Why we stuck at Beijing Airport / MUST Know things in 2023
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- čas přidán 10. 06. 2023
- In this video, I'm sharing my experience of being stuck in Beijing Airport for 20 hours. I'll give you an actual account of what happened.
Discover closed stores, elusive shops, and the saving grace of a Starbucks oasis. Experience the challenges of accessing WiFi, finding and paying for food, and the frustrations of lackluster hotel options. Finally, find solace in a hidden gem, complete with charging points and comfortable benches.
PS Conditions and regulations may vary at different airports, so stay informed and prepared for your own travel experiences.
PPS The depicted experiences are based on the unique circumstances encountered by us during our layover in May 2023. Conditions and regulations at airports may vary, so make sure to stay informed and prepared for your own travel adventures.
Share your own airport tales and recommendations in the comments below. Don't forget to give this video a thumbs-up and subscribe for more captivating travel stories.
Girl, this video is amazing! You deserve much more subscribers 😮
thank you so much!🥰
Wow, this was actually pretty good. Thanks!
Thank you! ♡
Your edit is so cool!! , thanks for the infos , i will have a 16 hours layover in beijing next month :(
Thanks so much!
Oh, a 16-hour layover in Beijing sounds like quite a challenge! I hope your experience will turn out better mine🤞
This is the antidote to all the self-indulgent travel vlogs. Was thinking of doing such a thing as air china have the cheapest fares - makes me think again. Thanks!
I found PEK Airport actually quite pleasent for a layover (5hrs).
Its big, clean, modern, you get free cold/hot water.
Also the wending machines sell soft drinks for about a Dollar, where you can conviniently get rid of the remaining change.
Most other airports charge 5 Dollars or more for a Drink.
I also noticed many shops were closed as we landet at about 8pm. But as I don't shop at airports unless my perfume is empty.
PS: The terminal hotels are always an absolute rip off. I recomend taking that money and buy yourselfe into a lounge. For Beijing its 20 USD for a lounge where you can relax on chairs, get food and drinks. The lounge access would probably even be cheaper than your starbucks 🙂
Hey, thanks for sharing your layover experience at PEK Airport! It's awesome to hear you had a pleasant time there. Totally agree, the airport's vibe is pretty good - big, clean, and those free water stations are a lifesaver!
I didn't get a chance to try out the lounge when I was there, but your advice about skipping the pricey terminal hotels for the lounge sounds like a winner. Definitely keeping that in mind for next time!
good editing clip 🙂
Nice one, I wonder which hotel to stay for my layover
Thanks form your video and such a warning! I found it trying to search where to eat during a 5 1/2 hour stayover at Beijing PEK on my way to Hong Kong. It seems that I will need to get some Yuan change before leaving UK, and have some warmish clothes to sleep in.
Hey, thanks a bunch for dropping this note, even if it's been a while! I'm really glad you found the video useful. Seems like you had everything sorted out for your layover in Beijing - bringing Yuan and warm clothes was definitely a wise move.
Just curious, since your layover probably was a while back, do you happen to know if the airport is still pretty empty and if things still aren't quite up and running?
PKX is the newer International Airport for Beijing. Beijing Capital Airport is outdated so that might be why it seems so abandoned since most of the business might of switched to Daxing.
Im going to transit with 6 hour layover at beijing inbetween from Singapore to london. Do i need to do anything with my checkin baggages? Also you mention they are strict with baggages in what sense?
You ended up resting in the exact same place as me when I had my 10 hour lay over in Beijing capital.
Beijing Daxing (PKX) was similar, even in Dec 23 and Jan 24. Although they did accept Visa at the limited places I used that were open. I flew through PEK in 2015 and 2019 and I'm sure it was accepted back then. I'm going through PEK again in a few months so hopefully it improves. Maybe I'll take a few pot noodles for the hot water dispensers just in case!
Ah, I feel you! I remember during my first visits about 7 years ago, foreign cards were pretty reliable. It's interesting how drastically things have shifted over time, not in the way we all expected. Cash and pot noodles, though, never seem to let us down, no matter how much technology advances :)
Were there any airport lounge open at that time? Great video.
Thank you! Nope, when we were there, none of the lounges were up and running. But things might have changed since then, so not really sure what's going on now!
