Station guide · Beijing
Beijing South Railway Station 2026: metro, exits & hotels
Beijing's south/east high-speed-rail hub — the flagship Beijing-Shanghai G-train, the 33-minute Tianjin day-trip C-train, and the metro into town. Which of Beijing's three stations you actually want, the airport links, and why the Great Wall isn't a one-seat ride from here. Use it when your ticket says 北京南.
China for Travelers EditorialUpdated Published Amap routing checked Jun 2026
- Metro
- 4 · 14
- not Line 7
- To centre
- ~38 min
- Line 14 → 8
- To Shanghai
- 4h 18m
- ~51/day
- To Daxing (PKX)
- ~45 min
- Airport Express
Use Beijing South when your ticket says 北京南 — it is the hub for the Beijing-Shanghai G-train, the Tianjin C-train and the south/east network. It is not Beijing West (北京西站, for Xi'an / Chengdu / Guangzhou) or Beijing Railway Station (北京站) — the three are far apart.
First: which of Beijing's three stations?
Use Beijing South for Shanghai, Tianjin and the south/east network. Trains to Xi'an, Chengdu, Wuhan and Guangzhou / Hong Kong leave from Beijing West — a different station 12 km away. Always read the station name printed on your ticket.
Beijing has three separate main railway stations and mixing them up is the single most common foreign-traveller rail mistake here. They are far apart, on different metro lines, and arriving at the wrong one can cost you the train. The one thing that matters is which station your ticket names.
| Station | Chinese | What leaves here |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing South — this station | 北京南站 | Beijing-Shanghai G-train, Tianjin C-train, Nanjing, Jinan, Qingdao, Hangzhou (south/east HSR) |
| Beijing West | 北京西站 | Xi'an, Chengdu, Wuhan, Changsha, Guangzhou / Hong Kong (south/west) — 12 km away |
| Beijing Railway Station | 北京站 | Central station — some conventional + a few HSR services |
| Beijing North | 北京北 / 清河 | The Badaling Great Wall high-speed train (~20-30 min) + the Zhangjiakou HSR |
Wrong-station recovery: if you're at Beijing South and your train actually leaves Beijing West, take Line 4 to 菜市口 (Caishikou), transfer to Line 7 straight to Beijing West — about 30 minutes door-to-door. Build that buffer in if you realise the mistake late.
Fast facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 北京南站 (Běijīng Nán Zhàn) |
| District | Fengtai district (丰台区) — show a driver 北京南站 |
| Type | High-speed-rail hub — Beijing's south/east HSR gateway |
| Metro | Line 4 + Line 14 (北京南站) — NOT Line 7 |
| To the centre | ~38 min — Line 14 → Line 8 to 前门 / Wangfujing |
| To Shanghai | ~4h 18m — Hongqiao, ~51 G-trains/day (flagship line) |
| To Tianjin | ~33 min — C-train, ~300/day (easiest day trip) |
| To Daxing airport (PKX) | ~45 min — Line 14/19 → 草桥 → Airport Express |
| To Capital airport (PEK) | ~90-100 min — direct coach or metro (slow from here) |
| Beijing West (wrong-station fix) | ~30 min — Line 4 → 菜市口 → Line 7 |
Tip: to a taxi or DiDi driver, show the characters 北京南站 — not just “Beijing station,” which can be confused with 北京西站 (Beijing West) or 北京站 (central).
To and from the city
Beijing South is served by Line 4 and Line 14 — and, despite what some guides say, not Line 7 (Line 7 is reached by transferring at 菜市口). For the historic centre, take Line 14 then Line 8 to 前门 (Qianmen, by Tiananmen) and Wangfujing — about 38 minutes door-to-door (Amap 2026-06-29). Pay with an Alipay or WeChat transit QR — a foreign Visa/Mastercard linked to Alipay works (see our Alipay for foreigners guide).
