Many guests may be confused about the two airports in Beijing. The easiest way to tell which airport you are flying to is to check the IATA airport code on your ticket. If it shows PKX, then Beijing Daxing International Airport is the one you are arriving at.
It takes about 1.5 hours to drive from Daxing Airport to Tiananmen. If you travel light, the Daxing Airport Express is a convenient option; if you travel with a lot of luggage, or with your family members, or arrive late at night, taking a taxi, DiDi (an e-hailing service app in China.), or private airport transfers may be more convenient.
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- Beijing Daxing International Airport at a Glance
- Map of Beijing Daxing International Airport & Terminal Layout
- How to Get to the City Centre from Daxing Airport?
- How to Get to the Forbidden City and the Great Wall from Daxing International Airport?
- How to Get to Beijing West Station, Tianjin, and Xiong’an from Daxing International Airport?
- Food, Hotel, Shops & Information
- Transit & 240-Hour Visa-Free Entry
Beijing Daxing International Airport at a Glance
Beijing Daxing International Airport is one of the two major international airports in Beijing. Unlike at other large-scale airports, you don’t need to transfer between terminals that are far apart.
- Chinese Name: Beijing Daxing International Airport
- IATA Code: PKX
- Opening Date: Sep. 25, 2019
- Location: Southern Beijing
- Distance to Tiananmen: About 50 km
- Terminal: Integrated Terminal 1
Note: Don’t mix up PKX and PEK.
PKX: Beijing Daxing International Airport
PEK: Beijing Capital International Airport
The two airports are located in different parts of Beijing. Please always double-check your airport code and flight number when booking airport transfers or transportation for a connecting flight.
Recommended tour routes in Beijing:
Experience Beijing's top imperial highlights on a 2-day layover tour visiting the Great Wall at Mutianyu, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven.
Map of Beijing Daxing International Airport & Terminal Layout
Don’t worry about getting lost in Daxing Airport. Its terminal layout employs a centralised design where domestic/international arrivals & departures, and transport facilities such as trains and metro are integrated into a large terminal complex.
Main Levels:
- 4F: International & HK/Macao/Taiwan & Domestic Departures
- 3F: Air China & China United Airlines Domestic Departures & Domestic Security Check
- 2F: Domestic Arrivals, E-hailing Connection, Lost and Found
- 1F: International Arrivals, HK/Macao/Taiwan Arrivals, Taxi, Airport Bus, First Aid
- B1: Domestic check-in, security check, metro, rail transit
- B2: Metro Platform, Airport Express
To make it simple, remember three English signs in particular: Airport Express, Railway Station, Taxi/E-Hailing.
Basic processes upon arrival:
Deplane → Immigration → Baggage Claim → Customs → Arrival Hall
After entering the Arrivals Hall, you can choose to take the Airport Express, a taxi, DiDi, or the Airport Bus.
Departing from Daxing Airport:
For international flights, we recommend that you arrive at the airport 3 hours in advance, and you should allow more time in case you travel during summer vacation or holidays and need time for a tax refund.
Flight schedules, gates, and check-in counters may change without prior notice. Please consult the airline and airport FIDS (Flight Information Display System) on the day of departure.
How to Get to the City Centre from Daxing Airport?
It is more important to choose the right transport option based on how much luggage you have, your group size, and arrival time rather than simply choosing the fastest option.
The most recommended service is private airport transfers, because you probably haven’t connected to the Internet in China and set up your mobile payment, making it difficult for you to take public transport.
Means of Transport |
Approx. Time |
Approx. Cost |
Best for |
Airport Express |
About 20 mins to Caoqiao |
CNY 35 for standard lass
CNY 50 for business class |
Solo travellers; travellers with light luggage |
Airport Express + Metro |
60 — 90 mins |
CNY 40-50(standard-class Airport Express ticket) |
budget travellers |
Airport Bus |
About 1-2 hours |
CNY 30-50 |
Tourists whose destination is close to the bus station |
Taxi/DiDi |
About 60-100 mins |
CNY 150-250 |
Families; travellers with heavy luggage |
Private Transfer |
Depends on traffic conditions |
CNY 400 |
First-time visitors; groups |
* The actual time spent depends on the locations of hotels and traffic conditions.
Daxing Airport Express
This is the recommended option for most travellers with light luggage.
Note: The Airport Express terminates at Caoqiao, which is not in a major tourist area.
You still need to transfer to the metro at Caoqiao if your hotel is located in Wangfujing, Qianmen, Tiananmen, Dongzhimen, or Sanlitun.
Daxing Airport Shuttle Bus
It is suitable for tourists staying close to bus stops, or arriving late after the suspension of the Airport Express. Operating hours and routes may be subject to change, so please double-check the latest airport information on the day of arrival.
Taxi & DiDi
They are suitable for tourists with a lot of luggage or travelling with elderly family members or children, and a 2–4-person group.
Please go to the designated taxi waiting areas. Avoid drivers who approach you inside the terminal offering a ride.
For DiDi rides, after booking online, you need to go to the designated E-Hailing or Ride-Hailing areas. Please save the Chinese name and address of your hotel in case drivers cannot recognize English accurately.
Discover Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, and Guilin on a 10-day private tour covering iconic landmarks and stunning karst landscapes from the Li River.
How to Get to the Forbidden City and the Great Wall from Daxing International Airport?
If you plan to start your trip right after arriving at PKX, please note that Daxing Airport is in southern Beijing while the major scenic spots are in the city centre and northern Beijing.