I was about to book the ticket transiting through Beijing Daxing airport, and am wondering now if the experience there would be very similar to yours (I assume yes). Just a question, what if you need to pick up your luggage, surely they must let you leave the transit zone? Ta )
That's an interesting question! Based on my personal experience, when you have separate tickets and they're not connecting flights, you'll typically need to go through customs and immigration. During the immigration process, they'll require specific reasons to allow you to exit the airport. Initially, they'll request a health certificate (QR code), and secondly, they'll consider factors like the length of your layover and whether your next destination is international rather than domestic if you don't have a Chinese visa. So, I would suggest thinking twice when purchasing such a ticket, or at least double-checking it with airline support or the Chinese embassy. China can be quite tricky in this regard, and sometimes airlines can be challenging too. I once had a significant issue in Hong Kong with Hong Kong Airlines. They didn't let me board the flight to Guangzhou simply because the layover was only one hour, and they believed it wouldn't provide enough time for a smooth transit, even though I was arriving in the same terminal where my next flight was scheduled. That was the case with separate tickets. If it had been a ticket with a connecting flight, I would have been covered by the carrier, and it probably wouldn't have been an issue.
Ever since, I always recommend being extra careful when planning trips involving China😅
I transitioned this airport twice about 2 weeks ago. Deserted.
Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate the update!
Very nice Video, definitely deserves more attention
Thank you!🖤
Hi, thanks for the informative video! Do I need some kind of a document for the visa free transit under 72 hours ahead of flying to Beijing (my country is on the list), or everything will be settled on the airport? So only passport and leaving flight ticket is needed, and they will automatically grant me the free transit visa?
You need your passport, all the flight number for every aircraft you come with and leaving with.you need address and number for your hotell you also need to pay about 40usd, and take a photo(you do when you there).. I was traveling thrue Shenzhen but assumed is the same in Beijing.
I read that there are sleep pods, and there are free showers aswell. I'm there for 11 hrs on Jan 1st
I am very curious if this is actually the case, since I am planning on booking a flight with a 22 hour transfer. How was your experience?
@marieke157 OK, so there are no free showers. The cheapest way would be to go to hourly hotel and pay £12 for a shower. A room for the day Is £120 that comes with a shower.
Or you could pay for the business lounges but they are extremely expensive.
There are no sleep pods anywhere. There are some cushioned chairs and an area where you can lay down.
22 hrs is a long uncomfortable time to be there. I was there 11 and that was the maximum time I would want to be there.
If I was you, when you arrive you can just fill out a form for a temporary transit visa, and book a hotel by thr Airport.
Well thats unfortunate. But thank you so much for the information! I hope you had a nice trip.
Great video. Informative... may I ask where was your final destination? researching flights with Beijing layover but having trouble. Thank you
Hey! Thank you for watching and your kind words! In this video, my final destination was Moscow, and I had a layover in Beijing on the way from Tokyo. In a previous trip, I also had a long stopover in Beijing while flying from Minsk to Manila. To find flights with a layover in Beijing, I suggest checking out airlines that have Beijing as a hub or a major stopover destination (such as Air China, China Eastern). These airlines are more likely to offer layover options in Beijing, providing you with more choices for your journey. Hope it will help and happy flight searching! 🛫
let me tell you that chinese immigration rejested to give you a transit visa if your connecting flight would take off in 24hours.🎉
Fuck... im about to have a 10 hour layover here, and was hoping for cool restaurants, shopping and a relaxing stay at the lounge..
guess i was waaaay off!
Hi there please give some advice. My family travelling to from Hong Kong to london on April with China southern airlines. We have 18 hours layover in Beijing PEK airport (connecting flight). Are we allowed transit visa for 18hrs to stay in hotel (Aerotel Beijing hotel booked, not paid yet ). And is there any shops or restaurant around the airport so that we can spend some time strolling? Many thanks!
Hey there! Here are some tips I'd suggest:
1. First off, make sure you have your declaration or health code handy. It's crucial for entering and exiting the airport.
2. It's always good to have printed tickets on hand. Makes things smoother at checkpoints.
3. Don't forget some cash in RMB. ATMs might not be easily accessible, and money changers might not be open late. Plus, keep in mind that Visa, Mastercard, and AmEx are not widely accepted in China at all
4. Don't want to mislead you so I'd recommend checking the official airline website for info on "Free Accommodations for Transfer Passengers" to see if you qualify for a free hotel stay.
5. As for dining and shopping, when I was there, most places were closed except for a Starbucks and one duty-free shop. Not sure if much has changed since then, especially considering recent comments from fellow travelers.
Hope it helps :)
Safe travels! And let me know if you need more help!
Hi, so were you allowed?
Just a question, was it necessary to make a COVID Test for your layover? We'll fly in October from Bkk to Guangzhou and just change the plane to Sydney
We didn't have any COVID-related docs like valid vaccines or negative test results. But we stayed within the transit zone and our next flight was right there in the same terminal. If your situation is similar, you might be good to go without it. But, it's worth considering that things could change by October, so it's a good idea to doublecheck it with the Chinese embassy. And if you plan on leaving the transit zone and stepping outside, you'll likely need a QR code with a Health Certificate
you need nothing with your journey.chinese government announced that going to china without any test or vaccined since aug30 2023.just health certificated by the qr code
You have a choice not to stay a hotel if you do not agree to pay. Yes, i agree $150 is too high for night.
