Beijing Airport Transfer Guide: PEK & PKX to the City

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From Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)

PEK has several straightforward ways into Beijing. For most visitors, the realistic choices are the Capital Airport Express, an official taxi, DiDi, or a pre-booked private vehicle.

PEK Option 1: Capital Airport Express

The Capital Airport Express connects Beijing Capital International Airport with Sanyuanqiao and Dongzhimen.

The fare is 25 RMB per person.

Dongzhimen connects with Beijing Subway Lines 2 and 13, while Sanyuanqiao provides useful onward connections for eastern Beijing. The airport express is particularly useful when traffic is heavy and you are comfortable taking a subway or taxi for the final part of the journey.

Best for:

• Solo travelers
• Couples with manageable luggage
• Daytime arrivals
• Hotels near convenient subway connections

Less convenient for:

• Families with several bags
• Travelers with limited mobility
• Hotels requiring multiple connections
• Arrivals after the last train

*Current fare reference: Beijing Municipal Government / Beijing Subway. Check the official airport or subway service before travel for current operating hours.*

PEK Option 2: Official Taxi

Follow the airport signs to the official taxi queue. Beijing taxis use meters, and the final fare depends on your destination, traffic, distance and applicable road tolls.

Do not accept unsolicited rides from people approaching passengers inside the arrivals hall.

Most taxi drivers do not speak much English, so keep your hotel's Chinese name and address on your phone.

PEK Option 3: DiDi

DiDi is useful if you prefer to enter your destination in the app and see the estimated fare before the journey. Beijing airports use designated ride-hailing pickup areas, so follow the app and airport signs after booking.

Foreign travelers can use DiDi with foreign mobile numbers, and supported international payment cards can be used through the app or connected payment services.

PEK Option 4: Pre-Booked Private Transfer

A pre-booked private transfer removes the need to find a taxi rank, locate a ride-hailing pickup point, or make a rail connection after arrival. The pickup details and vehicle are arranged before you travel.

This is most useful for families, groups, travelers with several suitcases, late arrivals, business travelers, and anyone continuing directly to an out-of-city destination.

See vehicles and current Beijing driver rates →

From Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX)

Daxing Airport is farther south of central Beijing, but its dedicated airport express makes the first part of the journey fast and predictable.

PKX Option 1: Daxing Airport Express

The Daxing Airport Express connects the airport with Caoqiao.

The standard fare for the full trip from Daxing Airport to Caoqiao is 35 RMB per person.

From Caoqiao, continue by subway, taxi or DiDi to your final destination. The rail section itself is fast, but the total airport-to-hotel journey depends on where you are staying in Beijing.

Best for:

• Daytime arrivals
• Travelers staying in southern or central Beijing
• Travelers comfortable making one onward connection
• Visitors who want predictable rail timing

Less convenient for:

• Hotels far north or east
• Heavy luggage
• Families wanting door-to-door transport
• Late arrivals after rail service

*Current fare reference: Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport. Check current operating hours before travel.*

PKX Option 2: Official Taxi

Official taxis are available from Daxing Airport and provide direct transport to your destination. Because PKX is south of Beijing, road journeys to central, northern and eastern districts can be substantially longer than the airport-express rail segment.

Use the official taxi area and keep your destination written in Chinese.

PKX Option 3: DiDi

DiDi is practical when you want door-to-door service and prefer entering the destination digitally rather than explaining it to a driver. Follow the airport's designated ride-hailing pickup instructions in the app.

PKX Option 4: Pre-Booked Private Transfer

A pre-booked transfer is useful when you want the vehicle arranged before landing, particularly for families, business travelers, larger groups, heavy luggage, late arrivals or multi-stop schedules.

Because Daxing Airport is farther from many central Beijing districts, always confirm the airport code when requesting a quote.

Check Beijing private driver options →

Taxi vs DiDi vs Private Transfer

All three options can take you directly from the airport to your hotel. The difference is mainly how the ride is arranged.

