Your first visit · 北京
Beijing travel guide
Beijing needs a little planning before sightseeing begins. Major sites cover a lot of ground, the Great Wall takes you outside the central city, and a Palace Museum visit depends on getting a ticket. Build each day around one substantial visit, then add a nearby walk or meal. Leave room to change plans when tickets, weather or energy suggest it.
Suggested stay Allow three full days, including one Great Wall day. Add time for the Summer Palace and hutong walks. Keep arrival day separate.
Before you arrive
- Check the airport code before arranging transport: Capital is PEK; Daxing is PKX.
- Secure Palace Museum admission before fixing that day's plans. Carry the passport used for the booking.
- Leave the Great Wall its own day. Arrange the return journey and consider your group's mobility.
Check your passport and itinerary in the entry checker before booking. Its coverage and unresolved rules matter: an airport route in this guide does not establish permission to enter China.
01 / Land and get settled
From the airport to your hotel
Capital Airport connects with northeastern Beijing; Daxing Express reaches Caoqiao in the south. Compare the full journey to your hotel. Operator and municipal pages were checked on September 23–24, 2026; train times exclude arrivals procedures and onward travel.
Before leaving the terminal
Use the arrival guide to separate immigration, baggage collection and customs. Follow the current official instructions for your documents and anything you need to declare.
Open your saved hotel address and check that your connection works. If you need a SIM, ask the airport information desk for an operator counter and confirm its hours and total price before paying. A travel data eSIM does not automatically give you a Chinese phone number. For cash, look for an ATM displaying your card network and review its fee screen; see the cash guide for limits and fallback options.
Fares below are in RMB. Rail times describe the stated journey, excluding border checks, baggage, waiting and the last leg to your hotel. Check the operator link for your travel date and direction.
Capital Airport: Airport Express
Terminals 2 and 3 to Sanyuanqiao, Dongzhimen or Beixinqiao.
- Cost
- RMB 25 for the airport line; onward travel costs extra.
- Time
- Check the terminal timetable and your onward connection.
Choose the interchange nearest your hotel route. The airport lists Lines 10 and 12 at Sanyuanqiao, 2 and 13 at Dongzhimen, and 5 at Beixinqiao.[1]
Daxing Airport: Airport Express
Daxing Airport to Caoqiao, then an onward connection.
- Cost
- RMB 35 from Daxing Airport to Caoqiao in the ordinary carriage; onward travel costs extra.
- Time
- The operator describes the airport-Caoqiao rail segment as about 20 minutes.
Caoqiao is an interchange, not your hotel. The operator identifies connections with Lines 10 and 19.[2][10]
Either airport: airport bus
Daxing: booked car
Airport pickup point to the address entered in the booking.
- Cost
- Use the quoted fare and check any additional charges.
- Time
- Traffic-dependent; consult the live journey estimate.
The airport service guide confirms ride-hailing is available. Match the pickup point and car details to the booking before boarding.[3]
Save your hotel's Chinese address before flying. If the pickup map will not load, ask airport staff for the signed taxi queue. See the Didi guide for account setup and pickup problems.
02 / Choose a base
Where to stay in Beijing
These are suggested areas, not inspected hotels. Compare the actual station exit, walk to the property and front-desk hours before choosing a room.
Wangfujing and Dongsi
王府井 / 东四
A central first-visit base. Compare hotels near metro entrances, with restaurants you can reach after a long day.
Being east of the Forbidden City does not put you at its entrance. Check the actual route to the Meridian Gate and leave time for security.
Qianmen and Dashilar
前门 / 大栅栏
Walking around the southern old-city streets and planning a Temple of Heaven day.
Some addresses require a final walk through smaller streets. Ask the property where a vehicle can stop, especially if you have heavy luggage.
Dongzhimen and the northeastern centre
东直门
A base that connects directly to Capital Airport Express and suits evenings in the northeastern part of the city.
The Palace Museum, Temple of Heaven and western sights still need separate journeys. Balance airport convenience against your sightseeing plans.
Confirm the first night in writing
Tell the exact branch that you will check in with a foreign passport and give your arrival time. Ask it to confirm registration, the deposit amount and accepted payment methods. Save the reply and booking reference offline.
