# Great Wall at Badaling, Beijing

> Badaling is the most famous — and most crowded — section of the Great Wall: a restored Ming wall about 60 km north-west of Beijing. Entry is ¥40 (¥35 November–March); cable cars cost extra. Open daily, 6:30–16:30 in summer and 7:30–16:00 in winter. The high-speed train from Qinghe takes about 25 minutes; allow 3 hours on the wall.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/badaling-great-wall

- City: [Beijing](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing), China
- YesGo score: 27/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 3 h
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Entry: ¥40 (1 April – 31 October), ¥35 (1 November – 31 March)
- Concessions: Students ¥20 / ¥17.5; free for under-18s, over-60s and disabled visitors with ID
- Hours: 6:30–16:30 in summer, 7:30–16:00 in winter, open every day
- Buying tickets: On site at the ticket office, or online in advance with your passport number
- Daily cap: 65,000 visitors; on holidays the office can sell out
- Cable car (north, to Tower 7): ¥100 one way, ¥140 return; children under 1.2 m free
- Ground cable car (south, to Tower 4): Same price as the cable car; may close on Tuesday mornings for maintenance
- High-speed train: Qinghe 20–30 min, about ¥16–25; Beijing North 30–60 min, about ¥23–31
- Bus 877: Non-stop from Beitucheng metro, about ¥12, 1.5–2 hours
- China Great Wall Museum: Free, 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:30, closed Tuesdays; trial opening
- Coordinates: 40.35428, 116.00649
- Facts checked: 04.11.2026

## Key facts

- **≈ 60 km** — north-west of central Beijing, in Yanqing District (source: Beijing municipal government portal; Russian Wikipedia gives 75 km, English Wikipedia 80 km)
- **65,000** — visitors a day — the cap, after which sales stop (source: Visit Beijing (Beijing tourism bureau); Russian Wikipedia)
- **1957** — the first section of the wall opened to tourists (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **Ming dynasty** — the present wall was built under the Ming to guard the Juyongguan Pass (source: English Wikipedia; Beijing municipal government portal)
- **North Tower 8** — the highest point, about 1,015 m above sea level (source: English Wikipedia (Beibalou); travelchinaguide.com)
- **Deepest station** — Badaling Great Wall high-speed station, under the mountain, is the deepest in the world; opened in 2019 (source: English Wikipedia; chinahighlights.com)
- **1987** — the Great Wall became a UNESCO World Heritage Site (source: Beijing municipal government portal; Russian Wikipedia)
- **2008** — the Olympic road cycling race ran through Badaling (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **Zhan Tianyou** — the engineer who tunnelled the Beijing–Zhangjiakou railway under the ridge at Badaling (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **700+** — objects in the rebuilt China Great Wall Museum at the foot of Badaling (source: Beijing Daily; Xinhua)

## Badaling Great Wall tickets and prices

Entry is **¥40** from 1 April to 31 October and **¥35** from 1 November to 31 March. Full-time students pay half (¥20 / ¥17.5). Under-18s, over-60s and disabled visitors enter free with ID — foreigners show a passport as proof of age. Concessions cover entry only; the cable cars are paid by everyone.

According to the Beijing government, you can simply **buy at the ticket office** on arrival with your passport. Tickets are also sold online in advance through Badaling's official site and WeChat account — they are real-name, so enter your passport number. Sources disagree on how far ahead sales open (7 or 15 days). For weekends and Chinese holidays, book ahead: the daily cap is 65,000 and the office can sell out.

Unofficially, Badaling's own online system takes **WeChat Pay** only. Link a foreign Visa or Mastercard to WeChat Pay or Alipay before the trip, or buy through Trip.com; cash yuan is accepted at the office, so carry some small notes.

> **Expect crowds — and bring your passport** Badaling is the busiest section of the wall. At weekends and on Chinese holidays — above all the first week of October and Chinese New Year — the walkway can be shoulder to shoulder. Arrive at opening time on a weekday, and carry the original passport: staff check it against your real-name ticket, and you need it for the train too.

