Beijing Capital Airport (PEK): the arrival guide
Arrival essentials · Verified 2026-09-21 · Rules change — confirm entry specifics with the National Immigration Administration before you fly
The short answer
Beijing's original international gateway: 3 terminals, Airport Express into town in about 25 minutes, and the widest choice of late-night flights of any China hub.
What happens at immigration?
Passport control lines at PEK move fastest in Terminal 3 off-peak; visa-free and 240-hour-transit travelers use the same channels with a short extra document check (onward ticket, next-destination booking). Fingerprint and arrival-card kiosks sit before the booths; English signage is complete. The official entry, visa-free and 240-hour transit lists live at the National Immigration Administration — check your nationality against our visa checker before you book.
How do you get connected and paid on landing?
Free airport Wi-Fi needs a Chinese phone number on some networks - don't count on it. Activate your eSIM before you land: PEK has China Mobile/Unicom/Telecom counters in all terminals (bring your passport), and vending machines sell tourist SIMs, but counters close around 23:00. For the full comparison of eSIM vs roaming (and what stays blocked), see our internet & eSIM guide. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with your foreign card before you fly; the airport's taxis and shops all accept it, and every terminal has ATM and currency-exchange fallback near arrivals. The complete playbook, including what to do when verification fails, is in payments in China and our rescue cards.
What is the best way into town?
The Airport Express train runs from T3/T2 to Sanyuanqiao, Dongzhimen (Lines 2/13) and Beixinqiao (Line 5) in about 20 minutes, roughly every 10 minutes — the last train from T3 leaves at 22:52 and from T2 at 23:10 (Beijing rail authority timetable). International flights arrive at the T3-E satellite hall: immigration happens there, then the driverless APM shuttle brings you to the T3-C main building for baggage and customs; exits are on level 2F. Metered taxis queue at B1 (one floor down from arrivals) and cost 100-140 yuan plus a 20% night surcharge 23:00-05:00. DiDi pick-up moved to Parking Building B2, zone H — the app labels it 'T3 Parking B2 - Ride-hail Zone H'.
Landing late? Where should you sleep?
Past 22:52 the Airport Express is done — but the official Night Line 1 bus runs from T3 via T2 to Dongzhimen, Beijing Station, Qianmen and Beijing West Station every 30 minutes until 02:00, then hourly until the last domestic flight. For landings after 02:00, airport-adjacent hotels with 24h shuttles (Cordis, Hilton) are the sane pick. Airport-adjacent rooms trade convenience for distance from the sights — right call after 23:00, wrong call otherwise.
Where should you spend the first night?
Dongcheng / Wangfujing — central, on Lines 1/5/8, with the widest stock of foreigner-friendly mid-range rooms. Airport Express + one metro ride, or 60-90 min by taxi. Sleep here rather than at the airport unless you land past 23:00.
Two scenario bases, editor-researched with honest trade-offs: