Home / City Guide / Beijing / Transportation /

Beijing Capital International Airport

Beijing Capital International Airport is China's busiest and most important international airport.

Airport Code: PEK

Location: West Jichang Road, Shunyi District, 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) northeast of the city center.

Three Terminals: Satellite Hall in the West Zone for domectic flights; T2 for domestic and international flights; T3 for domestic and international flights

Passenger Guide

Time for Taking Flights:
→ Arrive at the airport 2-3.5 hours before flight departure
→ Close Time for Check-in:
T2: Domestic Flight: 30-45 mins. before take-off; International Flight: 40-60 mins. before take-off
T3: Domestic Flight: 45 mins. before take-off; International Flight: 60-75 mins. before take-off
→ Close Time for Boarding: Domestic & International Flight: 20 mins. before take-off
T2: Domestic Flight: 10-20 mins. before take-off; International Flight: 10-20 mins. before take-off
T3: Domestic & International Flight: 10-20 mins. before take-off

How to Travel between Capital Airport & Downtown Beijing (↓details underneath): Airport Shuttle Bus, Airport Express Train + Subway, Taxi

  Transfer Guide in Beijing Capital Airport:
→ Minimum Connection Time: D refers to Domestic; I refers to International
Transfer to the Same Terminal: D ⇒ D: 60 mins. in T2 & T3 D ⇔ I: 120 mins.   I ⇒ I: 100 mins. in T2; 60 mins. in T3
Transfer between Two Terminals: D ⇒ D: 120 mins.   D ⇔ I: 160 mins.   I ⇒ I: 120 mins.

Transport between Terminals:
Route of 24-Hour Free Terminal Shuttle:
Gate 7-9 of Arrival floor of T3 → Departure floor of T2
Gate 7 of Arrival floor of T2 → Departure floor of T3
Frequency: 10-15 minutes

Click to enlarge it, or go for
more Capital Airport Maps.

Check-in Counters
at PEK

Capital Airport: An Eligible Port for 24/240 Hours Visa-free Transit

All international transit passengers can stay in the airport’s transit area for a 24-Hour Direct Transit without going through border inspections. Both the arrival and connecting flights need to be international. Passport holders of 54 countries and regions are granted a 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit when taking an international transfer via Capital Airport.

Location to Apply for 240H Visa-free Transit
Terminal 3: Opposite to Gate 11, Arrival Hall, 2F, Terminal 3-E
Terminal 2: Joint Inspection, Arrival Hall, 2F

5 Things to Do in Beijing Airport - Capital Airport
An Ultimate Guide for Layover in Beijing
How to Plan an 8-hour Layover in Beijing: Advice for 4 to 12 Hours’ Stay
Perfect Plan for an Overnight Layover in Beijing: 12 to 24 Hours
What to do in Beijing in one day – 6 Special Things to Do
Long Layover in Beijing – How to Spend 1 to 6 Days in Beijing?

Satellite Hall in the West Zone, Previous T1 of Capital Airport

Some flights of Hainan Airlines (HU) and Sichuan Airlines (3U)

Terminal 2 of Capital Airport

T2 operates domestic and international flights.

Departure Hall: 2F
Arrival Hall: 1F, 3F

Domestic Airlines:

XIAMEN AIRLINES (MF), CHNIA SOUTHERN AIRLINES (CZ), Guangxi beibu gulf air (GX), Air Travel (A6), Air Guilin (GT), Sichuan Airlines (3U), Hainan Airlines (HU), China Eastern Airlines (MU), Grand China Airlines Domestic (CN), Lucky Air Company Limited (8L), Air China (CA)

International / Hong Kong / Macau / Taiwan Airlines:

Jeju Air (7C), Mahan Air (W5), AZERBAIJAN AIRLINES CJSC (J2), JSC Airline Taimyr (Y7), Cebu Pacific Air (5J), Delta Air Lines (DL), Korean Airlines (KE), Airfrance (AF), Uzbekistan Airlines (HY), Klm Royal Dutch Airlines (KL), Air Astana (KC), Air Koryo (JS), PIA (PK), Garuda Indonesia Airlines (GA), Sri Lanka Airlines (UL), Turkmenistan Airlines (T5), Vietnam Airlines (VN), Air Algerie (AH), Hongkong Airlines (HX)

Terminal 3 of Capital Airport

T3-C & T3-D for domestic flights; T3-E for international flights.

