Great Wall of China

Great Wall of China
Sep 18, 2010 00:54
AUDREYTSENG Points: Join Date: Sep 18, 2010 Status: offline	My husband and I are arriving Beijing on 26 Sep early morning and we want to go straight to the Great Wall. We want to visit the Great Wall and stay the night at the foot of the Great Wall. Can you advise which of the Great Wall is more interesting to climb and which hotel would you recommend we stay. Do we have to book in advance? How do we go from the Airport to the Great Wall and what is the fare? Thanks, Audrey

Sep 18, 2010 00:54

AUDREYTSENG
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Join Date: Sep 18, 2010
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My husband and I are arriving Beijing on 26 Sep early morning and we want to go straight to the Great Wall. We want to visit the Great Wall and stay the night at the foot of the Great Wall. Can you advise which of the Great Wall is more interesting to climb and which hotel would you recommend we stay. Do we have to book in advance? How do we go from the Airport to the Great Wall and what is the fare? Thanks, Audrey

Sep 18, 2010 01:41

BAKUI
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Join Date: Jun 10, 2010
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There are many farm houses to live in at the foot of Great Wall and no need to book in advance.
For the interesting sections, I prefer Mutianyu personally, for there are fewer tourists there and it will not be that crowded as in Badaling. But Badaling is the most famous section and receives most tourists every year. You make the decision.

From airport to Badaling:
1. Airport Express Train (rmb25) to Dongzhimen Station, then change to Subway Line 2 (rmb2) to Jishuitan Station, walk to Deshengmen Gate and take bus no.919（大站快车）, or bus no.919 (直达) (rmb12 by cash and rmb4.8 by transportation card) to Badaling Great Wall.
2. Airport Express Train and get off at Dongzhimen Station, change to Subway Line 2 and get off at Xizhimen Station, walk to Beijing North Railway Station and take a train (depart at 0933 and 1319, duration time is about an hour) to Badaling. The first class ticket is rmb23 and the second class is rmb19.
3. Some other things: Although the bus no.919 leaves every 5 minutes, but the traffic jams happen a lot recently on Badaling highway. But if you by train, another thing is that the ticket may be sold out when you will be there.

From airport to Mutianyu:
1. Airport Express Train to Dongzhimen, then Tour Bus No.936 (depart at 0700 and 0800 in the week and 0700, 0800 and 0900 on weekends). Ticket is rmb16 by cash and rmb 6.4 by using Transportation Card. There may be traffic jams on weekends, but it’s much better than on the Badaling highway.
2. Or you can also take one of the Buses No.916 or 936 at Dongzhimen to Huairou Bus Station. Get off at Huairou Beida Street or Huairou Bus Station and then hire a local car (rmb30-40) to Mutianyu.

Sep 18, 2010 04:02

GUEST01111

Quote:

Originally Posted by AUDREYTSENG

I was very disapoointed with the Great Wall when I went to the less touristy one. You can walk for miles and the scenery is the same, DULL. It's a must place to visit simply for the record. Great Wall is one of those few touristy place where photos are more interesting than the real place.
I suggest you go to the one where you can also vsiit the Ming Tomb, at least you see something else.

Sep 18, 2010 09:36	#3
GUEST27123	Thank you for the useful information. Can you advise which is a more reasonable hotel at Mutianyu. Do I have to buy food and water on the way or will there be stalls around there? Will taxi take us from Airport to the Great Wall and how much would it cost and time taken? Thanks.

Sep 19, 2010 01:45	#4
BAKUI Points: Join Date: Jun 10, 2010 Status: Offline	For accomadation near Mutianyu, have a look at [tcgurl=http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/scene/beijing/mutianyu.htm]Mutianyu Dining & Accommodation[/tcgurl], this web has listed some nice ones. Better buy some food and water on the way there, coz it will be more expensive at the attraction site. A single trip from the airport to Mutianyu takes about rmb200 by meter (toll excluded) and 80 minutes. But I'm not sure the taxi driver will do it or not. Because people usually hire one for the double trip at a price of RMB600 for a whole day (10 hours).
BAKUI Points: Join Date: Jun 10, 2010 Status: Offline	Last edited by BAKUI: Sep 19, 2010 01:52

Sep 19, 2010 09:16	#5
GUEST27123	Thank you, Bakui. After our stay at the hotel near the Mutianyu, we are thinking of visiting the Ming Tomb before heading for Beijing Town. Is there are luggage locker somewhere so that we do not need to carry our luggage around? How do we go to the city from Ming Tomb? We will be staying at Day Inn Forbidden City Hotel. Thanks,

Sep 19, 2010 22:16

CHERRY07
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Join Date: Mar 23, 2008
Status: Offline

Here is transportation info on how to get to Ming Tombs:
1. Take bus 345 (快), 919 (支) 1 at De Sheng Men Xi Station, get off at Chang Ping Dong Guan Station, and take bus 314, Changping 23 to Ming Dingling Tomb Station or Changling Tomb Station.
2. Take Subway Line 5 to Tiantongyuan Bei, get out of the subway station and shift to bus Changping 23 to Ming Zhaoling Tomb.

To get back to Beijing, you may take the reverse route. To reach your hotel, you can take No.44 bus at De Sheng Men Xi and get off at Chongwenmenxi and then take No.60 bus and get off at Nanheyan. Then walk to your hotel.

Sep 20, 2010 02:37	#7
GUEST61205	Thank you. Does anyone know if there is luggage locker near the Ming Tomb?

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