Fares shown are modelled estimates, not live quotes.
Prices shown are estimates. Search Google Flights for current options and pricing.
Watch STL to PEK
Add your email and we will watch St. Louis to Beijing for you, plus the cheapest fares out of STL.
No account needed. We will use STL as your home airport. Unsubscribe anytime. Fare emails begin once the rebuilt feed is live.
Use your real quote
Build a STL–PEK price target
Enter a round-trip quote you found and the price you would book. Wildly does not invent a live fare here: the worksheet uses only your numbers, then carries the airport pair and target into the alert form.
Dates and trip type are completed on the next screen. Fare reviews remain paused during the provider migration. See free and Pro limits.
From STL airport to Beijing
Reaching St. Louis Lambert International
MetroLink light rail runs from downtown St. Louis to the airport terminals (Gateway Station) every 10-15 minutes, 24/7, taking 27 minutes from Civic Center Station; costs $3.50 one-way or $6 round-trip—this is your best bet. Uber/Lyft from downtown runs $18-28 depending on surge, and rideshare pickup is well-organized at Terminal 1. Rental cars and taxis available but unnecessary for most travelers. Parking at the airport: Hourly Garage runs $3/hour ($18 max daily), Economy Lot B is $12/day, and premium valet is $30/day—if you're leaving the car for 4+ days, the economy lot makes sense.
Getting from PEK into Beijing
Option 1 (best value): Airport Express train from PEK Terminal 2 or 3 to Dongzhimen station (city center) — ¥35 ($5), runs every 10 minutes, takes 25 minutes, then connect to the subway for ¥3-6 more. Fastest and most reliable option. Option 2 (most convenient): Taxi from PEK to city center costs ¥100-150 ($14-21) via the metered cab queue — always use the official taxi line, never accept offers from touts in the arrivals hall. Takes 40-70 minutes depending on traffic. Option 3 (budget): Regular city buses (Airport Bus Line 1-8) cost ¥16-30 ($2-4) depending on route but take 60-90 minutes and are only practical if your hotel is near a specific stop. Note: Capital Airport (PEK) is 15 miles from the city; Daxing Airport (PKX) is 30+ miles south and serves fewer international routes — check your ticket carefully.
Planning St. Louis to Beijing
Beijing hits different from any other capital city on earth — it's a place where a 600-year-old imperial palace sits inside a city of 22 million people who are simultaneously obsessed with the future. For Americans, this is a genuinely mind-expanding trip: the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven are bucket-list checkboxes, but the real payoff is wandering through a hutong (narrow alleyway neighborhood) at dusk, eating lamb skewers from a street cart, and realizing you're somewhere completely outside your frame of reference. The scale of Beijing is hard to prepare for — the avenues are eight lanes wide, the monuments are deliberately overwhelming, and even the subway is one of the world's largest networks.
Local basics
Best-month weather in Beijing
May
56–79°F · 7 rain daysWarm, generally sunny, and probably the single best month to visit Beijing. Comfortable for all-day sightseeing before summer heat and humidity arrive.
September
59–79°F · 7 rain daysExcellent month — humidity drops, skies clear, and temperatures hit a sweet spot. This is when Beijing's air quality is typically best, and Golden Week (early October) drives crowds at month's end.
The destination guide flags July and August and January and February as the least favorable months.
Two areas to consider
Dongcheng (Wangfujing & Dongdan)
mid-rangeThe tourist-accessible heart of old Beijing, walking distance from the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven. Hotels here run ¥600-1,200 ($85-170) per night for solid 3-4 star options; the boutique Orchid Hotel on a hutong lane is a standout at around $150. Wangfujing Snack Street is touristy and overpriced but fun for a walk; the real eating is on the side streets.
Sanlitun & Chaoyang
luxuryBeijing's expat and diplomatic hub where you'll find international brands, rooftop bars, and the city's best luxury hotels — the Rosewood Beijing and EAST Hotel both sit here. Prices at bars and restaurants approach Western levels ($12-18 cocktails), but this is also where you'll find the best English-language support and international pharmacies. Great base if you're mixing business with tourism.
Local planning tip
Book Forbidden City tickets exclusively through the official Palace Museum website (pm.cn) — walk-up tickets are no longer sold, and third-party reseller tickets are both expensive and risky. The site opens timed-entry slots 60 days in advance at midnight Beijing time, and the first morning slot (8:30am) sells out in minutes for May, October, and any Chinese holiday. Set a phone alarm, use a VPN to access the site if booking from the US, and have your passport number ready. While you're at it: the rear sections of the Forbidden City (the imperial garden and the northwest quadrant near the Clock Museum) see about one-fifth the foot traffic of the front halls and are architecturally just as interesting.
Visa and entry notes for US travelers
Major policy update as of 2024-2026: US passport holders now qualify for a 10-day visa-free entry to China for tourism and transit purposes — this is a bilateral agreement that took effect in late 2024. If you're staying longer than 10 days, you'll need a tourist visa (L visa) from a Chinese consulate or a third-party visa service, which costs $140-185 and takes 5-10 business days. The 144-hour transit visa-free program also remains in place if you're connecting through Beijing on your way to a third country. Always register your accommodation with local police within 24 hours of arrival — hotels do this automatically, but Airbnb or private rentals require you to go to the local police station (it takes 10 minutes and is rarely enforced for short stays, but technically required). Check the most current policy at the Chinese embassy website (china-embassy.us) before booking, as these policies are subject to change.