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What to Do on a Layover in Beijing Airport

Beijing Airport

The obvious thing to do if you have a lengthily layover in Beijing Capital Airport is to take one of the Beijing airport tours of the city’s sites or to tour to the iconic Great Wall of China. You will need at least 6-8 hours in Beijing in order to take a layover tour. A visa is not a problem as in Beijing you can get a 72 hour no-visa permit on the spot. If you will be spending time in the airport then it is worth checking out the Beijing Capital Airport website before you arrive. On the website you can get free coupons for discounts and special offers in the airport. You can also learn about special deals, for example winning a ticket to the FIFA World Cup in Brazil just by using your Visa card in the airport. 

Beijing Capital Airport is huge, it has three terminals but luckily they are linked by a free shuttle bus so that even if you want to visit some of the cafes and stores in other terminals you can easily get around. The shuttle buses between the terminals leave at intervals of 10-15 minutes and operate 24/7. 

Burger King at Beijing Airport

Dining at Beijing Airport
Whatever your taste you will find a restaurant serving cuisine that you like. The range includes Asian, Chinese, Starbucks, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, The Lucky Shamrock Bar, Haagen-Dazs Ice cream, baked goods, MacDonald, Burger King, Gino Café, Muslim cuisine and Thai food. The Tea House is designed with tranquil landscape gardens, elegant style and traditional tea house décor. You can get a meal, tea, a foot massage or a body massage at the tea House. 

hourly lounge at Beijing airport

Business and Pleasure at the Beijing Capital Airport
Business travelers can use the Hourly Lounge in Terminal 1 for a quick nap or a longer sleep and shower. The Hourly Lounge charges by the hour, approximately 100RMB for a standard room with a shower and 30RMB for the Resting Area. In the Business Center (open 8am-8pm in the Departure Hall of Terminal 2) you can access a fax machine, printer, computers, WiFi, charge your phone, make long distance calls and make photocopies. 

For a workout you will have to take a short free shuttle ride to the nearby Hilton Airport Hotel where there is an indoor pool, spa and fitness room open 24/7. If you don’t want to leave the airport then you can use the Fitness Center in Terminal 1 which is open 24/7. You can get a foot massage in Terminal 3. 

Kids Area

Family Entertainment in Beijing Airport
Throughout the airport you will see play areas for kids with games, toys and climbing apparatus. The airport has areas for mothers and babies and there are regular cultural performances in Terminal 3 by the Staff Art Troupe. Also in Terminal 3 kids can feed the fish in the Royal Garden pond. Older kids (and kids at heart) will love the Digital Recreation stations in Terminal 2 where there is WiFi, XBOX games and computer entertainment.