Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the time of research that it was planning to restart the trip once Simatai had
opened once again. Check with staff there, or with other hostels, for details.
Badaling
The mere mention of its name sends a shudder down the spine of hardcore
wall walkers, but Badaling (Badaling Changcheng; adult/student ¥45/25;
6am-7pm summer, 7am-6pm winter) , 70km northwest of Beijing, is the easiest
part of the wall to get to and as such, if you are really pushed for time, this
may be your only option. It ticks all the iffy Great Wall boxes in one flourish:
souvenir stalls, T-shirt flogging hawkers, restaurants, heavily restored brick-
work, little authenticity, guardrails and mobs of sightseers.
There is a cable car ( lan che; one-way/return ¥60/80; 8am-4.30pm) as
well as disabled access.
Getting To Badaling
Local Bus
The 877 (¥12, one hour, 6am-5pm) , 919 (¥12, 1½ hours, 6am-6.30pm) and 880 (¥12,
1½ hours, 7am-5pm) all leave for Badaling from the northern side of the Deshengmen
Gateway ( ) , about 500m east of Jishuitan metro station. Bus 877 goes to the east car
park. The 919 and 880 go to the west car park. The main entrance, located beside two
large archways, is between the two car parks, and uphill from both.
Tour Bus
Tour buses to Badaling depart from the beautifully named Beijing Hub of Tourist Dis-
patch ( Beijing Luyou Jisan Zhongxin; 8353 1111) , by Arrow Tower, south of
Tiân'ânmen Sq. Line C runs to Badaling (¥120 return, price includes entry to the Great
Wall, departs 9.30am to 11am); Line A runs to Badaling and the Ming Tombs (¥180, in-
cludes entrance tickets and lunch, departs 7am to 9.30am). Plan about nine hours for
the whole trip.
Train
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