How to Visit Great Wall of China

The Great Wall is one of the must-see attractions for those who travel to China, but each section of the Great Wall has its characteristics. Mutianyu Great Wall is covered with high vegetation; Simatai Great Wall is steep; Huanghuacheng Great Wall is connected by water. Then, which section of the Great Wall is the most suitable for you? How to get there? When to go?

Best Section of the Great Wall

The Great Wall is mainly located in the suburbs of Beijing, with an average travel time of 3 hours from the city center. Compared to Badaling Great Wall, I would recommend Mutianyu Great Wall more. It has fewer tourists than Badaling, offering a better tourism experience, and there are also toboggans within the scenic area, which you cannot experience at Badaling.

Below is a comparison of the sections of the Great Wall in Beijing.

Select a Proper Time

The best time to visit the Great Wall is spring and autumn. But you'd better avoid traveling during public holidays, such as Labor Day (May 1st), Mid-Autumn Festival (August 15th of the lunar calendar), and National Day (October 1st), because Chinese people tend to travel during these holidays.

Spring in China lasts from March to May, while autumn lasts from September to November. The temperature in Beijing gradually warms up in March, and spring outing activities are also gradually increasing. All kinds of flowers bloom on the Great Wall during this period, adding a beautiful background to the Great Wall.

Compared with the peak season in summer vacation, there are fewer tourists from September to November except National Day and weekends, which is suitable for taking photos, and the traffic on the road is also relatively smooth.

Get to the Great Wall of China From Beijing

Most sections of the Great Wall are accessible by buses, and Badaling has opened a high-speed railway station. You can take the bullet train to Badaling Great Wall Railway Station.

Mutianyu Great Wall

Option 1: Public Bus

Take Beijing Subway Line 2 or Line 13 and get off at Dongzhimen Station. Exit from G and take 916 at Dongzhimen Hub Station to Huairou Beidajie Station. Then transfer to H 23 and get off at Xinying Station. Walk for 300 meters and you will arrive at Mutianyu Great Wall Scenic Area. The trip takes 2 hours and costs CNY19.

Option 2: Mu Bus

Boarding place: Exit B of Dongzhimen Station

Option 3: Take a Taxi

It takes 1 hour and 40 minutes to take a taxi from Tiananmen to the Mutianyu Great Wall, costing CNY 140.

Badaling Great Wall

Option 1: High-speed train

The high-speed train takes about 30 minutes from Qinghe Railway Station or Beijing North Railway Station to Badaling Great Wall Railway Station.

(Update on July 24th, 2024)

The prices are affordable. You can find more information about the bullet train on China Train.

Option 2: Tourist Bus

Operation Route: Qianmen Station to Badaling Great Wall

Depart Time in Peak Season: 6: 30, 6: 45, 7: 00, 7: 15, 7: 30, 7: 45, 8: 00, 8: 15, 8: 30, 8: 45, 9: 00, 9: 15, 9: 30, 9: 45, 10: 00, 10: 15, 10: 30, 10: 45, 11: 00

Depart Time in off Season: 6: 30, 7: 00, 7: 30, 8: 00, 8: 30, 9: 00, 9: 30, 10: 00, 10: 30, 11: 00

Return Time: 12: 00-16: 00

Duration: 90 minutes

Cost: CNY 80 for a round trip

Note: the tourist bus needs to be reserved before your journey. You can learn more about it on the website https://83531111.com/index.html#/showLine/39/12 (English version is available)

Option 3: Line S2

S2 departs from Huangtudian Railway Station, passing Badaling Railway Station, and the railway station is 800 meters away from the entrance of the Great Wall. It takes 80 minutes and costs CNY 16. Take Beijing Subway Line 2 or Line 13 and get off at Huoying Station, exit from G4, and walk 800 meters to reach Huangtudian Railway Station.

The trains operate on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays,s and public holidays.

(Update on July 24th, 2024)

The trains operate on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Huanghuacheng Great Wall

Option 1: Mu Bus

The bus to the Huanghuacheng Great Wall departs from Dongzhimen on Fridays to Sundays and during holidays. The round-trip bus fare is CNY80, and the one-way bus fare is CNY50.

Option2: Take a Taxi

It takes 2 hours and costs CNY260 to take a taxi from Tiananmen Square to Huanghuacheng Great Wall.

