the centre depending on traffic; avoid peaks. Have your address in Chinese.

• Ride-hailingPrice not verified - fare shown upfront in the Didi app

  Didi from the designated pick-up area.

PKX

• Train · 19 minCNY 35 ordinary / CNY 50 business class to Caoqiao (Visit Beijing, checked 2026-10)

  Daxing Airport Express to Caoqiao (Line 10); first train from Caoqiao to the airport 05:30. Tap an overseas card at the gate.

• Train · 30 minAbout CNY 30 second class (Visit Beijing, undated, checked 2026-10)

  Beijing-Xiong'an intercity train to Beijing West Railway Station, about 20-35 min. Book with passport on 12306.

• BusCNY 25-40 on the Fengtai route (Beijing government, Jan 2026); other routes about CNY 40 (Visit Beijing)

  Airport buses to Beijing Railway Station, Qinghe, Beijing South, Beijing West, Beijing North, Fengtai and Tongzhou stations and to Capital Airport; tickets via the 机场巴士官方平台 mini-program or on-site counters; hotline +86-10-81698565.

• Taxi · 80 minAbout CNY 220 average plus waiting surcharges (Visit Beijing, undated) - official range CNY 60-200 covers both airports (Beijing government 2024)

  About 80 min to the city. Taxi information service stations were added in 2025.

Good to know

• Every metro station has a security check: bags go through the X-ray and you may be body-checked; items over 30 kg, 1.8 m long or 0.5 m wide are not allowed.
• Last metro trains leave around 23:00 and times differ by line - check the notice at the station before a late night out.
• Rush hours are 7:00-9:00 and 17:00-19:00: taxis charge more for waiting in traffic then and the metro is packed.
• Queue behind the floor markings, let people off first and do not eat or drink on the metro.
• Children under 1.3 m must ride with an adult and one per adult rides free.
• Taxi drivers rarely speak English: keep your hotel card or the address in Chinese.
• Bus drivers give no change - use Alipay's Bus QR code or a card instead of cash.

Useful apps

• Alipay (Transport: Metro and Bus QR codes, shared bikes, Didi mini-program; 15-language translator)
• WeChat (messaging, WeChat Pay)
• Didi (English interface)
• Yikatong app (virtual transit card)
• Beijing Public Transport (北京公交) / Ruubypay (亿通行) for bus routes and QR codes
• 12306 (trains, English)
• Trip.com (hotels, train and sight tickets)
• Apple Maps or Amap English version for maps