Beijing Airports Explained: PEK vs PKX and How to Reach the City

PEK is usually the easier airport for Wangfujing, Dongcheng, Sanlitun and the northeast of Beijing. PKX is often better for Beijing South, Caoqiao and trips continuing south by rail. Do not choose by the word “Beijing” in the fare search: Capital Airport (北京首都国际机场, PEK) lies northeast of the centre, while Daxing (北京大兴国际机场, PKX) lies far to the south. They are roughly 80 km apart by road, and a self-transfer between them should be treated as a cross-city journey.

The rail choices are different. PEK’s Capital Airport Express runs to Sanyuanqiao and Dongzhimen. PKX’s Daxing Airport Express runs to Caoqiao, where the metro continues into the city. Shanghai-style through service does not exist between Beijing’s airports. Late at night, use the official airport-bus network or a metered taxi/DiDi; do not plan around the last express train without checking the day’s schedule.

Our default: take the better flight, then choose the hotel area around that airport and your next station. Avoid a PEK–PKX self-transfer unless the saving is substantial and the connection is protected by one ticket.

Quick Decision

Airport-to-area choices

Taxi card: 请送我到［酒店中文名］，地址是［中文地址］。 Add the terminal for airport departures: 首都机场T3 or 大兴机场.

Landing scenarios

22:30 at PEK: immigration and baggage may push you beyond rail hours. Check the Capital Airport Express first; otherwise use the official taxi rank or an airport bus. The 2026 airport-bus network includes overnight coverage on selected routes.

00:10 at PKX: plan a taxi or the official night/24-hour bus network, not the Daxing Express. Download the Chinese hotel address before landing.

07:30 Beijing South train next day: stay near Beijing South/Qianmen after a PKX arrival. After a late PEK arrival, a central or station-area hotel is safer than sleeping at PEK and attempting a pre-dawn cross-city transfer.

Early flight: an airport hotel is worthwhile if check-in is before about 07:00 or if children, older travellers or separate tickets make delay expensive. Check whether the hotel is truly at the terminal and whether its shuttle serves your terminal at the required hour.

PEK to PKX

There is no sensible sightseeing stop inside this transfer. Allow at least five to six hours between separate domestic flights and materially more for an international arrival, baggage collection and re-check. Road time can exceed two hours. Official airport buses include an inter-airport route, but frequency and intermediate stops change. If the airline sells the journey on one protected ticket, follow its transfer instructions; if you assembled it yourself, you own the risk.

China Travel Pulse’s judgement: the airport closest to your first night is useful, but the airport closest to your next morning matters more.

Operational sources

• Beijing airport transport guide: https://english.beijing.gov.cn/specials/beijingservice/pek/trafficsix/
• 2026 airport-bus update: https://english.beijing.gov.cn/livinginbeijing/transportation/bus/202607/t20260727_4792045.html
• Daxing bus update: https://english.beijing.gov.cn/latest/news/202608/t20260807_4813112.html

Transport details checked on 13 September 2026. Verify the last rail and bus departure on the airport’s official channel for your travel date.

Continue planning

• Beijing destination
• Beijing railway stations
• Where to stay in Beijing
• China airport transfer guide