China Airport to City: Transfers Compared for Every Major Layover Hub
How to get from China’s main airports to the city center, costs, times, and the best option for PEK, PKX, PVG, SHA, CAN, TFU, XIY, and more.
Bokang Huang· Payments, eSIM and apps
Last updated
Tested in China on a foreign card. Sources linked at the foot of this page.
The short answer
Every major Chinese airport connects to its city by metro or a dedicated express train, usually for under ¥35. The metro is almost always the right default; taxis and DiDi are for late arrivals, heavy bags, or groups. Budget 60–90 minutes door to door and be back 2.5 hours before an international departure.
The numbers, airport by airport
| Airport | Best option | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Pudong (PVG) | Maglev + Metro Line 2 | ~40–55 min | ¥50 + ¥4 (¥40 with boarding pass) |
| Shanghai Pudong (PVG) | Metro Line 2 direct | 60–90 min | ¥7–9 |
| Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) | Metro Lines 2 / 10 | 30–50 min | ¥3–7 |
| Beijing Capital (PEK) | Airport Express | 25–35 min | ¥25 |
| Beijing Daxing (PKX) | Daxing Airport Express | 30–40 min | ¥35 |
| Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) | Metro Line 3 | ~45–55 min | ~¥8 |
| Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) | Metro Line 18 | 35–40 min | ¥7–10 |
| Xi’an Xianyang (XIY) | Metro Line 14 (Airport West) | ~40 min+ | ¥2–9 |
| Chongqing Jiangbei (CKG) | Metro Line 10 | 40–50 min | ~¥6 |
| Shenzhen Bao’an (SZX) | Metro Line 11 | ~30–50 min | ~¥7–10 |
| Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH) | Metro Lines 1, 7, 19 | ~45–60 min | Metro under ¥20; ¥20–30 is the coach fare |
Treat fares and journey times as indicative. They change, so check the airport’s own transport page or a maps app on arrival.
How to choose
- Daytime, light luggage: metro or express train. Cheapest and traffic-proof.
- Heavy bags or a group: taxi or DiDi, especially from Pudong.
- Late arrival: taxi or DiDi only; the metro has stopped.
- A cross-airport connection: in Shanghai, the Airport Link Line links PVG T1/T2 to Hongqiao T2 in about 40 minutes for ¥26 (06:00–22:15), so that transfer no longer needs the 1.5–2 hour buffer it once did. For other pairs, such as Beijing PEK to PKX, still allow 1.5–2 hours and do not also plan sightseeing.
Paying for the ride
- Metro and Maglev: buy a single ticket with cash, or use Alipay/WeChat Pay QR at the gates. Shanghai gates also accept contactless foreign cards.
- Taxi: metered; pay with cash or a QR app. Most drivers do not take foreign cards.
- DiDi: China’s ride-hailing app. Fares are shown upfront and international cards are supported. You need a data connection, see eSIM setup.
Rules that save you money and trouble
- Use the official taxi queue, never a driver soliciting inside arrivals.
- Have your destination in Chinese characters on your phone.
- Avoid airport currency exchange; use an ATM at a major bank instead (see do you need cash in China?).
- Check the last train time before you count on the metro.
Bottom line
China’s airport transfers are cheap, fast, and well signed in English. Pick the metro unless you land late or carry a lot, and always check the last service time before you rely on it. Next, see what you can do in each layover window.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way from Shanghai Pudong Airport to the city?
The Maglev to Longyang Road takes about 8 minutes, then Metro Line 2 continues into the center: roughly 40–55 minutes door to door for around ¥55. Metro Line 2 direct is cheaper (¥7–9) but takes 60–90 minutes.
How do I get from Beijing Capital Airport to the city?
Take the Airport Express to Dongzhimen or Sanyuanqiao (about 25–35 minutes for ¥25) then metro or taxi onward. It runs roughly 06:00 to 23:00.
What is the cheapest way from a Chinese airport to the city?
The metro. Fares from most airports are under ¥10, though the trip is slower than the dedicated express trains or Maglev. Hongqiao (SHA) is the cheapest and easiest, at ¥3–7 and 30–50 minutes.
What if I land after midnight?
Metro and Maglev services stop between roughly 21:40 and 22:30. After that, use a metered taxi or DiDi from the official queue or app, never an unofficial driver soliciting in arrivals.
Sources & official links
Every factual claim on this page traces back to one of these documents. They are the authority, not us.