✅ Quick Rules
- Stay in only One hotel for the entire trip.
- Near or easy transit to must-see attractions
- Walking distance to subway station with line connections
- Plenty of dining options nearby
📍Steps Summary to Find the Best Area to Stay
Step 1: Print out or Download a Beijing subway map.
Step 2: Mark all the attractions you plan to visit.
Step 3: See which subway line has the most marked spots. That’s the best line to stay near.
Step 4: If your attractions are spread across different lines, look for major interchange stations that connect them. Staying near a transfer station saves time — I always try to book hotels near transfer stations when I travel.
🗺 Beijing Key Attractions On Subway Lines
If you follow the previous steps, you will find most popular attractions in Beijing are near Line 1, Line 2, Line 4, Line 5, and Line 8. For your reference, here is a list of key attractions on each line. The most popular ones are highlighted.
Capital Airport Line – Beijing Capital International Airport
Daxing Airport Line – Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park, Beijing Daxing International Airport
Line 1 – Tian’anmen Square, Wangfujing Street, Tongzhou Grand Canal Park, Beijing Universal Studios, Silk Market, National Museum of China
Line 2 – The Forbidden City, Qianmen Street, Beijing Railway Station, Silk Market, Yonghegong (Lama Temple)
Line 3 – Workers’ Stadium, Sanlitun, Tuanjiehu Park, Chaoyang Park, Beijing Chaoyang Railway Station
Line 4 – Yuanmingyuan Park, Summer Palace, Zhongguancun Technology Park, Beijing Zoo, Beijing South Railway Station
Line 5 – Temple of Heaven, Yonghegong (Lama Temple), Dongdan Commercial Street, Hongqiao Pearl Market
Line 6 – Nanluoguxiang, Beijing Zoo(Erligou Station Walk 15min), Houhai, Jingshan Park, Beihai Park
Line 7 – Beijing Happy Valley, Beijing Universal Studios
Line 8 – Olympic Park (Bird’s Nest, Water Cube), Shichahai, Nanluoguxiang, National Art Museum of China, Tian’anmen Square, Jingshan Park
Line 9 – Military Museum, National Library, Beijing West Railway Station
Line 10 – Sanyuanqiao, Cishousi
Line 12 – Dazhongsi, 798 Art District
Line 13 – Dazhongsi
Line 14 – Chaoyang Park, Beijing South Railway Station
Line 15 – Wangjing Commercial Area, Olympic Forest Park
Changping Line – Ming Tombs
🚇 Find Subway Stations to Stay Nearby
Now let’s dive deeper into these popular subway stations on map. Consider staying along one of these lines for the easiest access. Transfer stations are even better.
The red-circled stations below are great because they connect major lines and are close to key attractions:
- Wangfujing (王府井): Line 1 & Line 8
- Dongdan (东单): Line 1 & Line 5
- Qianmen(前门) – Dashilan(大栅栏): Line 2 & Line 8
- Zhushikou (珠市口): Line 7 & Line 8
- Chongwenmen(崇文门): Line 2 & Line 5
- Ciqikou (磁器口): Line 5 & Line 7
- Fuxingmen (复兴门): Line 1 & Line 2 <==> Line 19
- Xuanwumen(宣武门): Line 2 & Line 4
- Caishikou (菜市口): Line 4 & Line 7
- Xidan (西单): Line 1 & Line 4
- Guomao(国贸): Line 1 & Line 10
- Nanluoguoxiang(南锣鼓巷): Line 6 & Line 8
- Xizhimen(西直门): Line 2 & Line 13 & Beijingbei Railway Station
The subway stations listed above already provide a strong selection of convenient areas to stay.
To make sure our approach works in practice — and to narrow it down to the best options — we combined AI-powered analysis with a manual review of over 1,000 real traveler reviews.
Now, let’s take a closer look at what we found…
🧭 Where Most People Choose to Stay?
Based on 1000+ real user reviews, this pie chart shows the top 10 recommended accommodation areas in Beijing. Wangfujing, Qianmen, Zhushikou and Dashilan are the most frequently mentioned locations due to their convenience, access to landmarks, and surrounding food and shopping options.
Note: Tian’anmen Square and Qianmen are very close to each other. When looking for accommodation, you can treat them as the same area.
I know what you might be thinking — yes, hotels in these prime locations do come with slightly higher prices. But if it fits your budget, they’re absolutely worth it. Staying here means you’ll save valuable time, which is especially helpful if you only have a couple of days and want to make the most of your trip.
That said, if you’re looking to keep costs down, there are still some great alternatives. Here are a few budget-friendly areas we recommend…
💰 Budget-Friendly Options
If you’re looking to save money, try hotels near these stations. They’re a bit farther out, but still well-connected by subway:
- Haihutun (海户屯) – Line 8
- Muxiyuan (木樨园) – Line 8
- Liuliqiao (六里桥) – Line 9 & Line 10
- Liujiayao (刘家窑) – Line 5
- Songjiazhuang (宋家庄) – Line 5 & Line 10 & Yizhuang Line
- Yuquanlu (玉泉路) – Line 1
🔔 Final Booking Tips
- Use booking platforms that let you search by subway station.
- Filter for hotels built or renovated in the past 2 years for better comfort.
- Big-name chains are a safe bet if you want reliable quality.
- Don’t forget to check for available coupons or discounts before confirming.
One last thing to keep in mind — Beijing is huge, and its subway system gets very busy during peak hours. You might have to wait for several trains just to board. That’s why staying close to the lines and attractions you plan to visit can save you a lot of time and hassle.
I hope you found this guide helpful and that it makes planning your trip to Beijing a little easier. Wishing you a smooth, exciting, and unforgettable journey in this amazing city.
Cheers and safe travels!