Charter a car in Beijing to visit the Great Wall.

For many foreign tourists visiting China for the first time, the Great Wall is almost always one of the most anticipated destinations in Beijing. However, when it comes to actually planning, many quickly discover an unexpected problem: "Going to the Great Wall" is not simply a matter of a place name.

There are multiple sections of the Great Wall around Beijing, varying in distance from the city center, mode of transportation, and tourist density. Which section you choose largely determines your trip's experience.

This guide aims to help you understand how to choose your section of the Great Wall and whether hiring a car is truly necessary.

Which section of the Great Wall to visit? Make the right choice first.

Before considering transportation, take 5 minutes to think clearly: what kind of experience do you want from the Great Wall?

Badaling Great Wall

Badaling is the most famous section of the Great Wall and also the most developed. It has excellent facilities, including cable cars, paved walkways, and numerous signs. However, correspondingly, it also attracts the most tourists.

• This is your first time in Beijing, and you want to see the "standard" Great Wall.

• You don't mind crowds, or you can only travel during holidays.

• You want well-equipped facilities, including cable cars, restaurants, and restrooms.

• You're short on time and looking for a convenient transportation option.

Please note: Crowds are extremely large on holidays and weekends; you may need to queue for photos, and traffic jams are common on the return trip.

Mutianyu Great Wall

Mutianyu has a great reputation among foreign tourists. The scenery is beautiful, and there are far fewer tourists than at Badaling, making the overall experience much more relaxed. There's also a cable car and a fun toboggan run down the mountain. Many expatriates who live in Beijing visit repeatedly.

• You want to see the Great Wall, but don't want to be pushed around by crowds.

• You're traveling with family, partner, or friends and hope for a relaxed day.

• You want to take beautiful photos, not just photos with tourists in the background.

• You want to experience a cable car + toboggan ride (the toboggan ride down the mountain is really fun).

• You're looking for a balanced option that you "won't regret going to."

Please note: It's about a 1.5-hour drive from the city center. The cable car and toboggan run require separate tickets; it's recommended to check in advance.

Jinshanling Great Wall

Jinshanling is more open, quieter, and more pristine. It's more suitable for people who are genuinely interested in the Great Wall, rather than just someone looking for a quick photo opportunity. With fewer tourists and magnificent views, it's perfect for hiking and photography.

• This isn't your first time visiting the Great Wall, or you have a deep interest in history and culture.

• You enjoy hiking and are in good physical condition.

• You're a photography enthusiast and want to capture expansive, sparsely populated views of the Great Wall.

• You desire a quiet, immersive experience.

Please note: It is located further from the city center, taking approximately 2-2.5 hours one way; facilities are relatively basic; it is not suitable for those with a tight schedule or limited physical strength.

Simatai Great Wall

Simatai is renowned for its ruggedness and pristine condition, being the only section of the Great Wall that retains its original Ming Dynasty appearance. It's adjacent to Gubei Water Town (a resort town with an antique style), and its most unique feature is the option to tour the Great Wall at night—a one-of-a-kind experience among all sections of the Great Wall. Hiking during the day is more challenging, with steep steps and narrow sections, but the scenery is breathtaking.

• You want to see a section of the Great Wall that hasn't undergone large-scale restoration and has a more historical feel.

• You're interested in visiting the Great Wall at night (the atmosphere is completely different when it's lit up).

• You don't mind combining the Great Wall visit with visiting Gubei Water Town on the same day (the town has restaurants, hotels, and hot springs).

• You have some physical stamina and are willing to climb the truly "wild" Great Wall.

• You want to take unique photos of the Great Wall.

Please note: It is quite far from the city center, taking approximately 2-2.5 hours one way; daytime and nighttime tours require separate tickets, and nighttime tours typically only allow you to visit a few designated watchtowers.

A simple way to decide:

1. Want to see what the classic Great Wall looks like? → Badaling

2. Want a comfortable day trip without too many crowds? → Mutianyu

3. Want to walk a less crowded section of the Great Wall and don't mind spending more time? → Jinshanling

4. Want to see the authentic Great Wall, or are interested in nighttime tours? → Simatai (+ Gubei Water Town)

Besides the sections of the Great Wall mentioned above, there are many other interesting sections of the Great Wall in Beijing. If you've already visited Beijing many times, you can choose to check out some of the sections you haven't been to before.

