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A city to plan, not just a list to scroll

Beijing, one good day
at a time.

Beijing rewards a slower plan. Give a first visit about four days: one for the Forbidden City and Jingshan, one for the Great Wall, one for the Summer Palace area, and one for temples, hutongs and food. The big sights take longer than they look on a map, so plan one major sight per day.

Traditional palace roof and red walls in Beijing's Forbidden City
Inside Beijing’s Forbidden City.

Before you land

Beijing at a glance

The Beijing, China basics you should know in seconds.

Currency
Chinese yuan CNY / RMB
Paying
Alipay · Weixin Pay Keep a cash or card backup. Payment guide ↗
Language
Mandarin Chinese Save your hotel’s Chinese address.
Power
Type A / C / I 220 V · bring a universal adapter.
Tipping
Not routine Usually no need to add a tip.
Metro
From ¥3 City rail fare; airport lines differ.
Your arrival airport
Capital · PEK or Daxing · PKX They are on different sides of the city. Compare arrivals ↓
Entry rulesCheck your passport hereShort visits and conditional transit are different.

Metro fares and foreign card payment checked against Beijing’s fare guide and ticket guide. Recheck before travel.

A question to settle before booking

Entry is a China-wide rule, but you can check your starting options here. Transit eligibility depends on your route as well as your passport.

Before you book

Check your mainland China entry options

Choose the country on your ordinary passport. The result appears here—no extra page or account needed.

Select the passport you will actually use, not your country of residence.

Planning a later trip? Some current waivers have end dates.

Important: This mainland China planning aid is not an entry approval. It covers the 50-country unilateral waiver, three commonly used mutual agreements and the 57-country 240-hour transit programme. Other bilateral, regional and special-passport rules may apply. Airline and border authorities make the final decision.

Policy data last checked . Always reconfirm before booking or flying. See other mutual visa-waiver agreements ↗

Land with a plan

From the airport, then around town

Check your airport code before choosing a route. Both airport rail lines end outside the historic centre.

Capital Airport is northeast of central Beijing. Choose your onward route from Sanyuanqiao or Dongzhimen.

Rail to a city transfer

Capital Airport Express

¥25 · T3 and T2 to Sanyuanqiao / Dongzhimen

Transfer to the metro for your hotel. This is an airport line, so its fare is separate from your onward city trip.

Door-to-door

Taxi / DiDi

Compare the live fare for your hotel

Traffic, terminal and destination change the journey. Use the official taxi rank or the ride-hailing pickup area.

Once you are in the city

Metro for long hops. Walk within neighbourhoods.

Beijing sights can be a long walk even after the station exit. Use a live route planner and allow extra time for security checks and transfers.

Current metro payment options ↗

Airport routes and fares: Beijing’s Capital Airport guide, Daxing Airport guide and subway fare guide. Check current services before departure.

Editor's starting point

Start here

A closer look at the places and decisions that shape a visit to Beijing.

Beijing · 31 researched options

Explore Beijing experiences

Compare workshops, food classes, performances and outdoor activities by time, language support and booking needs.

Browse all 31 experiences →

Choose by situation

Plan around your day

Shortlists for the rest of Beijing: what to do after dark, or how far a dress-up-and-dinner evening really costs.

Check the season

When to go, what to wear

Choose a season to see a simple packing look and how the weather may shape your day.

Autumn · Sep–Nov

Comfortable walking layers

One simple outfit idea, not a packing rule.

Light jacket
Long-sleeve top
Long trousers
Walking shoes

What this means for your dayA good time for long palace and hutong walks; bring a warmer layer as the season progresses.

The ranges show approximate monthly average daytime highs from 1992–2021 Beijing weather reports; summer can exceed 35°C according to Beijing’s climate overview. They are not forecasts or extremes. Check the latest forecast before travel.

Read before you go

All Beijing guides

Browse everything in one place. Choose an interest to narrow the list without leaving the page.

8 guides

Beyond the guidebook

Explore the China
most visitors miss.

Neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood guides to the bathhouses, tea houses and everyday rituals that rarely make the itinerary — with the practical detail that makes them easy to do yourself.

Browse destinations