Simatai Great Wall

Option1: Bu Bus

1. take Line 2, Line 13, or Capital Airport Express and get off at Dongzhimen Station, then exit through Exit E. From there, take a coach to Gubei Water Town, which costs CNY48. Upon arrival, transfer to the shuttle bus bound for Simatai, costing CNY10.

Departure Times from Dongzhimen: 9: 00, 13: 00

Departure Times from Gubei Water Town: 12: 00, 17: 00

Boarding Location at Dongzhimen: Dongzhimen Bus Station

Boarding Location at Gubei Water Town: Parking Lot No. 2

Option 2: Take a Taxi

It takes 130 minutes and costs CNY300 to take a taxi from Tiananmen to Simatai.

Jinakou Great Wall

Option1: By Bus

From Tiananmen, take Bus 120 and get off at Zuojiazhuang Station. Then, transfer to Bus 916 and get off at Huairou Beidajie Station. After that, take Bus H36 and get off at Tianxianyu. Finally, walk for 2 kilometers and you'll arrive there. It takes 3 hours and 37 minutes in total, and it costs CNY19.

Optional 2: Take a Taxi

It takes 2 hours and costs CNY250 to get to Jiankou Great Wall by taxi from Tiananmen.

Gubeikou Great Wall

Option 1: By Train+Public Car

Trains from Beijing North Railway Station, Qinghe Station, and Changping North Railway Station to Gujikou are available. After leaving the railway station, you can take the bus Mi25 to the Gubeikou Great Wall, and the cost of the bus is RMB2.

Option 2: Take a Taxi

It takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes from Tiananmen to Gubeikou Great Wall, and the fare is CNY400.

A Private Transfer to the Great Wall

Contacting a reliable travel agency can make your Great Wall trip more enjoyable and relaxing. The transfer vehicle will not make any stops during the journey, taking you directly to your destination.

You can freely choose the type of vehicle based on the number of travelers, and if you have a lot of luggage, you can opt for a 7-seater vehicle, which won't feel too crowded. Private transfer vehicles are cleaner, more spacious, and offer greater privacy compared to taxis.

Moreover, a professional English-speaking guide will provide you with insights into the history of the Great Wall, while the driver will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the Great Wall scenic area or anywhere you want to go.

• Beijing Capital International Airport to Mutianyu Great Wall layover tour

How Much Does it Cost to Visit the Great Wall

The entrance fee for the Great Wall ranges from CNY 20 to CNY 60, while the cable car or Chairlift tickets need to be paid separately. Taking the cable car or chairlift is one of the best ways to explore the Great Wall, especially for the elderly or those with mobility issues, as it saves a lot of physical effort.

Great Wall at Night

Three sections of the Great Wall are open for night tours: Mutianyu, Badaling, and Simatai. When you climb the Great Wall at night, you can see beautiful light shows. You can also enjoy the amazing view of the sunset when the sun goes down.

• Night Tour on Unrestored Wild Great Wall

Great Wall Hiking Tour

Embarking on a hiking trip along the Great Wall allows for a better appreciation of its magnificent scenery. let's explore the top 5 most popular hiking routes on the Great Wall.

Great Wall of China and Terracotta Warriors

The Great Wall is mainly located in Beijing, while the Terracotta Warriors are in Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province. The distance between the two attractions is approximately 1,100 kilometers. You would need to take the high-speed train or fly from Beijing to Xi'an, and then take public transportation to reach the Terracotta Warriors Museum.

However, China Travel's China Impression Journey will take you on a tour of classic attractions, including the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors. We will provide pick-up and drop-off services to ensure you have a delightful journey.

Great Wall Day Trip From Beijing

During the 1-day Great Wall tour, you will have a professional English-speaking guide to explain the history and significance of the Great Wall. A driver will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the scenic area. All you need to do is to appreciate your journey.

After exploring the Great Wall, lunch will be provided. Some sections of the Great Wall have cable cars or chairlifts, so you don't have to walk the entire way. The guide will inform you where to take the cable car and which route to follow, making your Great Wall hike a relaxing experience.

Hiking from the original Jiankou to Mutianyu Great Wall

Simatai to Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking Group Tour

Great Wall Private Tour

You can customize your Great Wall tour with China Travel. We will arrange for a driver to pick you up from the railway station or airport and transfer you to the hotel. After you've settled in, we'll take you to the scenic area or wherever you'd like to go, with no stops in between, saving you a lot of time.

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