The Great Wall of China is 21196 km (13170 miles) long, according to the data from State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China. The total length of Beijing Great Wall parts is 573 km (356 miles). There are 9 popular sections to visit near Beijing. You can easily get to Great Wall from Beijing by car. Below is a complete guide on the distance from Beijing / Beijing Airport to the Great Wall and how to get there.
Great Wall sections near Beijing (from west to east)
1. Badaling Great Wall (八达岭长城) 8:30 – 16:00 CNY 40 Cable Car: CNY100/single trip CNY140/round trip
2. Juyongguan Great Wall (居庸关长城) 8:30 – 16:00 CNY45
3. Huanghuacheng Great Wall（黄花城长城） 8:30 – 17:00 CNY45
4. Jiankou Great Wall (箭扣长城) a wild wall section, all day open, Free
5. Mutianyu Great Wall (慕田峪长城) 07:30-18:00, CNY40 Cable Car: CNY100/single trip CNY120/round trip
Chairlift / Toboggan: CNY100/single trip CNY120/round trip
6. Gubeikou Great Wall (古北口长城） a wild wall section, all day open, Free
7. Jinshanling Great Wall（金山岭长城）7:00 – 17:00 CNY65 Cable Car: CNY 40/single trip, CNY 60/round trip
8. Simatai Great Wall (司马台长城) 8:00 – 17:30 CNY40, Cable Car: CNY 90/single trip; CNY 160/round trip
9. Huangyaguan Great Wall (黄崖关长城) 7:30 – 18:00, CNY65
Features of different Great Wall Sections
- Badaling – magnificent and the most popular section among Chinese tourists.
- Juyongguan Pass – the nearest one but just a fort, not connect with other parts.
- Huanghuacheng – unique for some Great Wall parts immersed in water.
- Jiankou – totally wild and dangerous section, the most challenging section.
- Mutianyu – magnificent and popular among foreign tourists, the closest section (55 km, 1 hour drive) from Beijing Airport.
- Gubeikou – wild section and a famous ancient battle filed.
- Jinshanling – half restored and half wild, a popular hiking route.
- Simatai – half restored and half wild, it is steep and dangerous.
- Huangyaguan – considered to be a miniature of the Great Wall of China.
How far is the Great Wall from Beijing?
It takes about 1.5 to 2.5 hours drive from downtown Beijing to the Great Wall, depending on different sections.
Distance from Beijing to the Great Wall
1. Beijing – Badaling Great Wall 70 km (44 miles), 1.5 hours drive
2. Beijing – Juyongguan Great Wall 55 km (34 miles), 1.5 hours drive
3. Beijing – Huanghuacheng Great Wall 90 km (56 miles), 2 hours drive
4. Beijing – Jiankou Great Wall 76 km (47 miles), 1.5 hours drive
5. Beijing – Mutianyu Great Wall 73 km (45 miles) 1.5 hours drive
6. Beijing – Gubeikou Great Wall 145 km (90 miles), 2.5 hours drive
7. Beijing – Jinshanling Great Wall 150 km (93 miles), 2.5 hours drive
8. Beijing – Simatai Great Wall 145 km (90 miles), 2.5 hours drive
9. Beijing – Huangyaguan Great Wall 120 km (75 miles), 2.5 hours drive
How far is the Great Wall of China from Beijing Airport?
Distance from Beijing Airport to Great Wall of China
1. Beijing Airport– Badaling Great Wall 76 km (47 miles), 1.5 hours drive
2. Beijing Airport – Juyongguan Great Wall 62 km (38 miles), 1.5 hours drive
3. Beijing Airport – Huanghuacheng Great Wall 75 km (46 miles), 1.5. hours drive
4. Beijing Airport – Jiankou Great Wall 55 km (34 miles), 1.5 hours drive
5. Beijing Airport – Mutianyu Great Wall 52 km (32 miles) 1 hours drive
6. Beijing Airport– Gubeikou Great Wall 130 km (80 miles), 2 hours drive
7. Beijing Airport – Jinshanling Great Wall 140 km (87 miles), 2 hours drive
8. Beijing Airport– Simatai Great Wall 130 km (80 miles), 2 hours drive
9. Beijing Airport – Huangyaguan Great Wall 100 km (62 miles), 2 hours drive
How to get to the Great Wall
Advise to go to the Great Wall during the weekdays instead of weekends. And avoid to visit the Wall during China public holidays such as May 1-3, and October 1-7.
By Public Bus
Badaling Great Wall
You can go to Badaling Great Wall by public bus 877, Beijing Public Tourist Bus Line 1. Learn more: How To Get To Badaling Great Wall From Beijing.
