# Gubei Water Town and Simatai Great Wall, Beijing

> Gubei Water Town is a rebuilt canal town in Beijing’s Miyun district, about 120 km and two hours from the centre, right below the Simatai Great Wall — one of few sections open after dark. Entry is ¥140, or ¥170 with the wall. The town opens daily 9:00–22:30. Allow 4+ hours there; staying overnight works best.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/gubei-water-town

- City: [Beijing](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing), China
- YesGo score: 16/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 4 h
- Entry: ¥140 entry; ¥170 with Simatai wall
- Opening hours: Town: daily 9:00–22:30 (Fri–Sat to 23:00). Wall by day: 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:10. Night wall: from 17:30 (Nov–Apr) or 18:30 (May–Oct), last entry 20:10–21:40 (unofficial)
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Town entry: ¥140 (¥160 list price at the gate)
- Simatai Great Wall (day): ¥40
- Town + wall combo: ¥170 (¥180 list price)
- Concessions: Children 1.2–1.5 m, under-16s and over-60s pay less; under 1.2 m free
- Cable car: ¥90 one way, ¥160 return; one 2026 guide says ¥80/¥120
- Night wall: Package only: town + wall + return cable car, about ¥280; book at least a day ahead
- Town hours: 9:00–22:30, Fri–Sat to 23:00
- Wall by day: 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:10
- Direct bus: ¥48 from Wangjingxi at 9:00 and 13:00; back at 12:00 and 17:00
- Distance: About 120 km from central Beijing, around 2 h by car
- Coordinates: 40.65150, 117.27020
- Facts checked: 04.11.2026

## Key facts

- **≈ 120 km** — north-east of central Beijing, about 2 hours by road (source: Gubei Water Town official website: transport; English Wikipedia, Simatai)
- **5.4 km** — length of the Simatai wall, with 35 towers either side of the lake (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia)
- **Northern Qi → Ming** — first walled in the 6th century, rebuilt under the Ming (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia)
- **9 km²** — resort area, split into the water town and the wall (source: Gubei Water Town official website; French Wikipedia, Gubei (Pékin))
- **East Towers 5–6** — the only stretch open at night, reached by cable car (source: Gubei Water Town official website: Simatai; travelchinaguide.com)
- **2010 → 2014** — Simatai closed for works and reopened together with the town (source: English Wikipedia; Gubei Water Town official website)
- **Newly built** — houses rebuilt in late-Qing and Republic-era style (source: Gubei Water Town official website; French Wikipedia)
- **Yuanyang Lake** — the Mandarin Duck reservoir below the wall that the town wraps around (source: Gubei Water Town official website; French Wikipedia)
- **40+** — hotels and guesthouses inside the resort (source: Gubei Water Town official website; travelchinaguide.com)
- **1987** — the Great Wall, Simatai included, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site (source: Gubei Water Town official website; English Wikipedia)
- **145 km** — length of the S5 Huaimi suburban line from Beijing North to Gubeikou (source: English Wikipedia; Gubei Water Town official website: transport)

> **The night wall means a package — and an overnight stay** Simatai at night is not sold on its own: you buy a package of town entry, wall and return cable car, ideally at least a day ahead. The last direct bus to Beijing leaves at 17:00 and the train shuttle earlier still. If you want the lit-up wall, sleep in Gubei or book a driver for the late run back.

## What is Gubei Water Town?

**Gubei Water Town** (古北水镇, marketed as Beijing WTown) is a resort town built in the 2010s below the Simatai Great Wall, in the far north of Beijing’s Miyun district. Cobbled lanes, canals with boats and houses in late-Qing and Republic-era style make it look old, but almost everything is new — think a well-made reconstruction with hotels, restaurants and hot springs rather than a living village.

What sets it apart from the canal towns of the south is the skyline: the **Simatai Great Wall** runs along the ridge above the rooftops. The 9 km² resort has two parts — the town and the wall — with separate tickets and hours.