You're absolutely right! That's why we opted for staying outside. But you know, it really depends on the situation. In our case, staying in the main airport area was just fine. On the flip side, I've been to some airports where I'd probably choose a similar room at a similar price for safety and cleanliness reasons...
Why didn’t you mention that people can pay with Alipay or WeChat pay? They actually accept all kinds of bank cards. When I was exiting Beijing Capital airport the immigration officer was not bad at all, he just asked me 2 questions and let me in, although I had a valid visa.
I'm sorry if I didn't mention Alipay or WeChat Pay. I figured it's kind of obvious that these local payment options work in China, like UnionPay. I focused on the more common international cards like Mastercard, Visa, and American Express because that's what most tourists use. I only brought up UnionPay because it's usually easy to get in your home country.
As for WeChat, as far as I know, it usually requires having a local Chinese phone number and setting up a WeChat account, which can be quite a hassle for those of us who aren't China residents. It's definitely something I'll look into more in the future. However, in my opinion, dealing with all that for a short transit isn't worth the trouble.
When it comes to visas, I didn't encounter any issues leaving the airport on my previous trips when I had a tourist visa. And even during my very first visit, a 15-hour layover in Beijing, I smoothly left the airport. I love China so much, and I'm eager to return soon to explore more of it. However, this time during my recent transit, something unexpectedly went awry, and that's what I was covering in my video.
good video, is it Daxing airport or the other one?
Thank you! It is the other one - Beijing Capital Airport (PEK)
I want to fly to Tokio, but i'm worried about Air China company because is cheapest than others. Why is that? Any problems to pick another plane in 2-3h? Security or Immigration problems? Im really worried about this place and cheap flights.
Sorry, not english native :)
I've flown with Air China quite a few times, and honestly, I've never had any problems. If you've got a connecting flight and it's from the same terminal, so you don't have to leave the transit area, things should go smoothly. You should be good with a 2-3 hour layover - we had just an hour on our way to Tokyo, and it worked out fine. So, don't stress too much, and enjoy your trip to Tokyo!
@@trvldiary Thank you very much 🥰
@@FromNoWhereXIII you are very welcome!🫶
Hi , can i ask u some question?
I have flight from cambodia to korea , but i have layover for 3hours at beijing and connecting flight to korea seoul. Do i need transit visa and vaccine document to arrive at the airport?
Hi! Sure! No, since you are not leaving the transit area, you are fine without any covid-related docs
I have in one month a flight from Germany to Thailand trough Beijing and Shanghai, I hope that leaving the airport works, otherwise these days will be the most boring in my life haha. Do you know it the 144h visa applies only for a flight from one of the 54 countries, or also to the flight back to one of these countries?
HELLO; WHEN I HAVE 9 HOURS LAYOUT SHOLD I TAKE A FREE HOTEL THANKS!!
Hello I have 6hrs lay over at Beijing connecting flight to Dubai do I need transit visa to arrive at the airport?
Hey! Most likely, you'll get a visa-free transit for your 6-hour layover in Beijing. Just a couple of things to keep in mind: Dubai has to be listed as your 3rd country on your flight ticket, and it's always good to double-check with the Chinese embassy to be sure your nationality qualifies for visa-free transit. Happy travels! 🌟✈
Can you say where abouts is this place where you finally got to sleep?
Next to Gate E24
So, did they decline your entry permit application? Sorry for asking, but I'm trying to pick up what exactly happened... I'm going to Thailand through Beijing shortly an I'm going to have 23 hours stopover there... Your experience sounds quite concerning...
Hey! Absolutely, it's a bit puzzling. Despite following all their guidelines, we unfortunately weren't allowed to step out of the airport. It seems there's an unwritten rule among airport staff to keep folks in for transit under 24 hours, even if it's not clearly stated. However, you can still give it a shot and attempt to go outside. If you decide to explore, make sure to have a health certificate for customs and fill out a migration card (best to double-check the dull list of docs with the embassy). These steps are pretty straightforward (I went through this procedure around 5 years ago), but they might take up some time. Hopefully, you'll have better luck, as it's a fantastic chance to experience the city. Beijing has so much to offer, even during a brief 1-day stopover! Safe travels and enjoy your time!
Im currently stuck at the airport. There was one immigration officer with good English and he was not letting anyone with a connection with in 24 hours to enter the immigration lines. On the other hand the security to the departures hall was also closed with a sign saying open at 5am it was 1am. He went to get someone to open the departure hall security. I possibly should have tried the immigration line when he disappeared but after trying to get nowhere with the other staff for a hour I thought I would just spend my remaining 14 hours in departures. And as shown in your video very little to do.
