Beijing South Railway Station

Beijing South train station is Beijing's main bullet train station for lines going east, south and northeast. It is one of the biggest in Asia, but not as big as Beijing West that handles lines that go west and southwest. 

It is a metro hub station for lines 4 and 14, and its close proximity (about 4 miles, 7 km) to the Forbidden City and government offices makes it useful for transport of tourists and people doing business.

• Chinese: 北京南站 Běijīng Nán Zhàn /bay-jing nan jan/
• Name on train tickets: 北京南
• Address: 12 Yongwai Avenue, Fengtai District 丰台区永外大街12号
• Location: 7 km (4 mi) southwest of the Forbidden City;
  35 km (22 mi) west of Beijing Capital International Airport
• Station size: 24 platforms

Popular Trains to Other Cities

Lines and trains: It is a good choice for going to Shanghai (both bullet and regular), Tianjin, and other points east and southwards: Nanjing, Fuzhou, Tangshan, Qingdao, Hangzhou, Xuzhou, etc.

Travel time: It only takes about 5 hours traveling from Beijing to Shanghai, Qingdao and Suzhou, and about 6 hours to Hangzhou by G trains.

See the popular bullet train travel routes from Beijing South Railway Station for some ideas for planning trips in China:

• To Shanghai Hongqiao Station: There are about 37 daily G-series trains from Beijing South to Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station. The first train departs at 07:00am and the last one at 17:45. Beijing South – Shanghai (about 5 hours)

• To Tianjin Railway Station: Tianjin Railway Station is on Haihe East Road. There are 80 daily C-series intercity trains from Beijing South to Tianjin Station as well as G-trains. The earliest train departs at 6:13am and the last one at 21:55pm. Beijing South – Tianjin (about 33 to 45 minutes)

Train Schedules and Ticket Fares

Station Plan

• 2F: waiting hall, boarding gates, ticket office, restaurants
• 1F: platforms, transfer channels
• -1F: station lobby, ticket offices
• -2F: subway platforms
• -3F: subway platforms

Using the Station

See our plan view to navigate futuristically-designed Beijing South Station.

Check-in time: Please allow sufficient time to perform the departure procedures and check your baggage.

Luggage portage: Ask the help and information desk staff at the east entrance if you need help getting your luggage on board or for other help.

See How to Get On/Off a Train and 7 Things to Know Before Riding a Train for more.

Transportation - to/from Beijing South Station

Since there are several train/bus stations in Beijing, be clear about which station you want when asking directions or taking a cab. 

The subway is cheap and convenient, but a taxi may be preferable if you have a lot to carry. For specifics on taxi fares etc., see Beijing Taxis. Buses are not recommended if you are unfamiliar with Chinese and the city.

By Subway

Lines 4 and 14 meet at the Beijing South Station. Line 4 connects with Xidan (one of the most popular shopping centers in Beijing), Xizhimen (the main subway hub, where you can change to Line 2 or Line 13), and many famous attractions and transport hubs in Beijing.

Note that these lines get packed from about 7:30 am to 9:00 am and 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

To Beijing Station:

• Line 4 to Xuanwumen (宣武门, 3 stops), then Line 2 to Beijing Railway Station (北京站, 4 stops). The journey takes about 20 minutes.

To Beijing West Station:

• Line 4 to Caishikou (菜市口, 2 stops), then  Line 7 to Beijing West Station (北京西站, 4 stops)

To Capital International Airport:

Beijing Capital International Airport (北京首都机场) can be reached by metro in just over an hour:

• Metro: Line 4 to Xuanwumen station (宣武门, 3 stops), Line 2 to Dongzhimen station (东直门, 8 stops), then Airport Express to Beijing Capital International Airport (首都机场, 2 stops).

To Daxing International Airport:

Beijing Daxing International Airport (北京大兴机场) can be reached by metro in just over an hour:

• Metro: Line 4 to Jiaomenxi station (角门西, 2 stops), Line 10 to Caoqiao station (草桥, 1 stop), then New Airport Express to Beijing Daxing International Airport (大兴机场, 2 stops).

To the Forbidden City:

The Forbidden City  marks the center of Beijing, and is not far from Beijing South (about 30 minutes):

• Metro: Line 4 to Xidan station (西单, 4 stops), Line 1 to Tian’anmen East station (天安门东, 2 stops), then walk to the entrance of the Forbidden City
• Bus: Take a 20 bus to Tian’anmen East station. The bus journey might be a little longer at 45 minutes, but you don’t need to transfer.

To the Great Wall:

Badaling's Great Wall section is one of the top historical sites in China. Our Badaling and Ming Tombs day tour provides private transport and you can modify the itinerary to go to other places too. The journey by public transport may take about 3 hours if you manage the time and transport well.

• Line 4 to Xizhimen (西直门, 9 stops), then Yanqing S2 Suburban Railway Line to Badaling.

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