“I will arrive at about [time] with a [country] passport. Can your front desk complete my check-in and passport registration then? What deposit and payment methods do you require?”
The old “foreign-guest licence” claim is not a reliable booking rule. Read the hotel check-in guide for the official position and a refusal fallback, and the accommodation registration guide if you are staying in a home or apartment.
03 / Move around
Getting around the city
Use the subway fare for the full route
Ordinary subway fares start at RMB 3 for journeys within six kilometres and increase with distance. The airport expresses have separate pricing. Check the complete journey before buying; an airport ticket does not cover an unlimited day in the city.[5]
Keep the last transfer in your plan
The Capital Airport Express has several city interchanges. At Daxing, the airport's Beijing Service counter can assist with airport rail or bus ticket purchases using valid ID. Ask for help if the ticket machine's destination names do not match your saved directions.[1][3]
Treat the Great Wall as a separate journey
Choose a specific Great Wall section and book transport to it. Mutianyu's admission, shuttle and lift products cover different parts of the visit. Cable-car tickets are not interchangeable with the separate ropeway and slide; read package inclusions before paying.[8]
Save destinations in Chinese as well as English. The map app guide helps with place-name mismatches; the train guide covers passport names, tickets and station checks for onward travel.
04 / Sit down for a meal
What to eat, and how to order
A noodle lunch leaves time for sightseeing; duck or hotpot suits a slower dinner. Check whether sides and sauces cost extra. These are dish suggestions, with no claim that one restaurant is essential. Ask about the actual recipe if you have dietary restrictions.
Beijing roast duck
北京烤鸭 · Běijīng kǎo yā
Roast duck with crisp skin, a familiar centrepiece of a shared Beijing meal.
Ask about half-duck portions if dining alone or as a pair, and check what accompaniments the price includes.
Soybean-paste noodles
炸酱面 · zhá jiàng miàn
Wheat noodles with fried bean sauce and vegetable toppings. Meat can be part of the sauce.
Ask about ingredients before requesting a vegetarian version; leaving off a visible topping may not change the sauce.
Lamb hotpot
涮羊肉 · shuàn yáng ròu
Thin lamb slices cooked at the table in broth, commonly eaten with sesame-based dipping sauce.
Meat, vegetables, broth and sauces may be priced separately. Ask the server how the ordering works and explain any sesame allergy.
Candied hawthorn
糖葫芦 · táng hú lu
Fruit on a skewer with a hard sugar coating. Hawthorn is traditional; other fruits are also sold.
Point to the fruit you want and ask the price before accepting a skewer. Expect sweetness around a tart centre.
When the QR menu does not work
Ask staff to take your order. Check the menu price and portion size before ordering; photographs may show a larger serving. For allergies or strict dietary requirements, show a translated card listing ingredients and cross-contact concerns. A dish name or “no chilli” request does not establish that a meal is safe for you.
- I cannot use the QR menu. Could you help me order?
- 我用不了扫码点餐，可以帮我点餐吗？
- Wǒ yòng bù liǎo sǎomǎ diǎncān, kěyǐ bāng wǒ diǎncān ma?
- Please do not add chilli.
- 请不要放辣椒。
- Qǐng bú yào fàng làjiāo.
- Could I see the price first?
- 可以先看一下价格吗？
- Kěyǐ xiān kàn yíxià jiàgé ma?
Prepare a wallet and a backup before travel using the payment guide. For a failed payment, follow the troubleshooting steps; do not assume a foreign card works at every shop.
