Airport · PEK
Beijing Capital International Airport
Beijing, China
Shujianyang — CC BY-SA 4.0
IATA
PEK
ICAO
ZBAA
Continent
Asia
Country
China
Transport
Getting To & From Beijing Capital International Airport
The Beijing Subway Airport Express line connects Terminals 2 and 3 directly to key downtown transfer hubs like Sanyuanqiao and Dongzhimen, taking roughly 15 to 20 minutes with a fixed ticket cost. Official taxi ranks are available outside each terminal; metered fares to central Beijing typically range between CNY 80 and CNY 120 depending on traffic, with a travel time of 30 to 50 minutes. Comprehensive airport bus networks also connect the facilities to various points across the city.
Navigate
Terminals & Getting Around
Terminals
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) operates three primary passenger structures: Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Terminal 3. Terminal 3 is massive, split into a main building (T3-C) and two satellite concourses (T3-E and T3-D) linked by an underground automated people mover. Terminals 2 and 3 handle both domestic and international traffic segregated primarily by airline alliances and carriers, with Air China anchoring operations out of Terminal 3. Terminals 2 and 3 are physically separate, requiring a free public landside shuttle bus running roughly every 10 minutes for inter-terminal transfers.
Hours of Operation
Beijing Capital International Airport operates 24 hours a day. While certain retail shops and transit services scale back overnight, the facilities remain open to accommodate red-eye and connecting flights.
Know Before You Go
Practical Tips
- Allow ample time for security checkpoints, which can feature strict screening protocols and lengthy queues during peak morning and evening banks.
- Maintain a minimum connection time of at least 90 minutes to two hours for domestic-to-domestic transfers, and significantly longer (3 hours or more) if transferring to international flights or changing between Terminal 2 and Terminal 3.
- Ensure you have your travel documents prepared for China's regional transit regulations; eligible international travelers can utilize temporary visa-free transit schemes (such as the 24/144-hour policies) by processing paperwork at designated airport counters upon arrival.
- Stick strictly to official, marked taxi queues outside the terminal exits and avoid unauthorized individuals offering rides inside the arrivals hall.
Sources: Beijing Capital International Airport Wikipedia, Wikivoyage Beijing Capital International Airport Guide