Beijing Airport What to do

[Ansett]

Hi Everyone

We have just booked a trip to Novosibirsk in Russia in July flying Mel-Sin on Qantas then dragon air to Beijing arriving at 22.50 at night. The final leg of the trip is on S7 the following morning departing at 06.25 can anyone tell us what we can during this time, lounges etc as I am Platinum.

Not really wanting to go out into Beijing.

Thank you all for your help

 

[munitalP]

leave the airport - get a hotel. Have dinner somewhere nice!

 

[Ansett]

Hi thanks for the reply

Concern is timing and not wanting to get caught trafic etc is it far to the city and restaurants?

 

[munitalP]

if you use the subway (MRT, MTR or whatever they call it), you can be in the city in no time at all. Marriott has hotels V close to subway entrances - it's easy and safe

 

[dajop]

Traffic at that hour should not be a problem. However, optimistically at 22:50 you can be through immigration procedures by about 23:20, so you would arrive somewhere in Chaoyang district (closest activity centre to airport) around 23:45. Of course to get back for a 06:25 flight, you would need to depart again at around 4:45am. So gives you 5 hours. Seems hardly worthwhile.

Alternatives are airport hotels (Hilton is nice and is close, but very pricey, also have Langham Place at airport). Also I believe there are transit hotels with pay by the hour rooms in T3 that are a consideration - you may want to google for reviews though. Staying in the airport may be a possiblity, but hardly anything is open, I know though the lounge that contracts to S7 should be open. At least until SQ departs around 2am, as it uses same lounge.

if you use the subway (MRT, MTR or whatever they call it), you can be in the city in no time at all. Marriott has hotels V close to subway entrances - it's easy and safe

:?::?::?: Airport Express line will be closed at that time of night and that time of morning. As will rest of subway.

 

[Ansett]

Traffic at that hour should not be a problem. However, optimistically at 22:50 you can be through immigration procedures by about 23:20, so you would arrive somewhere in Chaoyang district (closest activity centre to airport) around 23:45. Of course to get back for a 06:25 flight, you would need to depart again at around 4:45am. So gives you 5 hours. Seems hardly worthwhile.

Alternatives are airport hotels (Hilton is nice and is close, but very pricey, also have Langham Place at airport). Also I believe there are transit hotels with pay by the hour rooms in T3 that are a consideration - you may want to google for reviews though. Staying in the airport may be a possiblity, but hardly anything is open, I know though the lounge that contracts to S7 should be open. At least until SQ departs around 2am, as it uses same lounge.

Thank you for that looks like have to do research on Lounge and opening times etc

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Ansett assuming ALL flts on time you will have 6hrs or so to kill - now don't wanna be bearer of bad news but PEK ain't gonna offer much fun during that period for that many hours.

All shops will be closed - yes there is transit hotel if you can secure a room - but little else to do - doubt lounges will be open 24hrs but never tried either.

Personally I would take taxi straight to The Den (best expat bar in PEK and open 24hrs) - have a couple drinks there - then head to Suzie Wongs for a couple drinks - then to Chocolate for a couple drinks - then back to The Den again for a couple more - "hell guys we gotta get bach to airport or we gonna miss this flight"!

Just remember Ansett one day you gonna sleep forever - no need to get it right now.

Seriously I can't offer much more advice - I just spend as little time in any Chinese airport as I possibly can.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Ansett I am into PEK on 22nd and out on 28th - I will do full recon for you re lounge availability at that time if you like?

 

[Ansett]

Ansett I am into PEK on 22nd and out on 28th - I will do full recon for you re lounge availability at that time if you like?

Cruiser that would be sensational and much appreciated as have Mrs Ansett with me

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Cruiser that would be sensational and much appreciated as have Mrs Ansett with me

My pleasure and consider it done - will get as much as info as I can re ST hotel and lounge availability - will post it here for everybody's benefit.

 

[Ansett]

My pleasure and consider it done - will get as much as info as I can re ST hotel and lounge availability - will post it here for everybody's benefit.

Hi Cruiser tried to send you message buty it says you have too many and need to delete some lol

Cheers

 

[Ansett]

Hi Cruiser some details as requested

Hi Tickets are QF to Singapore (A380) then Dragon air to Beijing all ticketed by QF.

As we are paying and Mrs Ansett wants more money to shope we will be in economy

S7 again is economy and yes will be final leg.

We return the following weekend and connections are far better so not an issue. S7 was booked direct on S7 Website so not through QF

Again we thank you for your offer to survey the land so to speak.

Oh and yes I am Platinum

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Ansett as I never fly QF I have next to no knowledge of QF lounge access eligibility.

But if your flt out of PEK is on S7 in Y - are you entitled to any lounge access?

