Beijing

The port for Beijing is Tianjin.

How far is that from Beijing?

Our ship docks for 3 days. Is this a place where we should book a Beijing hotel and arrange transport between the ship and the hotel?

The port of Beijing WAS PREVIOUSLY Tianjin.

But now there is a new port called Xingang (Mandarin for New Port) that is located about 30 minutes south of Tianjin.

Most cruise ships are stopping there.

You are required to take a bus for 30 minutes from Xingang to the train station in Tianjin.

The train trip from Tianjin to Beijing can take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours.

If your ship is in Xingang or Tianjin for a few days, it is a very good idea to book a hotel in Beijing rather than making the long trip back to the ship every night.

It is a long trip from port to Beijing -- pretty boring also just road and tall housing units -- no charm. I think for the best experience have a transfer service take you to BJ and tour. We used China Odyssey with guide named Stephen and he was wonderful. Private car and driver gets you quickly in and out and around the city. The city is fascinating. We stayed at the Park Plaza and the location and services were excellent and the price good for BJ western style hotel. The tour will be completely personalized and can be modified as needed due to traffic, crowds or personal needs.

There is absolutely nothing in the area of the new port that I could see. We did our tour of BJ and Xian before our cruise Bangkok to BJ. Took the shuttle service to airport from Princess. The cost for our private tour for 3 adults was less than 2 people on excursion in the bus for one day.

The cities are 125 miles apart. You can take a taxi to the Tianjin train station of Tanggu. The train to Beijing is about half an hour, not 2-3 hours as stated above.

You should go to Beijing as there isn't much in Tianjin.

You can check train schedules here, just enter Tianjin to Beijing: http://www.china-diy-travel.com/

Be very cautious about taking the train to Tianjin instead of Tanggu. Taxi drivers at the Tianjin train station don't know where the port is. We almost missed our departure and needed our offline mapping on our Blackberry to get there. And it takes a good 2 hours. (We had been told an hour.) As previously stated, there is nothing near the new port. It is built on reclaimed land and in the middle of nowhere.

Staying in Beijing makes sense. You could arrange a transfer to the train station beforehand. Or a transfer to Beijing. Taxis are cheap. You could even do a transfer from the port that included a trip to the Great Wall.

If you are going to stay in Beijing for 3 days I would suggest a private tour guide to take you to the various sights. Well worth the expense. There are plenty available, make sure you choose a reliable one that will show you what you want to see. We have been to Beijing twice and used the same tour guide both times. I organised a group tour over the three days for people on the roll call. We had an awesome time both trips. If you would like to know the name of the tour guide please email me and I will give you the email address.

In regards to the transfer from the cruise port to Beijing, the same tour guide arranged a bus on the day and a side trip to the Cultural Street in Tianjin (great shopping!) for $40 each and dropped us at our hotels.

There is nothing around the Port, so I would suggest booking a hotel in Beijing and basing yourselves from there. If you get a few couples together it will work out cheaper organising the tours.

Port

Cultural street in Tianjin

We were in Beijing for 5 days and stayed at the Marriott City Wall near the train station. It was near the Silk Market and there was a modern Sopping Mall about 1 mile east. The forbidden city was about 2.5 miles but the subway is right across the street for east-west travel.

The hotel had a concierge, great restaurants and a huge breakfast buffet. There is free wifi in the lobby and you can check trip advisor for all the latest reviews.

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We were in Beijing twice, and both times we spent 2 nights in the hotel in Beijing. We had a very reliable guide that came highly recommended to me by a US tour guide, and we took him twice. The price is reasonable, but more importantly, he's reliable and a good careful driver (you need that when driving in Beijing). Lt me know if you're interested in this person. Thanks.

We also stayed last year at the Marriott City Wall, great location helpful people well priced. Dine at Da Dong for duck it is the best anywhere and we travel China on business all the time.

We were in Beijing twice, and both times we spent 2 nights in the hotel in Beijing. We had a very reliable guide that came highly recommended to me by a US tour guide, and we took him twice. The price is reasonable, but more importantly, he's reliable and a good careful driver (you need that when driving in Beijing). Lt me know if you're interested in this person. Thanks.

Would love the name of your person in Beijing please.

