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

Always praised as China's greatest engineering triumph, Great Wall is a must-visit sight if you visit China. It stretches from northwestern China to northeastern China and passes through over 10 provinces. Great Wall of Ming Dynasty is the best-preserved part and most of them are located in Beijing. Hence, many travelers travel from Beijing to the most worth-seeing sections of Great Wall, including Mutianyu Great Wall, Badaling Great Wall, Jingshanling Great Wall, Huanghuacheng Great Wall, Jiankou Great Wall, Simatai Great Wall, etc.

Transfer from Beijing City to Great Wall

Some sections of Great Wall are well restored and developed with relatively convenient transportation, like Mutianyu Great Wall and Badaling Great Wall. They can be reached by both public transportations and private driving. If you want to explore more natural landscape and enjoy less crowded environment, the transportation will be a bit complicate. Check the different transportation to different sections of Great Wall.

Get from Beijing City to Different Sections of Great Wall

Beijing City to Mutianyu Great Wall

Distance: 75km (47 miles)

Driving Time: about 2hours

Mutianyu Great Wall Scenic Area, frequently chosen by foreign travelers, is located in the north suburban of Beijing, about 75km away from Tiananmen Square (city center of Beijing). It is rather conveniently to travel to Mutianyu Great Wall from Beijing City.

1. Mutianyu Tourist Shuttle Bus from Beijing Tourist Distribution Center

There are daily buses departing from Beijing Tourist Distribution Center (北京旅游集散中心) at 9:00 and getting to P1 Parking Lot Mutianyu Great Wall around 11:00. The returning buses always depart at 15:30 and arrive in Beijing city around 17:30. The ticket, including Mutianyu Great Wall entrance fee, cost 100RMB per person. Each bus is equipped with a guide who will make a brief introduction of Mutianyu Great Wall in both Chinese and English. En route, the buses will take a stop in two station – Dongzhimen Wai Bus Station (东直门外站) and 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 departs from Dongzhimen Wai Bus Station at 8:30 and the returning bus starts from Parking Lot 1 at 16:00. The whole driving takes about 1.5 hours. Dongzhimen is about 7km away from Tianmen 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 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.

☛ 2 Days Beijing Layover Highlights Tour with Mutianyu Great Wall

☛ 3 Days Beijing Essential Short Stay Tour with Mutianyu Great Wall (Visa Free)

☛ 4 Days Classic Beijing Tour Package with Mutianyu Great Wall

Beijing City to Badaling Great Wall

Distance: 80km (50 miles)

Driving Time: 1.5~2 hours

Badaling Great Wall is about 70km northwest from Beijing City center. As the first section of great wall open to public, Badaling Great Wall is equipped with convenient transportation. You can easily get there by driving, train or bus.

1. Train to Badaling Great Wall

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

There is one nonstop tourist buses departing from Qianmen (close to Tianmen Sqaure) to Badaling Great Wall in every 30 minutes during 09:00 ~ 17:00 (April 1st ~ Oct. 31st) or 11:00 ~ 16:30 (Nov. 1 st ~ May 31st). 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 during 6:00~12:30 of Nov. 16th ~ March 31st and 6:30 ~ 12:30 of April 1st ~ Nov. 15th. The bus journey needs about 2.5 hours usually.

Beijing City to Jinshanling 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 easiest way to reach Jinshanling Great Wall. During April ~ October there are 4 daily tourist buses running from Dongzhimen Wai Bus Station (东直门外站) for Jinshanling Great Wall usually. The ticket cost 120 RMB for a round trip, including the entrance fee and cableway fee. It takes about 2.5 ~ 3 hours totally. In the low seasons (November ~ next March), the tourist buses may be cut down or canceled. You can get to Dongzhimen Metro Station by metro Line 2, Line 3 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.

☛ 2 Days Mutianyu and Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking

☛ 4 Days Classic Beijing Tour with Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking

Beijing City to Huanghuacheng Great Wall

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 08:30 usually. This tourist bus is only operated in peak season (April ~ October). If you travel to Huanghuacheng is 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.

Beijing to Jiankou Great Wall

Distance: 80km (50 miles)

Driving Time: 2.5 hours

Jiankou Great Wall is located in Huairou District and about 80km north of Beijing City center. Known as one of the most dangerous section of Great Wall, it attracts many shutterbugs and trekkers. They usually start their journey from Beijing. Because Jiankou Great Wall is still natural and “wild”, it can't be reached easily. You need totake Bus 916 or 916 Express to Huairou District and then take Bus H25 which is operating twice a day. Moreover, there are many intermediate stations. The best choice is driving.

Beijing City to Simatai Great Wall

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.

☛ 2 Days Jinshanling and Simatai Great Wall Wild Hiking

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.

Woo's group from Latvia traveled Mutianyu Great Wall with China Discovery