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Beijing for first-time visitors

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Beijing in five lines

Suits: history and imperial sites, the Great Wall, first trips that pair with Shanghai by high-speed rail.

Days needed: 3 for the core sites, 4-5 with a Great Wall day.

Getting in: two big airports far apart, Capital 首都 Shǒudū (PEK) to the north-east and Daxing 大兴 Dàxīng (PKX) to the south.

Plan around: Forbidden City opening: Closed Mon; tickets online only.

Visa: 30-day visa-free or 240-hour transit through either airport.

Getting in: airports and stations

From each airport and main station to the centre (Tiananmen Square, Beijing)
FromHowPriceTimeChecked
Capital Airport (PEK) 北京首都国际机场Airport Express to Dongzhimen¥25about 25 min
Taxi to Guomao (CBD)¥100-140, 45-60 minTime not checked yet
Daxing Airport (PKX) 北京大兴国际机场Daxing Airport Express, then metro Lines 10 and 1¥35~19 min to Caoqiao; ~90 min to Tiananmen
Taxi or Didi to Tiananmen¥200-250, 60-80 min
Beijing South Station 北京南站Routes not checked yet
Beijing West Station 北京西站Routes not checked yet

240-hour visa-free transit via Beijing

Transit ports in Beijing
Capital (PEK) and Daxing (PKX) airports
Where you may stay
Permitted areas of 24 regions; cross-province travel allowed

The national rules (who qualifies, onward ticket) are on the 240-hour transit page. The Beijing stay area is quoted from a 2024 text: re-check before relying on travel outside Beijing.

Beijing overview

Beijing is the capital and the country's densest cluster of imperial landmarks: the city counts 8 sites on the World Heritage list, from the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven to sections of the Great Wall within a day trip. Most first visits are built around those sites rather than around neighbourhoods, which makes booking and opening days matter more here than in Shanghai.

The Palace Museum, the Forbidden City 故宫 Gùgōng, is the one to plan first. Opening: Closed Mon. Entry: ¥60 peak / ¥40 off-peak. Tickets are sold online only on the museum's real-name system, so bring the passport you booked with. How many days ahead tickets open is Tickets open at 20:00, 7 days before the visit; one ticket per ID per day: we have not confirmed it on the museum's own page yet.

The two airports change your first hour. From Capital Airport the Airport Express runs to Dongzhimen 东直门 for ¥25. Daxing is newer and further out: its express train to Caoqiao 草桥 costs ¥35, and the full trip to Tiananmen by train and metro takes ~19 min to Caoqiao; ~90 min to Tiananmen. A taxi from Daxing to the centre is ¥200-250, 60-80 min.

Inside the city the subway is the default. Fares are distance-based, ¥3-6+, and foreign visitors can pay at the gate with Visa/Mastercard tap; Alipay QR, which removes the need to set up a transport card on day one.

Paying and getting around in Beijing
FactValueCheckedSource
Beijing subway payment for foreignersBeijing subwayVisa/Mastercard tap; Alipay QRenglish.beijing.gov.cn
Beijing subway fare rangeBeijing subway¥3-6+Beijing Subway Co., Ltd. via english.beijing.gov.cn
Palace Museum closing dayPalace MuseumClosed MonThe Palace Museum
Palace Museum hours and pricePalace Museum general admission¥60 peak / ¥40 off-peakThe Palace Museum
Palace Museum booking windowPalace MuseumTickets open at 20:00, 7 days before the visit; one ticket per ID per dayThe Palace Museum

Areas to know

  • Dongcheng 东城区

    Forbidden City, Wangfujing and the eastern hutong lanes; the most central base.

  • Xicheng 西城区

    Houhai lakes and Beihai Park; quieter evenings by the water.

  • Chaoyang 朝阳区

    Sanlitun bars, the CBD around Guomao and the 798 Art Zone.

  • Haidian 海淀区

    Summer Palace and the university district in the north-west.

Our own neighbourhood map is not drawn yet

Where to stay in Beijing

Where-to-stay page not built yet (needs 6+ checked properties)

Start here

Show the driver 给司机看

北京市东城区天安门广场

Běijīng Shì Dōngchéng Qū Tiān'ānmén Guǎngchǎng

Tiananmen Square, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Open in AmapOpen in Apple MapsOpen in Google Maps

Questions people ask

Is the Forbidden City open on Mondays?

No. Palace Museum opening: Closed Mon.

How do I get from Daxing Airport to central Beijing?

Daxing Airport Express (¥35) then metro, about ~19 min to Caoqiao; ~90 min to Tiananmen in total; or a taxi, ¥200-250, 60-80 min.

Can I pay for the Beijing subway with a foreign card?

Yes: Visa/Mastercard tap; Alipay QR.

Sources

  1. About Subway Fares, Beijing Subway Co., Ltd. via english.beijing.gov.cn, retrieved
  2. Beijing airport transfers, Wego, retrieved
  3. Beijing Daxing Airport (PKX) Transfer Guide 2026, Wander in China, retrieved
  4. 240 Hours (Visit Beijing), Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, retrieved
  5. China eases visa-free transit to 240 hours, Xinhua (NIA announcement), retrieved
  6. Basic Information of Beijing Subway, english.beijing.gov.cn, retrieved
  7. Visit - The Palace Museum, The Palace Museum, retrieved
  8. Palace Museum ticketing, The Palace Museum, retrieved
  9. China's World Heritage Sites +1! Which of BJ's Sites Have You Visited?, english.beijing.gov.cn, retrieved