BEIJING · DAY TRIPS
Day trips from Beijing
Beijing sits within Hebei province and has good high-speed and regular rail connections in every direction. Most day trips involve the Great Wall — and there are several very different sections to choose from — but the surrounding landscape also offers imperial retreats, Ming tombs, and a compact coastal city.
Destinations within reach
Mutianyu Great Wall
慕田峪长城
- How to get there
- Chartered car, organised day-tour bus from Dongzhimen, or public bus 916 + H23
- What to see
- Restored 16th-century wall section with 22 watchtowers; cable car available; less crowded than Badaling.
- Why go
- Well-maintained, photogenic, and accessible without crowds if arriving before 09:00.
Jinshanling Great Wall
金山岭长城
- How to get there
- Organised day-tour, chartered car; no convenient public transport
- What to see
- Partially restored, partially wild wall section; excellent for photographers and walkers; connects to Simatai.
- Why go
- One of the most scenically varied wall sections, popular with photographers for its mix of restored and crumbling towers.
Ming Tombs (Shisanling)
明十三陵
- How to get there
- Bus 872 from Deshengmen; tour buses from central Beijing
- What to see
- Spirit Way lined with stone animals and officials; Dingling underground burial chamber of Wanli Emperor open to visitors.
- Why go
- An underrated imperial site that is much quieter than the Forbidden City; combine with Changling and the Spirit Way for a half-day.
Chengde
承德
- How to get there
- High-speed train from Beijing North station; roughly hourly departures
- What to see
- Mountain Resort imperial complex (largest surviving palace garden in China); Eight Outer Temples including the Putuo Zongcheng replica of Potala.
- Why go
- A manageable day trip to a genuine Qing dynasty imperial retreat without the Beijing crowds.
Tianjin
天津
- How to get there
- G/C-class trains run every 10–20 minutes from Beijing South
- What to see
- Five Avenues European concession district; Porcelain House; Goubuli baozi restaurants; Italian and French quarter architecture.
- Why go
- A very manageable half-day trip; the concession-era streetscape is unlike anything in Beijing.
Eastern Qing Tombs (Dongling)
清东陵
- How to get there
- Chartered car or organised tour from Beijing; public bus options are slow
- What to see
- Burial site of five Qing emperors including Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi; underground chambers open to visitors.
- Why go
- Far fewer visitors than the Ming Tombs; Cixi's tomb is lavishly decorated.
Badaling Great Wall
八达岭长城
- How to get there
- Train from Beijing North (Badaling HSR station opened 2019); or bus 877 from Deshengmen
- What to see
- The most fully restored and accessible wall section; well-signposted, wheelchair-accessible sections available.
- Why go
- Convenient if time is limited; busiest section but infrastructure handles crowds well.
Gubeikou & Simatai
古北口/司马台
- How to get there
- Organised shuttle from central Beijing; direct buses from Dongzhimen on weekends
- What to see
- Gubeikou is a near-wild unrestored section; Simatai is the only wall section legally open for night visits.
- Why go
- Simatai night tours (17:30–22:00) are among the most unusual Great Wall experiences available.
Verified May 2026