How to Get from Beijing City to Great Wall of China 2024

Since all the sections of Great Wall are located on the outskirts of Beijing, they are not reached conveniently. If you want to get rid of the hustle of public transportation and troublesome navigation, you can travel with us China Discovery. We'll provide well-organized itineraries, even our assistance with Chinese Visa application, convenient airport/train station pick-up & drop-off and transfer between all scenic spots, knowledgeable tour guides, safe & licensed private vehicles, satisfactory accommodation and dining and so on. You can just focus on your sightseeing.

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There are daily buses departing from Beijing Tourist Distribution Center (北京旅游集散中心) from 7:00 to 10:00 and getting to P1 Parking Lot Mutianyu Great Wall around 1.5 hours later. The returning buses always depart from 13:00 to 16:00 and arrive in Beijing city around 14:30 - 17:30. The ticket, including Mutianyu Great Wall entrance fee, costs CNY 80 per person. On the route, the buses will take a stop at Metro Shaoyaoju Station (地铁芍药居站). Beijing Tourist Distribution Center is just located near Tiananmen Square and can be reached by metro Line 2.

2. Mutianyu Tourist Shuttle Bus from Dongzhimen

There are two other tourist buses running between Dongzhimen Wai Bus Station (东直门外站) and Mutianyu Great Wall as well. The bus departing from Dongzhimen Wai Bus Station at 8:30 will return from Parking Lot 1 at 14:30, and the one departing at 10:00 will return at 17:00. The whole driving takes about 1.5 hours. Dongzhimen is about 7km away from Tiananmen Square and you can get there by Metro Line 2, metro Line 13 and several public buses.

3. By Public Buses

Some public buses are also available to take you to Mutianyu Great Wall. However, there may be many stopovers along the way and it always takes a longer time.

4. By Train

If you want to take a train, you need to make a transfer. There are two daily trains running from Beijing Railway Station and Beijing East Railway Station to Huairou Railway Station, taking about 1 hour. Since Huairou Railway Station is about 20km away from Mutianyu, you need to take a taxi or bus there.

S2 train, including S202, S203, S204, S205, etc., is a group of scenic trains running from Huangtudian Railway Station (黄土店站) to Badaling Great Wall directly. The train trip takes 50mins ~ 1.5hr. If you travel in late March ~ early April, you will see the beautiful cherry blossom when the train crosses through Badaling Mountain. In the peak seasons, you may not have a seat on the train. Huangtudian Railway Station is about 24km away from Beijing city center and accessible by metro Line 8 and Line 13.

2. Tourist Bus to Badaling Great Wall

The tourist bus will not stop until getting to Badaling Parking lot. The departure stations including Xuanwumen Railway Station (宣武门地铁站), Chongwenmen Railway Station (崇文门地铁站), Hepingmen Railway Station (和平门地铁站), National Museum of China Station (国家图书馆站), and National Art Museum of China (中国美术馆). The whole trip takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

3. Public Buses to Badaling Great Wall

Public bus is available to take you from Beijing City to Badaling Gret Wall as Well. Bus No. 877 departs from Deshengmen Station (德胜门) to Badaling Great Wall in every 30 minutes from 6:00~12:30 of Nov. 16th ~ March 31st and 6:30 ~ 12:30 of April 1st ~ Nov. 15th. The bus journey usually takes about 2.5 hours usually.

⨠ Click details about How to Get to Badaling Great Wall.

Distance: 160km (100 miles)

Driving Time: 2.5 ~ 3 hours

Jinshanling Great Wall located in Chengde, Hebei Province, close to Miyun District of Beijing City. About 160km to Beijing City center, Jinshanling Great Wall can be reached by driving and tourist bus most conveniently.

1. Tourist Bus to Jinshanling Great Wall

For independent travelers, taking a tourist bus is the easiest way to reach Jinshanling Great Wall. During April ~ October The tourist bus running from Dongzhimen Transportation Hub Station (东直门交通枢纽) at 8:00 for Jinshanling Great Wall usually. The ticket cost 120 RMB for a round trip. It takes about 2 hours totally. Passengers are able to stay 4.5 hours in Jinshanling Great Wall. In the low seasons (November ~ next March), the tourist buses may be cut down or canceled. You can get to Dongzhimen Transportation Hub Station by metro Line 2, Line 13 and several public buses.

2. Train from Beijing to Luanping

There is one daily train K1189 operated from Beijing Railway Station to Luanping Railway Station (滦平站). It departs around 16:00 and arrives around 19:58 with duration of about 4 hours. Then you need to take a bus from Luanping to Jinshanling Great Wall. It needs to drive about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Distance: 80km (50 miles)

Driving Time: about 2.5 hours

Huanghuacheng is located in the northern outskirts of Beijing and about 85km away from the city center – Tiananmen Square. As the only lakeside Great Wall in Beijing, it is a great choice for hiking and sightseeing. You can get there by private driving or using public transportation.

1. Tourist Bus to Huanghuacheng Great Wall

There is only one daily tourist bus running between Beijing downtown and Huanghuacheng Great Wall. It departs from Dongzhimen Transportation Hub Station at 07:45 usually, and will stop for a while at Shaoyaoju Station at 8:15. This tourist bus is only operated in peak season (April ~ October). If you travel to Huanghuacheng in other months, you need to use a private car service or take a public bus.

2. Public Buses to Huanghuacheng Great Wall

Public Bus No.916 and No.916 Express (916快) run between Beijing city and Huairou District. After you get to Huairou District, you need to make a transfer and take another bus (H21) to Huanghuacheng. The buses will take you longer hours, and you are suggested to rent a private car with driver to save your time.

Distance: 150km (94 miles)

Driving Time: 3 hours

Simatai Great Wall, located in Gubei Town, Miyun District, is about 150km away from Beijing City center. It is available to a tourist bus from Dongzhimen Wai Bus Station to Gubei Watertown during 08:00 ~ 15:30. Taking public bus is also possible but you need to make several transfers and there will be more than 60 stopovers on your way to Simatai Great Wall. The whole trip will cost you over 4 hours.

To explore Beijin's highlights, such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall (with Mutianyu as the top recommendation), the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, and the Beijing Hutongs - plan for about 4 days, including arrival and departure.

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If you have extra days, consider hiking the scenic Jinshanling Great Wall, enjoying the stunning night views of Simatai Great Wall, or visiting other sections like Huanghuacheng, Gubeikou, and Juyongguan.

☛ 4 Days Beijing Essence Tour with Simatai Great Wall Night Sightseeing

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Families with children should not miss Universal Beijing Resort, while museum enthusiasts should visit the National Museum of China, home to the nation's most valuable treasures.

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As a major transportation hub, Beijing offers easy access to other top destinations in China by flight or train, such as Xi'an, Shanghai, Guilin, Chengdu, and Tibet. China Discovery provides a variety of tour packages from Beijing, or we can customize an itinerary to suit your preferences.

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We have helped many global travelers enjoy their memorable wonderful trips to Beijing for the past few years. Among them, a special team of over 50 VIPKID teachers from North America traveled with us to see their dear studends in China with amazing experience in Beijing and shared us their special travel story! Travel with China Discovery to create your great China trip memories!