| To | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Qianmen / Tiananmen / Wangfujing | Line 14 → Line 8 (前门) | ~38 min |
| Forbidden City (south gate) | Line 14 → Line 8 to 前门, walk | ~40 min |
| Xidan / Line 1 corridor | Line 4 north to 西单 | ~25 min |
| Sanlitun / Chaoyang | Line 14 east (direct) | ~35-45 min |
| Beijing West (wrong-station fix) | Line 4 → 菜市口 → Line 7 | ~30 min |
A taxi or DiDi to the centre is short — the station is only ~7-9 km south of the core, so off-peak it's a quick, cheap ride; in rush hour the metro is more predictable. The pickup points are split, though: taxis queue at the North Plaza dispatch (北广场) — an indoor hall, normally under ~15 minutes' wait but 30-60 at peak; a South Plaza rank opened in 2026 as overflow. For ride-hail (DiDi), the cars wait on the mezzanine (M层) of the P1 (East Plaza) and P2 (West Plaza) car parks — P1 has wider lanes and less congestion, P2 is closer to most platforms; agree the exact gate with your driver. Avoid the Friday-evening and holiday-return crush.
Coming the other way: metro → your train
Arriving by Line 4 or Line 14 to catch a train, follow signs up from the platforms toward the entrances: from Line 4 exits 3 or 28, from Line 14 exits 13 or 18, then read the board — exit B (north) serves check-in gates 1-13, exit C (south) serves gates 14-24. You go through security again entering the rail hall, so allow 10-15 minutes metro-to-gate with luggage. If you're tight, the fast-entry halls (快速进站厅) for the Beijing-Shanghai and Beijing-Tianjin lines let you scan your passport straight through within ~20 minutes of departure instead of going up to the main waiting hall; at peak, the west entrance queue is usually shorter. Gates close ~5 minutes before departure — that cutoff is hard.
To the airports — PKX and PEK
Beijing has two airports and the route from Beijing South is very different for each — check your boarding pass first. PKX (Daxing) is the newer airport to the south; PEK (Capital) is the older, larger airport to the northeast.
- Daxing Airport (PKX) — ~45 min, the easy one. Line 14 → Line 19 to 草桥 (Caoqiao), then the Daxing Airport Express straight to the airport (~24 min on the express). From Beijing South this is genuinely fast and well-signed.
- Capital Airport (PEK) — ~90-100 min, the slow one. Either the direct airport coach from the station to T2/T3 (~88 min in the bus), or metro (Line 14 → Line 10 → the Capital Airport Express from 三元桥 / 东直门). Beijing South is the slowest of the three main stations for PEK — budget generously.
If you're chaining an HSR arrival here with an onward flight, budget at least 2.5-3 hours station-to-flight — more for an international departure, and more for PEK than for PKX.
To the Great Wall (it's not direct)
A lot of people search “Beijing South to the Great Wall” — so here is the honest answer: there is no quick, direct link. The Wall (Badaling, Mutianyu) is at the north end of the region; Beijing South is in the south. You have to cross the city first.
- Best — the Badaling high-speed train: cross town to Beijing North or Qinghe and take the Badaling HSR to Badaling Great Wall station in ~20-30 min, then a ~10-minute walk to the cable car. Book ahead — tickets are tight in peak season.
- By the 877 bus: from the Beitucheng or Deshengmen stop (Metro Line 8 reaches Beitucheng), ¥6 by transit QR, running roughly Apr 1-Nov 15 — but the morning queue can be 1-2 hours in peak season, and traffic makes it ~1.5-3 h.
- By tour: for most visitors arriving at Beijing South, a day tour that handles the cross-city transfer is the easier choice — especially for Mutianyu, which has no rail link at all.
See our Beijing to Badaling Great Wall guide for the section-by-section breakdown (Badaling vs Mutianyu) and the realistic timings — don't plan on a one-seat ride from this station.
High-speed routes from Beijing South
Beijing South is the south/east gateway of the national network. Headline journeys for foreign travellers (confirm live when you book):
| Destination | Fastest | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Hongqiao | ~4h 18m | The flagship Beijing-Shanghai line, ~51 trains/day, from ~¥626. |
| Tianjin | ~33 min | C-train, ~300/day from ~¥39 — the easiest Beijing day trip. |
| Nanjing South | ~3.5h | On the Beijing-Shanghai corridor. |
| Jinan / Qingdao | ~1.5h / ~3h | Shandong — Qingdao for the coast. |
| Hangzhou | ~4.5h | West Lake; some services via this station. |
For Xi'an, Chengdu, Wuhan and Guangzhou / Hong Kong you want Beijing West, not here. See the Beijing → Shanghai guide and our HSR Rail Map for the corridors.
Hotels near the station
Stay beside Beijing South only if your train is genuinely early or your arrival is very late. The immediate area is a transit zone — functional, not a neighbourhood to explore.
- A few hotels are genuinely inside the building — Pod Inn (布丁) on the F1 waiting level (a ~10-minute walk in once you're past security) and a boutique on B1 by the metro interchange — good for a pre-dawn departure or a midnight arrival.
- But “Beijing South” in a hotel name often means “nearby,” not inside — many listings are outside the gates, and a Hanting (汉庭) branded “Beijing South” is actually ~1.5 km away (a taxi or ~20-min walk). Confirm “no need to exit the ticket gates” with the hotel before booking.
- Budget / economy cluster nearby — Super 8 (速8) and Zhotel (喆啡) within a few minutes' walk. There's no 全季 / 亚朵 / Hampton mid-tier chain right at the station; the B1 rooms sit by the metro, so pack earplugs.
Better for most visitors: stay central (Wangfujing / Qianmen or Dongcheng) — ~38 minutes away on the metro — for the sights and food. Mainland chains book most reliably on Trip.com (English checkout, foreign-card payment); verify foreigner check-in before booking.
Practical: time, gates, booking
How much time to allow
Arrive 45-60 minutes before departure. Beijing South is one of the busiest stations in China: entrance → security X-ray → waiting hall → check-in gate (检票口), and the walk is long. The station is real-name (实名制): your passport is scanned at the gate as both ticket and ID, so carry the exact passport you booked with. Eat on the concourse before you board — the immediate area outside is thin.
Luggage storage
Left-luggage is spread around the station. Self-service lockers sit on the 2F waiting level, north side (near the Starbucks by gate 1B) — roughly ¥15-40 a day by size, about 07:00-19:00. A staffed counter (China Railway Express) is in the East car park's C0 passage, ~¥10-40/day and open longer (~05:30-23:30). If you hold a same-day ticket, the easy move is to clear security first and store inside the waiting hall, then grab the bag on your way to the gate.
Booking — 12306 vs Trip.com
12306 (the official app/site) is the source of truth and now registers foreign passports, but the interface is Chinese-first, verification can be slow, and support is in Chinese. Trip.com sells the same 12306 seats with an English interface, foreign-card checkout, no verification wait, and 24-hour multilingual support — prices track 12306 and new-customer promos are often lower, and you can bundle a hotel.
Frequently asked questions
Is Beijing South the same as Beijing West or Beijing Railway Station?
No — and mixing them up is the single most common foreign-traveller rail mistake in Beijing. Beijing has three separate main railway stations, far apart and not interchangeable. Beijing South (北京南站) is the high-speed hub for SOUTH and EAST: the flagship Beijing-Shanghai G-train, the Beijing-Tianjin C-train, plus Nanjing, Jinan, Qingdao and Hangzhou. Beijing West (北京西站) — 12 km away — handles Xi'an, Chengdu, Wuhan and Guangzhou/Hong Kong. Beijing Railway Station (北京站, central) handles some conventional and a few high-speed services. Read the Chinese station name on your ticket: 北京南 / 北京西 / 北京. If you're at Beijing South and your train is at Beijing West, allow ~30 minutes to get across (Line 4 → transfer to Line 7 at Caishikou).
How do I get from Beijing South Railway Station to the city centre?
Metro. Beijing South is served by Line 4 and Line 14 (it is NOT on Line 7). For Wangfujing and the Forbidden City / Tiananmen area, take Line 14 two stops then transfer to Line 8 (前门 / 王府井) — about 38 minutes door-to-door per Amap. For Xidan and the Line 1 corridor, take Line 4 north. Pay with an Alipay or WeChat transit QR. A taxi or DiDi to the centre is short — the station is only ~7-9 km south of the core.
Which trains leave from Beijing South Railway Station?
Beijing South is the south/east high-speed hub. The headline route is the Beijing-Shanghai G-train — 1,318 km, ~4h 18m fastest, around 51 trains a day, from ~¥626 in second class (the world's highest-revenue HSR line). It is also the easiest day-trip launch point: the Beijing-Tianjin C-train runs ~300 times a day, 33 minutes, from ~¥39. Plus Nanjing, Jinan, Qingdao and Hangzhou. Trains to Xi'an, Chengdu, Wuhan and Guangzhou/Hong Kong leave from Beijing WEST, not here.