YesGo’s view: worth the trip if you want the Great Wall after dark and a pretty evening in one place. For the wall by day only, [Mutianyu](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/great-wall-mutianyu) is closer and cheaper. For canals alone, the genuine old towns near Shanghai are better.

## How much are Gubei Water Town and Simatai tickets?

According to the official website, town entry is **¥140** (¥160 list price), the day ticket for the wall **¥40** and the combo **¥170**. Children 1.2–1.5 m, under-16s and over-60s pay a reduced rate; children up to 1.2 m go free. Bring ID — concessions are checked at the gate.

The cable car and the shuttle to the wall cost extra. Cable-car prices vary by source: ¥90 one way and ¥160 return per Visit Beijing and travelchinaguide.com, ¥80 and ¥120 per a 2026 Trip.com guide. After dark the wall is open only as a package with town entry and a return cable car — about ¥280 per adult, unofficially.

Online tickets are real-name, linked to your passport number, so carry it. Book through Trip.com, the resort’s WeChat account or at the visitor centre. In China you will mostly pay with **Alipay or WeChat Pay** linked to a foreign Visa or Mastercard; keep some cash yuan as a backup.

## Simatai Great Wall at night: hours and booking

- **By day** the wall is open 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:10. Visitors reach roughly East Towers 1–10 (unofficial); the Heavenly Ladder and Wangjing Tower beyond are closed as too dangerous.
- **At night** only the stretch between East Towers 5 and 6 is open. You must ride the cable car both ways; from the top station it is about a 15-minute walk to Tower 5.
- Unofficial night hours: May–October 18:30–21:40; November–April 17:30–20:10 Sunday–Thursday and to 20:40 on Friday and Saturday. From November to January the sun sets before the night session starts, so there is no sunset from the wall.
- Booking: the day wall used to require booking 1–10 days ahead with a passport (Visit Beijing); book the night package at least a day ahead, earlier for weekends and holidays.
- Guests of resort hotels reportedly pay ¥120 for the night wall with cable car. A hotel stay does not always include town entry — the official site says to check with your hotel.

## How to get to Gubei Water Town from Beijing

1. From Tiananmen: Metro Line 1 to Jianguomen, Line 2 to Dongzhimen, then Line 13 north to Wangjingxi — about an hour.
2. At Wangjingxi Transport Hub (望京西枢纽站, bus mezzanine, Gate 5) take the **direct bus** to Gubei: 9:00 and 13:00, ¥48, about 2 hours. Return buses leave Parking Lot 2 at 12:00 and 17:00. Pay with a Beijing transport card, the Yitongxing app or exact cash — Alipay and WeChat Pay are not accepted on board.
3. Alternatively, China CYTS runs a tourist coach from its building by Dongzhimen metro (south-west exit) for ¥48, booked in the 中青旅文旅 WeChat mini-program. The official site lists no times, so check when booking.
4. By train: the S5 Huaimi line from Beijing North or Qinghe to the terminus at **Gubeikou**, priced like the metro. A shuttle runs from the station to the town at 9:40 and 17:10, and back at 8:40 and 15:50. Trains are few — check 12306.
5. By city bus: 980 Express from Dongzhimen to Miyun Xidaqiao, then local bus Mi 51 towards Simatai. Mi 51 runs rarely; expect 3 hours or more.
6. Taxi or DiDi: about 2 hours. A driver for a day return costs roughly ¥1,000–1,300 (unofficial). High-speed trains only reach Miyun station on the Shenyang line, still about 60 km away, with no regular shuttle.

## Simatai cable car

The cable car is the easy way up. Its Poma cabins were installed during the works that began in 2010. At night it is compulsory; by day you can hike, but the climb is steep and a flight of steps remains even from the top station.

The official site suggests two day loops: cable car up, along the wall to East Tower 5 and back to Tower 2; or walk up to Tower 2, continue to Tower 5 and ride down. Either takes 2–3 hours. A paid shuttle connects the entrance with the lower station.

