How to Get Around Beijing: Metro, Bus, Taxi & DiDi for First Timers

Short answer: in Beijing, take the metro first. It is cheap, fast, signed in English and Chinese, and it reaches the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, both airports and all the main high-speed stations. Use a taxi or DiDi when you have heavy luggage, are travelling late at night, or are going somewhere the metro does not reach well, such as a Great Wall section. Use a bus when a direct bus beats a metro ride with two changes. This guide explains each option in the order a first-timer actually uses them, including how to pay with Alipay or WeChat, so you do not have to work it out at a turnstile.

For the city itself — what to see, where to stay and how many days to allow — read the Beijing city guide. For getting between cities, read how to book China train tickets.

Beijing transport at a glance

Fares and hours change. Treat every figure here as a range to check on the day, at the station display, in the app, or with the operator, not as a guaranteed price.

The metro: your default in Beijing

Beijing has one of the largest metro networks in the world, with more than 25 lines including the two airport express lines. Trains are frequent — roughly every 2–3 minutes on the busiest central lines at peak times, and every 4–8 minutes on quieter lines — and every station has English signs, English announcements and a network map. You will also go through a bag security check at every station entrance, so allow a few extra minutes, especially at large interchanges.

Most lines run roughly from 05:00 to about 23:00–23:30, but first and last trains vary by line, station and direction. There is no single closing time for the whole network. If you are out late, check the last train for your exact station and direction before you leave a restaurant or sight, and have DiDi ready as a fallback.

The lines first-timers actually use

How to read a transfer: follow the line number and colour, not just the station name. Several stations share similar names (for example, there are multiple stations with “men” — gate — in the name), and some large interchanges, such as Xizhimen, Dongzhimen and Guomao, involve long walks between lines. Save the station name in Chinese characters on your phone as well as in English; that is what taxi drivers, bus drivers and station staff will recognise fastest.

Beijing metro map

Paying for the metro and bus: Alipay, WeChat, cards and tickets

Set this up before your first ride, not at a busy turnstile. You have four workable options, in the order most first-timers find easiest.

1. Alipay transport QR code (recommended for most visitors). First set up Alipay itself — see how to set up Alipay for foreigners. Then, in Alipay, tap Transport, select Beijing, and activate the metro transport code. At the gate, open the code and scan it at the turnstile scanner on entry and again on exit; the distance-based fare is calculated automatically. The same Alipay transport code also works on most Beijing buses: scan it at the reader near the driver when you board, and again when you get off on buses that charge by distance.

2. WeChat transport QR code. First set up WeChat Pay — see how to set up WeChat Pay for foreigners. Then, in WeChat, go to Services, then Transport, select Beijing, and activate the metro code. It works the same way at the gate and on buses. If one app fails for your card, try the other before you buy a physical card; foreign-card acceptance and passport verification can differ between the two, so check in-app on the day.

3. Yikatong card or BEIJING PASS. The rechargeable Yikatong card works on the metro, buses and some taxis. The BEIJING PASS is a visitor version sold at service counters at Capital Airport (PEK), Daxing Airport (PKX) and major railway stations. Buy it, top it up, tap in and tap out. This is the best fallback if your phone or foreign card does not cooperate, and it is also useful if you are travelling with someone who does not have a Chinese payment app.

4. Single-journey tickets and contactless bank cards. Single-journey tickets are sold at station machines and counters; machines have an English interface, and many accept cash and QR payment, but do not assume every machine takes your card. Contactless foreign bank cards are accepted at many Beijing metro gates, but reports differ on how complete that coverage is, so do not rely on a foreign card alone — keep an Alipay or WeChat code, or a Yikatong card, as your backup.

Metro fares are distance-based: about ¥3 for up to 6 km, then about ¥4 for 6–12 km, ¥5 for 12–22 km, ¥6 for 22–32 km and about ¥7 for over 32 km, with a further small increase per extra distance bracket on very long rides. Most trips in the centre cost about ¥3–6. The two airport express lines have separate flat fares, about ¥25 for the Capital Airport Express and about ¥35 for the Daxing Airport Express leg. Tickets are valid for a limited time inside the paid area (about 4 hours for a metro trip); overstaying can add a small surcharge, so do not linger inside the gates.

