Bādálǐng Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Bus 919 (slow/fast Y5/10) leaves regularly (every 10 minutes) for Bādálǐng from the old gate of Deshengmen, about 500m east of the Jishuitan subway stop. The last bus leaves Bādálǐng for Běijīng at 6.30pm.

Convenient tour buses leave from the twin depots of the Beijing Sightseeing Bus Centre (Běijīng Lǚyóu Jísàn Zhōngxīn; 8353 1111) northeast and northwest of Qianmen alongside Tiananmen Sq. The main depot is the western station. Line C (Y80 return including entry to Great Wall; departures 6.30am to 10am) runs to Bādálǐng; Line A runs to Bādálǐng and the Ming Tombs (Y140 including all entrance tickets and meals; departures 6.30am to 10am).

Everyone else and his dog does trips to Bādálǐng, including CITS (6512 3075; www.cits.com.cn; 57 Dengshikou Dajie), the Beijing Tourist Information Center and hotels. Hotel tours can be convenient (and should avoid rip-off diversions), but avoid high-price excursions (up to Y300 per person). A taxi to the wall and back will cost a minimum of Y400 for an eight-hour hire with a maximum of four passengers.