Beijing Travel Forum

Hi, friends -

My wife and I are flying into Beijing on Wednesday. What's the best way to get from the airport to our hotel?

Does anybody know a driver we could arrange ahead of time, instead of relying on random taxis? What does it cost?

Thanks!

Which hotel are you staying at?
What time is your flight arriving?
How much luggage do you have?
Seriously though, there's no real need to arrange for a pick-up. Taxis are fine, provided you have your hotel name and address in Chinese characters for everyone's benefit. The airport shuttles are even cheaper.

Hi, Ellyse -

thanks for your quick answer. We're arriving at 6 PM, we just have a backpack, and - while I trust you - I don't feel comfortable enough to post my hotel info on this forum.

Anyway, that was a great tip about making sure our hotel name is in Chinese characters.

I'm going to check your Shanghai pages now, too, because my wife wants to upgrade to a nice hotel. The Shanghai Hilton was suggested, but there must be a better choice!

I just came back from Beijing, you should expect a taxi from the Beijing Capital International Airport to the city centre to cost 150-250 RMB depending on traffic and exact destination. Of course the reason why people ask what hotel you are staying in is a) to determine how far it is from the airport and b) to be able to tell you specifically how to get there, e.g. which shuttle bus would be most convenient: http://www.tour-beijing.com/beijing_airport_shuttle_bus/
If you don't want people to identify you, you would have done better to hide your name (assuming that the one you registered is actually yours!) rather than refuse to tell us which hotel you are trying to get to..
Incidentally if you use a taxi the advice is to take one from the rank outside the airport rather than use someone who approaches you, but if you want to pre-book, try privatetaxibeijing@gmail.com (tel. +86 13341006148).
Incidentally upon arrival (Terminal 3) I wasn't sure at first whether I was going to the right place when shepherded onto a train! I was, the train takes you to baggage reclaim in what I think is 3E.

Yes, qaminari is right. If you don't want to let EVERYONE ELSE on the forum know, at least VTMail me with the hotel name. For goodness sakes, I'm NOT interested in stalking you!

Oops. I'm sorry if I offended. I was the one dumb enough to use my own name on VT.

I made it. Took a taxi on your recommendation. No problems. We are in Xi'an now ... soon to be in Shanghai. China is lovely!

I really still don't understand why naming the hotel that you would be going to, in order to get directions to it, would be unsafe.
I can just imagine telling a taxi driver: "take me home, but I don't want to tell you what my home address is, that would be dangerous".

Hi, Ellyse - sorry, I hadn't checked this page for awhile. You ask a good question ... why I would not post my hotel information. I have been thinking about it, and I don't have an answer! Pretty dumb knee-jerk reaction on my part trying to keep safe. But it was absolutely ridiculous, in retrospect. Anyway, we had a great time in China. We are telling all our friends they need to go see the next world superpower ... now!

Well, no offence, but you're totally right, it's absolutely dumb.