Buses: when they beat the metro

Beijing’s bus network is huge — more than 1,000 routes — and it fills the gaps between metro stations, especially in the hutong areas and the suburbs. A bus wins when it goes directly where you want, without two metro changes, or when the metro station is a long walk from your hotel. A bus loses in rush-hour traffic, when the metro is almost always faster, and when you cannot read the stop names: bus stop signs are mainly in Chinese, and announcements are less consistently bilingual than on the metro.

To ride a bus: board at the front, scan your Alipay or WeChat transport code, or tap your Yikatong card, at the reader near the driver. On distance-based routes, scan or tap again when you get off. If you pay cash, have small notes ready and check the fare box notice, as drivers do not give change. A short city bus ride usually costs about ¥2, with a discount for Yikatong users reported in local guides — check the fare shown on the bus on the day. For a first-timer, the safest bus trips are short, direct ones you have already checked on a map app; for anything complicated, the metro or DiDi is usually less stressful.

Taxis: how to hail, what to pay, what to avoid

Beijing taxis are metered, plentiful outside rush hour, and useful for door-to-door trips, heavy luggage and late nights. Hail one on the street where it is legal to stop, or go to a taxi rank at an airport, station or hotel. At airports and stations, always use the official rank and ignore drivers who approach you inside the terminal offering a ride — those are the rides that end in inflated fares.

The meter starts at about ¥13 for the first 3 km, then about ¥2.3 per km in the daytime, with a higher per-km rate at night (roughly 23:00–05:00) and an extra charge for long distances over about 15 km and for slow waiting in traffic. A typical central trip of a few kilometres costs roughly ¥20–40; from Capital Airport to the Tiananmen area, roughly ¥100–140 by meter, and from Daxing Airport roughly ¥180–250, including tolls, depending on traffic. These are ranges, not quotes — traffic, route and tolls change the final figure.

Three rules prevent almost every taxi problem in Beijing. First, make sure the meter is running before you move; if the driver offers a flat price instead, walk away and take the next car or a DiDi. Second, show the destination in Chinese characters from your hotel confirmation or a map app — most drivers do not read English addresses, and a hotel name in English alone is often not enough. Third, ask for a printed receipt (fapiao) when you get out; it records the car and the fare if you leave something behind or need to dispute a charge.

DiDi: the easy option when language is the problem

DiDi is China’s main ride-hailing app and, for most first-timers, the easiest way to get a car without explaining an address in Chinese. You set the destination in the app in English, see the fare estimate before you book, and pay in the app. This guide does not repeat the full tutorial: for step-by-step setup, booking, car types and payment, read how to use DiDi in China.

Use DiDi instead of a street taxi when: you have an exact English address or a pinned map location; it is raining, late, or you have luggage; or you are going to a Great Wall section, where a pre-booked car with a clear pickup point beats negotiating at a station. Use the metro instead of DiDi in weekday rush hour (roughly 07:30–09:30 and 17:30–19:30), when a metro ride that takes 30 minutes can take over an hour by road. At airports, follow the signs to the designated ride-hailing pickup area, which is separate from the taxi rank — at Capital Airport, for example, the pickup zones are in the car parks, not at the taxi kerb.

Airport to the city, and station to the city

From Capital Airport (PEK). The Capital Airport Express is the simplest default: about ¥25, about 20–30 minutes, to Sanyuanqiao (Line 10) or Dongzhimen (Lines 2 and 13). Airport buses run to many parts of the city for about ¥15–80 depending on the stop. A metered taxi to the centre costs roughly ¥100–140. A DiDi from the designated pickup area costs roughly ¥80–120 for a standard car. All of these are ranges — check the airport’s own signs and the app on the day.

