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China Airport Arrival Guide — PVG · PEK

Getting from a Chinese airport to your hotel is straightforward once you know the options. Here is what to expect at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Beijing Capital (PEK) — the two busiest international entry points.

Find best routeBefore leaving the airport
From airport to city

Pick the route before you reach immigration.

Times and fares below are operator-published or commonly reported estimates. Always confirm the current schedule and fare at the operator counter or on the official pages linked at the bottom of this page before you board.

Shanghai · PVG (Pudong)

ML
Shanghai Maglev
Fastest from PVG; transfer to Metro Line 2 for city center. Confirm current fare at the Maglev counter.
≈ 7 min to Longyang Road (operator)
≈ ¥50 single (operator)
M2
Shanghai Metro Line 2
Direct and cheap; check the last-train cutoff at the station.
≈ 60 min to People's Square (estimate)
from ¥7 (operator)
TX
Taxi from PVG
Metered; use the official queue outside arrivals.
≈ 50 min in light traffic (estimate)
Meter
DD
Didi rideshare
Useful late-night fallback at PVG, subject to driver availability.
Pickup at arrivals floor
App

Beijing · PEK (Capital)

AX
Airport Express (PEK)
Beijing Capital express line — fastest from PEK. Confirm fare and schedule at the operator.
≈ 28 min to Dongzhimen (operator)
≈ ¥25 (operator)
TX
Taxi from PEK
Use the official queue outside arrivals.
Variable; longer queues at peak
Meter
DD
Didi rideshare
Pickup from PEK arrivals floor when drivers are available.
Pickup at arrivals floor
App

Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG)

Pudong serves most international flights into Shanghai. The Maglev is the fastest option (7 minutes to Longyang Road, then metro to central Shanghai). Metro Line 2 goes directly to city center in about 1 hour. Taxis are metered and reliable. Use Didi from inside the terminal for convenience.

Beijing Capital Airport (PEK)

The Airport Express runs to Dongzhimen station in 28 minutes (¥25) and is the fastest option. Taxi queues are long during peak hours — use the official queue outside arrivals. Didi works well from the arrivals floor. Note: Beijing Daxing Airport (PKX) has a dedicated express metro line.

Before leaving the airport

  1. Activate your eSIM before your flight, or buy a local SIM at the airport (expensive — pre-buying an eSIM is better value).
  2. Download Didi, Baidu Maps, and WeChat before you fly — these may not be downloadable inside mainland China.
  3. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before arriving — you need a foreign card linked for taxi and metro payments.
  4. Carry ¥100–200 cash for emergencies. Most transactions are mobile, but some small vendors are cash-only.
  5. Allow 60–90 minutes from landing to taxi during peak hours due to immigration queues.

City arrival guides

Official operator sources

Times and fares are operator-published or commonly reported estimates. Confirm current schedules and fares on the official operator pages before you travel.

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