## How to get to Badaling from Beijing

1. Fastest: the **high-speed train** to **Badaling Great Wall station** (八达岭长城站). From the centre, take metro Line 1 to Fuxingmen and Line 2 to Xizhimen for **Beijing North** station (北京北站) — or Line 13 to **Qinghe** station (清河站), which has more and faster trains.
2. Book train tickets with your passport on the 12306 app or website (English version available), on Trip.com, or at the station. Unofficially, Qinghe to Badaling takes 20–30 minutes for ¥16–25 and Beijing North 30–60 minutes for ¥23–31. The first train from Qinghe leaves around 6:40 and the last one back around 20:50.
3. Badaling Great Wall is the world's deepest high-speed station, so allow 10–15 minutes for the long escalators up. From the exit it is 2–3 minutes to the cable car and about 800 m to the wall entrance.
4. Cheaper: **bus 877** from **Beitucheng** metro (北土城, Lines 8 and 10, Exits B/C, car park on the north-east corner of the junction). It runs non-stop; unofficially ¥12 and 1.5–2 hours. From the centre, take Line 1 to Wangfujing and Line 8 north to Beitucheng.
5. Bus 877 hours (Beijing Public Transport): 1 April – 15 November, departures 6:00–12:30 and returns 10:30–17:00; 16 November – 31 March, 6:30–12:30 and 11:00–16:30. Older guides still send you to Deshengmen — the terminus has moved.
6. The **S2** suburban train to Badaling station no longer starts at Huangtudian: it now runs from Nankou, two or three times a day, with tickets sold only at the station. Skip it from central Beijing.
7. By taxi or DiDi via the G6 expressway: about 1–1.5 hours. At weekends the train is usually faster.

## Badaling opening hours

Badaling is **open every day**, Mondays included. From 1 April to 31 October it opens 6:30–16:30, and from 1 November to 31 March 7:30–16:00. Some guides treat these as last-entry times and say the wall closes at 17:00; plan to be on your way down by then.

Unofficially, the cable cars run from about 7:30 (north) and 8:50 (south) to 16:00, and return tickets are sold only until 13:00. The China Great Wall Museum at the foot of the wall is the one thing closed on Tuesdays.

## Cable car, ground cable car or on foot?

- **Cable car** (north) — up to North Tower 7, a few minutes below the top at Tower 8. Unofficially ¥100 one way, ¥140 return; children under 1.2 m ride free.
- **Ground cable car** (south) — rail cars up to South Tower 4, same price unofficially. You can go up one and down the other, but the lower stations are apart, so expect a walk.
- **On foot** — straight from the entrance plaza onto the north wall: the steepest climb and the real thing. Allow an hour to 90 minutes up to Tower 8.
- YesGo's pick: in season, walk up the north side early before the crowds and take the cable car down. With small children or older travellers, do the opposite — ride up, stroll down.
- Rides are paid separately from entry, no concessions apply, and they stop in high wind or storms.

## Is Badaling worth it?

Yes — if time is short. Badaling is the only section you can reach by high-speed train in half an hour, and the wall is wide, restored and safe. It suits half-day trips, older travellers and anyone combining the wall with the [Ming Tombs](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/ming-tombs) or [Juyongguan](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/juyongguan-great-wall).

It is less rewarding if you want quiet and scenery. On a busy day the north side moves at a shuffle. With a full day free, [Mutianyu](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/great-wall-mutianyu) gives better views and fewer people, and [Gubei](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/gubei-water-town) has the wall lit up at night.

## Badaling vs Mutianyu

|  | Badaling | Mutianyu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Where | ≈ 60 km north-west, Yanqing | ≈ 70 km north-east, Huairou |
| Getting there | High-speed train 20–30 min, or bus 877 | Tourist bus, or 916 Express + H23 |
| Entry | ¥40, ¥35 in winter | ¥40–45 |
| Ways up | Cable car, ground cable car | Cable car, chairlift |
| Toboggan down | No | Yes |
| Crowds | Very busy | Moderate |
| Opens | 6:30 in summer, 7:30 in winter | 7:30, 8:00 in winter |
| Real-name ticket | Yes, also sold on site | Yes |

Badaling entry prices and hours are official; Mutianyu figures come from YesGo's Mutianyu page. Badaling when time is short, Mutianyu when scenery matters most.

