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Transportation in Beijing

Written by Matteo Updated Jul. 10, 2025

Beijing has two main airports: Beijing Daxing International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport. It also has five important train stations: Beijing South Railway Station, Beijing West Railway Station, Beijing Railway Station, Beijing Fengtai Railway Station, and Beijing Chaoyang Railway Station.

How to Get to Beijing

As the capital city of China, Beijing plays an important role in China's and even East Asia's regional transportation. There are several transportation options from which to choose to get to Beijing: by plane, by train, or by long-distance bus.

By Flights

Located about 20 kilometers northeast of Beijing city center, Beijing Capital International Airport is the main air travel hub of China and one of the largest airports in Asia. It is the largest international airport in China, and it has over 200 flights to major foreign countries and domestic cities.

By Train

There are four railway stations in Beijing: Beijing Railway Station, Beijing West Railway Station (in the southwest of the city), Beijing South Station, and Beijing North Station.

Built in 1959, Beijing Railway Station is the largest station in China, and it connects with Moscow, Pyongyang, and Ulan Bator, and most cities of China. Beijing Railway Station has nine platforms with trains to major cities of the southwest, northwest, and southern regions of China, such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Chengdu, Chongqing, Taiyuan, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Guilin, Nanning, Xining, Jinan, and Urumqi.

Beijing South Station was finished in 2008. It mainly serves intercity and high-speed trains to Tianjin, Shanghai, and Xi'an. It is linked to the city subway lines 4 and 14.

First built in 1988 and rebuilt in 2009, Beijing North Station offers trains that travel to neighboring provinces, such as Hebei province and Inner Mongolia.

Beijing Station, Beijing West Station, and Beijing North Station offer train ticket services for passengers. You can buy tickets and reserve seats up to one week in advance (about 11 days in advance during national holidays and the Chinese Spring Festival period) at any station and get refunds on tickets (less a 20% cancellation fee). Passports or other similar documents are required when booking or buying the tickets.

By Bus

Beijing is the largest junction of major roads in China. There are more than 20 long-distance bus stations in Beijing, operating thousands of buses to cities nearby and further away.

Dongzhimen Bus Station offers buses to Inner Mongolia, Hebei Province, and some northwest cities.

Zhaosongkou Long Distance Bus Station is the largest one offering buses to Heilongjiang Province, Jiangsu Province, Shandong Province, Shanxi Province, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Jinan, and Qingdao. Lianhuachi Long-Distance Bus Station offers buses to Henan, Shijiangzhuang, and Xingtai in Hebei, Huai'an, and Zhuangjiagang in Jiangsu.

Zhaosongkou Long Distance Bus Station (Zhaogongkou Changtu Qiche Zhan)

Dongzhimen Long Distance Bus Station (Dongzhimen Changtu Qiche Zhan)

Lianhuachi Long Distance Bus Station (Lianhuachi Changtu Qiche Zhan)

With more people owning private cars, city traffic is under more pressure from large traffic volume. In rush hours around 8:00 am and 6:00 pm, traffic jams often happen in Beijing.

Beijing Taxi

Out of all the transportation options in Beijing, the over 70,000 taxis are by far the most popular and convenient option for locals and tourists alike. Beijing's taxi services are affordable and make traveling around the huge city a breeze. The only drawback to this transportation method in Beijing is the amount of traffic that the city can be engulfed with, which sometimes results in slower paces and longer stoppage times.

Taxis can be found just about everywhere in the city. They often line tourist areas and commercial centers waiting for fares. With so many options, it is best to know which taxis are legit and which cabs are known to scam customers. The helpful hints and information below will help you arrive by taxi at your Beijing destination with no problem at all.

Taxi Cars

The most common cars used as taxis are the Hyundai Sonata and Elantra, Volkswagen Santana and Jetta (late 1980s models), and Citrons manufactured in China. The cars will always be painted in a dark red, a yellow top with a blue bottom, or have a dark yellow stripe across the side of the car. For the yellow striped taxis, the accompanying colors may be dark maroon, white, dark green, or dark blue.

These taxis are the newest colors to be used by reputable Beijing cab companies. High-end and trustworthy car services also feature black Audis in their fleet. These are often reserved for guests of luxury hotels or visiting dignitaries and celebrities.

Besides the color of the car, legitimate taxis (those owned by reputable companies) will have the letter B at the front of their license plate number. On the dashboard on the passenger side is a placard with the driver's registration number.

Taxi Meters and Fares

Meters are mandatory in all cabs, and make sure that the driver has his or hers on when you start your journey. During daylight hours, the starting fee is CNY10 for the first three kilometers and an additional CNY2/km after that. From 11:00 PM - 5:00 AM, the prices start at CNY11 for the first three kilometers and charge CNY2.4/km.