Huanghuacheng Great Wall
Take bus 942 from Zuojiazhuang (左家庄) and get off at Qiaozi (桥梓), then take the bus H21 (H21路) and get off at Xishuiyu（西水浴）, walk 600 meters to the entrance gate.
Mutianyu Great Wall
There is no direct bus from Beijing to Mutianyu. You can take bus us 916 Express (916快) connecting with bus H36 or H24 or H35
Or take bus 936 connecting with Bus H23. Learn more: How to Get to Mutianyu Great Wall.
The best way to Mutianyu Great Wall is join our bus tour with cost only USD25/per person, you will be picked up and dropped off from your hotel, you will be seated in our comfortable air-con coach, you will have an professional English speaking guide giving an introduction of the wall, you will spend as long as 4 hours on the wall. Check the details at Mutianyu Great Wall Tour By Bus
Jinshanling Great Wall
Take long distance public bus from Wangjing West Station (望京西站公交车站), to take bus bound for Luanping (滦平), get off at Jinshanling Service Area, (金山岭服务区), then walk 2.4 km to Jinshanling Great Wall. The bus is available every hour from 7:00 to 16:30. The back bus is available every hour from 6:30 to 16:00. The ticket price is 25 Yuan.
Simatai Great Wall
You can take bus Express 980 (980路快车) at Dongzhimen Bus Station (东直门公交站) and off at Miyunxinnongcun (密云新农村), change to bus Mi51 (密51路) and get off at Simatai Great Wall (司马台长城).
Or take bus Gubei Water Town Bus (古北水镇专线) at Dongzhimen Bus Station (东直门公交站) and get off at Gubei Water Town (古北水镇), where you can buy ticket to Simatai Great Wall. The bus takes about 2-3 hours and the ticket price is CNY 48 per person. The bus is available at 9:00 12:00 and 15:30. The back bus is available at 12:00, 16:00 and 21:00.
Other sections of Great Wall are difficult to get by public bus. Advise to rent a taxi or a private car with local travel agent.
By Taxi
You can also rent a taxi from Beijing Airport to the Great Wall. Usually the driver will quote you a fixed fare with 2-3 hours waiting time at the wall.
Below is the estimated price for a taxi:
Beijing – Badaling Great Wall RMB 500
Beijing – Juyongguan Great Wall RMB 400
Beijing – Huanghuacheng Great Wall RMB 600
Beijing – Jiankou Great Wall RMB 650
Beijing – Mutianyu Great Wall RMB 600
Beijing – Gubeikou Great Wall RMB 800
Beijing – Jinshanling Great Wall RMB 800
Beijing – Simatai Great Wall RMB 700
Beijing – Huangyaguan Great Wall RMB 700
Tips for Travelers
- Take sports shoes, sun-glasses, sunscreen, bottles of water, snacks.
- Go to toilets at the entrance of the Wall. No toilets available on the hiking route.
- Wearing pants and long-sleeves even in summer.
- Prepare warm clothes in Winter.
Book a bus tour
If you don’t want to arrange everything yourself and want to make it easy. You can book Great Wall Bus Tour (daily group tours). You will be picked up from your hotel and dropped back after the tour ends.
The tour includes English speaking tour guide, air-con coach, entrance tickets and Chinese lunch with affordable prices. The group sizes are usually kept about 15 passengers in a comfortable 22-seat coach.
There is no group bus tour available from airport. If you want to join group tour, you need to take Airport Express (机场快轨) to Exit C (C口)of Dongzhimen Station (东直门站) for pick up.
Group bus tours to different sections of Great Wall:
Badaling Great Wall & Ming Tombs Tour – $28/person, daily available
Mutianyu Great Wall, Ming Tombs Tour – $35/person, daily available
Mutianyu Great Wall by bus – $25 / person
Mutianyu Great Wall Bus Tour – $45/person, daily available
Forbidden City & Mutianyu Great Wall Tour – $40/person, daily available except for Monday
Jinshanling Great Wall Bus Tour – $55 / per son, daily available
Book private Beijing Airport layover tours
If you have a short layover from Beijing Airport and want to visit attractions such as Forbidden City, Great Wall, or just a short sightseeing in Beijing. You may take a private layover tour.
Beijing Airport layover tour as follows:
Beijing Great Wall & Forbidden City Layover Tour
Beijing Airport to Mutianyu Great Wall Tour
Beijing Layover Night Tour
Beijing Layover City Tour
Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City Layover Tour