05 / Book the day that matters
Reservations to check first
Palace Museum / Forbidden City
Book in advance: the municipal guide says there are no same-day tickets. Mondays are normally closed except statutory holidays. Foreign visitors can use the official English booking route. Bring the original passport for entry at the Meridian Gate.[6][7]
Official visitor information for Palace Museum / Forbidden City →Mutianyu Great Wall
Use the operator's booking channel and the same passport you will carry. Check whether your purchase includes admission, the internal shuttle and your chosen lift. These are separate products. Read current weather and operating notices before departure, and confirm your return pickup.[8]
Official visitor information for Mutianyu Great Wall →Temple of Heaven
The park remains open, but the ancient architectural complexes—including the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Echo Wall and Circular Mound Altar—are closed on Mondays except statutory holidays. Check whether your ticket covers the park only or the monuments you want to enter.[11][6]
Official visitor information for Temple of Heaven →Summer Palace
The city's passport-booking FAQ describes an assisted purchase option at the entrance for visitors whose overseas phone number cannot complete the online process. Bring your passport and check capacity and current arrangements; this is a fallback, not a guaranteed admission slot.[7]
Official visitor information for Summer Palace →06 / Leave room in the day
A first Beijing itinerary
These are editorial suggestions. Move the days around your tickets, opening dates, weather and energy after the flight.
- Day 1
The Forbidden City and a short northern walk
A view over the Forbidden City. Illustrative image; the supplied file carries an AIGC label. Use the admission time you secured and give the Palace Museum most of the day, starting at the southern Meridian Gate. Afterwards, consider nearby Jingshan or a short hutong walk. If tickets are unavailable, move the park day here.
- Day 2
One Great Wall section
Mutianyu Great Wall: allow time and energy for the steps between towers. Travel to Mutianyu with both journeys arranged. Walk as far as your group can comfortably manage, allowing time to reach the pickup point. Keep the evening to dinner near your hotel; save another major attraction for a different day.
- Day 3
Temple of Heaven and Qianmen
Qianmen pedestrian street. Visit the Temple of Heaven with the ticket covering your chosen sights. After lunch, head towards Qianmen and Dashilar for the afternoon. This keeps the day in the southern central city, with time for a relaxed dinner.
With more time
Give the Summer Palace a separate outing. Another day can stay close to one hutong neighborhood, with a café break and a museum if its booking works. Reorder around confirmed tickets and closures; a missed reservation does not require a longer sightseeing checklist.
Questions before you go
Can I buy a Forbidden City ticket when I arrive at the gate?
The municipal guide says the Palace Museum does not sell same-day tickets. Arrange admission in advance and use another day's plan if your preferred date is unavailable.
Does a Palace Museum ticket settle every nearby attraction?
Check each place separately. Do not assume the same ticket or reservation covers another museum, the square or a tower you want to enter.
Can I fit the Great Wall into an arrival day?
For this first-visit plan, keep it on a full day. Flight delays and arrival formalities would otherwise affect both the outbound journey and the return arrangement.
Which airport is better for my hotel?
Compare the complete ground journey. Capital Express serves northeastern interchanges; Daxing Express reaches Caoqiao. The train segment alone does not measure hotel travel time.
Sources and review dates
Official pages support the transport and reservation details cited above. Area choices and day plans are Chinista's recommendations. Photos show places, not a recent inspection of services. Prices and operations can change; the linked operator remains the final check before you travel.
Photographs with individual credits come from Wikimedia Commons; the other inline images were supplied by the Chinista editor without confirmed capture dates. Images labeled illustrative carry an AIGC label in the supplied file. Airport images illustrate the location or transport, not current directions or services.
- Beijing Capital Airport: Airport Express route, fare and timetableOpened and checked 2026-09-24
- Beijing rail operator: Daxing Express and Caoqiao connectionsOpened and checked 2026-09-24
- Beijing Service: Daxing Airport transport and ticket assistanceOpened and checked 2026-09-23
- Beijing Government: airport bus changes effective April 7, 2026Opened and checked 2026-09-23
- Beijing Government: subway faresOpened and checked 2026-09-24
- Beijing Government: official attraction ticketing guideOpened and checked 2026-09-24
- Beijing 12345: Palace Museum and Summer Palace passport bookingOpened and checked 2026-09-24
- Mutianyu Great Wall: official notice to visitorsOpened and checked 2026-09-24
- Beijing Government: Beijing cuisineOpened and checked 2026-09-23
- Beijing Metro Operation Administration: Daxing Airport Express faresOpened and checked 2026-09-24
- Beijing government: Monday closures at park architectural complexes from September 2026Opened and checked 2026-09-24
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