Mutianyu or Badaling: Which Great Wall Section Should You Visit?
How the two most visited sections near Beijing compare on crowds, getting there, cable cars and tickets.
Short answer
For most first-time visitors, Mutianyu is the better day out. It's less crowded, has a cable car up and a toboggan down, and the towers between 8 and 14 are some of the most photogenic restored wall near Beijing. Badaling is easier to reach on your own, with a high-speed train from Beijing North that takes about 35 minutes, but it's the busiest section. Admission at both is about ¥40.
- Topic
- 景点 Sights & tickets
- Reading time
- 4 min
- Last checked
Several restored sections of the Great Wall are within a day trip of Beijing. Badaling and Mutianyu are the two most visited, and they’re the two most first-time visitors choose between.
At a glance
| Mutianyu | Badaling | |
|---|---|---|
| Crowds | Busy at weekends, calmer on weekdays | The busiest section, especially at weekends and holidays |
| Getting there | Shuttle bus, Didi, private driver or tour; about 1.5 to 2 hours | High-speed train from Beijing North, about 35 minutes; 1 to 1.5 hours door to door |
| Admission | About ¥40 to 45 | ¥40 (April to October), ¥35 (November to March) |
| Way up | Enclosed cable car to tower 14, or a chairlift on the east side | Cable car |
| Way down | Cable car, chairlift or toboggan | Cable car or on foot |
| Booking | Official English site, passport number accepted | WeChat service or Trip.com; on-site purchase allowed recently |
Mutianyu
Mutianyu is set in wooded hills, and in autumn the slopes turn red and gold. The restored stretch is long enough to walk for a couple of hours without feeling hemmed in, at least on a weekday.
From the car park you take a shuttle bus (about ¥15 return) to the entrance, then choose how to go up:
- The enclosed cable car runs to tower 14, about ¥100 one way or ¥140 return. The most photographed stretch is between towers 8 and 14, a short walk from the top station.
- The chairlift on the east side goes up near tower 6, and from there you can ride the toboggan back down. It’s run by a different company, so a cable car ticket doesn’t cover it.
- You can also walk up. If you’re reasonably fit, the climb from the gate to tower 5 takes around half an hour.
Beyond tower 14 the wall climbs steeply towards the Haohanpo stone near tower 18. If you go up that way, you come back the same way.
Cable car queues can be long at weekends. Bring water and snacks, which are expensive and hard to find on the wall.
Getting there. There’s no direct train. Shuttle buses run from central Beijing, including from the tourist bus centre near Qianmen; buy return tickets ahead at weekends. A Didi or private driver is quicker and suits groups. Many travelers book a day tour that includes transport and tickets.
Badaling
Badaling was the first section opened to tourists and is the one most tour groups visit. The wall here is broad and heavily restored, with handrails on the steepest parts. It gets very crowded, especially from mid-morning at weekends.
Its big advantage is the train. High-speed trains run from Beijing North station to Badaling Great Wall station (八达岭长城站) in about 35 minutes. Don’t confuse it with Badaling station (八达岭站), which is on the slower suburban S2 line. Buy the train ticket on 12306 or Trip.com, and remember that the train ticket doesn’t include entry to the wall.
Opening hours are 6:30 to 16:30 from April to October and 7:30 to 16:00 from November to March.
Booking tickets
- Mutianyu: book on the official English reservation site, which accepts passport numbers and foreign cards.
- Badaling: book through the official WeChat service or Trip.com, choosing the passport option, not the Chinese ID option. On-site purchase has been allowed recently, but book ahead for weekends and holidays.
- Type your passport details exactly, bring the passport you booked with, and save your confirmation offline.
Which to choose
Choose Mutianyu if you want the better scenery, fewer people and the toboggan, and you’re happy with a longer trip or a tour.
Choose Badaling if you want to go on your own by train, or you’re short of time.
Whichever you pick, go on a weekday and arrive before 9 am.
Common questions
Do I need to book Great Wall tickets in advance?
For Mutianyu, booking ahead on the official English site is the safe choice, especially at weekends. Badaling has allowed on-site purchase recently, but book ahead for weekends and public holidays.
Is my train ticket to Badaling also my Great Wall ticket?
No. They are separate purchases. You need a train ticket and a Great Wall admission ticket.
Does the Mutianyu cable car ticket include the toboggan?
No. They're run by different companies and the tickets aren't interchangeable.
How long should I allow?
Plan on a full day, including about 1.5 to 2 hours each way from central Beijing for Mutianyu, or 1 to 1.5 hours for Badaling.