Getting there

Planes

About 26km from the city centre | Beijing Capital International Airport has three terminals processing direct international flights from Air China | United | Continental and British Airways | Qantas | and plenty more. It's one of the world's largest (the third terminal alone is bigger than Heathrow) | and is due to be supplemented by the city's second airport in the ensuing decade. Prearrange transfers if you can | as although there are a host of taxis available | they'll expect to see the name of your destination written in Chinese before they set off.

Trains

Direct express services run from Hong Kong to Beijing's West Station every other day, and there are weekly services from Moscow via Ulan Bator. If you’re within central Beijing, the metro or ditie (www.bjsubway.com) is a nifty way of escaping the peak-time road traffic.

Automobiles

Within most of central Beijing itself | a combination of taxis and metro rides should fulfil all your urban navigation needs. However | if you’re keen for a trip out of the city | or to explore to the outlying sections of the Great Wall | hire a car from Beijing Limo (www.beijinglimo.com) | which has an extensive fleet to should suit most size and budget requirements.