Bo Wu
Let me save you the headache. Every week I meet travelers who followed a three-year-old blog post and ended up stuck in a four-hour traffic jam. The secret? Ditch the taxi and take the S2 train – it's cheaper, faster, and drops you right at the foot of the wall. Here's the exact plan I give my clients.
Train to Badaling: The S2 Line (Best Value)
The S2 line is my go-to. It runs from Beijing North Railway Station – metro Line 2, Xizhimen station exit A1 – directly to Badaling Railway Station. The ride takes about 80 minutes and costs only 6 RMB (less than $1 USD). No booking required – just tap your Beijing public transport card or use Alipay at the gate. Trains depart roughly every 1.5 hours, but be aware: the station can get chaotic. I always tell my guests to arrive at least 20 minutes early and queue up early to grab a seat. Standing for 80 minutes isn't fun.
One more thing: The S2 operates on a specific schedule, and times change seasonally. Check the latest timetable at 12306.cn (official railway website) before you go. On weekends, departures are more frequent – but so are the crowds.
How to Pay for S2
You can use a Beijing bus card, Alipay’s transport QR code, or buy a paper ticket at the counter. Important: The ticket machine near Platform 1 often breaks down. Don't rely on it. If you don't have a local payment method, ask a staff member to help – they're used to foreigners.
Bus from Beijing: Express 877
Express Bus 877 is the cheapest direct bus. It departs from Deshengmen Arrow Tower, west of the Drum Tower. Metro Line 2, Jishuitan station exit B2 – walk north for about 5 minutes. The bus runs from 6:00 to 12:30 (outbound) and returns until 17:00. One-way fare is 12 RMB, and the ride takes about 80 minutes (if no traffic). But here's the catch: on weekends and public holidays, the road can be bumper-to-bumper. I've seen trips take 3 hours.
Pro tip: Board the bus early – 7:30 AM departure is ideal. Bring cash (exact change) or a Beijing transportation card. The driver won't accept international credit cards. Also, there are fake versions of Bus 877 near Deshengmen; look for the official bus with red-and-white paint and a numbered 877 sign. Ignore touts offering “express chairs” for 100 RMB.
Private Car or Taxi (Convenience vs Cost)
If you're in a group of three or four, a private car makes sense. A taxi from central Beijing (e.g., Dongzhimen) to Badaling costs around 300–400 RMB one-way, plus 50 RMB for parking. Trip time is about 1.5 hours without traffic – but traffic on the G6 expressway can add an hour. The real pain: your taxi driver probably doesn't speak English. Pre-arrange a driver through your hotel or a reliable app like Ctrip or a local chauffeur service. Alternatively, use Didi (Chinese Uber) and set the destination as “Badaling Great Wall Parking Lot” – show these Chinese characters: 八达岭长城停车场. The app will show price upfront.
Heads-up: Many Didi drivers cancel when they realize you're heading to Badaling (too far, they don't want an empty return). To avoid this, offer a small extra tip – 20–50 RMB – via the in-app message.
Group Tours: What to Watch Out For
Group tours from Beijing are everywhere. Prices range from 200 to 500 RMB per person, including bus, entry ticket, and sometimes cable car. Sounds convenient? Yes, but quality varies wildly. My honest advice: If you hate being rushed, skip the tour. Most tours give you exactly 2.5 hours at the wall – that's barely enough to hike to the highest watchtower and back. You'll also be herded into a jade or silk “museum” for 40 minutes. So if you value time over money, go independent.
If you still want a tour, pick one with good reviews on Trip.com or Klook. Avoid street touts near Tiananmen or Lama Temple.
Cable Car & Shuttle Inside the Wall
Once you arrive at Badaling, you have two options to get to the wall top: the cable car (ropeway) or a land shuttle (bus). The cable car costs 140 RMB round-trip and runs from the south parking lot to the “South Fourth Floor” watchtower. The land shuttle is cheaper (free with entry ticket) but drops you at the “North First Floor” entrance – from there you still need to climb stairs. On busy days, the cable car queue can be 45 minutes. I always recommend taking the cable car up and walking down – saves energy and offers great aerial views. But avoid the cable car if it's windy – it stops running.
