“Dad… We’re Really in China!”
After months of planning…
After countless YouTube videos…
After checking your passport for the tenth time…
Your aircraft finally lands at Beijing Capital International Airport (北京首都国际机场 | Běijīng Shǒudū Guójì Jīchǎng).
As the aircraft door opens, the excitement begins.
New language.
New signs.
New smells.
A completely different world.
Elaine looked out through the terminal windows.
“Dad… we’re finally in China!”
Before I could answer, Cheers had already unfolded a huge map of Beijing.
“The Great Wall must be that way!”
The Beijing Panda couldn’t help laughing.
“慢慢来 (Màn màn lái).”
“Take it easy.”
“Every great China adventure starts with one simple mission…”
“Let’s get you safely to your hotel first.”
He’s right.
For many first-time visitors, those first 60 minutes after landing are the most intimidating.
The good news?
They’re usually much easier than you imagine.
Which Beijing Airport Are You Flying Into?
One thing surprises many first-time visitors.
Beijing actually has two international airports.
Beijing Capital International Airport (北京首都国际机场 | Běijīng Shǒudū Guójì Jīchǎng)
Airport code: PEK
Located northeast of the city.
This remains one of China’s busiest international gateways and serves many long-haul flights from Europe, North America, Australia and Asia.
This guide focuses on PEK.
Beijing Daxing International Airport (北京大兴国际机场 | Běijīng Dàxīng Guójì Jīchǎng)
Airport code: PKX
Opened in 2019, Daxing Airport is one of the world’s newest and most impressive airports.
It’s located south of Beijing and has different transport connections, which we’ll cover in a separate ChinaTravelBUG guide.
Beijing Panda Says…
“Before you worry about getting lost…”
Look up.
Most directional signs inside Beijing Capital Airport are written in both Chinese and English.
You’ll easily recognise signs for:
🛄 Baggage Claim
🚇 Airport Express
🚖 Taxi (出租车 | Chūzūchē)
🚌 Airport Bus
🚻 Toilets
One of the biggest surprises for many Western travellers is just how international the airport feels.
Four Easy Ways to Reach Your Hotel
After immigration and collecting your luggage, you have four practical ways to reach central Beijing.
The best choice depends on:
- your budget
- how much luggage you’re carrying
- whether you’re travelling with young children
- what time your flight arrives
🚆 Option 1 — Airport Express + Beijing Subway ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Our favourite for most first-time visitors
If you’re travelling with manageable luggage, this is usually the option we’d recommend.
The Airport Express (首都机场线 | Shǒudū Jīchǎng Xiàn) is:
✅ fast
✅ clean
✅ reliable
✅ affordable
✅ easy to understand
It connects directly with the Beijing Subway (北京地铁 | Běijīng Dìtiě).
Your two transfer stations are:
1. Sanyuanqiao Station (三元桥站 | Sānyuánqiáo Zhàn)
Connects with:
Metro Line 10 (地铁10号线 | Dìtiě Shí Hào Xiàn)
2. Dongzhimen Station (东直门站 | Dōngzhímén Zhàn)
Connects with:
- Metro Line 2 (地铁2号线 | Dìtiě Èr Hào Xiàn)
- Metro Line 13 (地铁13号线 | Dìtiě Shísān Hào Xiàn)
The Airport Express journey usually takes around 20–30 minutes to Dongzhimen.
From there, simply continue by subway to the station nearest your hotel.
Station names and announcements are provided in both Chinese and English.
Cheers looked around.
“Dad…”
“This feels easier than some airports back home.”
The Beijing Panda smiled.
“欢迎来到北京 (Huānyíng lái dào Běijīng).”
“Welcome to Beijing.”
🚖 Option 2 — Official Taxi ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best for families with children
Travelling with:
- three large suitcases?
- a stroller?
- elderly parents?
- very tired children?
An official airport taxi is often the most comfortable choice.
Journey time is typically 40–70 minutes, depending on traffic.
Simply follow the official Taxi (出租车 | Chūzūchē) signs after exiting customs.
One important tip:
Ignore anyone inside the terminal offering “cheap taxis.”!!
Instead, join the official taxi queue outside the arrivals hall.
It’s safe, organised and straightforward.
📱 Option 3 — DiDi (滴滴出行 | Dīdī Chūxíng) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best after setting up Alipay
Many overseas visitors now use DiDi through Alipay.
It’s one of our favourite ways to travel.
Why?
Because your destination is automatically sent to the driver in Chinese.
No need to pronounce difficult street names.
No awkward language barrier.
Simply confirm the destination and enjoy the journey.
Once you’ve used it once, you’ll probably use it throughout your trip.
