Travel from Beijing Airports to Great Wall of China 2024

It you travel to Beijing, it will be a shame not to spare one or half a day visiting Great Wall which is Beijing's premier attraction for most travelers. Sometimes, travelers will turn to Great Wall directly after they land at airport to take full advantage of the 144/72-Hour Visa-free Transits in Beijing. Currently, two international airports serve Beijing and receive international/domestic flights, namely Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport.

Private Transfer with China Discovery - Most Recommened

There are many different sections of Great Wall preserved, and the most popular ones around Beijing City include Mutiantianyu Great Wall, Badaling Great Wall, Jinshanling Great Wall, Huanghuacheng Great Wall, Jiankou Great Wall, Simatai Great Wall, etc. There are no direct buses or metros running between Beijing Capital International Airport (or Beijing Daxing International Airport) and the different sections of Great Wall, so you are suggested to travel Great Wall by private driving. You can travel with a travel agency like China Discovery who will offer convenient transfer as well professional tour guide to make your tour more enjoyable. The popular sections of Great Wall are located in the north outskirts of Beijing, and it needs about 1.5 ~ 3 hours to drive from Beijing Capital International Airport to one of them. As Beijing Daxing Airport is located in the far south outskirs of Beijing, driving from the airport to the different sections of Great Wall needs longer time (about 2.5 ~ 4 hours)

Get from Beijing Airport to Different Sections of Great Wall

Distance and Driving Time between Beijing Airports and Different Sections of Great Wall:

If you want to use public transportation, you need to make transfer in Beijing City. There are tourist buses running from Beijing downtown to some sections of Great Wall directly, but the buses usually depart in the morning. Hence, it is available to catch a tourist bus to Great Wall if you arrive at the airports in the early morning. If you arrive at the airports late, you have to take public buses and transfer several times. Check more about How to Get from Beijing City to Great Wall>

Is One Day Great Wall Tour from Beijing Airport Possible?

It is available to travel from Beijing Airport to Great Wall in only one day if you land at the airport in the early morning and have a layover more than 12 hours. However, if you fly from your country to Beijing by international flight, it's not recommended to travel Great Wall from the airport directly. It takes about 1 hour to leave the airport because you will have your passport and visa checked. You also need time to take a good rest in your hotel and deal with jet leg.

If you plan a short day tour, travel with an agency or use a private car to transfer from the airports to Great Walls so that you have more time spent on the walls. It is also important to choose a less touristy section of Great Wall like Mutianyu Great Wall, Jiankou Great Wall and Huanghuacheng Great Wall which are also closer to the airport. Besides, don't plan your tour in Chinese holidays (including National Day, Labor Day, Tomb-sweeping Day, etc.) when most sections of Great Wall will be rather crowded and it needs more time to fully explore the beauty.

If you are not in a very tight schedule, we strongly suggest you spend at least 2 days touring Beijing with Great Wall included. Therefore, you can admire more natural and cultural wonder at a more relaxed pace.

How to Plan a Beijing Layover Tour with Great Wall Experience

Because of the implementation of 144/72-Hour Transit in Beijing, many foreign travelers are able to spend 3 ~ 6 days appreciating the historical and cultural wonders.

2 full days in Beijing allow you to see the essence of ancient Beijing. In the morning of the first day, you can pay a visit Temple of Heaven which once was used to pay homage to heaven and pray for harvest but now becomes a park for locals. Then drive to Mutianyu Great Wall, a less crowded but well-preserved segment of Great Wall. On your way back to Beijing, you can take a stop to enjoy the magnificent architecture of Bird's Nest and Water Cube. On the next day, you will firstly visit Forbidden City where the 24 emperors used to live in. Then drive to traditional Hutongs for a wonderful stroll or a rickshaw riding experience. In the afternoon, you can have an enjoyable time in Summer Palace – the largest royal garden in china.

If you have more days, you can travel at a leisure pace, or explore more attractions, like 798 Art Zone - a group of old military factory buildings with unique architectural style, Jingshan Park which delivers a panoramic view of Forbidden City, Lama Temple - a combination of Chinese and Tibetan style, and numerous museums. Check more about Things to Do in Beijing>

Top Recommended Layover Tours:

>> 2 Days Beijing Layover Highlights Tour

>> 3 Days Beijing Essential Short Stay Tour (Visa Free)

>> 4 Days Classic Beijing Tour Package

Chona from Phinlippines had a happy tour in Mutianyu Great Wall

Picturesque View of Huanghuacheng Great Wall

Travel Great Wall with China Discovery

Since all the sections of Great Wall are located in the outskirts of Beijing, they are not reached convenient. If you want to get rid of hustle of public transportation and troublesome navigation, you can book a private tour package which covers sightseeing, dining and transfer from us. Our private driver and tour guide will escort you to Great Wall with speed and convenience and take care of all the details. You just need to focus on sightseeing.

With several years' experience, we have helped many travelers finished their Great Wall. Check our most popular Great Wall Hiking Tours. If you have any new travel ideas, feel free to contact us and we can customize a unique tour according to your own needs.

Maria's group from Spain traveled Mutianyu Great Wall

Top Recommended Great Wall Hiking Tours

>> 2 Days Mutianyu and Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking

>> 2 Days Jinshanling and Simatai Great Wall Wild Hiking

>> 4 Days Classic Beijing Tour with Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking