Hi everyone hope you can help.... Cathay Pacific is running this excellent deal from Manila (where we live) which includes airfare and 3 nights in Bejing. My sister and neice are visiting us from the States and we are giving them this trip as a gift first week in January. That's the good news..

My problem is getting them airport transfers.
I've read quite a few threads, emailed a few taxi/guides and called the hotel but I'm still not comfortable. The concierge at the Peace Hotel was very nice but we did not share a language.

I think Peter cautioned on the airport taxi situation and since they are not experienced travelers I would prefer setting this up in advance.

If it makes a difference I would also like to hire a car and driver to take them to the Great Wall on Jan 5th.

Send a fax or e-mail to the hotel, I have often found that this is better than speaking to someone on the phone. Once you have confirmation in writing of the pick-up time, date and price, you can relax.

Fax : (+86)10/65126863
E-mail : [email protected]

Many thanks. I have sent off an email and fax.

Can you tell me if the procedure is the same as in other airports? Will someone with a sign be waiting for them in a location that can't be missed?

In my experience, the hotel drivers will be waiting just as your relatives come out of the customs doors(after baggage claim). The person will be standing with a sign with the name of the hotel and your relatives name. It is hard to miss them, although there are lots of people holding up signs so it may take a few minutes to locate the sign/person they are looking for.

If you feel you absolutely must set this up in advance then making arrangements with your hotel is the most reliable, if usually by far the most expensive option.

But there is no need to do this in Beijing, as there are taxi ranks outside the building which always have long queues of cabs happy to go to the centre of Beijing, and a relatively well-organized queuing system. The trip should be under Y100 including the Y10 airport expressway toll (say around US$10).

There's really no more need to book a car in advance here than there would be at JFK or Heathrow, and you can easily pay three to four times the price by doing so. Of course it's up to you whether the slight increase in convenience is worth the price.

Peter N-H
http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html

P.S. I can't send you the hutong details unless you give me your email address (under the hutong heading).

It is so worth the slight increase in price, IMO, as to make it a no-brainer. In my experience, a hotel car in Beijing costs between $15-20 more than a taxi. I always think this is worth it and have convinced others as well; including my parents who were so grateful to have done this as they landed in Beijing at night, in a pouring rainstorm, and with a number other international flights, and would have faced a long taxi queue if they hadn't finally succumbed to my advice to reserve a hotel car. They also had someone to help with their luggage and did not have to explain where they wanted to go. Some things are absolutely worth the price, this is one of them. They can always take a taxi to the airport on their return trip as they will be a bit more accustomed.