Beijing
Beijing is China's capital, known for imperial palaces, courtyard-house alleys and Great Wall sections within day-trip reach.
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Beijing is China's capital, a municipality in the north of the country on the northern edge of the North China Plain, bordering Tianjin and Hebei. The city has more than 3,000 years of recorded urban history and was the imperial capital of several dynasties, including the Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing. The historic inner city lies inside the Second Ring Road. The Forbidden City, the palace of the Ming and Qing emperors, now houses the Palace Museum and sits across from Tiananmen Square.
People go to Beijing for the imperial palaces and gardens, the hutongs of narrow alleys between courtyard houses, and Peking duck. Great Wall sections such as Mutianyu, Badaling, Jinshanling and Simatai are within reach of the city. Spring brings dust and sandstorms from northern deserts, and autumn is clear and dry.
Beijing in five
- Book the Forbidden City aheadTickets are sold online in your passport name and often sell out. The palace is closed on Mondays, except on public holidays.
- Pick a quieter stretch of the Great WallMutianyu has a cable car and fewer crowds than Badaling. Allow most of a day.The Great Wall
- Pay for the subway by QR codeAlipay and WeChat Pay both have transit codes, or buy single tickets at the machines.
- Check which airport you useBeijing has two, Capital and Daxing, far apart. Both have express trains to the city.
- Pair Beijing with Xi'an by fast trainHigh-speed trains take roughly 4.5 to 6 hours, which makes Xi'an the natural next stop after the capital. Book on 12306 with your passport.Xi'an
Things to do in Beijing
See all attractions in Beijing
Need to know
- Airports
- Capital (PEK) and Daxing (PKX), both on express trains
- Getting around
- Subway; pay by QR code or single ticket
- Best base
- Dongcheng, near the hutongs
- Fast trains
- Shanghai from about 4.5 hours
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryClear1 rainy dayHigh2°Low-6°Cold, dryJanuaryClear
Poor
- High
- 2°
- Low
- -6°
- Precipitation
- 2 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, dry
- FebruaryClear2 rainy daysHigh6°Low-4°Cold, dryFebruaryClear
Mixed
- High
- 6°
- Low
- -4°
- Precipitation
- 7 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, dry
- MarchClear3 rainy daysHigh15°Low3°Dust, warmingMarchClear
Best
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 9 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dust, warming
- AprilClear4 rainy daysHigh22°Low10°Spring, clearAprilClear
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 21 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, clear
- MayClear5 rainy daysHigh29°Low16°Warm, clearMayClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 34 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, clear
- JuneClear6 rainy daysHigh34°Low21°HotJuneClear
Mixed
- High
- 34°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 60 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot
- JulyRain14 rainy daysHigh33°Low23°Hot, rainyJulyRain
Poor
- High
- 33°
- Low
- 23°
- Precipitation
- 253 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, rainy
- AugustRain12 rainy daysHigh31°Low22°Hot, rainyAugustRain
Poor
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 22°
- Precipitation
- 184 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, rainy
- SeptemberClear5 rainy daysHigh28°Low17°Clear, mildSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 55 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Clear, mild
- OctoberClear5 rainy daysHigh19°Low9°Autumn, golden weekOctoberClear
Best
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 39 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn, golden week
- NovemberClear2 rainy daysHigh11°Low2°Cool, dryNovemberClear
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 16 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, dry
- DecemberClear1 rainy dayHigh3°Low-4°Cold, dryDecemberClear
Poor
- High
- 3°
- Low
- -4°
- Precipitation
- 4 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, dry
Average daily high and low in Beijing, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Beijing
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
6
- Feels like
- 3°
- Humidity
- 79%
- Wind
- 7 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Beijing
04:40 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today16°5°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 16°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed11°5°10%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 11°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 10%.
- Thu17°4°0%Thursday: Fog. High 17°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri11°4°2%Friday: Clear. High 11°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sat5°0°18%Saturday: Snow. High 5°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 18%.
- Sun11°1°11%Sunday: Cloudy. High 11°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 11%.
Updated 04:13 AM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 6.661 CNY
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Before you go to Beijing
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Beijing, checked
- Check visa-free entry rules for your passport with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A 72-hour visa-free stay does not allow trips to other Chinese cities.Source
- Cars with non-Beijing plates are barred from the area inside the Fifth Ring Road at peak hours. Check the current rule before you hire or drive a car.
- Access to Tiananmen Square and the Great Hall of the People may be limited in March, when the National People's Congress and CPPCC sessions are held.
Plan around Beijing
Visa-free entry, payments, trains and cities
Read the guideXi'anTerracotta Army, city wall and Silk Road food
Read the guideShanghaiThe Bund and the fast train from Beijing
Read the guideChina visa-free entryThe 30-day list and the 240-hour transit
Read the guideMoney and costs in ChinaAlipay, WeChat Pay and foreign cards
Read the guideThe Great WallWhich section to pick from Beijing
Read the guideTianjinA short fast-train hop to the old concessions
Read the guideBeijing FAQ
Do you need to book the Forbidden City in advance?
Yes. Tickets are sold online in your passport name and often sell out, so book as soon as your dates are fixed. The palace is closed on Mondays except public holidays; check the official site for the booking window.
Which section of the Great Wall is best from Beijing?
Mutianyu for most first visits, with a cable car and fewer crowds than Badaling. The Great Wall guide compares Mutianyu, Badaling, Huanghuacheng and the other sections.
How many days do you need in Beijing?
Three days covers the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace, the hutongs and a Great Wall day. Add a day if you want a second wall section or a long museum visit.
Where should I stay in Beijing?
Dongcheng, near the hutongs and the Forbidden City, for a first visit. Xicheng suits lakeside evenings, and Chaoyang suits modern restaurants and nightlife.
When is the best time to visit Beijing?
April to May and September to October, when it is clear and mild. Winter is cold and dry, summer is hot and rainy, and the first week of October brings holiday crowds.