How do I get to the Great Wall from Beijing South?
Not directly — and this trips people up. The Great Wall is at the opposite (north) end of the region, so you cross the city first. The best option is the Badaling high-speed train: get to Beijing North or Qinghe station and ride to Badaling Great Wall station in about 20-30 minutes, then a ~10-minute walk to the cable car (book ahead — peak-season seats are tight). The cheaper 877 bus runs from the Beitucheng/Deshengmen stop (¥6, roughly Apr-Nov), but the morning queue can be 1-2 hours in peak season and traffic makes it ~1.5-3 hours. For Mutianyu, which has no rail link, a day tour is easiest. Don't expect a one-seat ride from Beijing South.
How do I get from Beijing South to the airports (PEK and PKX)?
It depends heavily on which airport — check your boarding pass. For Daxing (PKX), Beijing South is well placed: Line 14 → Line 19 → 草桥, then the Daxing Airport Express, roughly 45 minutes. For Capital (PEK), it's a long haul — about 90-100 minutes, either by the direct airport coach from the station to T2/T3 (~88 min) or by metro (Line 14 → Line 10 → the Capital Airport Express); Beijing South is the slowest of the three main stations for PEK. Budget at least 2.5-3 hours station-to-flight, more for an international departure.
How much time should I allow at Beijing South Station?
Allow 45-60 minutes from arriving to boarding. Beijing South is one of the busiest stations in China — there's a long walk from the metro up through the ID and security check to the waiting hall, then down to the platform. The station is real-name (实名制): your passport is scanned at the gates as both ticket and ID, so carry the exact passport you booked with. Gates close ~5 minutes before departure.
Should I stay near Beijing South Railway Station?
Only if your train is genuinely early or your arrival is very late. A few hotels are genuinely inside the building — Pod Inn (布丁) on the F1 waiting level (a ~10-min walk in past security) and a boutique on B1 by the metro — handy for a pre-dawn departure or a midnight arrival. But watch out: many listings named 'Beijing South' are actually outside the gates, and a Hanting branded 'Beijing South' is ~1.5 km away — confirm 'no need to exit the ticket gates' before booking. The rest are budget/economy chains; there's no major mid-tier chain at the station. For a normal Beijing visit, stay central (Wangfujing / Qianmen or Dongcheng) — ~38 minutes away on the metro — and accept one ride on travel day.
Related Beijing guides
- Beijing city hub — things to do, getting in and out, getting around, what to eat, and practical essentials.
- Beijing → Shanghai by HSR — the flagship route from this station.
- Beijing to the Badaling Great Wall — Badaling vs Mutianyu and the realistic timings.
- Capital Airport (PEK) guide — and the long transfer to this station.
- Where to stay in Beijing — the city areas compared.
Browse all Beijing hotels on Trip.com
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Verification scope
First-hand for the station and the corridor. The editor is a Singapore passport holder based in Chongqing since 2018 who rides the Beijing-Shanghai G-train and the Beijing-Tianjin C-train through Beijing South — so the arrival concourse, the metro interchange and the gate layout are familiar from real use, written in a neutral reference register. In-station hotel and food-density detail is editorially aggregated, not first-hand multi-day stays.
Sources: Amap (高德地图) routing re-checked 2026-06-29 (Metro Line 4 + Line 14 — corrected from a prior “Line 7” error; Wangfujing ~38 min via Line 14 → Line 8; the Beijing West recovery via Line 4 → Caishikou → Line 7 ~30 min; Daxing ~45 min via Line 19 + the Airport Express; Capital ~90-100 min; the Badaling 877-bus / S2 routing; the three in-station hotels Hanting / Pod Inn / Qingyu); published national-rail schedules for the route times (range-level, confirm live when booking).
Data source line: station and route facts come from official hub information and the national rail timetable; metro and transfer times are from Amap routing, refreshed periodically (last checked 2026-06-29). See the editor's about page. Not a 12306-authority claim — 12306 is named only as the official booking channel.