Travel Guide
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China

Beijing Travel Guide

Grand imperial landmarks meet intimate hutong lanes. Beijing rewards travelers who make time for both the monumental and the everyday.

The Palace Museum · Beijing
The Palace MuseumPhoto: Philip Nalangan · CC BY 4.0 ↗
First visit
4–5 days
Airports
Capital (PEK) · Daxing (PKX)
Short Metro ride
From ¥3
Palace Museum
Advance booking with passport

Before you go

When to go and how long to stay

Allow four or five days. Give the Forbidden City and central axis one day and reserve a separate day for the Great Wall. Spring and autumn are good for outdoor walks. Book passport-based attractions before fixing the order of your days.

Entry documents

Check your passport’s eligibility with China’s National Immigration Administration before booking. A tourist visa, ordinary visa-free entry and visa-free transit are different options. Transit eligibility depends on your passport, approved ports, permitted area and confirmed travel onward to a third country or region. Save your first hotel’s address in Chinese and keep your onward itinerary handy for the arrival form.

Getting to the city

Beijing arrival routes
Arrival pointHow to continue
Capital airport (PEK)Capital Airport Express to Sanyuanqiao or Dongzhimen. The published line fare is ¥25. If continuing by subway, choose the interchange for your hotel and budget for that fare separately.
Daxing airport (PKX)Use the Daxing Airport Express to Caoqiao. The published ride time on this segment is about 19 minutes. Allow for the transfer and onward trip into the center.
High-speed railBeijing South, West, Chaoyang and Beijing Railway Station are separate terminals. The station’s exact name is on your 12306 reservation. Bring the original passport used to book.

For an early train or late flight, look up the first or last train for your own date. If the rails have stopped, use the airport taxi queue and have the hotel name, street and building number in Chinese.

Getting around

  • Use the Metro for longer distances. A standard trip of up to 6 km starts at ¥3. The Capital and Daxing airport lines have separate fares.
  • Plan different approach and departure routes for the Palace Museum. Enter at Meridian Gate. If heading to Jingshan Park afterward, leave through the north gate.
  • Decide which Great Wall section you want before booking transport. Keep it on a separate day from the Palace Museum and verify both the departure point and the return trip.

Payments and mobile data

Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay and link an eligible international card before flying. Keep some small RMB notes and a backup card, and save your hotel and station names offline. Check whether your phone supports roaming or a travel eSIM. When booking intercity rail through 12306, enter your passport name exactly and bring the same original document to the station.

Where to stay

Stay near Dongsi or Wangfujing for the central sights. The Gulou area suits travelers who want hutong walks and small restaurants. Ask about luggage access if your room is deep in a narrow lane.

Things to do in Beijing

What to eat in Beijing

Suggested route

  1. Day 1: start at the Palace Museum with a morning or afternoon booking. Leave by the north gate for Jingshan Park and head back from the north side.
  2. Day 2: set aside the full day for one section of the Great Wall. Arrange the way back before leaving, and keep dinner near your hotel.
  3. Day 3: take the Metro to Yonghegong, visit the Confucian Temple and Imperial College, then walk Wudaoying. Leave a fourth day for another museum or the Temple of Heaven.

Read the itinerary ↗