## What to see in Gubei Water Town

- **The water street** and stone bridges over the canals — best in the evening when the lanterns go on.
- **Boat rides** on the canals and Yuanyang Lake: unofficially ¥80 for a town loop and ¥120 for the long route to the lake pier (May–October); half price under 1.5 m.
- **Simatai above the rooftops**: climb to the eastern towers by day, or see it lit up after dark from below or from the night stretch.
- The Republic-era street and the Wolongbao folk-culture quarter — workshops, shops and small exhibitions.
- Hot-spring pools, including a ‘starlight’ open-air one — usually extra, mainly for hotel guests.
- November to March brings snow on the roofs but bitter wind on the wall — dress warmly even by day.

## Should you stay overnight in Gubei?

Yes, if you want the wall at night. The resort has more than 40 places to stay — per the official site, 7 themed hotels, 10 boutique hotels and 28 guesthouses. The best known are the Water Town Hotel (水镇大酒店) and a hot-spring resort hotel.

Rates are high: the big hotels start at roughly ¥1,100 a night on the official site, guesthouses less. Weekends and holidays sell out early. Staying solves the late trip back and gives you quiet canals in the morning before the day buses arrive.

## Gubei or Mutianyu?

|  | Gubei + Simatai | Mutianyu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Distance | ≈ 120 km, about 2 h | ≈ 70 km, 1–1.5 h |
| Wall entry | ¥40, ¥170 with the town | ¥40–45 |
| Way up | Cable car | Cable car, chairlift, toboggan |
| After dark | East Towers 5–6 | Towers 10–15 only |
| Also there | Canal town with hotels | Just the wall |
| Getting there | Direct bus from Wangjingxi, S5 train | Tourist bus or 916 Express + H23 |
| Best as | Overnight | Full day |

Mutianyu figures come from the YesGo Mutianyu page. Pick Gubei for the evening, Mutianyu for the wall by day and an easier journey.

## Gubei vs the Shanghai water towns

If Shanghai is also on your trip, compare honestly. Zhujiajiao and Xitang are genuinely old towns with residents: Zhujiajiao’s lanes are free, Xitang charges about ¥95 by day. Gubei is a new resort built almost from scratch — but it has the Great Wall overhead.

For canals and old houses, YesGo recommends the southern towns. For a lit-up wall, dinner by the water and a night in one place, Gubei has no rival in the north.

## Before you go

Tick off what’s done — this browser remembers.

- [ ] Passport — the one used for booking
- [ ] Night package booked at least a day ahead
- [ ] Hotel in Gubei or a ride back arranged
- [ ] Beijing transport card or exact cash for the bus
- [ ] Alipay or WeChat Pay with a card — or cash yuan
- [ ] Warm layers — the wall is windy
- [ ] Chinese names saved: 古北水镇, 望京西, 古北口

## Beijing after dark: compare and choose

Beijing places YesGo rates for an evening visit.

- [National Centre for the Performing Arts (The Egg)](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/national-centre-for-performing-arts) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥40 building visit, half price ¥20
- [Wangfujing Street](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/wangfujing-street) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free
- [Beijing hutongs](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-hutongs) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; rickshaw about ¥100–200
- [Nanluoguxiang](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/nanluoguxiang) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free, open 24 hours
- [Houhai Lake and Shichahai](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/houhai-lake) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free
- [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
- [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

## A night in Gubei, then back to town

Evening and night in Gubei, a morning boat ride, then the 12:00 bus to Wangjingxi — 798 is close by, and Houhai makes a good evening.

1. [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
2. [798 Art Zone](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/798-art-zone) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free; some exhibitions charge
3. [Houhai Lake and Shichahai](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/houhai-lake) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free

## Don’t confuse

Gubei Water Town (古北水镇) is the resort below Simatai. **Gubeikou** is the neighbouring village and a separate wild section of the wall used for hikes; the train station is also called Gubeikou. Shanghai has a Gubei district too — unrelated.

