Beijing has two airports, Capital and Daxing, and your ticket will name one. Capital has an airport rail link into the city, and Daxing has its own. Check which one is on your booking before you plan the evening.
Landing in the capital is exciting, and it is also tiring. A simple plan makes the first hour kind to everyone.
How far are the two airports?
Beijing Capital Airport is about 32 km northeast of downtown[1]. Daxing opened on 25 September 2019 and is about 46 km south of Beijing[2]. Both are real journeys, so do not schedule anything tight on landing day.
The two airports lie on opposite sides of the city. If you can choose when you book, ask which side your hotel is on. Our Capital versus Daxing guide compares them.
What is the way in from Capital Airport?
The Beijing Capital Airport Express runs from Terminal 3 and Terminal 2 via Sanyuanqiao to Dongzhimen and Beixinqiao, about 16 to 20 minutes end to end[3]. At the end of the line you change to the metro or take a taxi.
This works well for light bags and daytime arrivals. With large cases and stairs, a taxi or Didi straight to the hotel is kinder. See the metro from station to hotel guide for how gates and payment work.
What is the way in from Daxing Airport?
Daxing is served by the Daxing Airport Express, a rail link, with Line 20 also listed[4]. Look for the rail signs in the terminal, and check the current journey time in the metro app, as timetables change.
Because Daxing sits far to the south, a car to a southern hotel can be simpler than rail plus a change. Ask your hotel for a pickup quote before you fly.
How do taxis and Didi work?
Taxi fares are metered, and passengers pay the exact meter fare[5]. Use the official taxi queue, not offers from people in the arrivals hall.
Foreign visitors commonly hail Didi through the Alipay mini program, which charges the linked Alipay account and needs no Chinese phone number[6]. Read Didi for Malaysians in China before you leave home.
What should you do before you land?
Do these in Malaysia, not in the arrivals hall:
- Keep your original passport handy for hotel check-in[7].
- Save your hotel address in Chinese as a screenshot.
- Download an offline map and translation app, because Google Maps and WhatsApp are blocked[8].
- Reserve Forbidden City tickets in advance, since walk-up entry is not available[9].
Better options when
If you are heading on to Shanghai soon, read the Beijing to Shanghai train guide. For flights from Malaysia, see the KL to Beijing flight options, and for sights see the Beijing region overview.