## What to see at Badaling

- **North Tower 8** — the highest point, with the wall running away along the ridges in both directions.
- **The steep north climb** — in places the steps are almost a ladder. This is where people pose with the famous line “He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man”.
- **The south side** — shorter and calmer, with a good view across to the north wall.
- **The pass fortress** at the entrance — arched gates and walls where the old road crossed the mountains.
- **China Great Wall Museum** (中国长城博物馆) at the foot of the wall — a new display of 700+ objects about the wall across China. On trial opening: free, no booking, 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30), closed Tuesdays, up to 4,000 visitors a day; bring your passport.
- Unofficially, summer evenings bring separately ticketed night visits with the wall lit up — seasonal only.

## Badaling tour or on your own?

A tour with a car and guide makes sense if you want Badaling plus the Ming Tombs or Juyongguan in one day — they are off the railway and hard to link without a driver. The guide also handles real-name tickets and any payments that need WeChat Pay.

For Badaling alone, go independently: train from Qinghe, passport at the ticket office, same train back. It is the one Great Wall trip where you do not need help with transport.

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] Original passport — the one used for the wall and train tickets
- [ ] Train ticket from Qinghe or Beijing North booked
- [ ] Wall ticket booked online if going at a weekend or holiday
- [ ] WeChat Pay or Alipay with a card linked — or cash yuan
- [ ] Water and good shoes — the steps are steep
- [ ] Time of the last train or bus 877 back noted
- [ ] Chinese names saved: 八达岭长城站, 清河站, 北土城

## Beijing views compared

Places in Beijing with a view, rated by YesGo.

- [Tiananmen Gate](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/tiananmen-gate) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥15, concession ¥5, booking only
- [Houhai Lake and Shichahai](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/houhai-lake) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free
- [Jingshan Park](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/jingshan-park) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥2, ¥10 during exhibitions
- [Drum and Bell Towers](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-drum-and-bell-towers) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥30 for both towers
- [Beihai Park](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beihai-park) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ¥5–10, ¥15–20 with the island
- [Summer Palace](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-summer-palace) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h 30 min · ¥20–30, ¥50–60 through ticket
- [Olympic Park and Bird's Nest](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-olympic-park) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Park free; Bird's Nest ≈ ¥50–100
- [Central Radio & TV Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-tv-tower) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · CNY 90
- [Great Wall at Badaling](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/badaling-great-wall) — YesGo score 27/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ¥40 entry; ¥35 November–March
- [Great Wall at Juyongguan](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/juyongguan-great-wall) — YesGo score 20/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ¥35 entry; ¥40 April–October
- [Great Wall at Mutianyu](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/great-wall-mutianyu) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ¥40–45 entry; cable car ¥100–140
- [Gubei Water Town and Simatai Great Wall](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/gubei-water-town) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ¥140 entry; ¥170 with Simatai wall
- [Longqing Gorge](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/longqing-gorge) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ¥40, boat ¥100

## The wall in the morning, Beijing by evening

Badaling first thing, the Juyongguan fortress by taxi on the way back, then the Olympic Park near Beitucheng, where bus 877 ends. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

1. [Great Wall at Badaling](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/badaling-great-wall) — YesGo score 27/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ¥40 entry; ¥35 November–March
2. [Great Wall at Juyongguan](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/juyongguan-great-wall) — YesGo score 20/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ¥35 entry; ¥40 April–October
3. [Olympic Park and Bird's Nest](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-olympic-park) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Park free; Bird's Nest ≈ ¥50–100

## Good to know

Badaling Great Wall station (high-speed, underground) and Badaling station (S2 suburban, at ground level) are different stations about 800 m apart. The “Badaling Ancient Great Wall” is a separate unrestored stretch a few kilometres away. Badaling Safari World is a wildlife park next door, unrelated to the wall.