🚌 Option 4 — Airport Shuttle Bus ⭐⭐⭐
Airport buses connect Beijing Capital Airport with many parts of the city.
They’re economical and reliable.
However, for most first-time visitors, we’d usually recommend the Airport Express, DiDi or an official taxi instead.
They’re simply easier after a long international flight.
🌙 Arriving Late at Night?
Cheers checked his watch.
“Dad…”
“What if our flight lands after midnight?”
Good question.
The Airport Express doesn’t operate all night.
If you arrive after train services have finished, don’t worry.
Official taxis and DiDi continue operating and are usually the easiest way to reach your hotel.
🏨 Which Area Should You Stay In?
The traveller whose question inspired this article was considering two popular areas.
Both are excellent choices.
🏯 Tiananmen Square (天安门广场 | Tiān’ānmén Guǎngchǎng)
Perfect if you want to be close to:
- The Forbidden City (故宫博物院 | Gùgōng Bówùyuàn)
- National Museum of China (中国国家博物馆 | Zhōngguó Guójiā Bówùguǎn)
- Wangfujing (王府井 | Wángfǔjǐng)
- Tiananmen Square
You’ll be in the heart of Beijing’s historic centre.
🌳 Temple of Heaven Area (天坛公园 | Tiāntán Gōngyuán)
A little quieter.
Often slightly better value.
Great if you enjoy:
- neighbourhood restaurants
- morning walks
- watching locals practise Tai Chi (太极拳 | Tàijíquán)
- a slower pace
Both districts have excellent metro connections.
Our advice?
Choose the hotel that’s:
✔ close to a metro station
✔ within your budget
✔ suits your travel style
📶 Before Leaving the Airport
The Beijing Panda always reminds Cheers:
“The airport isn’t the finish line.”
“It’s where your adventure begins.”
Before leaving the terminal, our family checks:
📱 Internet working?
📘 Passport safely packed?
📍 Hotel saved in maps?
📱 Alipay ready?
🔋 Power bank charged?
China is one of the world’s most digital countries.
Having mobile internet makes the rest of your day much easier.
Cheers’ Arrival Checklist
Before stepping outside, Cheers always checks:
✅ Passport
✅ Power bank
✅ Alipay
✅ Translation app
✅ Hotel address saved in Chinese
✅ Bottle of water
Then…
He checks everything again.
Dad quietly checks his passport one more time.
Elaine laughs every single time.
ChinaTravelBug Learn a Little Chinese
Don’t worry about becoming fluent.
Simply recognising a few words will make travelling feel much easier.
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 北京 | Běijīng |
| Airport | 机场 | Jīchǎng |
| Subway / Metro | 地铁 | Dìtiě |
| Airport Express | 首都机场线 | Shǒudū Jīchǎng Xiàn |
| Taxi | 出租车 | Chūzūchē |
| Thank you | 谢谢 | Xièxie |
| Welcome | 欢迎 | Huānyíng |
| Exit | 出口 | Chūkǒu |
| Entrance | 入口 | Rùkǒu |
| Hotel | 酒店 | Jiǔdiàn |
After a day or two, you’ll be surprised how many of these words you begin to recognise on signs.
Elaine’s Discovery
When we first landed in Beijing, Elaine expected everything to feel confusing.
Instead, she noticed something unexpected.
The airport was organised.
The transport system was logical.
The signs were easy to follow.
Within an hour, we were already travelling into the city on the Airport Express.
She smiled.
“Dad…”
“Getting here was much easier than I imagined.”
Sometimes the biggest obstacle isn’t language.
It’s simply the fear of the unknown.
Dad’s Reflection
As we rolled our suitcases towards the station, Cheers asked,
“Dad… when does the China adventure actually begin?”
I smiled.
“It already has.”
Not at the Great Wall.
Not inside the Forbidden City.
Not even after checking into the hotel.
It begins the moment you realise you can confidently navigate somewhere completely unfamiliar.
That’s when travel stops being intimidating…
…and starts becoming exciting.
Final Thoughts
For many first-time Western travellers, arriving in China feels like the biggest challenge.
In reality, it’s often one of the easiest parts of the journey.
Whether you choose the Airport Express, Beijing Subway, an official taxi or DiDi, you’ll soon discover that Beijing is far more accessible than you expected.
As the Beijing Panda likes to remind Cheers:
第一步最重要。 (Dì yī bù zuì zhòngyào.)
“The first step is the most important.”
Take that first step with confidence.
Because once you’ve reached your hotel, the real adventure begins.
At ChinaTravelBug, our goal isn’t simply to help you visit China.
It’s to help you arrive with confidence, discover with curiosity, and leave with a deeper understanding of one of the world’s oldest and most fascinating civilisations.
