Badaling Great Wall

 It has twelve watchtowers.

 The Wall winds up and down the mountain ridges, offering more magnificent scenery, but requiring more energy to climb.

 The stone stele engraved with “He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man” is along this section, close to No. 8 North Tower; it is also the highest point in this area, offering a great bird’s-eye view.

 The path through No.9 North Tower to No.12 North Tower is not easy, think before climbing.

 After reaching the furthest tower, No. 12 North, it is not necessary to return the way you came; there is an easier way to get to the exit by Bear Garden. It generally takes about 3 hours to complete this visit on foot. But upon descending via the convenient way, another ticket will be required if you want to climb the south section.

 Between No. 6 North Tower and the exit, there is also a convenient path for descending. Another ticket is also required to ascend the south section. 
 

 It has seven watchtowers.

 The slopes are gentle and less energy-consuming.

 Compared with the north section, there are fewer visitors here and one can enjoy it at a more leisurely pace.

 After arriving at the furthest No.7 South Tower, return to No.3 South Tower for a quick exit. This visit takes about 2 hours on foot. If visitors want to cover the north section, they can go back to the starting point and then continue to the north section; in that case, no extra ticket will be required.

 

The best times are April, May, September, or October, when it is neither too cold nor too hot, and the surrounding natural scenery is amazing. Usually from mid October to late October, the Great Wall is decorated by red leaves; while in the other time, it is surrounded by luxurious green plants. However, you should avoid the May Day holiday (May 1st - 3rd), the National Day holiday (October 1st-7th) and the Chinese New Year, when the site will be overrun with tourists.

 See more Badaling Weather 
 

 High speed train is definitely the first choice for the shortest duration.  From Beijing North Train Station to Badaling Great Wall Station, 6 bullet trains run daily from 06:10 to 17:27 with a duration of 30-50min, among them five depart in the morning and one depart in the late afternoon. From Qinghe Railway Station, 14 bullet trains are available from 06:43 to 20:37 with a duration of only 20min. After getting out the train station, follow the bilingual sign boards to the hiking entrance and cable car station quickly and easily.  The train tickets cost CNY16-29.
 Bus 877 departs from Deshengmen, about 10 minutes' walking from Jishuitan subway station (Exit B2) of subway line 2. It is a non-stop bus, taking at least two hours and costing CNY 12 per person. The drop-off site is close to the pulley car lower station and about 10 minutes' walk to the entrance. Please note that the last departure from Deshengmen is at 12:30.

Operating Time:
 From Deshengmen: Apr. 1 - Nov. 15: 06:00 - 12:30;  Nov. 16 - Mar. 31: 06:30 - 12:30
 From Badaling: Apr. 1 - Nov. 15: 10:30 - 17:00;  Nov. 16 - Mar. 31: 11:00 - 16:30
 

 Boarding Point:
From Qianmen: Southwest of Qianmen Arrow Tower, to the south of Tiananmen Square
From Badaling Great Wall: Badaling Guntiangou Parking Lot
 Duration: 90 minutes for a single trip
 Fare: CNY 50 for Qianmen - Badaling single trip; CNY80 for a round trip; transportation card is not applicable.
 Operating Time:
From Qianmen to Badaling single trip: 7:00 - 11:00 from Qianmen
Qianmen ⇔ Badaling round trip: 6:30 - 11:00 from Qianmen; 11:00 - 16:00 from Guntiangou

Tip: The return bus has a stop at Deshengmen which is close to Jishuitan station of subway line 2
 

Bus 919 is usually crowded and has many stops on the way. The duration is 2.5 hours and ticket fare is CNY 13, respectively. In addition, the drop-off site is 1.6 km (1.0 mi) from the entrance and you need to walk or take the free shuttle bus to get there.

See more How to Get to Badaling Great Wall: by Bus

Deshengmen Bus Stop	Bus 877 at Deshengmen
Sign of Bus 877	Bus 877 from Badaling back to Deshengmen

 By Train: 

Bullet Train: Take a bullet train from Qinghe Railway Station to Badaling Great Wall Railway Station next to the Badaling Great Wall Scenic Area. A single ride just takes 20-35 minutes and a second class seat costs CNY 18-29.

See detailed Beijing - Badaling High Speed Train

Badaling Railway Station

S2 Train to Badaling

S2 train: The trains run to Badaling Railway Station from Huangtudian Railway Station, which is near the Huoying Station along subway line 8 and subway line 13. A single rail ride takes about 1.5 hours and the fare is CNY 7. The entrance of Badaling Great Wall is 1.7 km (1.1 mi) away from Badaling Railway Station, and one can walk or take free shuttle buses to get there.

See more How to Get to Beijing Great Wall of China by Train - S2 to Badaling
 

 Take Airport Express to Dongzhimen Station, transfer to subway line 2 to Jishuitan Station, go out from Exit B2, walk around 500 meters (550 yards) to the eastward to Dongzhimen to take bus line 877.
 Take Airport Express to Dongzhimen to transfer to subway line 13 to Huoying Station, go out from Exir G4. Upon arrival, take S2 train from the nearby Huangtudian Railway Station.

 

Which one is better? As the best-preserved and most popular section, Badaling is a must-see for first-time visitors to China. Mutianyu is also a good choice with high popularity among foreigners, but generally less tourists than Badaling, which makes it accessible on big holidays.
 

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