Because traffic can be bad, stoppages are common, although the meter will always keep running. The standard stoppage rate is 5 minutes of running time per 1 kilometer of meter time. Typically, without too much traffic, a trip through the city will cost around 20-25 yuan, while a cross-town trip will be around CNY50.

Day Time (5:00 AM - 11:00 PM)

Night (11:00 PM - 5:00 AM)

Waiting and Jam Time: Speed less than 12km/hr, 5 minutes for CNY2

How to Identify a Black Taxi

Unofficial taxis, also known as Black Cabs, will not feature a B at the beginning of their plates as mentioned above. While these shady cabs are difficult to flag down on a street, they often congregate in tourist areas (like the Great Wall, Summer Palace, subway stops, etc.), hoping to find an unsuspecting foreigner they can take for a ride.

Black Cabs are known to charge higher fees, drop passengers off at the wrong destination, and, in extreme cases, rob their fares. Because of this, we highly advise you to always be aware of what kind of taxi you are getting into.

If you have gotten in a taxi and believe that the driver may be trying to scam you by taking you to a remote part of the city, asking where you are is usually enough to send even the most dishonest drivers back on track. It is always a good idea to know the general direction, cost, and distance to your destination.

That way, if anything seems a little off, you can think on your feet and hopefully avoid being a victim of a scam. And, as mentioned above, always try to retain a receipt or even just the license plate number of a taxi you believe to be a Black Cab.

Although they are not the typical cab, there are many makeshift taxis, made out of an electric scooter and a fixed back seat (think rickshaw style), that try to scam tourists as well. If you negotiate the price before jumping on the back of one of these things, they can be a quick and affordable way to arrive at your destination.

If you do not ask the price before departing, drivers are known to grossly overcharge customers and be very demanding of the money until the passengers pay up. Avoid these scooter taxis, if possible.

Tips on Taking a Taxi In Beijing

1. Make sure to bring along the Chinese name of your destination, which can be written down by the concierge at your hotel, or at least be able to point it out on a map. Hotels often offer maps of their hotel and the surrounding vicinity.

It is best to always have one of these on hand in case you find yourself lost in the city and need to get back to your accommodations by taxi. Although some might speak a little English, don't rely on your driver to understand most, if anything, that you say.

2. Always ask for a receipt for your journey, whether you felt the fare was reasonable or not. You can gesture this by making a writing motion, like when asking for a bill at a restaurant. If you feel you were cheated and need to make a complaint, a receipt is necessary to obtain.

You will need this to identify the cab number and for reimbursement purposes. Plus, if you happen to forget anything in the taxi, you have the taxi's identification number and the company's telephone number, which will make tracking your stuff down possible.

3. If you are planning to stay in Beijing for a few days and are considering hiring a car service, ask your hotel if they will hire a private taxi for you. This way, you can enjoy all the sights and sounds of the capital city without ever worrying about catching your next ride. This will run you about 400-600 yuan a day, and the taxi will take you wherever you need to go and wait for you at each destination.

4. Taxis might be less available in remote areas of the city than in busier sections of Beijing. If you find yourself in one of these areas, unmarked taxis will often approach you if it looks like you are searching for a cab.

While not highly recommended in busier parts of the city, they might be your only option in rural areas. Always make sure to negotiate the price before beginning your journey to ensure that no scams or false charges are made.

Beijing Airport

Beijing Capital International Airport terminal officially opened on October 1, 1999, marking the 50th anniversary of Chinese Communist rule. This new, bright and airy terminal, built for $1.1 billion, is a welcome replacement for the former facility, which started operating in the 1950s, and has become increasingly cramped and dingy with the rise in the number of passengers visiting China.

The new four-storey terminal covers an area of 336,000 square meters, three times the size of the former terminal, and puts much more emphasis on passenger comfort. The complex also includes a large-scale public parking building and a cargo station.

Beijing is served by international carriers such as Northwest, United, Canadian Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS, Dragon Air, Japan Airlines, ANA, British Airways, Malaysian Air, Austrian Airlines, Air France, Alitalia, Korean Air, Pakistan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai International, Air China, China Southern, and China Northern.

Airport Expressway

The original Beijing Capital International Airport Expressway from the third ring road was completed and put into use in 1990. The Airport Expressway was extended to Beijing's second ring road highway in the Dongzhimen District in recent years.

Now there are three lengths of expressway linking the airport with Beijing and other major roads:

Airport Express: Connecting the airport with the Jingping (Beijing-Pinggu) Expressway (S32) and Beijing's 2nd Ring Road.