## Tips

- Arrive after lunch, stay the night and take the 12:00 bus back — you get the evening and empty canals in the morning.
- Save the Chinese names — 古北水镇, 司马台长城, 望京西枢纽站, 古北口站 — to show drivers.
- Top up a Beijing transport card in advance: the direct bus takes no Alipay or WeChat Pay.
- In winter the night wall opens earlier but sunset is already over — come February to October for sunset views.
- Avoid Chinese public holidays and the first week of October: hotels sell out and the cable car queues.
- On a day trip, skip the night package — the last bus leaves at 17:00, long before the wall is lit.

## Questions

### Is Gubei Water Town worth visiting?

Yes, if you want the Great Wall at night and a pretty canal town in one trip, ideally with an overnight stay. For the wall by day alone, Mutianyu is closer and cheaper.

### How much is the Gubei Water Town ticket?

¥140 for the town, ¥40 for Simatai by day, ¥170 for both. The cable car is extra; the night wall is sold only as a package, about ¥280 (unofficial).

### How do I get to Gubei Water Town from Beijing?

Take the ¥48 direct bus from Wangjingxi (Metro Lines 13 and 15) at 9:00 or 13:00, the S5 train to Gubeikou plus shuttle, or a taxi or driver — about 2 hours by road.

### Is there a bus from Dongzhimen to Gubei Water Town?

China CYTS runs a ¥48 coach from its building by Dongzhimen station, booked via WeChat. The official schedule lists fixed times only for the Wangjingxi bus.

### Can you visit the Simatai Great Wall at night?

Yes. The stretch between East Towers 5 and 6 opens in the evening; you go up and down by cable car and need a package with town entry, booked a day ahead.

### Do I need a passport?

Yes. Online tickets are real-name and linked to your passport, concessions need ID, and hotels check passports at check-in.

### Day trip or overnight?

Overnight if you want the night wall: the last direct bus leaves at 17:00. A day trip works for the town and the wall by day.

### How long do you need at Gubei Water Town?

4–5 hours for the town and the wall by day, a full day with travel, or a day and a half with the night wall.

### Is there a cable car at Simatai?

Yes, and it is compulsory at night. Prices quoted range from ¥80–90 one way and ¥120–160 return; check when booking.

### Is Gubei an ancient town?

No. It was built in the 2010s in traditional style. The Simatai wall above it is genuinely Ming-era.

## How we checked

Entry prices, concessions, real-name rules and the hotel-guest note come from the official FAQ; transport from the official “getting there” page. These pages carry no update date, but the prices match travelchinaguide.com’s 2026 page. The official site gives no prices or hours for the night wall, so the ¥280 package and evening hours come from travelchinaguide.com (January 2026) and are marked “verifying”; Visit Beijing (2020) lists different hours. Cable car: ¥90/¥160 per Visit Beijing and travelchinaguide.com, ¥80/¥120 per Trip.com — we show both. Day wall hours follow the resort’s 2025 notices as reprinted by Beijing Bendibao. The official site places the direct bus at Wangjingxi; travelchinaguide.com gives the same times for Dongzhimen — we follow the official site. There is no scheduled shuttle from Miyun high-speed station: in May 2026 the resort had only invited bids for one. Payment notes for China are unofficial, from travel guides.

## Sources

- Gubei Water Town official website (古北水镇, wtown.com): transport, FAQ (prices, concessions, real-name tickets, hotels), Simatai page, about the town, notices
- Beijing Bendibao (北京本地宝): resort notices from 2025 — day wall hours, free wall ticket offer
- Visit Beijing: Simatai — cable car prices, passport booking (2020)
- travelchinaguide.com: prices, hours, Simatai night tour (2026)
- Trip.com Guide: Gubei — day trip or overnight (2026)
- English, Chinese and French Wikipedia: Simatai, 司马台长城, Gubei (Pékin), Huairou–Miyun line, Miyun railway station; Wikidata Q54833281

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