A step-by-step guide to connecting in Beijing: how to get out into the city and not get lost, how to get to the center and what to see in Beijing in 1, 2 and 3 days. Everything you need to know in transit through the capital of the Celestial Empire!
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) is the largest in China. It has three terminals connected by shuttles and an electric train. The third terminal is the largest and is divided into C, D, E. The airport is huge, and we will try to explain how not to get lost in it.
- The first part of the article will be devoted to the following questions: how to get into the city during visa-free transit, how to get to the center, as well as how to check in for the next flight and what to do while waiting in Shoud.
- The second part of the article presents a route to the sights of the city, which you can see during a long transfer in Beijing in 6-12 hours, one, two or three days.
The official website of the airport.
Where to find cheap tickets? This is most conveniently done using the search engines Aviasales and Skyscanner. To find the best price, check both and see tickets for different dates. Read also the instructions on how to search for cheap flights correctly.
Change in Beijing: how not to get lost?
Despite the fact that the airport is simply gigantic, everything is clearly organized in it. There are maps and diagrams in the terminals, signs in English are always present on the signs, and the staff will always tell you what and how - so there is no need to worry.
International flights arrive at Terminal T3E. So, what actions should be taken during transit in order not to get lost?
We are waiting for the connection at the airport
After exiting the plane, go along with everyone to the escalator and go up to the 3rd floor (3F). In the event that the baggage is checked in to the final point and the flight is very soon, then be guided by the Transit signs: go to the check-in counters for transit passengers (International Transfer), you will be given a boarding pass (if you do not have one yet) - then go through passport control, go downstairs (floor 2F), go through customs and find yourself in the waiting area for boarding the next flight. If you go into the waiting area, you will not be released back, so be careful.
If the baggage is checked in to Beijing, you will have to pick it up and check it in for the next flight. To do this, use the instructions for entering the city (read below) and be guided by the Exit and Baggage Claim signs. Collect your luggage and go to the China Customs. Further you will find yourself in the arrivals hall (T3C). Look for Departure or Chek-in signs: take the elevator to floor 4F, where the check-in area is. Find your check-in counter and drop off your baggage. Then take the same train you arrived on again and arrive at T3E. Further - the usual formalities: inspection and passport control, and then go to the waiting room. Here you can relax, have a snack, drink coffee or take a nap in the cozy armchairs while waiting for your flight.
We go out into the city
Go up to the 3rd floor (3F). If you need to get out into the city, go where most of the passengers are heading and go to the checkpoint For tranzit passengers leaving airport - on the far left (sometimes, if it is not working, employees can direct to the booth on the far right). Say "transit" and give the officer the Arrival Card along with your passport and itinerary sheet (electronic ticket). in English... Departure must be from the same airport, and the time spent in the capital is no more than 72 hours. On the Arrival Card, also write the number of your flight you are flying with.
If the migration card was not given on the plane, then they are on special counters. You need to fill in the Latin alphabet. Do not lose the second half of your migration card - Departure Card - it will need to be given to the officer upon departure. Experienced travelers are advised to bring a few cards with you and fill them out to save time on your return transit through Beijing.
According to tourist reviews, employees often do not want to let travelers go to the city during docking and strive to send them to the waiting room, so be vigilant. In this case, it is better to have a printout from the embassy website about the right to transit, as well as insist that you need to pick up your baggage and check it in for another flight, even if this is not entirely true.
After successfully passing through passport control on the escalator, go down to the platform of the train, which runs between parts of the terminal. Drive to the final stop T3C and go to the Baggage Claim. Get your luggage (if necessary) and go to the customs - China Customs. After security check, go to the arrivals hall, from where you can go to the express, taxi and bus stops.
Departure from another terminal
If, when transferring at Beijing airport, you need to take off from another terminal, you do not need to panic - terminals 1 and 2 are connected by a passage, and a free shuttle runs between them and T3 - Free Inter-Terminal Shuttle Bus (look for the corresponding index). Shuttle stops: Gate 5 F1 of T3 - Departure floor of T2 - Departure floor of T1 - Gate 7 of Arrival floor of T2 - Gate 7 Arrival floor of T1 - Departure floor of T3.
The bus runs every 10 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night. The journey takes about 10-20 minutes. You can also get there by express, but the ticket costs 25 RMB.
What to do at the airport?
The Shoud is big, beautiful and interesting, and if you have enough time and you are not going to the city, you can take a walk through it. There are numerous cafes and restaurants (note that almost everything is closed at night), hourly and capsule hotels, various exhibitions, SPA, fitness center, duty-free and an entertainment center for children.
The building has lockers, a huge number of sockets, free Wi-Fi (you need to get a password and login in a special machine, after having scanned your passport), ATMs and exchangers, vending machines with free drinking water, as well as vending machines where you can charge your mobile phone (there is various chargers, if suddenly you checked in yours) - in general, everything for a comfortable pastime.
There are hotels at Beijing airport: 1 hour - 80 yuan without a shower and 100 yuan - with a shower. It is convenient to search on Roomguru - there you can find both hotels and apartments.
You can download maps of the Shoud and its terminals on the official website.
How to get from Beijing airport to the city
Airport express train
One of the fastest and most convenient ways to get from Beijing Airport to the city center. Going straight from the customs office, you will see the ticket office - Airport Express Tickets. The ticket price is 25 yuan (looks like a plastic card), the metro fare is 2 yuan. Next, you need to go down to the station. Express trains run from 6:20 am to 10:50 pm every 10-12 minutes. Stops at terminals 2 and 3, as well as Dongzhimen and Sanyuanqiao stations. From Sanyuanqiao Station, you can change to subway line 10, and from Dongzhimen to lines 2 and 13. Travel time is about 20 minutes.