From Daxing Airport (PKX). The Daxing Airport Express is the simplest default: about ¥35 for the express leg, about 20 minutes to Caoqiao, then Line 10 or Line 19 into the city; allow about 55 minutes in total to the centre. A metered taxi costs roughly ¥180–250, and a DiDi roughly ¥150–200, depending on traffic and tolls. Daxing is much further south than Capital, so do not assume a taxi will be quick or cheap — the express train usually wins.

From the high-speed stations. Beijing South Railway Station is on Lines 4 and 14; Beijing West Railway Station is on Lines 7 and 9; Beijing Railway Station is on Line 2; Beijing Chaoyang Railway Station is on Line 3. In every case, the metro is inside or directly beside the station, and the station name on your ticket is the station you must go to — Beijing South, Beijing West, Beijing Station and Beijing Chaoyang are different stations, far apart. Arrive early at these stations: they are large, security checks take time, and the walk from the metro platform to the train departure hall can be long.

Practical tips that save first-timers the most time

Avoid weekday rush hour on the metro if you can. Roughly 07:30–09:30 and 17:30–19:30 on weekdays, central lines are extremely crowded. Sightseeing is much more pleasant if you start after 09:30 or use DiDi for a short hop instead.

Check the last train, not the network closing time. Last trains differ by line, station and direction. The station display and the map app show the last train for your exact route — check it before your last activity of the evening, especially after dinner in the hutongs.

Keep your hotel address in Chinese on your phone. Save a screenshot of the hotel name, address and a nearby metro station in Chinese characters. It solves taxi, DiDi and “ask a stranger” problems in one step.

Do not drag large luggage through rush-hour interchanges. For airport and station trips with big bags, take DiDi or a taxi, or travel outside rush hour. The metro is cheap, but a large suitcase in a packed carriage at 08:00 is miserable, and some interchanges have long staircases.

Use the metro for the Great Wall day, then a car for the last leg. Take the metro to the station that serves your Great Wall transport (for example, the bus or tour departure point), and use DiDi or a pre-booked car for the final stretch where buses are infrequent. Do not rely on a street taxi at a Great Wall car park to take you back at a fair price without agreeing the meter first.

For the general rules that apply in every Chinese city — metro etiquette, DiDi versus taxi, and how transport codes work across cities — read how to get around Chinese cities.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use Alipay or WeChat to ride the Beijing metro?

Yes, in most cases. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay first, then activate the Beijing metro transport code in Alipay under Transport, or in WeChat under Services then Transport. Scan the code at the gate on entry and exit. If your foreign card is not accepted for the transport code, use a Yikatong card or a BEIJING PASS instead, and check in-app on the day, as acceptance can change.

Which airport express should I take?

It depends on your airport, and they are not interchangeable. From Capital Airport (PEK), take the Capital Airport Express to Sanyuanqiao or Dongzhimen. From Daxing Airport (PKX), take the Daxing Airport Express to Caoqiao. Check the three-letter airport code on your booking before you choose a train.

Is a taxi or DiDi better in Beijing?

For a first-timer who does not speak Chinese, DiDi is usually better: the destination is set in the app, the fare estimate is shown before booking, and payment is in-app. A street taxi is fine when the meter is running and you can show the address in Chinese characters. Avoid any car, taxi or otherwise, that refuses the meter or offers only a flat price.

How do I get to the Great Wall by public transport?

There is no metro station at the Great Wall. The usual first-timer pattern is metro to a bus or tour departure point in the city, then a bus, tour or pre-booked car to the Wall section, and the same in reverse. For Mutianyu, the itinerary in the Beijing 3-day itinerary explains the full-day pattern. Allow a full day, and do not plan a tight evening connection after a Wall trip.

What if the metro has stopped running?

Use DiDi or a taxi from a rank, and expect night rates on a taxi meter. Night buses exist on some routes, but they are harder to read without Chinese, so for a late arrival, a car is the safer default. If you are at an airport late at night, the airport bus and taxi rank keep running even after the express trains stop — check the airport’s own signs for the current last departures.