From the Airport to Tiananmen Square & the Forbidden City
Public Transport:
PKX → Daxing Airport Express → Caoqiao → Beijing Metro → Tiananmen/Qianmen
Set off from Caoqiao, take Metro Line 10 to Gongzhufen, and transfer to Line 1 to Tiananmen West Station or East Station.
We don’t recommend going to the Forbidden City directly if you are travelling with large luggage. A more sensible option is to leave your luggage at your hotel first and then enjoy your trip.
IMPORTANT: You must book tickets in advance to visit the Forbidden City. Even if you have plenty of time on the day you arrive, don’t assume that you can buy a ticket on arrival.
A private guided day tour covering Beijing's four iconic landmarks: Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and the imperial Summer Palace gardens.
From the Airport to the Great Wall
You need to make multiple transfers if you take public buses. The Mutianyu and Badaling sections of the Great Wall are located in northern Beijing, far away from Daxing Airport.
We recommend that you choose a private charter service. Your driver will take you to your hotel to check in after your trip to the Great Wall.
Note: You can plan a visit to the Great Wall if you will land in Beijing before 9 a.m.. If you arrive in the afternoon or at night, you can go to the city centre first, and visit the Great Wall the next day.
How to Get to Beijing West Station, Tianjin, and Xiong’an from Daxing International Airport?
Daxing Airport Station is located directly beneath the airport terminal, making it easy to transfer from your flight to a train.
If you plan to travel to another city directly after landing in Beijing, check for train connections from Daxing Airport Station. You may be able to travel directly from the airport without going into central Beijing first.
From the Airport to Beijing West Station.
You can take the Beijing-Xiong’an Intercity Railway to get to Beijing West Station fast.
If you plan to take a high-speed train from Beijing West Station to Xi’an, Luoyang, Chengdu, Guilin, or another city, you can take the Beijing-Xiong’an Intercity Railway to get to Beijing West Station first.
From the Airport to Tianjin/Xiong’an.
There are direct intercity trains from Daxing Airport Station to Tianjin West Railway Station.The whole journey takes about one hour. The price of a second-class ticket is about CNY 28-40 (depending on the train number). Please note that the last train departs from the airport at about 21:40.
IMPORTANT: Daxing Airport Railway Station and Beijing Daxing Railway Station are different stations. Don’t mix them up.
Daxing Airport Railway Station also has direct intercity trains to Xiong’an Station. You can reach Xiong’an in as little as 19 minutes. The price of a second-class ticket is CNY 15-38.
An 8-day tour through Beijing, Chengde and Tianjin blending Forbidden City grandeur, Jinshanling Great Wall hikes and European-style concessions.
Food, Hotel, Shops & Information
Daxing Airport has a good range of restaurants, shops, convenience stores, duty-free stores, and rest facilities.
For first-time visitors to China, what matters more is to reconnect to the internet, set up your mobile payment, and arrange your transport well before leaving the airport.
Recommended Sequences (the first 60 minutes after arriving at PKX):
Immigration → Baggage Claim → Internet/SIM → Mobile Payment → Save the Chinese Address of Your Hotel → Arrange Transportation → Leave the Airport
We recommend that you reconnect to the mobile Internet at the airport where free Wi-Fi is available. After reconnection, it will be more convenient to use maps, translation functions, and mobile payment.
- Payment Setting
Things to prepare: Alipay / WeChat Pay + international bank card + some CNY cash
Please don’t rely on only one payment method.
- Luggage Storage
Daxing Airport offers a luggage storage service, suitable for tourists who have a long layover or those who want to explore Beijing without carrying your luggage. Its storage locations, rates, and operating hours may be subject to change. It is better to consult the Airport Information Desk for the latest information.
- Restaurants & Shops
You can find Chinese restaurants, fast food restaurants, noodle restaurants, cafes, convenience stores, duty-free shops, cosmetic shops, and travel accessory shops inside the airport. There will be fewer dining options at night if you arrive late. Possible options are 24-hour stores or restaurants.
- Overnight Stays & Hotels
For a more comfortable stay, you can go to the area around Gates A102 and D112. There are private cubicles with bunk beds, charging ports, reading lights. There are also shared shower facilities with free shampoo, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. Offline booking costs about CNY 300 per night (online booking costs only CNY 150–200).
If your budget allows, we recommend that you book a comfortable hotel nearby.
Recommended Hotels in and nearby the airport:
Mumian Beijing Daxing International Airport (The Unbound Collection by Hyatt) (five stars, CNY 700 per night in shoulder season).
Location: a 5-minute walk from the security checkpoint;
Fairfield by Marriott (four stars, CNY 350 per night in shoulder season) and Hilton Garden Inn (four stars, CNY 500 per night in shoulder season) are a 5-minute drive from the airport and offer 24-hour airport transfer service for free.
Transit & 240-Hour Visa-Free Entry
If you are making an international-to-international or international-to-domestic connection at Beijing Daxing International Airport, check with your airline in advance to confirm:
- Whether to go through immigration or not;
- Whether to re-check-in;
- Whether to go through security again.
Daxing Airport is one of the entry ports eligible for China’s 240-hour visa-free transit.
The current policy applies to eligible nationals from 55 countries. Tourists must hold valid international travel documents, and have confirmed dates and proof of onward itinerary to a third country or region within 240 hours; eligible travellers may stay in the designated area for no more than 10 days.
Examples:
London → Beijing → Tokyo: The itinerary satisfies the third-country routing requirement.
London → Beijing → London: The itinerary doesn’t satisfy the third-country routing requirement.
The policy does not simply allow all travelers to visit Beijing visa-free for 10 days. A tourist’s nationality, entry port, onward destination, and flight ticket must satisfy relevant policies and requirements, and are subject to review by the border inspection authorities.