Departure Hall: 3F of T3-C, 2F & 3F of T3-D, 2F of T3-E
Arrival Hall: 2F of T3-C, 3F of T3-E

Domestic Airlines:

Donghai Airlines (DZ), KUNMING AIRLINES (KY), ZHEJIANG LOONG AIRLINES (GJ), QINGDAO AIRLINES (QW), Tibet Airlines (TV), Da Lian Airlines (CA), Shandong Airlines (SC), Shenzhen Airlines (ZH), Juneyao airlines (HO), CHINA EXPRESS AIR (G5), Air China (CA)

International / Hong Kong / Macau / Taiwan Airlines:

Bangkok Airlines (PG), ALITALUA (AZ), South African Airways (SA), DRAGONAIR (KA), SIBERIA AIRLINES (S7), AIR NEW ZEALAND (NZ), Cambodia Angkor Air (K6), , LOT Polish Airlines (LO), Swiss International Airlines (LX), Austrian Airlines (OS), Scandinavian Airlines (SK), DEUTSCHE LUFTHANSA Airlines (LH), Asiana Airlines (OZ), Air Canada (AC), United Airlines (UA), ANA Airlines (NH), Turkish Airlines (TK), Egypt Airlines (MS), Thai Airways International (TG), Singapore Airlines (SQ), Finnair (AY), Cathay Pacific (CX), Japan Airlines (JL), Emirates (EK), Israel Airlines (LY), Air Macau (NX), China Airlines (CI), BR Eva Air (BR), Mongolia Airlines (OM), Ethiopian Airlines Share (ET), Philippine Airlines (PR)

How to Travel from Capital Airport to Downtown Beijing

Airport Express Train

Route: T2 – T3 – Sanyuanqiao – Dongzhimen - Beixinqiao
Operating Hours:
T2: 06:36 to 23:10;
T3: 06:22 to 22:52;
Dongzhimen: 07:01 to 22:30
Beixinqiao: 05:56 to 22:26
Frequency: 10 minutes
Single Journey Time:
T3 → Beixinqiao: 50 minutes;
T2 → Beixinqiao: 40 minutes
Ticket Fare: CNY 25/person
Boarding Sites: T2: B2 of Parking Garage No. 2; T3: 2F of Parking Garage No. 3

Notes: Sanyuanqiao is the transfer station to subway line 10, Dongzhimen to subway line 2 and line 13, and Beixinqiao to subway line 5.

Beijing Capital Airport Shuttle Bus – 5 Lines to Downtown Beijing & Daxing Airport; 1 Line to Langfang

Airport Express Train

Capital Airport Shuttle Bus Map

Taxi

Official Taxi Stands:
T2: Outside Gate 5 to 9 on 1F
T3: B1
Hotline: T2: 010-64596539; T3: 010-64558892
Tip: Traffic jams are common in Beijing, and especially during peak hours from 07:00 to 9:00 and 17:00 to 19:00.

E-hailing Car
E-hailing is available at Capital Airport and is also the more economical choice. DiDi is the most popular e-hailing app in China accepting international cards like MasterCard and VISA. There are always bilingual signboards leading to the waiting area or boarding point along the way from the arrival hall.
T3: Area H of B2
T2: Boarding Point: south side, 1F, Parking Lot 2

Reference Taxi Fare

Destination	Fare (Taxi/E-hailing)	Time
Forbidden City / Tiananmen Square	CNY 150-250 / CNY 100-160	70-90 mins.
Wangfujing Street	CNY 120-250 / CNY 90-120	50-80 mins.
Badaling Great Wall	CNY 270-400 / CNY 180-350	70-100 mins.
Mutianyu Great Wall	CNY 250-500 / CNY 180-400	75-100 mins.
Bird's Nest / Water Cube	CNY 130-200 / CNY 80-100	40-80 mins.
Beijing Railway Station	CNY 130-200 / CNY 90-120	50-80 mins.
West Railway Station	CNY 160-330 / CNY 110-150	70-100 mins.
South Railway Station	CNY 160-270 / CNY 120-180	70-90 mins.
North Railway Station	CNY 130-230 / CNY 80-120	50-80 mins.

