China Airport Transfer Guide 2026: PEK, PKX, PVG, SHA, CAN, CTU, XIY

China’s major international airports all have multiple transfer options. The right choice depends on your arrival time, luggage, group size, and budget. This guide covers all 7 main airports, the 4 main transfer modes, and the 3 things to know before you leave the airport.

The 4 transfer options (overview)

1. Airport express train — cheapest, fastest, but limited hours

Best for: budget travelers, daytime arrivals, light luggage, going to a specific station Cost: ¥25-50 Time: 15-30 min to city center Hours: typically 6:00-22:30 Pros: cheapest, predictable, no traffic Cons: stops at specific stations (not your hotel), hours limited, no luggage storage beyond overhead

2. DiDi (China’s Uber) — best balance

Best for: most travelers, daytime or evening arrivals, 1-3 people with luggage Cost: ¥80-300 Time: 30-90 min depending on traffic Hours: 24/7 Pros: app shows price upfront, no haggling, no language barrier, safe Cons: DiDi Express pickup zone may be far from arrivals; surge pricing during peak hours

3. Official taxi — most expensive but 24/7

Best for: late-night arrivals, no smartphone, very heavy luggage Cost: ¥200-500 Time: 45-90 min Hours: 24/7 Pros: no app needed, available any time, driver waits at queue Cons: most expensive, language barrier possible, meter refusal scams

4. Pre-booked private transfer — most convenient, premium

Best for: families, business travelers, late-night, first-timers Cost: ¥200-500 Time: 30-60 min Hours: 24/7 (pre-arranged) Pros: driver waits with name sign, helps with luggage, fixed price, often English-speaking Cons: 2-3x more expensive than DiDi

The rule: for most arrivals, DiDi Premier is the sweet spot. Save the airport express train for short daytime trips with light luggage. Use official taxi or private transfer only for late-night or when DiDi isn’t working.

Beijing: PEK and PKX

Beijing has two airports. PEK (Capital, older, closer to center) and PKX (Daxing, newer, further south). Most international flights use PEK, but some airlines (especially SkyTeam alliance) use PKX.

Beijing Capital (PEK)

Airport Express train (recommended):

• Route: Terminal 3 (and Terminal 2 via free shuttle) → Sanyuanqiao → Dongzhiman
• Fare: ¥25
• Time: 30 minutes
• Hours: 6:00-22:30 (departures every 10-15 min)
• From Dongzhiman, transfer to Subway Line 2 or 13 to your hotel area
• Best for: budget travelers, going to central Beijing (Wangfujing, Tiananmen, Sanlitun)

DiDi:

• Pickup zone: outside Terminal 2/3 arrivals, follow “DiDi” signs
• Time: 45-90 min to city center
• Cost: ¥100-200 to central Beijing
• Note: DiDi Premier pickup is closer to arrivals (look for “Premier” sign)

Official taxi:

• Queue is well-organized at both terminals
• Cost: ¥120-250 to central Beijing
• Time: 45-90 min
• Use the meter (打表 dǎ biǎo)
• Have your hotel address in Chinese (Baidu Maps shows this)

Pre-booked private transfer:

• Book via Trip.com (¥200-400) or your hotel (often free or ¥100-200)
• Driver waits at arrivals with name sign
• Recommended for late-night, families, first-timers

Beijing Daxing (PKX)

Daxing Express train:

• Route: Daxing Airport → Caoqiao (transfer to Subway Line 10)
• Fare: ¥35
• Time: 40 minutes
• Hours: 6:00-22:30
• From Caoqiao, continue on Subway Line 10 or transfer to Line 4

DiDi: ¥150-300 to central Beijing, 60-90 min

Official taxi: ¥200-350, 60-90 min

Note: PKX is 46 km south of Tiananmen, much further than PEK. Allow 1.5-2x the transfer time.

Shanghai: PVG and SHA

Shanghai has two airports. PVG (Pudong, on the east, all international + some domestic) and SHA (Hongqiao, on the west, mostly domestic + some Asian regional).

Shanghai Pudong (PVG)

Maglev train (the famous one):

• Route: Pudong Airport → Longyang Road (30 km, 431 km/h, 7 min ride)
• Fare: ¥50 (regular), ¥40 with same-day flight ticket
• Hours: 7:00-21:30 (every 15-20 min)
• From Longyang Road, transfer to Metro Line 2 (to People’s Square, Nanjing Road) or Line 7 (to other areas)
• Total time: 45-60 min airport to central Shanghai
• Best for: tech enthusiasts, time-sensitive travelers, going to Puxi (west bank)

DiDi: ¥200-350 to central Shanghai, 60-90 min (longer in traffic)

Official taxi: ¥250-400, 60-90 min

Pre-booked private transfer: ¥300-500, 50-70 min

Note: PVG is on the east side of Shanghai, while most hotels and attractions (Bund, Nanjing Road) are on the west side. The Maglev + Metro is faster than DiDi during peak hours.

Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA)

Metro:

• Line 2 or Line 10 directly to central Shanghai
• Fare: ¥5-7
• Time: 30-45 min
• Best for: budget travelers going to Puxi

DiDi: ¥80-150 to central Shanghai, 30-60 min

Official taxi: ¥100-200, 30-60 min

Note: SHA is much closer to central Shanghai than PVG. If you can choose your flight, SHA is more convenient for downtown hotels.