Chartering a car VS other modes of transportation

Once you've decided which section of the Great Wall to visit, let's look at transportation.

First, let's be clear: you can't only get to the Great Wall by hiring a car. Beijing has high-speed rail, buses, and tourist lines that can reach parts of the Great Wall. However, the problem is that these methods often require more effort than you might expect for tourists unfamiliar with Beijing.

1. Public transportation (cheapest, but most time-consuming)

• Badaling: Accessible by high-speed rail or bus (approximately 30-40 minutes from Qinghe Station or Beijing North Station); Bus 877 departs from Deshengmen, approximately 1.5-2 hours.

  Mutianyu: Requires 1-2 transfers; feasible but cumbersome (you can take a bus or taxi to Dongzhimen, then transfer to a tourist bus).

  Jinshanling: Extremely inconvenient; very few tourists choose this route.

  Simatai: Equally inconvenient, and night tours are completely not feasible.

Advantages: Cheapest, experiences local life.

Disadvantages:

• Requires researching routes, finding stations, and buying tickets.

• Multiple transfers, easy to get lost if there's a language barrier.

• Departure time is limited by train schedules; cannot depart before the first train.

• Very tiring with luggage, elderly people, or children.

• Visiting Jinshanling or Simatai is basically not feasible.

2. Taxi/Ride-hailing (flexible but expensive and risky)

You can also call Didi (the Chinese version of Uber) directly on your mobile phone, or hail a taxi on the street to and from the Great Wall.

Advantages: Door-to-door service, no transfers required; departure time is flexible; usually a little cheaper than hiring a car (provided you can get a taxi both ways).

However, you need to be aware of the following practical issues:

• Going there is easy, returning is difficult: While Didi drivers are willing to accept rides from the city center to the Great Wall, getting a taxi back to the city center from the Great Wall parking lot after your visit is extremely difficult. The price will be high, and you might have to wait a long time.

• Drivers are unwilling to wait for you: If you want a driver to wait for you in the parking lot for several hours, most taxis and ride-hailing services will not agree. This means you can only take a taxi one way there and then figure out how to get back.

• Price instability: Ride-hailing prices may increase during peak hours or in bad weather (premium pricing).

• Language communication issues: Many taxi drivers do not speak English. If you do not speak Chinese, communicating about destinations, prices, and waiting times can be difficult.

Suitable for: People who speak Chinese and are familiar with Chinese ride-hailing rules, or those who have difficulty returning home and are not advised to take the trip.

3. Day tour group (the most hassle-free, but you lose your freedom)

There are many one-day tours to the Great Wall from Beijing, which usually include hotel pick-up and drop-off, entrance fees, and lunch. Many of these tours also have English-speaking guides.

Advantages: You don't need to plan anything yourself, there's a tour guide, and the price is usually cheaper than hiring a car (especially for single people).

Disadvantages:

• Fixed itinerary: Departure and return times, and the length of time spent at the Great Wall are all determined by the tour group.

• Potential shopping stops: Visits to shopping spots such as tea shops are possible. While not mandatory, these can waste 1-2 hours.

• Large group sizes: 30-50 people per bus; getting on and off, queuing, and waiting make for a slow-paced day.

Suitable for: Solo travelers, those who don't want to do any planning, those who don't care about shopping stops, and those who prefer a guided tour.

4. Private car hire (most flexible, but most expensive)

Chartering a car means: one vehicle, one driver, serving only your group. Pick-up from your hotel, drop-off at the Great Wall, waiting for you in the parking lot, and then drop-off back to your hotel or anywhere else you want to go.

Advantages:

• Completely customizable: You decide the departure and return times, destinations, and whether there are stops along the way.

• Driver will wait for you: You can stay as long as you like without worrying about finding a ride back.

• Suitable for all sections of the Great Wall: Badaling, Mutianyu, Jinshanling, and Simatai (including night tours) are all included.

• Great Wall can be integrated with other itineraries: For example, Great Wall + airport, Great Wall + dinner.

• Suitable for families, the elderly, and children: No hassle; you can rest directly on the bus when you're tired.

Disadvantages: Highest price, requires advance booking, and cannot be called on demand like a taxi.

