Visa-free transit, payments, transport, apps, weather, and safety notes for overseas travelers.
China's visa-free transit policy has been expanded. Official National Immigration Administration information states that eligible foreign nationals from 55 countries can use the 240-hour visa-free transit policy through designated ports in 24 provinces, regions, and municipalities, including Beijing, when traveling onward to a third country or region. Beijing's English site also refers to the 240-hour Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei transit policy.
Editor's note: Do not treat this as a general visa waiver. The key details are nationality, onward ticket, permitted time, and matching entry/exit ports. If any one of those does not fit, check with the National Immigration Administration or your airline before booking.
Beijing is highly cashless. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before arrival, link an international Visa, Mastercard, JCB, or other supported card, and test a small payment if possible. Keep a small amount of cash as backup for older taxis, small vendors, or phone-battery emergencies. The first payment after arrival is the one most travelers should test, because fixing card binding while tired at the airport is frustrating.
Personal experience: Setting up Alipay before I left home was the single best travel decision I made. The alternative — trying to register while jet-lagged at the airport with a roaming SIM — is not a gamble worth taking. I know because I made that mistake in Shanghai and spent an hour in a convenience store trying to make a ¥8 water purchase work.
Alipay is often the easiest option for foreign visitors. Use the international version, register with your phone number, add your card, and use the transport QR code where supported.
WeChat Pay is useful because many restaurants, mini-programs, and service flows live inside WeChat. Set it up before arrival because SMS verification can be harder while roaming.
Beijing Subway is the fastest way to reach most major sights. Fares are distance-based: the first 6 km cost ¥3, 6-12 km cost ¥4, 12-22 km cost ¥5, 22-32 km cost ¥6, and longer trips add ¥1 per additional 20 km. The official Beijing Subway website is the best source for line maps, station details, and first/last train times.
The Capital Airport Express connects the city with Beijing Capital International Airport. Based on official Beijing Subway schedules:
The Daxing Airport Express generally runs from Daxing Airport to Caoqiao around 06:00-23:00, with Sunday final trains extended to 23:30 according to Beijing government information. Always check the latest schedule on the official Beijing Subway website before travel, as times can shift with seasonal timetable changes.
DiDi works well if you can use the English interface. For taxis, have your destination written in Chinese, because many drivers do not speak English. Avoid unlicensed drivers at airports and railway stations. During rush hour, the subway is often slower on paper but faster in real life.
Alipay and WeChat Pay.
Apple Maps works well in many cases; Amap/Gaode is powerful but Chinese-language heavy.
Use offline translation packs before arrival.
Beijing Subway official site, DiDi, and Trip.com/Ctrip for trains.
The most comfortable sightseeing windows are April-May and September-October. Spring brings flowers and mild temperatures; autumn is usually dry, clear, and excellent for photography. Avoid the first week of October if you dislike crowds because National Day holiday travel is intense.
Hours, ticket rules, and holiday arrangements can change. Check the official source before you travel.