How to Get to Popular Attractions from Capital Airport

How to Travel from Capital Airport to Forbidden City

Airport Express Train+Subway Taxi / Online-hailing Cars Airport Shuttle Bus

Airport Express → Line 2 → Line 1 → East Tian'anmen Flexible route up to you. Beijing West Railway Line → East Qianmen

06:22 – 23:10 24 hours 07:30 ~ 23:30

60–80 min 70–90 min 90–100 min

CNY28 CNY150-250 CNY30

How to Get to Mutianyu Great Wall from Capital Airport?

Express Train + Line 2 + Direct Bus: 2.5h; CNY 110 (round trip back to Beijing downtown)

Take Capital Airport Express Train to Dongzhimen

Transfer to Line 2 (Inner Ring) to Qianmen

Take a direct bus at Qianmen to Mutianyu which departs from 07:00 – 10:00 and returns Beijing downtown in the afternoon

How to Get to Badaling Great Wall from Capital Airport?

Option 1

Express Train + Line 10 + 877: 2.5h; CNY 41

Take Capital Airport Express Train to Sanyuanqiao

Transfer to Line 10 (Outer Ring) to Beitucheng

Take bus no. 877 beside exit B of Beitucheng subway station to Badaling

Option 2

Express Train + Line 10 + Line 13 + Bullet Train: 2h; CNY 48-54

Take Capital Airport Express Train to Sanyuanqiao

Transfer to Line 10 (Outer Ring) to Zhichun Road

Transfer to Line 13 to Qinghe

Take a bullet train at Qinghe Railway Station to Badaling Great Wall Railway Station

Walk to Badaling Great Wall entrance

See more How to get to the Great Wall of China from Beijing Airport

Facilities & Services of Beijing Capital Airport

One-stop Beijing Service Counter: Meet All Your Instant Needs upon Arrival

Service Provided:

Assistance on installing mobile payment apps like WeChat and Alipay, registering, and linking cards to the apps

Transport Services & ticket vendors for Beijing Pass card purchase

SIM card purchase

Smooth access to airport Wi-Fi

Cash exchange at ATMs

Cash withdrawal with international cards

Currency exchange

Location: Gate B, 2F, International Arrival of T3

Tax Refund at Port of Departure

Location

T2: International Departure Hall, after Immigration Inspection and Security Check

T3: Opposite to Customs office, T3E

Tell: 400-669-9875

Check list for tax refund:

Passport

Unsealed Tax-free goods

Tax refund application form

VAT invoice

Stay Overnight at Capital Airport

24H Ji Hotel: D101-104, B1, T2

24h Hourly lounge: Opposite boarding gate E10, A2, T3-E

Left Luggage

Capital Airport offers free luggage storage service for 240h visa-free transit passengers.

Passengers who need the service can apply for it in the luggage counters within the terminals.

Location:

T2: beside Gate 10 of Departure Hall on 2F (+86 010-64598152)

T3: West public space of Arrival Hall on 2F of T3-C

Carton and other staff: (one day price for one piece of baggage, by length+width+height)

≦65cm: CNY20; 65 – 115cm: CNY30; 115 – 180cm: CNY40; ≧180cm: CNY60;

Trolley Case: (one day price for one piece of baggage, by length+width+height)

≦115cm: CNY30; ≧115cm: CNY40;

24-Hour Free Terminal Shuttle

Airport Express Train Terminus

Further Reading:
Beijing Daxing International Airport: Located about 53 kilometers (33 miles) south of Beijing city center, the airport releases the burden of Capital Airport.

- Last updated on May. 20, 2025 by Gabby Li -