Suitable for: Those traveling with family and friends; those wanting to see the Simatai night tour; those hoping for a relaxed, manageable, and unhurried day at the Great Wall; those wanting to connect the Great Wall visit with other itineraries; and those who don't want to waste time on shopping stops in a group tour.

When is it really worth considering chartering a car?

Chartering a vehicle isn't a "luxury option," but rather a tool to reduce uncertainty. In the following situations, chartering a vehicle will significantly make your Great Wall Day trip easier.

1. You want to leave early and avoid crowds

The best time to experience the Great Wall is often right after it opens in the morning. Before the crowds arrive, the light is good and the temperature is comfortable. A chartered car allows you to leave directly from your hotel, starting as early as 7:00 or 7:30 am. If you take public transportation, you might have to go to the station, wait for the bus, and transfer, arriving at the Great Wall after 10:00 am, just in time for the peak crowds.

2. You are traveling with family, elderly people, or children

This is where the value of a chartered car is most apparent. The Great Wall itself involves climbing hills and stairs, requiring physical stamina. If you spend 1-2 hours transferring beforehand, the elderly or children will be exhausted by the time you arrive at the Great Wall.

A chartered car means:

• No transfers, door-to-door service

• You can leave your belongings in the car instead of carrying them all the time

• You can rest directly in the car on the return trip if you're tired

• The elderly and children can leave earlier if they're tired, without waiting for scheduled services

3. Do you want to go to Mutianyu, Jinshanling, or Simatai?

If you choose Badaling, public transportation is indeed more feasible. However, if you choose Mutianyu, Jinshanling, or Simatai, public transportation will be much more troublesome.

4. You want to combine the Great Wall visit with your other plans for the day.

Many people don't know that the Great Wall can be seamlessly integrated with other itineraries. For example:

• Depart for Mutianyu in the morning, return to the city around 3 PM for Peking duck.

• After visiting the Great Wall, head directly to the airport or high-speed rail station (if your return flight/train is in the evening).

• Downhill from the Great Wall at noon, then visit the Olympic Park in the afternoon to see the Bird's Nest and Water Cube at night.

• Go to Simatai: Explore Gubei Water Town in the afternoon, climb the Great Wall in the evening to watch the sunset and night view, and then hire a car back to the city in the evening.

• These arrangements are almost impossible to make using public transportation, but hiring a car allows for flexible adjustments.

5. You are staying far from major train stations

If your hotel is in the eastern part of Chaoyang District, near the airport, or not in the city center, getting to the high-speed rail station or bus terminal will take a considerable amount of time. In this case, hiring a car is often a more efficient option.

When is it unnecessary to hire a car?

Chartering a car isn't necessary for everyone. Public transportation is perfectly adequate in the following situations:

• You're traveling alone on a tight budget.

• You're only going to Badaling, and your hotel is close to Qinghe Station or Beijing North Station.

• You don't mind getting up early, transferring, and queuing, and consider it part of the travel experience.

• You have plenty of time and no other plans for the day.

• You're familiar with China's public transportation system (or have a friend to guide you).

• If you meet most of the above criteria, taking the high-speed train to Badaling is perfectly fine.

• However, please note: If you want to visit Simatai at night or go to Jinshanling, most of the above conditions for "not needing a car" don't apply.

Confirm these things before chartering a car

Which section of the Great Wall are you visiting (specific name; if it's Simatai, confirm if it's a daytime or nighttime tour)?

• Hotel address and departure time.

• How long will the driver wait for you? (He'll usually wait in the parking lot; contact him after your tour.)

• Do you need a return trip? (This is usually included.)

• Are there elderly people or children with you, requiring more time?

• Do you plan to visit other places that day (e.g., Simatai + Water Town, or Great Wall + Airport)?

• Is it a fixed price or charged by the hour?

• If you're going on a nighttime tour of Simatai, confirm what time the driver will wait (nighttime tours usually end late).

Finally, the Great Wall tour in Beijing

If you are interested in the Great Wall of Beijing or a one-day private car tour of Beijing, you can check out the following day tours:

Beijing Great Wall Tour & Forbidden City by Car

Badaling Great Wall Tour from Beijing by Private Car

Beijing City Highlights Tour - Full-Day Private Car