From Beijing's Airports into the City: Capital and Daxing Compared (as of November 2026)

Beijing has two major international airports: Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) in the northeast of the city, and Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX), opened in 2019 in the southern suburbs. Which one you land at makes a real difference to how you get into town, so once you've booked your flight, check your arrival airport code first. This article sets out how to get from each airport to central Beijing, based on official information as of November 2026.

The big picture

Based on information published by Capital Airport's official website, the Beijing Key Station Area Management Committee and Beijing Mass Transit Railway Operation Corp. Hours may be extended in peak periods such as Chinese New Year; posted notices on site take precedence.

From Capital Airport (PEK)

Metro: Capital Airport Express

If you're staying on the east or north side of the city, this is your first choice. It's a dedicated line with five stations (Beixinqiao, Dongzhimen, Sanyuanqiao, T3 and T2), and the fare is a flat 25 yuan. Trains are said to run about every 10 minutes.

Where you board depends on the terminal. According to Capital Airport, it's on level B2 of the car-park building at T2, and on level 2 of the car-park building at T3. At T3, cross the walkway directly opposite international arrivals exit B to enter the car-park building. T1 has no station, so if you arrive at T1, walk or take the free shuttle bus to T2.

From the airport, trains run 6:22–22:52 from T3 and 6:36–23:10 from T2. Heading from the city to the airport, trains leave Dongzhimen 6:00–22:30. On a late flight you may miss the last train, so if you land after 22:00, it's wise to keep taxis and buses in mind.

You can pay at station ticket machines, with a transit card, or with an Alipay or WeChat ride code. Contactless foreign cards also work: according to the Beijing city government, on every line including the Capital Airport Express, Visa and Mastercard have been accepted since September 13, 2024, and JCB and American Express since June 15, 2025. You tap your card both when you enter and when you exit. The Capital Airport Express is priced separately from the regular metro network, so transferring means paying a new metro fare. How to use Alipay's ride code is covered in detail in "07 The Beijing Metro."

Airport buses

Airport buses run from Capital Airport to many parts of the city. According to an announcement by the Capital Airport Group (August 2026), city routes were reorganized into nine lines from July 31; the Beijing Railway Station line runs 24 hours (about every 15 minutes at peak times), and there are also night lines to Zhongguancun and the Agricultural Exhibition Center. Beijing's guidance for foreigners says fares are about 20–55 yuan depending on the route, and that tickets can be bought at terminal machines (WeChat Pay, Alipay) or counters (international cards). I couldn't verify each route's fare, so check the official announcements on Capital Airport's website or the official "机场巴士" (airport bus) mini program. Staff may not speak English, so having your destination address ready in Chinese makes things smoother.

Taxis

Both T2 and T3 have dedicated taxi ranks, open 24 hours. Fares follow Beijing's standard meter. On days with big luggage or late-night arrivals, this ends up being the easiest option. Don't get into cars whose drivers approach you anywhere other than the official rank.

Between terminals

A free shuttle bus links T2 and T3 in about 10 minutes. It runs at intervals of 10 minutes or less from 6:00 to 23:00, and 15 minutes or less from 23:00 to 6:00 (from Gate 7 on the arrivals level at T2, and Gates 7–9 on the arrivals level at T3).

From Daxing Airport (PKX)

Metro: Daxing Airport Express

Getting from Daxing into the city mostly comes down to this line. You board on level B1 of the terminal. It takes about 20 minutes to the terminus, Caoqiao, where you change to Metro Lines 10 and 19.

Fares are distance-based. In standard cars, anything over 30 km costs 35 yuan, so the airport to Caoqiao is 35 yuan. Business-class cars are a flat 50 yuan for any distance. To ride business class, enter through the dedicated gate or validate at the platform machine.

Normal hours are 6:00–23:00 from the airport and 6:00–22:30 from Caoqiao. Ticket sales and gates close 5 minutes before the last train, so passengers are advised to be in the station 10 minutes beforehand. Hours may change around Chinese New Year and other peak periods.

Payment options are broad: Beijing's ticketing rules (revised August 2026) list physical and electronic single-journey tickets, transit cards, BEIJING PASS, UnionPay cards and 外卡 (foreign-issued cards), among others. As a supplementary rule for the Daxing Airport Express, you can stay inside the gates for up to 4 hours per trip.

Some airlines also offer free or discounted airport-express tickets bundled with flights to and from Daxing (an October 2026 report said the offer runs until December 31, 2026, at 20% off). Terms vary by airline, so check each airline's official app for its official announcement.

Taxis and buses

Daxing is far from the city center: a taxi to around Tiananmen or Guomao costs roughly 180–240 yuan including expressway tolls (an approximation based on various estimates; it varies with traffic and time of day). Beijing taxis charge a surcharge from 23:00 to 5:00. When you take one, queue at the official rank, make sure the meter is used, and get a receipt (发票) for peace of mind.

I couldn't verify Daxing's airport bus routes and fares for this article. Please check the official announcements.

Things to watch at either airport

• The metro has bag screening. Every station on the Beijing metro X-rays bags, and luggage is limited to 30 kg in weight, 1.8 m in length, and 0.5 m in width and height. Large suitcases are normally fine, but screening takes a little time.
• Check the last-train time in advance. For evening arrivals, allow about an hour for immigration and baggage claim to be safe.
• Have at least two ways to pay. Alipay's ride code, a contactless foreign card, ticket machines — there are plenty of options, but any one of them can fail at some point.

Final thoughts

From Capital, the airport express to Dongzhimen; from Daxing, the airport express to Caoqiao. Remember these two "gateways to the city" and your first day in Beijing gets much easier. Hours and fares can change, so check the airport and metro official websites again before you go.