Beijing Airport Arrivals (PEK)

Flight Arrivals at Beijing Airport

International passengers arriving at Beijing Airport's Terminal 3 should be able to retrieve their luggage within 4.5 minutes after their plane has unloaded thanks to one of the speediest luggage conveyor systems in the world.

Terminal 3 has its own railway station for Airport Express trains and the Beijing Subway, which links not just all three terminals but also provides passengers arrivals at Beijing Capital International Airport with onward destinations in the city of Beijing.

This one terminal can handle a staggering 43 million, with Terminal 1 and 2 bringing up the total to 78 million passengers per year. Passengers with time to spare before travelling to Beijing or other destinations can enjoy the many artifacts and interior decorations that the mainly red, white and orange coloured Terminal 3 has to offer.

Other facilities that passenger arrivals have at their disposal are the baby and toddler changing facilities, an indoor garden in the T3E waiting area, which resemble the imperial gardens at the Summer Palace or the underground gardens at T3C, which passengers can admire from a mini train that takes them through the tunnel. The inter-terminal people mover helps passengers to reach all the facilities quickly, despite the vast size of Terminal 3.

A "global kitchen" caters for all tastes. Here Beijing Airport arrivals can eat their way around the globe by trying the wonderful dishes served by 72 snack bars, restaurants, cafes and bars. There are Western style eateries, Chinese cuisine, fast food outlets, bakeries and ice cream parlours.

Arriving passengers with an unquenchable thirst for shopping will some 12,600 square meters of domestic retail space and 10, 600 square meters of duty free shopping area offering anything from toys to jewelry and accessories, fashion and cosmetics, perfume and electronics to books, maps and magazines, food and beverages.

A further 7,000 square meters are designated for a post office and banks, business centers, internet services, facilities for passengers with mobility issues, rest rooms and car rental desks, information stands and art displays. At Terminal 2 for example arrivals at Beijing Airport can find the Avis car hire desk at Gate 11 in the arrivals area, while Hertz Chauffeur Drive can be found at Terminal 3.

A free inter-terminal shuttle service takes arrivals at Beijing Capital International Airport from Terminal 3 to the other two Terminals 1 and 2. These buses leave every ten minutes between the hours of 6 am to 11 pm during the day and evening. At night the shuttle operates every 30 minutes from 11 pm till 6 am.

Onward flights include Moscow-Sheremetyevo via carrier Aeroflot, Kuala Lumpur via carrier Air Asia, Algiers with carrier Air Algérie, Toronto and Vancouver with Air Canada as well as Air China flights to domestic destinations such as Baotou, Bayannur, Beihai, Changchun, Changsha, Changzhou, Chaoyang, Chengdu, Chifeng, Chongqing, Dalian, Dandong, Daqing, Datong, Dazhou, Fuyang, Fuzhou, Ganzhou, Guangyuan, Guangzhou, Guilin, Guiyang, Haikou, Hailar, Hangzhou, Harbin, Hefei, Hohhot, Hotan among many others.

Other international destinations include Air France and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, Alitalia and Rome-Fiumicino Airport, as well as American Airlines and Chicago O'Hare Airport and All Nippon Airways with flights to Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita and Osaka-Kansai Airports.

Onward travel by rail via the Airport Express Line of the Beijing Subway is the fastest way to get to the three main railway stations serving the city of Beijing. The track is 28.1 km (17.5 mi) long and leaves from Terminal 3 for Terminal 2 and then onward to central Beijing, stopping only at Sanyuanqiao and Dongzhimen on the way. It takes around 16 to 20 minutes to reach central Beijing.

Travelers can also choose to rent a car at Beijing Airport from one of the handful of suppliers.

Buses from the airport take Beijing Capital International Airport arrivals via nine different shuttle bus routes to and from various points in Beijing. These bus routes include Xidan, Fangzhuang, the Beijing Railway Station, Zhongguancun as well as Nanyuan Airport.

Inter-city bus connections include five bus lines operating to and from nearby Tianjin City and Qinhuangdao City, buses to Tanggu, Langfang City, Boading City, Qinhuangdao City and Tangshan City.

Metered taxis are widely available from taxi ranks at all three terminals, but at Terminal 3 passengers need to go to the transportation center on the lowest level. Chinese taxi drivers are best communicated with by handing them a piece of paper that shows not only the address written in Roman letters but also in Chinese letters.

The journey to downtown Beijing destinations takes around 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic. Taxi fares will typically be between CNY 100 to 200 including any tolls, which must be paid by the passenger.