Do you hold PP? Others might know more.

 

[dajop]

Hi Hi Tickets are QF to Singapore (A380) then Dragon air to Beijing all ticketed by QF.

Assume you mean Singapore to Beijing on Cathay Pacific/Dragonair via Hong Kong?

 

[drmikki]

A few things-

Firstly, are you planning on getting a visa for China? I would presume that QF/KA will interline the bags with oneworld partner S7 but I'd make sure to check that, as if they don't allow your 2 bookings to be joined you'd be obliged to exit the airport into China, collect your bags then re-check-in. If this happens (or you want to go into the city for 5 hours) and you don't have a Chinese visa you may be in trouble. Supposedly there are visa-free transits possible but sometimes this means you can't leave the airport, and in some cases you have to remain airside. Apparently in Shanghai this is reasonably easily obtained but in Beijing can be variable (not personal experience, just research for previous visits). I'd recommended looking into this yourself (contact the consulate etc) as YMMV and Chinese immigration officers are NOT renowned for their flexibility when it comes to these things! Personally for 5 hours in a bar in the middle of the night in PEK I'd choose to stay in the lounge instead of enduring the joy (and cost) of Chinese Visa application or risking the transit process, however there may be a paucity of lounges open at this time.

As a QF Platinum you have access to the Cathay Lounge, although according to the OneWorld website it doesn't open til 05.30. You should also have access to the S7-contracted lounge - you can find out what you can access here: Lounge access - oneworld I can't comment on any of the lounges - was in a *A lounge...

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Ansett - returned to Oz a coupla days earlier than planned but I did sus out lounge info for you whilst in PEK.

Firstly S7 (Siberian Airlines) use BGS First / Business Class Lounge - SAME SAME as SQ does - lounge easy to find - just follow the signs.



At bottom of stairs to lounge entrance - more signage:



Close up:



And again:



Now the lounge dragons would not allow any pics whatsoever inside lounge - no biggie - typical just so so Chinese lunge - better than sitting outside but nothing like QF / SQ / CX quality - remember you are in China.

Now as far as opening hours - this is where it gets really rreally tricky - the simple answer I was given by girls on duty was YES we are open 24hrs every day!

But remember - this is China - nothing is as it seems - this is the land of complication and contradiction - this is the country where if there is ever a difficult and confusing course of action than can be undertaken - it will be undertaken.

But having said that you soon learn to ride the waves and question EVERYTHING.

So anyway I ask the lounge girls this is Priority Pass Lounge also?

YES Priority Pass - so I show them the Priority Pass info in iPhone App.



No that is not correct they say - sometimes we only close 2 hours and not 4 hours - sometimes close from 3am to 5am.

But you just told me you are open 24hrs every day - YES correct - but if no flights we close.

OK so how do I know which days you close?

When there are no flights - and sometimes if flights cancelled we close also.

Oh my god - this is so Chinese - just so Chinese.

So upshot Ansett is if there are flts - lounge open 24hrs - if no scheduled flts or flts cancelled then lounge closed.

Does that clear matters up for you?

But wait - there is more - girls suggested you call the lounge 1 or 2 days prior to your travel date and they should be able to confirm if lounge open and available - or not - phone number 86 10 6455 8089.

Now any of you guys reading this think this is weird or strange - it aint - it is what we get when we do business with the Chinese 24/7/52 - there is never a dull moment.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

So whilst I was in PEK T3 I also checked out the short time hotel - you might need this Ansett so here is what I found.

Situated near gate E10 the short time hotel / lounge is open 24/7 - here are exchange rates:



And daily room rates:



Here is transit hotel card which you can use to contact them and reserve rooms:



And here is full list of rates for all services offered - hope you can read this - if not I can email to anybody who wants copy:



Single Rooms and Double Rooms do not have shower in room - you use common shower outside of room.

Standard and Luxury Rooms are self contained with shower in room - but rates are RMB220/hr for Standard (A$33.84/hr) and Luxury RMB280/hr (A$43.07/hr) means they are not cheap - typical for China where they consider all westerners rich and therefore quite reasonable to get up their skirt at any opportunity.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Now I am assuming nobody would be interested in room without internal shower so here are a few pics of Standard Room:



And:



And:



And:



And:

 

[Cruiser Elite]

And a few general pics of the Lounge itself which is open and available 24/7 - firstly the bar:



The sitting area:



Dining Tables:



And the food section - did not check out quality of food on offer but trust me it won't be sensational.



And again:



Hope this helps guys - but as I have said before - IMHO best to spend as little time as possible in any Chinese airport.

 

[777]

Of no direct interest to me personally but thanks Cruiser Elite for going to all this trouble. Great work.