Beijing Capital Airport sits about 32 km northeast of the city centre. Transport costs vary significantly depending on your method and the time of day. Here is what to realistically expect.
By transport type
Airport Express (subway): CNY 25 per person. This is the cheapest option for individuals and connects to the wider Beijing Metro at Dongzhimen and Sanyuanqiao. Runs approximately 6:30 AM to 10:30 PM.
Airport bus: multiple lines serve different areas of Beijing, at a fraction of a taxi fare. Prices are not published in English and vary by route — check at the ticket counter in arrivals. Slow but inexpensive.
Taxi: metered, not fixed. Beijing taxis are metered on the municipal tariff: CNY 13 for the first 3 km, then CNY 2.3 per km, rising to CNY 2.76 per km between 23:00 and 05:00 — that is the 20 percent night premium. A CNY 1 fuel surcharge is added to every trip, and time spent stopped or crawling below 12 km/h is charged at CNY 2.3 per 5 minutes, doubling to CNY 4.6 per 5 minutes in rush hour (Beijing Municipal Government). Over the 32 km to the centre that puts the meter near CNY 80 with the road clear, or about CNY 95 on the night rate, before the airport expressway toll, which is added to your fare. In heavy traffic it is the waiting charge, not the distance, that moves the total. Tariffs are revised from time to time, so check the current one before you travel.
Pre-booked transfer: CNY 300-500 for a sedan to central Beijing. Minivans and premium vehicles cost more. The price is fixed regardless of traffic.
By destination
Transfer prices are fixed at booking. There is no taxi column here because a Beijing taxi has no per-destination price — it runs on the meter above, so the fare follows the distance plus whatever the traffic adds. Any fixed CNY figure quoted for a metered taxi is a guess.
| Destination | Transfer (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Dongcheng (Forbidden City area) | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Chaoyang (CBD, Sanlitun) | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Xicheng (financial district) | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Haidian (universities, tech) | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Wangfujing | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Great Wall (Badaling) | Fixed, quoted at booking |
Fixed-price private transfer
PEK Beijing City Center
From€30for 2 passengers
Other destinations
Hidden costs to consider
- Airport expressway toll: added to every taxi fare on top of the meter. Some transfer services include it in the quoted price.
- Late-night rate: between 23:00 and 05:00 the per-km rate rises from CNY 2.3 to CNY 2.76 — about 20 percent more per kilometre (Beijing Municipal Government).
- Traffic factor: the meter runs on both time and distance. Every 5 minutes stopped or below 12 km/h adds CNY 2.3, and CNY 4.6 in rush hour, which is why the same trip costs noticeably more at 08:00 than at midnight even though the night rate per km is higher.
- Language confusion: If a taxi driver misunderstands your destination, the detour costs you money on the meter. Having your address in Chinese reduces this risk.
Tips for managing costs
- The Airport Express at CNY 25 per person is by far the cheapest option and the only one with a published, fixed price, but it only takes you to Dongzhimen or Sanyuanqiao. Factor in the cost and time of connecting via the Beijing Metro to your final destination.
- For groups of 3-4 people, a taxi or transfer becomes more cost-effective per person than individual Airport Express tickets plus onward metro fares.
- If you are heading to a hotel near the 2nd or 3rd Ring Road, taxi fares are at the lower end of the range. Destinations near the 4th or 5th Ring Road cost more.
- Cash in CNY is the most reliable payment for taxis. ATMs are available in the arrivals hall. International credit cards are not always accepted.