Short answer
Every major Chinese airport is connected to the city by a dedicated airport express or metro line, an airport bus, and a taxi rank. The rail option is the cheapest and the least likely to be ruined by traffic; the taxi is the easiest with luggage; DiDi sits between the two, with a price quoted before you book.
If you land tired, with bags, and your hotel is not on a metro line, take a taxi from the official rank or a DiDi. If you land in daylight with a manageable bag, the airport express is usually faster into the centre than a car, because it does not sit in traffic.
Two rules apply at every airport in this guide: queue at the official taxi rank, and never accept a car from someone who approaches you inside the terminal. Those two habits eliminate almost every airport-transport scam.
The four options, in general
| Option | Cost | Best for | Main catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport express / metro | Lowest — typically well under ¥50 | Daytime arrivals, light luggage, hotel near a station | Ends before midnight; may need a transfer |
| Airport bus | Low | Cheap direct run to a specific downtown drop-off | Slow in traffic, limited routes, hard to use late at night |
| Taxi (official rank) | Highest — a city-centre run is commonly in the ¥100 range | Luggage, groups, late arrivals, door-to-door | Traffic-dependent; language barrier |
| DiDi | Similar to taxi, fixed quote | Anyone with a working phone and a bound card | Pickup points at terminals are confusing |
Costs scale with distance and traffic, so treat the figures above as orders of magnitude rather than quotes. The reliable way to price a car journey is to open DiDi and let it quote the route — that number is your reference point, whatever you end up riding in.
Beijing: Capital (PEK) and Daxing (PKX)
Beijing has two airports on opposite sides of the city, and which one you land at changes the journey completely. Check your booking — the airport code matters more here than anywhere else in China.
Beijing Capital International (PEK)
- Airport Express. A dedicated rail line links the terminals to Dongzhimen, where it meets Metro Line 2 and Line 13. This is the cleanest option if your hotel is anywhere on those lines or on the loop.
- Taxi. The official rank is signposted inside the arrivals hall. A run to the central districts takes the order of an hour in traffic and costs roughly ¥100.
- DiDi. Set your pickup pin to the correct terminal and to a specific door. Capital is a large airport with multiple terminal buildings, and drivers will not hunt for you.
- Airport buses. Several routes run to fixed downtown drop-off points. Cheap and direct if one of the stops happens to be near your hotel.
Beijing Daxing International (PKX)
- Daxing Airport Express. Runs to Caoqiao, which connects to Metro Line 10 and Line 19. Fast and signposted in English.
- Intercity rail. Daxing also has an intercity rail link into the city's western rail hub, useful if you are connecting straight to a train rather than a hotel.
- Taxi and DiDi. Daxing is far south of the centre, so a car journey is longer and more expensive than from Capital. Use the app quote as your benchmark.
Shanghai: Pudong (PVG) and Hongqiao (SHA)
Shanghai's two airports serve different roles. Pudong handles most international traffic and sits well east of the city. Hongqiao is closer in and handles domestic flights plus a lot of regional international traffic — and it shares a site with the main railway station.
Shanghai Pudong International (PVG)
- Maglev. The high-speed maglev runs from the airport to Longyang Road, which connects to Metro Line 2 and Line 7. It is the fastest way to cover the first leg, and a genuine novelty in its own right.
- Metro Line 2. Runs from the airport into the city and through the main central districts. Cheaper than the maglev and goes further, but the journey is long and the trains get crowded.
- Taxi. Pudong to the centre is a long run, commonly on the order of ¥150–200 depending on where you are going and how bad the traffic is. Queue at the official rank.
- DiDi. Convenient here, and the fixed quote removes any argument about the price. Terminal pickup points are signposted but busy.
Shanghai Hongqiao International (SHA)
- Metro Line 2 and Line 10. Both serve the airport and connect directly into the centre, which makes Hongqiao the easiest of Shanghai's airports to reach by rail.
- Taxi and DiDi. A shorter and cheaper run than from Pudong, since the airport is inside the city's western edge.