North Airport Express (S28): From Daguang (Beijing-Chengde) Expressway (G45) to the north of Beijing Capital International Airport.

The second airport expressway (Airport Freeway): Connecting Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 3 with Jingping (Beijing-Pinggu) Expressway (S32) and the 5th Ring Road at Pingfang Bridge.

Airport Monorail

There is also a metro line (the Airport Express Line) between Beijing Capital International Airport and Dongzhimen. It was completed in 2008. The subway line has four stations: Dongzhimen Station (change for subway lines 2 and 13), Sanyuan Station (change for Line 10), Terminal 2, and Terminal 3.

Taxis

Taxi parking is on the bottom floor outside the Arrival Hall. A line of taxis queues there waiting for customers.

Generally, taxi drivers speak little English, so it is wise to take the name card of your hotel or Chinese destination address, and show it to the driver.

When you get in the taxi and begin your journey, make sure that the driver puts down the flag(the lighted sign); otherwise, you may be charged more than the meter would have shown at the end of the journey.

The taxi company has a regulation that if the taxi has to pass through a toll gate, customers have to pay the toll. It is not included in the taxi fee. The cost to downtown Beijing is normally around CNY70, plus CNY15 for the highway toll.

We suggested asking for a receipt when arriving at your destination, or try to remember the taxi number in case you leave something in the taxi.

Terminal 1: first floor between Gate 3 and Gate 5

Terminal 2: first floor between Gate 3 and Gate 7

Terminal 3: no defined area - follow the signs in the airport to the taxis.

Airport Buses

Line 1: Airport-Fangzhuang

Airport to city stops: 1. Liangmaqiao, 2. Hujialou, 3. Dabeiyao (ITC), 4. Panjiayuan, 5. Shilihe (Jingrui Plaza), 6. Fangzhuang (Guiyou Plaza). Operate from 7:30 to 22:30.

City to airport stops: 1. Fangzhuang (Guiyou Plaza) 2. Dabeiyao (Southern Airline Hotel) 3. Beijing Capital International Airport. Operate from 06:00 to 19:30.

Line 2: Airport-Xidan

Airport to Xidan stops: 1. Shanyuan Bridge, 2. Dongzhimen, 3. East 40 Bridge, 4. Xidan (Aviation Business Building). Operate from 7:00 am till the last flight arrives.

Xidan to airport stops: 1. Xidan (Aviation Business Building), 2. Dongzhimen, 3. Jingxin Building (west gate), 4. Beijing Capital International Airport. Operate from 5:40 to 21:00.

Line 3: Airport - Beijing Railway Station

Airport to Beijing Railway Station stops: 1. Yuyang Hotel, 2. East Bridge (does not stop after 22:30), 3. Chaoyangmen, 4. Yabao Road, 5. Beijing Railway Station. Operate from 7:30 am till the last flight arrives.

Beijing Railway Station to airport stops: 1. Beijing Railway Station, 2. International Hotel (west gate), 3. Dongzhimen, 4. Jingxin Plaza (west gate), 5. Beijing Capital International Airport. Operate from 06:00 to 19:30.

Line 4: Airport-Gongzhufen

Airport to Gongzhufen stops: 1. International Exhibition Center, 2. Xibahe, 3. Anzhen Bridge, 4. Madian Bridge, 5. North Taipingzhuang, 6. Jimen Bridge, 7. Friendship Hotel, 8. Beijing TV Station, 9. Zizhu Bridge, 10. Hangtian Bridge, 11. Gongzhufen. Operate from 7:00 to 22:00.

Gongzhufen to Airport stops: 1. Gongzhufen, 2. Friendship Hotel (North Gate air ticket office), 3. North Taipingzhuang, 5. Beijing Capital International Airport. Operate from 5:40 to 21:00.

Line 5: Airport–Zhongguancun

Airport to Zhongguancun stops: 1. Wangjing, 2. Xiaoying, 3. Asian Games Village (Yayuncun), 4. Xueyuan Bridge, 5. Zhongguancun. Operate from 8:30 to 21:30.

Zhongguancun to airport stops: 1. Zhongguancun, 2. Beijing Aviation University, 3. West of Hui Xin Street (Anhui Plaza), 4. East of Huixin Street, 5. Beijing Capital International Airport. Operate from 7:00 to 19:30.

Bank and ATM in Beijing Airport

There are 12 ATMs and four auto cash exchange machines conveniently located throughout the terminal, and they accept the following cards: Cirrus, American Express, Visa, Visa Interlink, and MasterCard.