If your only requirement is a straightforward airport-to-hotel ride, an official taxi or DiDi may be sufficient. A pre-booked private vehicle becomes more useful when the transfer is part of a larger schedule — for example an airport pickup followed by meetings, sightseeing, the Great Wall, another airport, or several stops.

Late-Night Arrivals in Beijing

Do not assume the airport express will still be operating when a late international flight clears immigration.

If rail service has finished, the practical choices are usually:

• official airport taxi
• DiDi or another licensed ride-hailing service
• pre-booked private transfer
• selected airport shuttle-bus services

Beijing has expanded late-night and 24-hour airport-bus coverage, but not every route operates all night and routes can change. Check the current airport-bus schedule for your arrival date rather than relying on an old timetable.

For a very late arrival, door-to-door transport is usually simpler than taking a night bus and then arranging another connection from its city stop.

Which Beijing Airport Transfer Fits Your Trip?

Choose the Airport Express if

• You arrive while the line is operating
• Your luggage is manageable
• Your hotel is convenient from Dongzhimen, Sanyuanqiao or Caoqiao
• Cost and predictable timing matter more than door-to-door convenience

Choose an Official Taxi if

• You want a direct ride
• You are comfortable joining the airport taxi queue
• Your destination is easy to show in Chinese
• You do not need the ride arranged in advance

Choose DiDi if

• You already use Alipay, WeChat or the DiDi app
• You prefer entering the destination digitally
• You are comfortable finding the designated airport pickup area
• You want an estimated price before pickup

Choose a Private Transfer if

• You want the pickup arranged before landing
• You have children, elderly travelers or several suitcases
• You are traveling in a larger group
• You arrive very early or late
• You have business meetings or multiple stops
• You are traveling directly to the Great Wall or another destination outside central Beijing

Need a vehicle waiting for your flight?

See Beijing Private Driver Service

View airport, business, sightseeing and full-day vehicle options.

Airport Transfer to Popular Beijing Areas

The correct transfer method depends on the final neighborhood, not only the airport.

Beijing Airport to the Great Wall

If you are going directly from the airport to the Great Wall, do not route yourself through central Beijing first unless your itinerary requires it.

Mutianyu is particularly practical from Beijing Capital Airport because PEK is on the northeastern side of Beijing. Daxing Airport is much farther south, so the same trip requires substantially more road time.

For a same-day layover, airport return timing matters more than finding the cheapest one-way transport.

Beijing Airport → Mutianyu Great Wall — PEK vs PKX, layover timing, airport buffers and practical transfer options.

Planning from a Beijing hotel instead? How to Visit the Great Wall from Beijing

If you are connecting through Beijing rather than staying overnight, see our Beijing Layover Guide.

Payment, Apps and Practical Arrival Tips

A few preparations make Beijing airport transfers considerably easier.

Save your destination in Chinese

Keep the Chinese hotel name and full address on your phone. This is especially useful when taking a taxi.

Set up mobile payment before arrival

Alipay and WeChat Pay support international travelers and can be used for many transport services. DiDi also supports foreign users and an English-language interface.

How to Use Alipay in China

Use official pickup areas

For taxis, follow airport signs to the official taxi rank. For DiDi, follow the designated ride-hailing pickup instructions shown in the app and at the airport.

Check transport hours on your travel date

Airport-express and shuttle-bus timetables can change. Use current airport information rather than a timetable copied months earlier.

Ask the Beijing Service counter if needed

Both airports provide services for international arrivals, including assistance with transportation and payment-related questions.

Official Transport References

Transport fares, routes and operating hours can change. Key transport information on this page was checked against official Beijing transportation and airport resources.

• Beijing International Web Portal — PEK Airport to City
• Beijing International Web Portal — PKX Airport to City
• Beijing Subway / Beijing Municipal Government — subway fares
• Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport — Daxing Airport Express fares
• Beijing airport-bus service updates

Last checked: September 2026