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Beijing Capital International Airport

Beijing Capital International AirportBeijing Capital International Airport
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bcia_overview.JPG
Author: Yaoleilei
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The Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) is the main international airport for the capital of China, Beijing. The airport located 32 km (20 mi) to the northeast of downtown Beijing is today the biggest airport in China and the second busiest in the world. View its location in relation to downtown Beijing below.

Layout of Beijing Capital International Airport

The Beijing Capital International Airport comprises three terminals, namely Terminals 1, 2 and 3. The present Terminal 1 began operations on 1 January 1980. It replaces the original Beijing Airport terminal building from 1958, which still exists today and caters to VIP flights.

Terminal 2 opened in 1999 so that the old Beijing Airport could be closed for the construction of what became Terminal 1. Terminal 2 is much larger than Terminal 1, but nowhere compared to the gargantuan Terminal 3, which opened in 2008 and was once the largest man-made structure on earth until the completion of Dubai International Airport Terminal 3.

Terminal 2, Beijing Capital International Airport
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VM_Beijing_Airport_-_hallways_4350.jpg
Author: Vmenkov
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It is possible to walk between Terminal 1 and 2 using a corridor with travelators. You can make the journey in about 10 minutes. There is a free shuttle bus between Terminals 2 and 3.

Passageway between Terminals 1 and 2
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beijing_Capital_International_Airport_T1%26T2_Passage_20120915.JPG
Author: 颐园新居
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The opening of Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 3 was to coincide with the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It comprises three separate concourses named 3C, 3D and 3E. (There aren't any 3A or 3B, to avoid confusion with the two existing terminal buildings.)

Terminal 3, Beijing Capital International Airport
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beijing_Capital_International_Airport_200908_436.jpg
Author: 颐园新居
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Travelator at Terminal 3
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PEK_1026.jpg
Author: Gorillazfeelgoodinc/Steve Zhang
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Terminal 3E, Beijing Capital International Airport
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PEKT3E.jpg
Author: Muka
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Terminal 3 has three above-ground levels and two below. Its length is close to 3 kilometers from end to end. To move people through this distance, there is an unmanned rail transit called the Automated People Mover (APM) which runs on Level 2 of the terminal, between Concourse 3C and Concourse 3E, a distance of 2080 meters.

The Automated People Mover, Terminal 3
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC%E7%A9%BA%E6%B8%
AF%E5%86%85%E7%A7%BB%E5%8B%95%E9%9B%BB%E8%BB%8A.JPG
Author: 朕邦萬広
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View Beijing Capital International Airport Layout in a larger map

Arriving at Beijing Capital International Airport

The first thing to know is which terminal you will be arriving at.

Terminal 1: Beijing-Shanghai Air Express, Capital Airlines (JD), Grand China Airlines (domestic) (CN), Hainan Airlines (domestic) (HU) and Tianjin Airlines (GS).

Terminal 1, Beijing Capital Airport Terminal 1
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beijing_Capital_International_Airport_T1_Departure_hall_201209151459.JPG
Author: 颐园新居
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Terminal 2: Aeroflot Russian Airlines (SU), Aerosvit Ukrainian Airlines (VV), Air Algeria (AH), Air Astana (KC), Air France (AF), Air Koryo (JS), Air Zimbabwe (UM), Angola Airlines (DT), Beijing-Shanghai Air Express, China Eastern Airlines (MU), China Southern Airlines (CZ), Chongqing Airlines (OQ), Delta Air Lines (DL), Ethiopian Airlines (ET), Garuda Indonesia (GA), Pakistan International Airlines (PK), Hainan Airlines International (HU), Hong Kong Express (UO), Iran Air (IR), Korean Air (KE), KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL), Malaysia Airlines (MH), Philippine Airlines (PR), Pulkovo-Russian Airlines (FV), Shanghai Airlines (FM), Sri Lankan Airlines (UL), Turkmenistan Airlines (T5), Uzbekistan Airlines (HY), Vietnam Airlines (VN), Vladivostok Air (XF), Xiamen Airlines (MF).

Curbside, Terminal 2
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beijing_Capital_International_Airport.jpg
Author: AcidBomber
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Terminal 3: Air Canada (AC), Air China (CA), Air Macau (NX), Air New Zealand (NZ), All Nippon Airways (NH), Asiana Airlines (OZ), Austrian Airlines (OS), Beijing-Shanghai Air Express, BR Eva Air (BR), British Airways (BA), Cathay Pacific (CX), China Airlines (CI), Continental Airlines (CO), Dragonair (KA), Egypt Air (MS), EL AL Israel Airlines (LY), Emirates (EK), Etihad Airways (EY), Finnair (AY), Japan Airlines (JL), Lufthansa German Airlines(LH), Mandarin Airlines (AE), Mongolia Airlines (OM), Northeastern Airlines (NS), Qantas (QF), Qatar Airlines (QR), Russian Novosibirsk Airlines (S7), Scandinavian Airlines (SK), Shandong Airlines (SC), Shenzhen Airlines (HZ), Sichuan Airlines (3U), Singapore Airlines (SQ), Thai Airways (TG), Turkish Airlines (TK), United Airlines (UA), Ural Airlines (U6)

Signages at Terminal 3, Beijing Capital International Airport
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BJ_%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC%E9%A6%96%E9%83%BD%E5%9C%8B%E9%9A%9B%E6%A9%9F%E5%A0%B4
_Beijing_Capital_International_Airport_BCIA_interior_signs_Hourly_hotel_Shower_directory_Aug-2010_Duty-free_shop.JPG
Author: Zhanyanguange
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Public Transport at Beijing Capital International Airport

Your choice of public transport include the Airport Express Train, the Airport Shuttle Bus and the taxi.