The following banks have windows set up at the airport for foreign currency exchange: Bank of China, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Agricultural Bank of China, and the Construction Bank of China. Some of these banks can also provide cash advances with a Visa card.

The ATMs are available 24 hours a day, while the bank windows are open during normal flight and arrival departure hours. The Bank of China in the international separating area on the second floor also provides foreign currency exchange for passengers.

Beijing Getting Around

When in Beijing, you have many different choices to get around.

By Taxi

Taxi should be the most convenient transportation option in Beijing as taxis can be found everywhere in the city, and the service is affordable.

Generally speaking, a trip within the city costs around CNY50 while a cross-town trip will be around CNY100. Getting a cab during rush hour or at night after 11:00 pm may cost more.

The most common cars used as taxis are the Hyundai Sonata and Elantra, Volkswagen Santana and Jetta (late 1980s models), and Citrons manufactured in China. Make sure that you hire a legit taxi.

By Subway

The subway can be the fastest transportation in Beijing, especially at rush hour. It beats the traffic and is much faster than a taxi or a private van.

There are currently 27 subway lines in operation that connect urban and suburban districts of Beijing City. The Airport Express Line reduces the time from the airport to the city center to within 30 minutes.

A ride on Line 2 would take you to many must-see attractions, including Tiananmen Square, the Bell and Drum Towers, Hutongs, Lama Temple, Guozijian, and Xiushui Market.

The price of the subway is CNY2. You can transfer between almost all subway lines regardless of the distance. Pay attention to the stops, which are announced in both Chinese and English, and make sure you get out of the station at the right exit, as there are four entrances/exits in four directions at each stop.

Related Reading: Beijing Subway

By Bus

There are buses of various types traveling around Beijing, including urban lines running within the 3rd Ring Road (buses 1 to 122), night buses operating only after 23:00 (buses 201 to 212), suburban lines traveling from the downtown area to suburban Beijing (buses 300 to 810), and sightseeing buses (buses 900 to 998), which take passengers from downtown areas to scenic spots such as the Great Wall.

Bus fares can be either a flat fare or a measured fare, which varies from a flat fare of CNY1 to a measured fare according to the distance to your destination. Paying with a Beijing transportation smart card enjoys a 60% discount on all routes.

All the bus stops' signboards are in Chinese only. Taking a note of your destination written in Chinese beforehand and inquiring with local people might help. Announcements for the stops are in both Chinese and English.

By Pedi-cab

Rickshaw is a traditional vehicle and has been popular in recent years among visitors. Rickshaws nowadays are practically confined to the tourist areas and used mostly for traveling around the old Beijing hutong area. A ride on a rickshaw is a great way to see Beijing's hutong from a different perspective.

Rickshaws can also be found around the Tian'anmen Square area. It is nice to take a ride around the Square in the evening.

Bargain for an exact price before hopping on a rickshaw. A rickshaw is often more expensive than taking a taxi, especially during holidays, but one can gain a bit of flavor of life in old Beijing.

Make sure you get the legally registered rickshaw, as there are fleets of them. It can be identified by a certificate attached to the rickshaw, and the driver has a card hanging around his neck.

Related Reading: Beijing Hutong

By Sightseeing Bus

Sightseeing buses are a special public service providing convenience for tourists who want to visit the major Beijing attractions in or around Beijing. The former 18 different special tourist buses, which were usually designated with the Chinese character游, have been replaced by the Beijing Sightseeing Buses 900-998 since September 2005.

By Bicycle

As known as the bicycle kingdom, Beijing is one of the best places to get around by bicycle. Riding a bicycle can avoid jams and save time, especially during rush hours, and is good for health and environmental protection. More and more local people are riding bicycles to work or on the weekends to suburban areas.

There are many places in Beijing offering bicycle rental services, including bicycle rental outlets, hotels, and scenic spots. A rental fee varies according to the bicycle type you choose and the rental time. Usually, it can be around CNY5- 10 per hour, CNY10- 20 for a half day (4 hours), and CNY20- 40 a day. A CNY400- 500 cash deposit will be required. Some bicycle rental outlets and hotels may accept credit cards.

By Water Way

Traveling around Beijing on boats was for royal families only in ancient times. Nowadays, it is more and more popular among local people and visitors, especially in the summer.

There are currently three waterways available, which are Changhe River, running between Beijing Zoo and Summer Palace; Kunyun River from Yuyuantan Park to Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace; and Shichahai Lake, from which you will get a panoramic view of local people's life along the riverbank.

The water cruises operate from April to early November every year. Changhe River and Kunyun River operate in daytime, while Shichahai Lake cruises are available both during the day and at night. A night cruise along Shichahai Lake is a nice experience and a great way to escape from the summer heat.

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