Everything practical in one place. For specific neighbourhoods, browse the destination guides, and check when to go before you book.
Beijing has two international airports. Capital (PEK) in the northeast is 30 km from the centre and linked by the Airport Express in about 20 minutes. Daxing (PKX) in the south is further out but its express train reaches the city in about 20 minutes too. Compare both in our airport transfer comparison.
The metro is cheap (¥3–9 typical rides), fast and signed in English — Line 1 runs past Tiananmen and Wangfujing, and Line 2 loops the old city walls. Taxis and DiDi are plentiful; expect security bag checks at every metro station.
China is mobile-pay first: Alipay and WeChat Pay both accept international cards now, so set them up before you fly. Carry a little cash for markets. Card acceptance at hotels and malls is normal, but street food is QR-code only.
Buy an eSIM before departure so you're connected at the airport — several China-compatible plans work without swapping physical SIMs. Airport SIM counters also sell tourist data packages.
Mandarin is spoken everywhere, with a distinctive Beijing accent. English signage is good across the metro and major sights; hotel staff and younger residents usually speak some English. A translation app with offline packs covers the rest.
Day 1: Tiananmen, the Forbidden City and sunset from Jingshan Park. Day 2: the Great Wall at Mutianyu. Day 3: Temple of Heaven at dawn, the hutongs and Houhai by evening. Day 4: the Summer Palace, then Peking duck.