Guangzhou (CAN)

Metro Line 3:

• Direct to Tiyu Xilu (Canton Tower area) and other central stations
• Fare: ¥8-12
• Time: 45-60 min to central Guangzhou
• Hours: 6:00-23:00

DiDi: ¥150-250 to central Guangzhou, 45-75 min

Official taxi: ¥200-300, 45-75 min

Note: Guangzhou Baiyun is a major hub for flights to/from Southeast Asia and Australia. The metro is excellent and direct.

Chengdu (CTU)

Metro Line 10:

• Direct to central Chengdu (Chunxi Road, Tianfu Square)
• Fare: ¥5-9
• Time: 40-50 min
• Hours: 6:00-22:30

DiDi: ¥80-150 to central Chengdu, 30-60 min

Official taxi: ¥100-200, 30-60 min

Pre-booked transfer: ¥150-300, 30-45 min

Note: Chengdu Shuangliu is one of the easier airports. The metro is clean, fast, and well-signed in English. For most travelers, Metro Line 10 is the default.

Xi’an (XIY)

Metro Line 14 (airport express):

• Direct to North Railway Station (where you can transfer to Line 2 or Line 4)
• Fare: ¥16
• Time: 45-60 min to central Xi’an
• Hours: 6:00-23:00

DiDi: ¥100-200 to central Xi’an, 45-75 min

Official taxi: ¥150-250, 45-75 min

Note: Xi’an Xianyang is the gateway to the Terracotta Army. If you’re heading straight to the Terracotta Army (40 km east of the city), pre-book a transfer or take a tour bus from the airport.

The 3 scams to avoid

1. Drivers approaching you in arrivals

Anyone who approaches you inside the airport terminal offering rides is unofficial. They’ll quote flat rates 2-3x the meter. Politely refuse, walk to the official taxi queue or use DiDi.

2. “Your hotel is in a bad area, let me take you somewhere else”

A classic scam. The driver tries to convince you that your hotel is in a dangerous or closed area, then offers to take you to a different (often partner) hotel where you get scammed on the room rate. Verify your hotel address on Baidu Maps before leaving.

3. Meter “broken” or “stuck on a high number”

If the taxi meter shows ¥100+ before you’ve even left the airport, the driver is trying to scam you. Get out and find another taxi, or use DiDi.

The 3 things to do before leaving the airport

1. Get a local SIM or eSIM activated

If you haven’t already, buy a China eSIM or physical SIM at the airport. Most airports have China Unicom stores in the arrivals hall. Without data, you can’t use DiDi, Baidu Maps, or Alipay. ¥100-200 for a 2-week SIM with 30GB.

2. Withdraw ¥1,000-2,000 in cash

While you can use Alipay almost everywhere, having cash for the first 24-48 hours is essential. The airport ATMs (Bank of China, ICBC) accept foreign cards. Avoid the airport currency exchange counters — they have the worst rates.

3. Connect to airport Wi-Fi and set up Alipay

If you haven’t set up Alipay yet, do it now while you have stable Wi-Fi. Open the app, link your foreign Visa/Mastercard, complete the ID verification with your passport, enable QR code payment. This takes 15-20 minutes and is essential for the rest of your trip.

Comparison table

Times are typical, not exact. Traffic, time of day, and weather affect all modes.

What to do if something goes wrong

• Lost luggage: find the airline’s service desk in arrivals (right after customs). Have your baggage claim ticket.
• Missed your flight / connection: go to the airline’s transfer desk. They can rebook on the next available flight, often at no extra charge for delays caused by the airline.
• DiDi not working: airport Wi-Fi may be unstable. Connect to the airport Wi-Fi, or use the airport’s free SIM/eSIM kiosk. As a last resort, use the official taxi queue.
• Can’t find your hotel: have the hotel’s address in Chinese (Baidu Maps or your booking confirmation). Show it to the driver. See our full China hotel booking guide for booking in advance.
• Taxi driver refuses to use meter: get out and find another. Don’t argue.
• Currency emergency: Bank of China and ICBC ATMs in arrivals accept foreign cards. Withdraw ¥1,000-2,000 to start.

The 3 things to remember

1. The airport express train is the cheapest and often the fastest for daytime arrivals with light luggage. It’s ¥25-50 and runs every 10-30 minutes.
2. DiDi is the most reliable for most travelers, especially with luggage. Set up the app before you arrive in China.
3. Avoid anyone who approaches you in the terminal — they’re unofficial and will overcharge. Walk to the official taxi queue or DiDi pickup zone.

Plan your trip — verified tools

These free tools are built on real, monthly-verified data and help you skip the trial-and-error phase of China trip planning:

• China 6-City 5-Day Budget Calculator — Real 2026 prices for 5 days in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi’an, or Hangzhou. Budget / mid-range / comfort tiers, broken down line by line.
• China OTA Comparison 2026 — Trip.com vs Booking.com vs Agoda vs Klook across 5 booking types. Inventory, pricing, foreign card support, English service, per-OTA verdict.

Verified August 2026 by TravelHubChina Editorial. We re-check prices and policy details monthly so the data doesn’t drift.