Badaling Great Wall tour: how to plan a day trip from Beijing
A Badaling Great Wall tour is a day trip from Beijing, and you do not have to book one. Bus 877 and the S2 suburban train both go to Badaling, and so does the high-speed train. A booked tour adds a fixed plan and a transfer. A trip on your own adds flexibility and a few steps you handle yourself, such as the ticket and the connection.
Badaling lies in Yanqing district, roughly 60 km northwest of the city center. Plan the day around the opening hours of 06:30 to 16:30 from 1 April to 31 October and 07:30 to 16:00 from 1 November to 31 March, and allow time for the journey in both directions.
Our picks: Badaling tours
Our take: the group tour has a driver and guide; the one-day bus tour is a simple return trip; the day tour starts at Beitucheng metro. The cable car is extra on all three.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Badaling English-speaking group day tour
- Vehicle with driver
- English-speaking guide
- Badaling ticket
A vehicle with driver, an English-speaking guide and the Badaling ticket; the cable car is extra.
Check availability →
Badaling one-day tour by bus
- Return bus from Beijing
- Badaling entry
- English-speaking guide
A return bus from Beijing with an English-speaking guide and the wall entry; the cable car is extra.
Check availability →
Badaling day tour with entry ticket
- Badaling entry
- Bus and guide or private pick-up
Entry to the wall, with an air-conditioned bus and English-speaking guide or a private pick-up depending on the option; the cable car is extra.
Check availability →Badaling Great Wall tours and day trips
Guided Great Wall tours, day trips from Beijing and Ming Tombs combinations, with live prices and availability.
Tour or independent trip: the options compared
Typical figures for planning. Check the timetable for your travel day.
| Option | Starts at | Time and fare | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus 877 | Beitucheng subway station | About 1.5 to 2 hours, CNY 12 | Travelers on a budget who start in the north of the city |
| High-speed train | Beijing North or Qinghe | 20 to 60 minutes, CNY 16 to 31 | The fastest trip to the wall alone |
| S2 suburban train | Nankou | Two train pairs Tuesday to Thursday, three Friday to Monday | Visitors already near Nankou or Yanqing |
| Taxi or ride-hailing | Anywhere in Beijing | No fixed fare, so agree the price first | Groups and families who want door-to-door |
| Booked day tour | Depends on the listing | Depends on the listing | Combining the wall with the Ming Tombs without arranging transport |
For most first-time visitors, the high-speed train or bus 877 is enough if you only want the wall. A booked tour or a driver is worth it when you add the Ming Tombs, because the tombs are a separate stop with their own transfer. Details of every route are on the getting there page.
Guided tours of the Great Wall: what to check
The listings differ more than the wall does.
Language and group size
Look for the guide's language and the maximum group size. A smaller group usually means more time at your own pace on the wall.
Pickup and return
Check the pickup point, the pickup time and the return time. If the tour starts far from your hotel, the day gets longer before you reach the wall.
What the price covers
The listing should say whether entry, the cable car and lunch are included. The cable cars are sold separately in the wall's own pricing, and the north line is closed for maintenance until 25 December 2026.
Cable car page →Other stops
Some day tours add stops besides the wall. Check how much of the day is the wall itself and how much is other places.
Booking and cancellation
Read the cancellation terms before you pay. The terms belong to each offer, and they differ from one listing to the next.
Your own passport booking
If you go independently, you book the wall ticket yourself and carry the passport you booked with.
Ticket page →Combining Badaling with other stops
What fits with the wall, and what to treat as a separate day.
The Ming Tombs
Changling, Dingling and the Sacred Way are regularly open. More tombs can be visited with advance booking. The tombs are in Changping district, so this is a separate stop with its own ticket.
Badaling and the Ming Tombs →Juyongguan
Juyongguan lies in Changping district, farther down the Guangou valley, and has its own ticket. It is a different site, not another station of the Badaling ticket. Do not assume that Badaling, Juyongguan and the tombs fit into one day.
The Juyongguan Pass →The night program
The main night program of 2026 ran from 30 April to 6 October. Treat it as a seasonal extra and not as a standard day trip.
Opening hours →The wall museum
The renewed China Great Wall Museum at the foot of the wall has reopened. Check admission and hours before you add it.
Things to do nearby →If you want to compare with a second section of the wall, the Mutianyu guide to trips from Beijing covers that route.
More to plan
Pages that help once you have picked a way to go.
Badaling Great Wall tours: frequently asked questions
Do I need a tour to visit the Badaling Great Wall?
No. Bus 877 and the S2 train both go to Badaling, and the high-speed train stops at Badaling Great Wall Station. A tour adds a fixed plan and a transfer, and it is optional.
How long is a day trip from Beijing?
Travel time depends on the route: about 20 to 60 minutes by high-speed train, and about 1.5 to 2 hours by bus 877. Add the time on the wall, which depends on your fitness, the queue and the section you choose. Check the listing for the length of a booked tour.
Can I combine Badaling with the Ming Tombs?
Yes, as a long day with one or two tomb sites after the wall. Changling and Dingling are the usual choices. The tombs are in a different district, so allow transfer time. See the Ming Tombs page.
Is a night visit part of a standard tour?
No. The 2026 night program ran from 30 April to 6 October and is a separate evening offer.
Which station do I choose for the high-speed train?
Choose Badaling Great Wall Station. The S2 suburban train uses a different station, called Badaling Station. In a map app, enter the Chinese full name of the station you mean.
Is this the official Badaling tour website?
No. badalinggreatwall.org is an independent travel guide. It is not connected to the Badaling scenic area, the Beijing municipal government, any tourism authority or any tour operator.