I'm stuck for what to arrange for the 4 of us (2 couples) who want to see best parts of Great Wall and also main tourist 'must-do's' in Beijing. We would probably only want to do 1 night in hotel. Any advice from anyone would be most welcome. Thanks

#1 Catherine Lu Tours. She guided a cruise critic roll call group of 21 of us for 2 nights in Beijing. $394 per person all-in which included transportation, meals, deluxe rooms at the Park Plaza and all the important sites in the city as well as a visit to the Great Wall. I am sure she will work with a smaller group as well! Everyone on our tour was delighted with her personality and service. Another group on our ship used her as well (different guide, of course) and they were equally pleased with their tour.

http://www.catherinelutours.com/

#2 Chinatour.com. We used them for a post-cruise China tour for four of us. I am sure they would be able to put something together for Beijing. Overall we were very pleased with the various guides provided in each city and liked the company's flexibility to meet our needs.

Be very cautious about taking the train to Tianjin instead of Tanggu. Taxi drivers at the Tianjin train station don't know where the port is. We almost missed our departure and needed our offline mapping on our Blackberry to get there. And it takes a good 2 hours. (We had been told an hour.) As previously stated, there is nothing near the new port. It is built on reclaimed land and in the middle of nowhere.

Staying in Beijing makes sense. You could arrange a transfer to the train station beforehand. Or a transfer to Beijing. Taxis are cheap. You could even do a transfer from the port that included a trip to the Great Wall.

thanks a lot for this information, my god i would get an atack going to Tianjin instead of Tanggu. I have seen on the link where you can buy the traintickets it never says Tianjin.

What a horrible port. No way to go for a walk.

A guide wanted for us 2 couples to pick up and take us back to the ship, great wall and summerpalace 431 Euros which is more than 500$$$

So I would need for 2 couples a car to take us to great wall, summerpalace and we could stay overnight instead taken the train going and coming back again.

Any idea where from we could get a car?

The port of Beijing WAS PREVIOUSLY Tianjin.

But now there is a new port called Xingang (Mandarin for New Port) that is located about 30 minutes south of Tianjin.

Most cruise ships are stopping there.

 

You are required to take a bus for 30 minutes from Xingang to the train station in Tianjin.

The train trip from Tianjin to Beijing can take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours.

If your ship is in Xingang or Tianjin for a few days, it is a very good idea to book a hotel in Beijing rather than making the long trip back to the ship every night.

That is interesting. According to a Beijing company that provides buses from the port to Beijing and tours in Beijing, Xingang is the OLD port and Tianjin is the new "international cruise port".

see:

http://www.tour-beijing.com/home_port_of_tianjin_port_international_cruise/

and this

http://www.tour-beijing.com/xingang_beijing/xingang_port.php

Xiangang is still used but primarily for domestic cruises but is used for international cruises also during the high cruise season.

I'm going to be on a cruise later this year (Princess Cruise Line) and they show that we dock in Tianjin on our itinerary.

That is interesting. According to a Beijing company that provides buses from the port to Beijing and tours in Beijing, Xingang is the OLD port and Tianjin is the new "international cruise port".

see:

http://www.tour-beijing.com/home_port_of_tianjin_port_international_cruise/

 

and this

 

http://www.tour-beijing.com/xingang_beijing/xingang_port.php

 

Xiangang is still used but primarily for domestic cruises but is used for international cruises also during the high cruise season.

 

I'm going to be on a cruise later this year (Princess Cruise Line) and they show that we dock in Tianjin on our itinerary.

This is partly correct. Xingang is the old port which is actually in Tianjin. The new International cruise port is in Tanggu which is about 30 minutes northeast of Tianjin and Tanggu is a suburb of Tianjin. I am on the Sapphire Princess departing Nov. 10 from this port. And I have booked my transfer with this tour company. They have confirmed that the ships are now docked at the New International Cruise Port.

If you are going to stay in Beijing for 3 days I would suggest a private tour guide to take you to the various sights. Well worth the expense. There are plenty available' date=' make sure you choose a reliable one that will show you what you want to see. We have been to Beijing twice and used the same tour guide both times. I organised a group tour over the three days for people on the roll call. We had an awesome time both trips. If you would like to know the name of the tour guide please email me and I will give you the email address.

 

In regards to the transfer from the cruise port to Beijing, the same tour guide arranged a bus on the day and a side trip to the Cultural Street in Tianjin (great shopping!) for $40 each and dropped us at our hotels.

 

There is nothing around the Port, so I would suggest booking a hotel in Beijing and basing yourselves from there. If you get a few couples together it will work out cheaper organising the tours.

 

Port

 

 

 

Cultural street in Tianjin

 

I would like to have the name of the tour company in Beijing.

I would like to have the name of the tour company in Beijing.

I do not have your email. My name is Helen from boynton beach fl. Sorry to bother you.