Beijing has two international airports, and which one you land at changes your plan completely. Here’s how to get from each into town — fast, cheap, or hassle-free.
First, know your airport
- PEK — Beijing Capital International Airport — the older, closer airport in the northeast. Most international legacy carriers.
- PKX — Beijing Daxing International Airport — the huge new airport to the south. Farther out, but with its own fast train.
Check your boarding pass — the difference is 40+ km.
From PEK (Capital Airport)
| Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport Express Train | 25 RMB | ~30 min | Fastest & cheapest. Goes to Dongzhimen (Line 2/13). Buy at the machine — takes cash and some international cards. |
| Taxi | 100–150 RMB | 45–90 min | Use the official taxi queue outside arrivals. Avoid touts. Insist on the meter. |
| DiDi (China’s Uber) | 80–120 RMB | varies | More reliable than street taxis. Needs the DiDi app + Alipay/WeChat Pay linked. |
Best pick: the Airport Express into Dongzhimen, then switch to the subway. It skips traffic entirely.
From PKX (Daxing Airport)
| Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daxing Airport Express | 35 RMB | ~20 min | Goes to Caoqiao (Line 10), then transfer into the network. Very fast. |
| Taxi / DiDi | 150–200 RMB | 60–90 min | Daxing is far south — expect a longer, pricier ride than from PEK. |
Best pick: the Daxing Airport Express to Caoqiao. A taxi from Daxing is long and expensive.
Set up payment before you land
You’ll want Alipay or WeChat Pay working the moment you arrive — for the train ticket machine, a DiDi, snacks, anything. Link a Visa/Mastercard before you fly; even without full verification you can pay up to ~500 RMB/day, which easily covers day one. Full passport + face verification also works instantly once you’re physically in China (the airport is a great place to finish it).
Taxi safety, in one line
Only use the marked taxi rank or a DiDi booked in-app. Ignore anyone approaching you in the arrivals hall offering a ride — that’s the one scam to avoid.
Don’t want to figure this out at 1 a.m.?
Tell our free Telegram assistant @beijing_travel_tutor_bot which airport you’re landing at and where you’re staying — it’ll give you the exact route, cost and payment setup, then build your whole Beijing itinerary. Open Telegram and send /transport or /plan.
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