Thank you for sharing this and sorry to hear about your struggle. Did you try immigration line again? How did it turn out?@@longmancarl
@@longmancarl Oh, that sounds like quite a frustrating and pretty much familiar situation! 😓 It's unfortunate when you encounter such hurdles during your travel. Hopefully, things will improve as the hours pass, and you'll be on your way to your next destination soon.
Hi @petradawson2750! I'm also flying to Thailand via Beijing in March/April. On the return we have a 24-hour transfer. This movie made me scared that we wouldn't be able to get out of the Airport, and we alrrady booked hotel and made a whole sightseeing plan 😅🙁
Japanese train schedules are a mess? No they aren’t!!
You're probably right and trains in Japan do arrive and depart on time. I might have used the word 'mess' a bit inaccurately. What I meant to say is that the timetable and navigation system can be confusing for someone traveling for the first time. Even online services sometimes provided us with incorrect information about routes and departures. The one we found to be the most accurate was Google Maps. To be honest, I've been to numerous countries, including crossing half of China almost without internet and using public transport without knowing a single word of Chinese, and even there, it seemed clearer than in Japan.😅
What was the name of the hotel inside the transit area?
Sure, it was Beijing Capital Airport Hourly Hotel
Hey. Me and my friends have flight booked home from vietnam to London. We do not want to leave transit area but have layover in china. What documents do we need to do this? Do i need any covid documents or a departure arrival card?
Hi! No worries, if you stay in the transit area, you're good to go with just your passports. Have a safe trip!
@fulltimegipsy I have heard AirChina check in was painful, is this true? Also I've heard of people going through security checkpoints in the airport, how should I prepare for these and what do I need?
@@sleepytime4u239
Actually, it kind of was, but I would say it was because the staff was way too slow in Tokyo. Like, really, it was the slowest check-in I have ever gone through (around 40 minutes, and because of that we almost were late for the plane!). But I would say it was mainly our bad luck because other lines were moving faster, and we were the lucky ones to bump into a newbie or intern. My other experiences with Air China were pretty much okay, without anything extraordinary. As for the rules, when you are transiting through China, make sure you don't pack any fresh fruits or veggies without the proper permits. Other rules are pretty standard, like no big water bottles, no knives etc. Also, if you plan to exit the airport in Beijing, based on what I've heard recently, there are several checkpoints even between terminals, so keep that in mind when planning your time. People mention that it takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete all the procedures (passport control, checkpoints, etc.) if airport staff decide to allow you to leave.
@fulltimegipsy sorry I am asking so many questions but it has been very confusing doing research for this flight. I have an air china flight from ho chi minh to London with a 6 hour layover in beijing. I do not plan to leave the airport just find whatever gate my next flight leaves from and go. What will my experience be (what checks will I need to do. Will I ever have covid checks etc). I am also 18 and my trip to Vietnam is my first time travelling alone so quite nervous. Will I need to go to different terminals?
Whoa! It's your first time traveling alone? That's so exciting and inspiring! I kind of envy you; I miss traveling alone a bit myself. It's an amazing experience, and I believe everyone should try it at some point in their life.. No need to worry about asking too many questions - that's what we're here for. It's completely normal to feel a bit puzzled when researching flights, especially nowadays.
As for your Air China flight with a layover in Beijing, since you won't be leaving the airport, you won't require any COVID-related documents, tests, or vaccinations. My fellow travelers and I didn't need any of those either, and our vaccination dates had even expired.
Now, about the terminals: take a look at your ticket to confirm if your arrival and departure terminals are the same. If they match, simply disembark from your arriving flight and follow the signs to the transit zone. Just before entering the transit zone, you'll go through a security checkpoint. It's a standard security check, so to be fully prepared, check Air China's carry-on baggage requirements. Once you've cleared that, you'll be in the transit zone, and all you need to do is locate your gate number and wait for your flight. Keep an eye on the departure boards for your gate information.
Wishing you an incredible journey ahead!@@sleepytime4u239
Ok.Now i know Why Air China has cheap faes to Asia from Europe with Beijing layover
apparently air china has free transit hotels tho!
Does Beijing Airport accept dollars for duty free purchases?
Generally, managing to exchange dollars in China can be a bit tricky. Not every place accepts them, and sometimes you need a SIM card with a local number just to make the exchange. While there are exchange counters at the airport, they were closed during our 22-hour layover. This was about six months ago, but from what I've heard from friends who've been there recently, the situation hasn't changed much. So, I'd suggest bringing along some yuan with you, just to be safe.
...yes...all true...funny ending...no one will understand
Why not getting a proper chinese tourist visa?
China has a 24-hour (Shanghai even 144-hour) visa-free transit option at most major airports. We used it last time with a similar layover and had no issues. But China can be unpredictable, so we kinda expected something like this could happen. Getting a visa might make you feel more confident, but it's not that easy now and takes extra effort and money. Plus, we were too tired from planning our Japan trip, so it wasn't worth it.