Travel: Flights to Beijing

Beijing Capital International Airport (????????, IATA: PEK) is located to the northeast of the central districts, 26km from the city centre. The airport is being expanded at a furious pace to be ready in time for the 2008 Olympics. Terminal 2, opened in 1999, is still new and shiny, with contemporary abstract architecture, while Terminal 1 was renovated in 1995. Facilities on arrival include ATMs and money changers.

Be aware that upon departure, porters want ¥10 to wheel your bags 50m to check-in and that most eating options are rather outrageously priced. Before you cross through security, if you want a bite to eat in the Terminal 1, there is a KFC which has lowered its prices a little, and in Terminal 2, there are 2 KFCs, and the eateries in the basement have relatively low prices compared to what's above. However, a bite would still be ¥20 at KFC or at the eateries.

Most people use taxicabs to reach town from the airport. Get your travel agent to get you the Chinese name of your hotel so that you can let your taxi driver read where you want to go. A taxi from the airport should cost ¥70-120. You will have to pay the fee shown on the meter (make sure the driver uses it) plus ¥10 toll for the airport expressway.

The cheapest way to get to the city center is to take the airport shuttle. There are several lines running to different locations throughout Beijing. Trips are frequent, and tickets cost ¥16 for a one-way trip. Follow signs for the ???? (j?ch?ng b?shì) to find all the lines:

• Line 1: Xidan (Aviation Building, ?????mínháng dàshà) - Dongzhimen (50m east of the bridge, ???) - Sanyuan Qiao (west entrance of the Jingxin Tower, ???????j?ngxìn dàshà x?mén) - Airport. Runs 6am-7:30pm. Convenient for Chaoyang and Xicheng, and the city center, such as Wangfujing and Qianmen

• Line 2: Gongzhufen (north entrance of the Xinxing Hotel, ?????? x?nxìng b?ngu?n běimén) - Friendship Hotel (airlines office at the north gate, ????????????y?uyì b?ngu?n běimén hángk?ng shòupiào chù) - Bei Taiping Zhuang (50m east of the intersection, ???? běi tàipíng zhu?ng) - Airport. Runs 6am-7:30pm. Stops near the People's University (????). Convenient for the west and northwest of the city, i.e. Haidian.

• Line 3: Beijing Railway Station intersection (???? běij?ng zhànk?u) - Dongzhimen (50m east of the bridge) - Jingxin Tower west entrance - Airport. Runs 6am-7:30pm. The Beijing Railway Station stop is actually at the west gate of the International Hotel (???? guójì fàndiàn), across Chang'an Avenue. Convenient for the city center, the southeast of the city, and Chaoyang, Chongwen, and Dongcheng districts.

• Line 4: Fangzhuang (Fangzhuang Guiyou Shopping Center, ?????? f?nzhu?ng guìy?u dàshà) - Dabeiyao (Nanhang Hotel, ???????? dàběiyáo nánháng dàj?udiàn) - Airport. Runs 6am-7:30pm. Convenient for the south of the city and Guomao (the World Trade Center).

• Line 5: Zhongguancun (Second Bridge, ????? zh?nggu?nc?n èrqiáo) - north gate of the Beijing University of Aviation and Aerosapce (?????????? běij?ng hángk?ng hángti?n dàxué běimén) - Huixin West Street, in front of the Anhui Tower (???? ???? huìx?n x? ji???nhu? dàshà) - Huixin East Street (???? huìx?n d?ng ji?) - Airport. Runs 7am-7:30pm. Convenient for Haidian (the university district) and the north.

Public bus #359 also runs from the airport to Dongzhimen, where you can catch subway 2 or 13, but this is not very fast or convenient.

There are also many shuttle buses to youth hostels and luxury hotels. You could get on for free if you say that you will stay at that hotel.

The Beijing subway system should complete its spur to the airport in 2008.

Nanyuan Airport (????, IATA: NAY) is a former military airfield 17km to the south of Beijing, currently used only by army-linked low-cost operator China United (???? zh?ngguó liánhé). China United currently fields daily flights to Harbin, Dalian, Sanya, Chongqing, Chengdu, and Wuxi. Free shuttle buses run from China United's ticket office at the Xidan Aviation Building (??????) to the airport from 6am-2:10pm; buses run from the airport to Xidan from 11:40am-10:40pm.