Badaling vs Mutianyu - Is Badaling or Mutianyu Better?
Both the Mutianyu Great Wall and the Badaling Great Wall are famous sections of the Great Wall of China, each with its unique charm and features. However, choosing which section of the Great Wall to visit is a common problem.
Brief Comparison Between Badaling and Mutianyu
Badaling and Mutianyu each have their advantages and disadvantages, and they are both valuable cultural heritages in China. However, from a tourist perspective, I do not recommend you to visit Badaling, due to its high popularity, which attracts many tourists every year.
Mutianyu is continuously improving its entertainment facilities, offering cable cars, Chairlifts, and toboggan, suitable for people of all ages. What's more, it is not as crowded as Badaling, allowing you to better enjoy the scenery of the Great Wall.
Feature | Badaling | Mutianyu |
---|---|---|
Location | Yanqing District, Beijing | Huairou District, Beijing |
Distance | 70 kilometers | 73 kilometers |
Ticket Price | CNY40 for an adult | CNY40 for an adult |
Opening Hour | 6:30-16:30 (April-October); 7:30-16:00 (November-March) | 7:00-17:00 |
Facility | Cable Car, Toboggan | Cable Car, Chairlift, Toboggan |
Accessibility | Available | Available |
Transportation | High-speed Trains, Tourist Buses | Tourist Buses |
Railway Station | Badaling Railway Station Badaling Great Wall Railway Station |
/ |
Night Tour | North 4-South 4 | Watchtower 10-15 |
Slope | Steep | Flat |
Visiting Time | Half a Day | Half a Day |
Best Time to Visit | Spring | Autumn |
1. The transportation of Badaling is more convenient than that of Mutianyu.
Badaling is the only section of the Great Wall that has a railway Station. The high-speed train starts from Beijing North Railway Station or Qinghe Railway Station and arrives at Badaling Great Wall Station. The fastest train takes 19 minutes to arrive with a price of CNY 23. Walk 140 meters out of the railway station and you can get to the ticket office.

Beijing to Badaling Great Wall High-speed Train
Train Number | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration |
---|---|---|---|
D1023 | 6:10 | 7:05 | 55 minutes |
G7831 | 7:46 | 8:31 | 45 minutes |
D6703 | 8:33 | 9:05 | 32 minutes |
D6723 | 9:01 | 9:23 | 22 minutes |
D1025 | 10:05 | 10:27 | 22 minutes |
G7833 | 11:47 | 12:14 | 27 minutes |
D1009 | 12:06 | 12:28 | 22 minutes |
D6719 | 14:04 | 14:26 | 22 minutes |
G7835 | 15:32 | 15:51 | 19 minutes |
D6727 | 17:27 | 18:05 | 38 minutes |
D1019 | 18:21 | 18:43 | 22 minutes |
D1021 | 19:51 | 20:13 | 22 minutes |
D6729 | 20:37 | 20:59 | 22 minutes |
Beijing to Badaling Great Wall High-speed Train Cost
Seat | Business Class | First Class | Second Class |
---|---|---|---|
Price | CNY68 | CNY36 | CNY23 |
USD9.5 | USD5 | USD3 |
Note: the above train schedules and prices are for reference only. You can check other schedules on China Train.
However, there is no railway station at Mutianyu Great Wall. You can take the subway Line 2 or Line 13 to Dongzhimen Station, get out from Exit C, and then take the tourist bus to Mutianyu, which takes 90 minutes.
Departure Time | Arrival Time | Return Time | Price |
---|---|---|---|
6:30 | 8:00 | 13:00 | CNY40 for a single trip CNY80 for a round trip |
8:00 | 9:30 | 14:30 | |
10:00 | 11:30 | 17:00 |
2. Badaling attracts more people than Mutianyu.
Badaling Great Wal is the first section of the Great Wall open to tourists. Many people only know that there is the Badaling Great Wall in China, which attracts a large number of tourists, especially during public holidays and weekends. Some scenic spots in Beijing's urban areas are closed on Mondays, so some tourists begin to flock to Badaling.
There are not so many tourists at Mutianyu Great Wall. Here you can have a better experience, walking leisurely on the Great Wall and enjoying the scenery. Moreover, the Mutianyu Great Wall is relatively flat, which is suitable for the elderly and children.
3. Both Badaling and Mutianyu boast beautiful scenery.
In autumn, the vegetation on the Badaling Great Wall turns red, and the best viewing spot is between North Watchtower 10 and North Watchtower 11.
Mutianyu Great Wall is rich in plant species, with a vegetation coverage rate of 96%. The scenery varies throughout the four seasons, and autumn is the most beautiful season, with red and golden leaves intertwining. The viewing spot is between Watchtower 6 and Watchtower 14.

