Mutianyu Great Wall: tickets, hours and how to visit
The best restored section with fewer crowds than Badaling; 90 minutes by car, cable car up.
Mutianyu Great Wall at a glance
The best restored section with fewer crowds than Badaling; 90 minutes by car, cable car up. Plan on 4–5 hours door to door from central beijing, of which 2–3 hours is on the wall. here, plus half an hour either side for entry, security and parking.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tickets | CNY 45 entry. Cable car up CNY 120 return, toboggan down CNY 100 — both optional but the toboggan is the reason many people pick this section. |
| Opening hours | 07:30–18:00 (Apr–Oct), 08:00–17:00 (Nov–Mar). Last cable car up 30 minutes before closing. |
| Time needed | 4–5 hours door to door from central Beijing, of which 2–3 hours is on the wall. |
| City | Beijing, China |
What to see
Three things carry this sight. If you are short on time, do them in this order.
- Tower 14 to Tower 20the restored stretch with the long ridge views
- Tower 20 onwardsunrestored, rougher underfoot, far fewer people
- The east-side toboggan run1.6 km down, a metal chute you control yourself
Tickets and booking
How the ticket works, and what foreigners usually get wrong.
Before you buy
- Price. CNY 45 entry. Cable car up CNY 120 return, toboggan down CNY 100 — both optional but the toboggan is the reason many people pick this section.
- Booking. Most people take the cable car up and then walk the wrong direction, ending at a dead end with a long walk back. Go up, turn LEFT towards Tower 20, and come back to the cable car — that is the loop with the views.
- Payment. Most Chinese sights take WeChat Pay or Alipay only. Cash works at staffed windows but not at self-service machines; a licensed guide can pay on your behalf and settle with you at the end of the day.
Getting there and when to go
90 minutes by car from central Beijing, 75 from the airport. Direct tourist buses leave Dongzhimen at 08:00 but return at a fixed 16:00 — a car lets you go at 07:00 and be back by lunch.
07:30–18:00 (Apr–Oct), 08:00–17:00 (Nov–Mar). Last cable car up 30 minutes before closing.. The first hour after opening is the quietest — tour groups arrive around 09:30. Late afternoon gives better light but the main viewpoints start clearing people out, so shoot early if that is your priority.
Public transport reaches Mutianyu Great Wall, but connections and waiting times add up. With luggage, older travellers, or two sights in one day, a car and driver removes the guesswork.
The one thing that goes wrong
Beijing local note
- Most people take the cable car up and then walk the wrong direction, ending at a dead end with a long walk back. Go up, turn LEFT towards Tower 20, and come back to the cable car — that is the loop with the views.
Pairing Mutianyu Great Wall with
These are usually on the same day or the same trip.
Mutianyu Great Wall: questions travellers ask
Mutianyu or Badaling?
How fit do I need to be?
Can we combine it with the Ming Tombs?
How booking works — three steps, itinerary before price
No deposit to get a plan, and nothing is locked in before you agree.
Send the brief
Dates, party size, how you arrive and what you want to see around Mutianyu Great Wall.
Get a route and a price
We order the stops by location and traffic, then quote per car per day with fuel, tolls and the driver included.
Confirm and travel
Only after you accept the route and the price do we assign the car and guide.
