Taxi

Taxis at Beijing Capital Airport (PEK): fares, pickup points and what to watch for

Taxis run 24 hours on the Beijing standard tariff. Using only the official rank is the first step to avoiding a scam.

In short

Airport taxis use the Beijing standard tariff: ¥13 for the first 3 km, then ¥2.3 per km, plus a ¥1 fuel surcharge. When traffic slows below 12 km/h, one km is added every 5 minutes (2 km during the 07:00–09:00 and 17:00–19:00 peaks). Between 23:00 and 05:00 the per-km rate is 20% higher.

Flag drop: ¥13 (includes 3 km)
Per km: ¥2.3
Night surcharge: +20%, 23:00–05:00
Waiting in traffic: 1 km per 5 min below 12 km/h
Operating hours: 24 hours

What the meter will read

Way	Distance	Metered fare (tolls and waiting excluded)
20 km	—	¥53
30 km	—	¥76
40 km	—	¥99

How to take each option

Taking a taxi at Terminal 3

Follow the terminal signs and take the lift down to the B1 taxi rank.
Queue at the rank and ignore anyone touting outside it.
Show your destination written in Chinese and ask for the meter.

Airport taxi dispatch hotline: 010-64596539.

Taking a taxi at Terminal 2

Go to level 1 and walk to the middle lane outside Gates 5–9.
Queue inside the enclosed, air-conditioned waiting area.
Pay by the meter and ask for a receipt.

Late-night and early-morning arrivals

Taxis run 24 hours. Between 23:00 and 05:00 the per-km rate is 20% higher, and tolls are paid by the passenger. If you would rather not take a taxi late at night, the Beijing West bus line runs until 02:00.

Questions travellers ask

How much is a taxi from PEK to the city centre?

Metered: ¥13 for the first 3 km, then ¥2.3 per km, plus a ¥1 fuel surcharge. No official estimate is published for the airport-to-city-centre run, so the total depends on traffic.

Is there a night surcharge?

Yes — between 23:00 and 05:00 the per-km rate is 20% higher.

Where is the taxi rank?

At T3 it is on level B1; at T2, the middle lane outside Gates 5–9 on level 1.

Does sitting in traffic cost more?

Yes. Below 12 km/h, one km is added every 5 minutes — 2 km during the 07:00–09:00 and 17:00–19:00 peaks.

Who pays the tolls?

Tolls are paid by the passenger on top of the metered fare.

How do I avoid being overcharged?

Queue only at the official rank, insist on the meter, ask for a receipt, and ignore touts inside the arrivals hall.

What will the meter actually read?

Worked from the published tariff: about ¥53 for 20 km, ¥76 for 30 km and ¥99 for 40 km. These are calculated examples, excluding tolls, the fuel surcharge and waiting time — and 20% more between 23:00 and 05:00.

Will the driver add the toll?

Any toll is added on top of the metered fare and paid by the passenger.

Do I need to tip?

No — tipping is not customary in Chinese taxis. Pay the metered fare.

Taxi or the Airport Express?

The Airport Express costs ¥25, takes 25 minutes and ignores traffic, but the last train is at 22:52 and it only stops at Sanyuanqiao, Dongzhimen and Beixinqiao. A taxi costs far more but takes you door to door, 24 hours. Take a taxi with heavy luggage or a late arrival, the Express if you are travelling light by day.

Can I get a taxi to the airport before dawn?

Yes — taxis run 24 hours, though for a pre-dawn departure it is worth pre-booking through a car-hailing app. Note the 20% surcharge per km between 23:00 and 05:00.

Will the driver speak English?

Do not count on it. Have your destination and hotel name written in Chinese on paper or saved on your phone, show it to the driver, and ask for the meter.

Now find your train

Once you land and settle in, high-speed trains from Beijing South can be booked here

Beijing South → Shanghai Hongqiao Beijing South → Nanjing South

Fares and times verified 2026-10-31