4. Both Badaling and Mutianyu have Their unique attractions.
Badaling Great Wall has Haohan Monument (South 4), Haohan Stone (North 4), and Haohan Slope (North 8). In addition, there are indoor amusement places such as the Great Wall Museum, cinema, and Bear Park for tourists to visit.
Mutianyu Great Wall's Watchtower 15 features a graffiti wall and was the filming location for the Chinese movie "If You Are the One 2" (非诚勿扰). The Haohanpo is located at Watchtower 20, and the representative buildings are the Zhengguan Platform and the Dajiao Tower.
5. Mutianyu has more watchtowers than Badaling.
Badaling has 19 watchtowers open to visitors, covering a distance of 3,741 meters, with 12 to the north and 7 to the south.

Mutianyu has 20 watchtowers open to visitors, covering a distance of 5,400 meters, providing a better hiking experience. Beyond Watchtower 20 at Mutianyu is considered part of the wild Great Wall and is not open.

6. Both have well-developed entertainment facility

Badaling has a commercial street where you can taste all kinds of delicious food, as well as various restaurants such as Mr. Lee, KFC, and Starbucks. Inside the scenic area, there are cable cars and slide-ways, providing every visitor at the foot of the Great Wall with the opportunity to ascend to the wall.
Facility at Badaling | Route | Capacity | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Cable Car | Guitiangou Parking Lot-North 8 | 8 | CNY100 for a single trip CNY140 for a round trip |
Toboggan | North 4-Bear Park | 2 | CNY80 for a single trip CNY120 for a round trip |
Mutianyu has a cable car, chairlift, and toboggan. The ropeway is 723 meters long with a cable car speed of 3.5 meters per second. It was awarded the 5S rope way certification by the China Rope Way Association in 2011, becoming the first 5S ropeway in Beijing. There are also observation telescopes in the scenic area, allowing visitors to see different scenery from a different angle.
Facility at Mutianyu | Route | Capacity | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Cable Car | North Ticket Entrance - watchtower 14 | 6 | CNY100 for a single trip CNY140 for a round trip |
Chairlift | Between watchtower 5 and watchtower 6 - South Ticket Entrance | 2 | |
Toboggan |
7. The slope of Mutianyu is more gentle.
Mutianyu has a cable car, chairlift, and toboggan, After getting off the cable car, from Watchtower 14 to Watchtower 18 is a scenic Great Wall, which is beautiful with a gentle slope, and most of the tour is concentrated here.
The steepest part of Badaling is between Watchtower 7 and Watchtower 8 in North, also known as Haohanpo. There are no stairs in this section of the Great Wall. You can crawl slowly by holding the handrail, which is not very friendly to the elderly and children.
To Sum Up
There are many transportation options available for visiting the Great Wall at Badaling. Taking a tourist bus can be prone to traffic jams and difficulties in purchasing tickets, and the crowded conditions within the scenic area may not provide the best experience.
On the contrary, Mutianyu is less crowded, with relatively flat terrain, offering the opportunity to walk along 20 enemy towers. The cable cars and chairlifts within the scenic area are conveniently located, allowing you to easily descend the mountain if you prefer not to continue walking.
You can learn how to plan a Great Wall tour by yourself.
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