Transfer at Beijing Capital Airport
Beijing Capital Airport has two terminals, with the buildings designated as Terminal 2 and Terminal 3.
The original Terminal 1 has been incorporated into Terminal 2 after renovation.
Terminals 2 and 3 are completely separated from each other and the distance between them is approximately 3.5 km.
- Terminal 2 - the original Beijing Airport terminal, a compact and relatively small building with distances within a 10-minute walk.
- Terminal 3 - the new terminal, opened in 2008, is one of the largest in the world. It contains two satellite buildings, which can be reached from the main terminal by a free underground automatic train (running 24/7 at intervals of 3-5 minutes).
Which terminal?
Both terminals handle domestic flights within China and international flights abroad.
The terminals are divided by airline.
- Air Algerie - T2
- Air Astana - T2
- Air China - T3
- Air France - T2
- Air Koryo - T2
- Air Macau - T3
- All Nippon Airways - T3
- Asiana Airlines - T3
- Azerbaijan Airlines - T2
- Cathay Pacific - T3
- China Airlines - T3
- China Eastern Airlines - T2
- Delta - T2
- Egyptair - T3
- Emirates - T3
- Ethiopian Airlines - T3
- EVA Air - T3
- Grand China Air - T2
- Hainan Airlines - T2
- Hong Kong Airlines - T2
- Japan Airlines - T3
- Jeju Air - T2
- KLM - T2
- Korean Air - T2
- Kunming Airlines - T3
- Loong Air - T3
- LOT - T3
- Lucky Air - T2
- Lufthansa - T3
- Mahan Air - T2
- MIAT Mongolian - T3
- Pakistan International Airlines - T2
- Philippine Airlines -T3
- Shandong Airlines - T3
- Shenzhen Airlines - T3
- Sichuan Airlines - T2
- Singapore Airlines - T3
- SriLankan Airlines - T2
- Thai Airways - T3
- Tibet Airlines - T3
- Turkish Airlines - T3
- Turkmenistan Airlines - T2
- United - T3
- Uzbekistan Airways - T2
- Vietnam Airlines - T2
Transportation between terminals
Currently you can only move between terminals via the public section.
An airport shuttle bus connects the two buildings.
- Frequency - 10 minutes during the day, 15 minutes at night
- Travel time - 20 minutes
- Price - free
- Operating hours - 24/7
- Stop at Terminal 2 - at Gate 7
- Stop at Terminal 3 - at exit 5
Transfer between flights
Transferring at Beijing Airport is clear and easy if you don't need to change terminals.
The vast majority of guaranteed transfers (i.e. both flights are on the same booking) take place within the same terminal.
What checks do I go through when I change planes?
What are the exact procedures for each type of transfer?
- International -> International: security check
- International -> domestic: immigration and security check
- Domestic -> International: immigration and security check
- National -> national: no check
Do I have to leave the transit zone?
If you have luggage all the way to your destination or are travelling with hand luggage only, you do not need to leave the transit area.
Do I have to pick up my luggage?
If both flights are booked on the same reservation and you have less than 24 hours to transfer, you do not need to collect your baggage.
Do I need a visa for China?
You do not need to arrange a visa for China for an international transfer.
Visa-free entry for transfers up to 240 hours
Many airlines also offer long layovers of several days.
Beijing-Capital Airport is included in the visa-free entry program for up to a maximum of 240 hours.
Upon arrival, before passing through immigration, look for the special counter where these visa-free entries are processed.
Please note that if you transfer within 24 hours, the officer may refuse to issue a visa-free entry permit and you will therefore have to spend time in the transit zone.
For transfers over 24 hours, visa-free entry permits are always issued without any problems. However, you need to present your flight ticket from China and your accommodation reservation.
Free tour of Beijing
Trip.com travel agency organizes free tours of Beijing or the Great Wall for all international travelers.
Two tours are scheduled daily as part of the Beijing Express:
- 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tour of the Great Wall.
- 13:30-21:00 Tour of downtown Beijing
Conditions:
- Length of transfer - over 8 hours
- Tour length - 5.5 or 7.5 hours
- Tours start - 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
- More information and online tour booking at trip.com/beijingexpress-halfdaylayovertour
The tour does not need to be booked in advance and the meeting point is in the International Arrivals Hall of Terminal 3 of Beijing-Capital PEK Airport near the "Manner Coffee" cafe.
Any questions left?
If you have any questions or comments about the article...