- Rail connections. Hongqiao Railway Station is on the same site, so if you are flying in and taking a high-speed train out, you may not need to go into the city at all.
Guangzhou: Baiyun International (CAN)
- Metro Line 3. The airport has its own stations on Line 3, with separate stops for the two terminal buildings. It runs into the city centre and connects onward to the rest of the network.
- Taxi. The official rank is clearly signed in arrivals. A city-centre run is in the same order of magnitude as Beijing or Shanghai, roughly ¥100 or more depending on your destination and the traffic.
- DiDi. Works normally here, with English input for destinations and a fixed quote before booking.
- Airport buses. Several routes serve major hotels and transport hubs, which can be the simplest option if your hotel is on a route.
Guangzhou is also the gateway to the Pearl River Delta, and the airport connects onward by high-speed rail to other cities in the region. If your trip continues to Shenzhen or beyond, it is worth checking whether a rail connection beats going into Guangzhou first.
Arriving well: a short checklist
- Get online before you leave the terminalBuy or activate a travel eSIM, or use airport wifi, so DiDi, maps and your QR payment app all work the moment you step outside.
- Have your hotel address saved in ChineseScreenshot it while you still have wifi. It is what you show a taxi driver and what you paste into a ride-hailing app.
- Decide your method before you reach the exitThe arrivals hall is where touts operate. Knowing in advance that you are taking the express line or the official rank removes the moment of hesitation they rely on.
- Set a precise DiDi pickup pinTerminal number, door number, level. Vague pins at large airports are the main reason rides get cancelled.
- Check the last train timeAirport express and metro services stop before midnight. A late landing means taxi or DiDi, and you should plan for that before you land.
Paying for the journey
Airport express and metro gates accept QR codes from Alipay and WeChat Pay, and ticket machines usually take both cash and QR payments. Taxis display a payment QR code, and DiDi charges the card you bound in the app.
This is why the two wallet apps matter before you land: they cover the airport train, the taxi, the metro and the convenience store on the way to your hotel. If you have not set them up yet, do it before you fly, see the payment guide in related reading below.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way from a Chinese airport to the city?
The airport express or metro line, and then the airport bus. Both cost a fraction of a taxi. Metro and express fares are typically well under ¥50, and buses are similar or less.
Is it safe to take a taxi from a Chinese airport?
Yes, from the official rank. Queue at the marked stand, insist on the meter rather than a flat price, and take the receipt. Decline anyone who approaches you inside the terminal offering a car.
Can I use DiDi at the airport?
Yes. Set a precise pickup pin, terminal, door and level, and match the plate number shown in the app before you get in. DiDi quotes a fixed price before you book, which is useful for judging taxi prices too.
How much does a taxi from Beijing Capital to the city centre cost?
Roughly ¥100 for a typical city-centre run, depending on your exact destination and the traffic. Journey times of about an hour are normal in peak conditions. Use the DiDi quote as a live reference.
Does the Shanghai maglev go to the city centre?
It runs from Pudong Airport to Longyang Road, which is on Metro Line 2 and Line 7. It is the fastest way to cover the first leg into the city, but you continue onward by metro from there.
How do I get from Pudong Airport to Hongqiao Airport?
It is a long cross-city transfer. Metro Line 2 links the two sides of the city and is usually more predictable than a car in traffic, but allow generous time; this connection is not quick.
Do airport trains run all night?
No. Airport express lines and metros stop before midnight. If you land late, plan on a taxi or DiDi, and check the last train time for your specific line before you travel.
Do I need cash for airport transport?
Not usually. Metro gates and taxi QR codes accept Alipay and WeChat Pay, and DiDi charges your bound card. Carry a few tens of yuan in small notes as a fallback for when a scan fails.
Related reading
Airport rail connections and terminal arrangements described here reflect published airport and metro information as of September 2026. Fares, line names, service hours and terminal assignments change as networks expand, confirm your specific route on the airport's own site or a live map app before travelling.