Airport Express Train: This high-speed rail link began operations on 19 July, 2008. It stops at Terminals 2 and 3 of the airport. If you arrive at Terminal 1, follow the signage to the Airport Express station at Terminal 2. The train makes a loop going from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2 to Sanyuanqiao Station to Dongzhimen Station and back to Terminal 3. The fare is RMB 25 regardless which station you board, so it's not worth taking if you're just going from Terminal 3 to 2. Tickets can be purchased from the ticket counter or vending machines available at each station. Hold on to the ticket as you need it to exit the turnstile later on. If you lose the ticket, you will have to pay a charge of RMB 250.
At Sanyuanqiao Station, you can transfer to Subway Line 10 while at Dongzhimen Station, you can transfer to Subway Lines 2 and 13.

Airport Shuttle Bus: There are six different bus routes out of Beijing Capital International Airport. The frequency of service ranges from 10 to 30 minutes. Buy your bus ticket at the ticket counter located at each terminal and proceed to wait for the bus. The fare is RMB 16. Most (but not all) routes run from 7:00 am to 12:00 midnight.

Ticket Counters
Terminal 1: inside Gate 7, 1st floor
Terminal 2: outside Gate 9-11, 1st floor
Terminal 3: outside Gat 7, 1st floor

Bus Stations
Terminal 1: Gate 7, 1st floor
Terminal 2: Gate 13-18, 1st floor
Terminal 3: West Gate, 1st floor

There are also buses from the Capital Airport to Tianjin, Tanggu, Qinhuangdao, Langfang, Baoding and Tangshan. These buses depart from the bus stop at Gate 15, 1st Floor of Terminal 2 and Gate 3, 1st Floor of Terminal 3. Far and duration are as shown below:

Tianjin: Fare RMB 80, Duration: 2.5 hours
Tanggu: Fare: RMB 90, Duration: 3 hours
Qinhuangdao: Fare: RMB 140, Duration: 4 hours
Langfang: Fare RMB 40, Duration: 2 hours
Baoding: Fare: RMB 90, Duration: 3 hours
Tangshan: Fare: RMB 80, Duration: 2.5 hours

Taxis There are taxi queues at all three terminals. A journey to downtown Beijing costs between RMB 70 to RMB 120. The fare is according to meter, plus expressway toll, which is RMB 10.

Curbside at Terminal 3
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC%E9%A6%96%E9%83%BD%E5%9B%BD%E9%9A%9B%E7%A9%BA%E6%B8%AF%E7%8E%84%E9%96%A2.jpg
Author: 夢の散歩
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Intra-Terminal Shuttle

There is a free shuttle bus service that goes from Terminal 3 to 2 to 1, and back. It takes 15 minutes from Terminal 3 to 1 and vice versa. The frequency is one every 7 minutes. The pick-up points are as follows:
Terminal 1: Gate 3-5, 1st floor
Terminal 2: Gate 11, 1st floor
Terminal 3: Gate 5, 1st floor

The shuttle bus starts at Gate 5, Terminal 3 Arrival Floor, continues to Terminal 2 Departure Floor, then Terminal 1 Departure Floor. It then proceeds to Gate 11 of Terminal 2 Arrival Floor, continues to Gate 5 of Terminal 1 Arrival Floor, then Terminal 3 Departure Floor, and back to Gate 5, Terminal 3 Departure Floor.

Check-in counters at Departure Level, Terminal 3
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ZBAA_terminal_3_check-in_20090503.jpg
Author: Roy Kim
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Departing from Beijing Capital International Airport

Taking the Airport Express Train
If you're boarding the Airport Express Train at Dongzhimen Station, you can take the Subway Line 2 or 13 to get there. You need to return the subway ticket and purchase another at the ticket counter for your ride from Dongzhimen to the Beijing Capital Airport.

Departure Hall, Terminal 2
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beijing_Capital_International_Airport_T2_Departure_hall_20120814.JPG
Author: 颐园新居
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Domestic Departures, Terminal 3
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ZBAA_terminal_3_domestic_departures_20100718.jpg
Author: kriswho
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Taking the Airport Shuttle Bus
You can take the Airport Shuttle Bus from the same bus stations in Beijing back to the airport. The fare is the same. The bus will stop at Terminal 3 followed by Terminal 2 and then Terminal 1, in that order.

Armillary Sphere, Terminal 3
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BJ_%E6%B8%BE%E5%A4%A9%E5%84%80Armillary_sphere_%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC%E9%A6%96%E9%83%BD%
E5%9C%8B%E9%9A%9B%E6%A9%9F%E5%A0%B4_Beijing_Capital_International_Airport_%E7%B4%AB%E8%96
%87%E8%BE%B0%E6%81%86_Ziwei_Chenheng_Aug-2010_visitors.JPG
Author: Zhanyanguange
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Future Plans

As there is no more space for future expansion to the present airport, a new international airport has already been planned. It will be built in Daxing, about 46 km south of downtown Beijing. Construction is expected to start in late 2012 and the airport is expected to open only in 2017. When it does, it will take over as the primary airport for Beijing.

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.
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