Buses (Airport Bus and Airport Shuttle)
Buses can travel to any area of the city. The stops have a large blue stand with bus information. The ticket costs from 15 yuan, the ticket office - Local Bus Ticket - is located at the exit number 7 of T3. Buses run from 7 am to midnight. There are also night buses that run from 00:00 until the last plane. Travel time is about an hour (excluding traffic jams). Stops at T3 gates 1, 7 and 9. Check the shuttle and bus routes.
Taxi from the airport to Beijing
Taxis are a fairly popular way to get to the city center from the airport, they usually have huge queues, but they move quickly. The trip will cost 85-150 yuan, landing outside Terminal 3. You can also order a car in advance at the Kiwi Taxi service - quickly and reliably, you will be met at the exit with a sign.
What to see in Beijing in 1, 2 and 3 days
If the traveler has a small transfer in Beijing, then you can take the opportunity and get to know the Chinese capital better.All transit passengers are allowed to visit the city without a visa to China within 72 hours, and during this time there is a lot to see in Beijing. To obtain a visa-free transit stamp, you need to have a ticket for departure from the airport to a third country within the specified period, a passport and a completed migration card.
If there are only a few hours left, then this time is only enough for formal procedures. If the transfer is 6, 10, 12 hours or more, then you can already go to the city: keep in mind that at least 2 hours should be taken on the road (there and back) and 1.5-2 hours left at the airport. Well, if you have a stopover for 72 hours, then you can manage to go through all three routes presented below.
Related article: Prices in China - the cost of travel for transport and food.
Route 1. Tiananmen, Gugong, Jingshan, Beihai, Wangfujing
For 1 day, you can see the main attractions in Beijing. Tiananmen Square is the largest in the world; here is the Mao Zedong Mausoleum, on the north side it is decorated with a gate with a height of more than 30 m.Two museums are open every day until 16:00. The easiest way to get there is by Aeroexpress to Dongzhimen station, then another 15 minutes to Qianmen station - this will be the south side of the square.
On foot from the square, you can walk to the Forbidden City, or Gugong - the # 1 place to see in the Chinese capital. It is also called the Imperial Palace: a huge complex, a river, marble bridges. The inspection will take at least 2 hours. The entrance is open from 8:30 to 16:00, the ticket office is at the entrance, the ticket costs 60 yuan, there is an audio guide in Russian.
Jingshan Park is located just north of the Imperial Palace.It is located on a hill with panoramic views of the city. To get to the park, you need to walk from Gugong along Jingshanquan Street to the intersection with East Jingshan, turn left and walk to the entrance to the park. Entrance RMB 10, open until 21.
If you go through the entire Jingshan Park and cross West Jingshan Street, then along a small street you can walk to the entrance to Beihai Park. There are Buddhist temples and walking pensioners, the park itself is very well-groomed and beautiful.
If you want to feel a special flavor, then from Tiananmen Square you can walk to Wangfujing pedestrian street or drive up to it by subway (Wangfujing, line 1). There are many restaurants and shopping centers; at night, the Donghuamen market opens, where various exotics are sold like scorpions and spiders on a stick.
Route 2. Summer Palace, Qianmen and Temple of Heaven
With a short transfer in Beijing, you can suggest the following route, which will take about 4-5 hours.
Qianmen Walking Street is unique in terms of architecture and shopping. Here you can dine, buy souvenirs, order a tea ceremony (1-1.5 hours). There is also the popular Quanjuide restaurant where you can taste the signature dish - Peking duck. Nearby are the old Chinatowns - Hutongs. You can get to Qianmen Street by subway - Qianmen, line 2.
If you walk the entire Qianmen Street and head south, then in 2 km you will see the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan) - a magnificent architectural ensemble with a park complex. Entrance 30 RMB, visit from 9 am to 16. Or take the subway - Tiantandongmen station, line 5.
In all guidebooks, you can see a white marble building in the form of a boat on the water - the Summer Palace. It is best to visit it in the warm season, it is located in the suburbs of Beijing. The entrance to the palace buildings and the park with the lake is open from 9 am to 4 pm, the ticket costs 30 yuan. You can get there by metro (Beigongmen station, line 4), then walk for about a kilometer.
Route 3. Great Wall of China
To visit the Great Wall of China, you need to have a whole day in reserve, and you will also need strength, because you have to walk a lot, so if you have a short connection and in Beijing you are in transit for only 6-12 hours, this option disappears.
The most visited section of the Badalin wall, it is closest to the city - 60 km from the capital. Entrance is 45 yuan. You can get from Tiananmen Square by taxi (500 RMB) or by tourist bus. The second option, with a limited time, is not suitable: tourists are taken to other facilities, fed, this is at least 2-3 extra hours of time. The cheapest way is to take the subway to Beijing Railway Station North, which is located at Xizhimen station.
If you go from the airport, then the most convenient way is to take an express train to Dongzhimen, from there take line 2 to Xizhimen station, which goes to the northern station. You need to take a train with an odd number (back - with an even number), and in 1.5 hours you are already there. The fare is 6 yuan. You can climb the wall on foot or by funicular (60 yuan). 2-3 hours is quite enough for an active walk.
In order not to be late for the last express to Shoud, it is better to get back no later than 19-20 hours. Of course, you can always take a taxi from the center of the capital, but instead of 25 yuan, you will have to pay the taxi driver at least 80.
If you plan your route correctly and calculate your strength, you can get great pleasure from contemplating the sights of Beijing, even being limited in time during a short connection.