10 comments
Καλησπέρα και πάλι! Θα ήθελα να ρωτήσω αν μπορώ να κάνω κάποια προετοιμασία πριν την πτήση μου ώστε να μην καθυστερήσω στο γραφείο για τη βίζα και το immigration και να προλάβω το tour που ξεκινάει από το αεροδρόμιο στις 7:30πμ (η πτήση μου προσγειώνεται στο Πεκίνο στις 6:00πμ). Ευχαριστώ!
Good evening! I have a Greek passport and will be travelling from Singapore to Athens with a 20 hour stopover at Beijing airport.
1st question: If I understand correctly, I will have to go through immigration, and find the counter for visa-free entry. Do I need additional documents besides the passport?
2nd question: You write that the clerk at the counter can refuse. In this case, what do I do? How long will the process take?
Thank you very much.
Hello, first you have to find the visa-free entry desk and then you go through immigration control. You don't need anything else apart from your passport and the length of the process depends on the queue in front of you - usually 20-60 minutes.
You can't influence any refusal. The only requirement is a passport and the presentation of a ticket from China, but sometimes it happens that the immigration officer simply does not grant visa-free entry, in which case you have to wait the whole time in the transit zone of the airport.
Most of the time, however, visa-free entry is granted without any problems.
Thank you very much for the answer! But now I'm a little nervous. We are a Greek couple and we booked this particular ticket to have a 20 hour wait in Beijing and do a city tour. Is there any chance that we will not be allowed?
And one more question if you would be so kind.. At the Singapore airport I read that a free city tour of 2.5 hours is provided. Do you know if there is anything similar in Beijing?
Thank you very much again
It will probably be fine and they will grant you visa-free entry. We just can't say 100%, because there are simply cases (probably only one percent) where it is not granted.
Yes, there are also city tours in Beijing, I added to the text.
Thank you very much for taking the trouble to complete the text on the tours. So if anyone wants to, can they follow both tours? (If I understand correctly the first tour ends at 1pm at the airport and the second tour starts 1.30pm again from the airport?)
Hello, I just want to make sure that I understand the information above correctly. We will be flying from Vienna to Beijing and from Beijing to Auckland (20hrs for change) with Air China. So should we be at Terminal 3, is it necessary to collect our luggage and check it in again or is this process not necessary? If we have to change terminals, as each flight would be in a different location, the same question applies... is it necessary to collect and check in luggage?
Thank you in advance for the answer
Hey I have a question , I arrive at T3 at 00:15 domestic flight from Zhangjiajie Air China and at 3.20 I have an international flight to Berlin from terminal T2 Hainan Airlines , question , how do you think I will be able to collect my suitcase and get to terminal T2 while still doing Check In ....
Thank you for your help
As described above. You must use the free shuttle bus that runs through the public area with a frequency of 15 minutes during the night (but you may have to wait up to half an hour). The bus journey time is about 20 minutes.
If your flight from Zhangjiajie arrives on time, then you will probably make your departure to Berlin without any problems.
Thank you
Good evening! I have a Greek passport and will be travelling from Singapore to Athens with a 20 hour stopover at Beijing airport. Can I tour the city without a visa?
Hello. Yes, see information above.
If I arrive from Vietnam via Hong Kong, is it national because I have already been to Hong Kong, or international?
It's still an international flight. Hong Kong is not officially part of China.
Thank you
Hello, I arrive at T2 at 0.05am and have to collect my luggage and check in again at T3. My connecting flight leaves at 2.50am How can I do this?
Hello, see information above. There is currently a free shuttle bus between the terminals with a journey time of 20 minutes.
You will need to go through immigration control before you can get a visa-free entry permit to China (of course, if you are continuing on a domestic flight within China, you can go straight to immigration control with your visa).
Does the bus also run at night?
Where exactly can I find it?
Yes, they run at night. The stops are described in the text above.
Hello, I have a flight home using air china and transit in Beijing for up to 30 hours, can I apply for a benas visa entry permit? Because I intend to visit my relatives there.
Hello, I would like to know if 2 hours is enough time for a transfer, and we may have to change the terminal. We are arriving from Thailand and continuing on to Budapest. The flight is with the same airline. Thank you. :)
Hello, you won't have to change the terminal and any time the airline sells is enough ;) 2 hours is fine.
Hi , we will be landing in Beijing airport, travelling from Tokyo to Athens , by Air China. We have a transit time in Beijing two hours... Is it OK ? Which procedures are needed during this time? Our luggage will be transferred to our flight to Athens, or we have to take them and load them to the flight to Athens? Thank you in advance for your answer.
Hi, I'm assuming you're connecting in one booking, so you won't have to worry about luggage.
Just follow the "International Transit" signs when you get off the plane and that's it. You will only be going through security during this, however 2 hours is more than enough time.
Much obliged for your fast answer, dear Krystof !! Highly appreciated!!