## Tips

- Arrive at opening time on a weekday — before 9:00 the north side is nearly empty.
- Use Qinghe rather than Beijing North: more trains and shorter journeys.
- Buy your return train ticket at the same time — weekend evening trains sell out.
- The north side is steeper and busier; if it is packed, turn south.
- In winter the steps can be icy — wear shoes with a good grip.
- Do not plan the Great Wall Museum for a Tuesday — it is closed.

## Questions

### How much is the Badaling Great Wall ticket?

¥40 from April to October and ¥35 from November to March. Under-18s and over-60s enter free. The cable car is unofficially ¥100 one way and ¥140 return.

### Do I need to book Badaling in advance?

Not necessarily — officially, tickets are sold at the office on site with your passport. For weekends and holidays, book online: the daily cap is 65,000.

### How do I get to Badaling by high-speed train?

Take the train from Qinghe (20–30 minutes) or Beijing North (30–60 minutes) to Badaling Great Wall station. Book with your passport on 12306 or Trip.com.

### Where does bus 877 to Badaling leave from?

From Beitucheng metro station (Lines 8 and 10), Exits B/C — no longer Deshengmen. It runs non-stop and takes about 1.5–2 hours.

### What are Badaling opening hours?

Daily: 6:30–16:30 from 1 April to 31 October and 7:30–16:00 from 1 November to 31 March.

### Is Badaling open on Mondays?

Yes, every day. Only the China Great Wall Museum at the foot of the wall closes, on Tuesdays.

### Is there a cable car at Badaling?

Two rides: a cable car on the north side to Tower 7 and a ground cable car on the south side to Tower 4. Children under 1.2 m ride free.

### How long do you need at Badaling?

About 3 hours on the wall. With the train there and back, it fits into half a day.

### Is Badaling or Mutianyu better?

Badaling if time is short and you want the train. Mutianyu if you have a full day and want scenery without the crowds.

### Can I take the S2 train to Badaling?

It still runs, but from Nankou rather than Huangtudian and only two or three times a day. The high-speed train is far easier.

## How we checked

Entry prices, concessions, hours and on-site sales come from the Beijing government's Badaling ticketing page; the 65,000 cap from Visit Beijing, repeated by Russian Wikipedia. Badaling's own site would not load for us, so cable car, train and bus 877 fares are cross-checked across guides and marked “verifying”: travelchinaguide.com gives ¥100/¥140 for the cable car and Ctrip ¥140 return, which agree; prices for the separate slide-car ride (滑车) disagree, so we leave them out. Sources give different booking windows (7 or 15 days), so we give none. travelchinaguide.com treats the official hours as last entry with closing at 17:00; we show the official figures. Distance: the government says 60 km, Russian Wikipedia 75, English Wikipedia 80; we use the official one. Older guides and English Wikipedia still send bus 877 from Deshengmen and S2 from Huangtudian; Beijing News reports both changes, and recent guides agree. English Wikipedia gives both 1504 and 1505 as the build date, so we just say Ming. Payment notes are unofficial, from China travel guides.

## Sources

- Beijing municipal government English portal: Badaling ticketing page — prices, hours, concessions, on-site sales; Badaling overview
- Visit Beijing (Beijing tourism bureau): 65,000 daily cap and real-name booking
- The Beijing News (新京报): S2 now starting at Nankou; bus 877 moved to Beitucheng, with hours
- Beijing Daily, Xinhua, Guangming Daily: trial opening of the China Great Wall Museum
- English and Russian Wikipedia: Badaling, Бадалин, Badaling Great Wall railway station; Wikidata Q798826
- travelchinaguide.com, chinahighlights.com, wanderinchina.com: cable cars, trains, bus 877, ride hours
- Ctrip travel notes (游记): cable car prices, ground cable car maintenance

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