When to Go for Fewer Crowds
Most tourists arrive between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. That's when the wall looks like a shopping mall. Come after 3:00 PM – the tour groups have left, the light is golden, and the temperature drops. Last entry is at 17:00 (winter) or 18:00 (summer), so you still have a solid two hours. On weekdays, it's much quieter than weekends. Avoid Chinese public holidays (May 1–5, October 1–7) at all costs – you'll wait in line for everything.
Ticket Prices & Opening Hours
| Category | Price (RMB) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (Apr–Oct) | 40 | Peak season |
| Adult (Nov–Mar) | 35 | Off-peak |
| Child (6–18) | Half price | ID required |
| Senior (60+ with ID) | Free | Must present passport |
| Cable car round-trip | 140 | Not included in entry |
| Land shuttle (bus) | Free | Included with entry |
Opening hours: Summer (Apr–Oct) 6:30–19:00 (last entry 17:00). Winter (Nov–Mar) 7:30–18:00 (last entry 16:00). The wall itself stays open about an hour after last entry – enough time to get down.
How to buy tickets: You must pre-book via the official WeChat mini-program “八达岭长城” or on Trip.com (search “Badaling Great Wall”). Yes, the WeChat interface is in Chinese only. I hate it too. Ask your hotel front desk to help you book – it takes 2 minutes. If you don't pre-book, you might be turned away, especially on weekends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fact-checked by the editorial team. All transport routes and prices verified via Beijing Transport Authority and official channels. This content has been fact-checked to ensure informational precision.
We were skeptical about 'beating the crowds' because every blog says the same thing, but this article actually delivered. The advice to buy tickets online in advance AND download the offline map saved us from a long ticket line and spotty signal. Also, the warning about the cable car queue at noon was real—we hiked up instead and had the wall almost to ourselves. Absolute gem of a read!
Good tips overall, especially the timing advice. I arrived at 8:30am on a Tuesday and it was already getting busy—next time I'll follow the 6:30am suggestion. The article could use a few more photos or diagrams for the transportation options though. I got a bit lost trying to find the right bus stop. Still, it helped me save some time, so 4 stars.
This guide was a lifesaver for our trip last week! The suggested route via S2 train + the little-known path to the less crowded watchtowers made all the difference. We spent 20 minutes total waiting instead of the 2 hours we'd prepared for. The part about packing snacks was also smart—there's nothing good up there. Highly recommend printing it out or screenshotting before you go.
Decent article with some useful tricks, but honestly most of this info is already all over YouTube for free. I liked the part about avoiding weekends, but the shuttle bus schedule they mentioned was outdated—I checked the official website and the times were different. Still better than nothing, just don't take every word as gospel.
I followed the article's advice to take the early train and I'm so glad I did! The tip about the north entrance was spot on—barely any queues at 7am. My only tiny gripe is that the directions to the bus from the train station could have been a bit clearer (ended up asking a local), but overall this guide saved me at least an hour of waiting. Definitely worth the read!
As a solo traveler with limited time, this article was a lifesaver. The step-by-step timing (including the exact subway exit labels) made the whole trip stress-free. I paired it with the suggested offline map app and hiked from the south to the north end without once feeling lost. Only wish it had a photo of the ticket booth because I almost missed it. Still, 5 stars—would recommend to anyone.
This is the first travel guide I've trusted 100%! Followed it to the letter—Beijing North station, S2 train, then the free shuttle. Zero hassle. The 'beat the crowds' part is no joke: we were literally alone on the south side for 20 minutes. The photos don't compare to seeing the wall in that quiet morning light. Thank you!
Honestly? Overhyped. The article makes it sound like you'll have the entire wall to yourself, but even with the train we ended up in a crowd at the north tower by 10:30. The navigation tips were okay but nothing you couldn't find on a quick YouTube search. Also, the suggested coffee spot near the station was closed. Disappointed.
Solid advice overall, but I wish the article had mentioned that the early bus from Deshengmen can still get stuck in traffic even on weekdays. We followed the 7 AM plan and still hit a 40-minute jam. The wall itself was amazing once we got there though—totally worth it. Just plan for a little more buffer time.
Loved this guide! Used the train + shuttle combo exactly as described, and we got to the wall before 8:30 AM. No queues at all, just peace and quiet with the mist rolling over the towers. The tip about leaving via the back exit saved us at least an hour in the afternoon. Absolute game changer for a first-timer like me.