Beijing Transportation

As the nation's capital, getting to Beijing is very easy and straightforward. Rail and air connections link the capital to virtually every point in China, and fleets of buses head to abundant destinations from Beijing. Using Beijing as a starting point cot explores the rest of the land makes perfect sense.

By Plane
As one of five major international airports in China, Capital International Airport (PEK) services the largest number of international and domestic airlines, about 200 in total. The main cities of every province and autonomous region within China (excluding Taiwan Province) and over 60 foreign cities throughout the world are accessible from this airport. Most foreign visitors choose Beijing as their first port of call, with over 50 foreign airlines having established offices here and in excess of 5,000 flights weekly, to every corner in the world.

The airport lies to the northeast of downtown Beijing in Shunyi District, some 25 km (16 miles) from city center, Tian'anmen Square. A convenient, comfortable and regular shuttle service operated by the civil aviation authority runs once every 30 minutes from the airport to downtown Beijing at a cost of 16 Yuan per person. Alternatively, taxis are available for approximately 120 Yuan to the city (not including suburbs). Though taxis in Beijing charge according to meters, experienced travelers can usually bargain with the driver for a lower price.

Ticket Booking Office of CAAC is located at No. 15, Changan Xi Jie. There are special windows for foreign passengers (you must present valid documents when buying tickets).

Capital International Airport Consultation: (010) 64563604

By Train
Beijing is the railway hub of the nation, with trains to most provincial capitals and all neighboring cities. There are six railway stations in Beijing, of which Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station are the major ones. The former runs mainly long-haul journeys such as Beijing to Baotou and Beijing to Shanghai or international trains including the lines directly to Moscow, Pyongyang and Ulan Bator etc. While the latter is the largest railway station in Asia. Tourists can get to the capital cities of every province, most major and medium sized cities, autonomous regions (excluding Tibet, Hainan and Taiwan, the Beijing - Tibet railway will be operational from July, 2007) in China. The other two stations offer short-haul trains to neighboring provinces.

For both tourists and businessmen's convenience, intercity express trains run between Beijing and Tianjin departing Beijing Railway Station ten times daily. Cost for hard seat is about 35 Yuan and 45 Yuan for soft seat.

Train tickets can be bought at ticket offices in both Beijing and Beijing West Railway Stations. Tourists can buy tickets and reserve seats up to one week in advance (about 11 days prior during national holidays) and refund the ticket (less twenty percent cancellation fee). Passports or other regulated documents are required when buying or booking tickets.

Important notice: ticket demand always exceeds supply on national holidays, winter vacation and summer vacation and peak tourism season so TravelChinaGuide suggests tourists book tickets upon arrival in Beijing to avoid delaying your later itinerary.

There are ticket offices for foreign guests and overseas Chinese in the international soft-seat waiting room of Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station. Today nearly all standard hotel receptions offer a convenient ticket booking service.

Beijing Railway Station Ticket Booking: 51016666 (tourists can book tickets for trains departing Beijing Railway Station, Beijing West Railway Station, Beijing South Railway Station and Beijing North Railway Station five or ten days ahead of your departure time on this line) 51019999

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