Beijing eSIM
In Beijing you connect to China Unicom or China Mobile, whichever is performing better where you are standing. The median across the country is 41 Mbps. Your data starts working the moment you land, before you reach the immigration hall.
- Networks
- China Unicom and China Mobile
- Real speed in China
- 41 Mbps median, 10 Mbps for the slowest tenth1,130 travellers across China, rolling 90 days
- 5G
- yes, non standalone
- Throttle
- None on metered plans
- Tethering
- Allowed on every plan
Plans that cover Beijing
| Data | Validity | Price per GB | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | Never expires | $5.89 | $5.89 | |
| 3 GB | Never expires | $2.96 | $8.89 | |
| 5 GBMost travellers | Never expires | $2.38 | $11.89 | |
| 10 GB | Never expires | $1.89 | $18.89 | |
| 20 GB | Never expires | $1.49 | $29.89 | |
| 50 GB | Never expires | $1.36 | $67.89 |
How China compares across Asia
- Speed rank
- 15 of 26 destinations we sell in Asia
- Regional median
- 44 Mbps
- Consistency
- The slowest tenth still reaches 24 percent of the median
- Upstream networks
- 2, China Unicom, China Mobile
- 5G
- Yes, non standalone
- Next fastest nearby
- Cambodia, 42 Mbps
- Next slowest nearby
- Indonesia, 38 Mbps
- Cities with their own page
- 4: Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xian
- tenth percentile
- 10 Mbps
- Behind these figures
- 1130 travellers, rolling 90 days
Landing at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
- Airport
- PEK / ZBAA
- Distance
- 32 km from the centre of Beijing
- Wifi on arrival
- Free wifi in the terminalFree network is named AIRPORT-FREE-WIFI-NEW; the airport offers three ways to authenticate - WeChat, SMS to a mobile number in any country or region, and a terminal kiosk. One authentication stays valid for three months.
- SIM on arrival
- SIM counters or vending in the terminalHuanqiu Manyou (Global Roaming) and Manyou Chaoren counters sell domestic and international SIM cards: Terminal 2 Level 1 in international arrivals baggage claim near carousel 3 (07:00-19:00) and Terminal 2 Level 2 near gate 4 (24h); Terminal 3C Level 2 international baggage claim near carousel 38 (24h) and Terminal 3 Level 4 at D Island (24h).
- Also serves
- Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX)
Getting into Beijing
- Capital Airport Express (PEK), about 20 minutes. Runs through tunnels, where a signal drops
- Daxing Airport Express (PKX), about 22 minutes. Runs through tunnels, where a signal drops
Underground and on the metro
Beijing Subway runs 30 lines. It opened in 1971. The operator states mobile coverage throughout the tunnels.
Worth knowing about Beijing
- Capital Airport's free wifi cannot be joined by simply accepting terms: you must authenticate by WeChat, by SMS to a mobile number, or at a terminal kiosk before the connection opens.
- Once you authenticate on Capital Airport wifi the login stays valid for three months, so a return trip within that window needs no re-registration.
- Beijing's two airports sit on opposite sides of the city - Capital 32 km northeast of downtown, Daxing 46 km south - so a transfer between them is a long ground journey.
- The Daxing Airport Express runs mostly in tunnel and every one of its stations is underground.