How much are Badaling Great Wall tickets for foreigners in 2026?
The Beijing government's English page (dated March 20, 2026) lists an adult ticket at CNY 40 per person in peak season (April 1-October 31) and CNY 35 per person in off season (November 1-March 31). Tickets can be bought on site, but the scenic area recommends a real-name reservation in advance. Foreign visitors can buy with a passport.
The same page lists a "discounted ticket" at CNY 20 in peak season and CNY 17.5 in off season. It does not say who counts as a discounted-ticket holder. It also does not say whether foreign passport holders are covered by any discount or free-entry rule, and it does not give a separate price for foreigners. Treat CNY 40 and CNY 35 as the price to plan with.
Free admission on that page goes to minors under 18 with a valid ID, seniors 60 and older with a valid certificate or proof of age, and disabled persons with a disability card. The page does not say whether a foreign passport counts as the ID or proof of age. If this applies to you, ask the ticket enquiry line, 010-69121474.
An older Beijing government price table of city-managed sights, based on a 2001 pricing decision, lists the same CNY 40 and CNY 35 for Badaling. That table only backs up the adult price. It says nothing about today's discount rules.
Do you need to book Badaling tickets in advance?
You can buy on site, and the scenic area recommends reserving. The official statements differ in tone, so here are all of them.
- The Beijing government English page says: "No reservation required, tickets can be purchased on-site."
- The scenic area's own announcement (published November 14, 2024 on badaling.cn) says Badaling, Shuiguan and the Ancient Great Wall run "real-name reservation ticketing and on-site ticketing" (实名制预约购票与现场购票). It adds that visitors are advised to book in advance on the website. It says the same system applies in the July-August summer holiday, Qingming, May Day, Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays.
- The scenic area's visitor notice (website pages dated November 15 and December 12, 2024) describes buying by real-name reservation through the "Great Wall Inside and Outside Tourism" (长城内外旅游) or "Badaling Great Wall" (八达岭长城) WeChat official accounts, the scenic area's website, or the "Great Wall Inside and Outside" online ticketing system.
- The reopening notice from the Yanqing District Great Wall Management Office (August 13, 2026) tells visitors to follow the "Badaling Great Wall" or "Great Wall Inside and Outside Tourism" WeChat accounts to make a real-name reservation in advance.
The Beijing government English page says no reservation is required, while the scenic area's notices recommend reserving ahead. We'd reserve ahead in the holidays listed above, because the scenic area names them specifically.
How to buy Badaling tickets with a foreign passport
A Beijing Foreign Affairs Office story from May 14, 2024 (from the Yanqing District Foreign Affairs Office) describes the process for foreign visitors:
- Open the "Throughout the Great Wall" ticketing platform on WeChat (ID: changchengnw).
- Buy the ticket with your passport or permanent resident ID card.
- At the ticket check, show your passport, permanent resident ID card, paper ticket or QR code.
The scenic area's own Chinese pages call its reservation channel "Great Wall Inside and Outside Tourism" (长城内外旅游). Search for the Chinese name too if the English one does not turn up. None of the official pages listed on this page say whether a Chinese phone number is needed to register.
The scenic area's own announcement also lists third-party reservation platforms: Meituan, Ctrip, Lvmama, Tongcheng, the Fliggy flagship store and Amap (Gaode Map). The homepage of badaling.cn has a button labelled "外籍人购票" (tickets for foreigners). As of October 4, 2026, that button redirects to the Trip.com page for Badaling Great Wall. That is what the website does. This page gives no Trip.com price or terms, and the scenic area's notices name the WeChat channels above.
The 2024 story also says the scenic area has bilingual one-stop service counters for ticket purchasing, exchange and checking, and 940 Chinese-English signs.
Badaling opening hours and what time to arrive
The Beijing government English page and the scenic area's notice give the same hours. Peak season, April 1-October 31: 06:30-16:30. Off season, November 1-March 31: 07:30-16:00.
The scenic area's Travel services page, which has no publication date, words this differently. It shows a "start entry" time of 06:30 and a "stop entry" time of 16:30 in peak season, and 07:30 and 16:00 in off season. The off-season entry on that page repeats the peak-season dates, so follow the numbers and the November 1-March 31 dates above. Read 16:30 and 16:00 as the last time to enter, not as a closing time. The Beijing government English page, the scenic area's visitor notice and its Travel services page do not say how long you can stay after the stop-entry time.
Only part of the wall is open: from North 12th Tower to South 7th-and-a-half Tower (北十二楼至南七楼半). The Beijing government English page, the scenic area's visitor notice and its Travel services page give no daily visitor cap and no advice on the best arrival time. If you want a calm start, the first entry time is the earliest the official pages allow.
The scenic area may close partly or fully in severe weather such as thunder, rain, snow, hail, fog or strong wind. Its notice of August 13, 2026 says the Badaling scenic area (including the cable car and the night Great Wall), Shuiguan Great Wall and the Ancient Great Wall resumed normal opening from that date. The notice does not say why they had been closed.
How to get to Badaling from central Beijing
Badaling is in Yanqing District, about 60 km northwest of Beijing. The scenic area's Travel services page lists buses 919, 880 and 877, the S2 suburban line and the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed train, with "actual operation subject to railway announcements". You can also see the Beijing travel guide for the wider trip.
Bus 877
The newest official statement is a Beijing government article of July 15, 2025. It says to take bus 877 from Beitucheng subway station (北土城站), one stop direct to Badaling, with extra return capacity on peak days. A July 30, 2024 Beijing Daily article described the start point as Deshengmen instead. That article said that as of 2024 the bus runs via the G6 expressway, usually takes 70 minutes one way, costs CNY 12 with card and QR-code discounts, and has a first bus at 06:00. Check the current fare and timetable at the stop. Neither the July 2025 tourist bus article nor the July 2024 Beijing Daily article gives a current bus 877 timetable.
High-speed train
The high-speed station is Badaling Great Wall station (八达岭长城站) on the Beijing-Zhangjiakou line. A Beijing government notice of October 21, 2025 says train times come from the 12306 website or app, and that the railway will add capacity to this station. It also says shuttle buses run between Badaling Great Wall station and Yanqing station, and gives the shuttle timetable as an image. The October 2025 S2 route-change notice and the scenic area's Travel services page give no high-speed train fare or ride time, so check 12306 before you go. For ticket changes and refunds, see 12306 refund and change fees.
S2 suburban train
The S2 stop called Badaling (八达岭) is a different station from the high-speed Badaling Great Wall station. Don't mix them up when you book. The Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport page, published July 7, 2026, says that since October 25, 2025 Huangtudian station has closed and S2 runs from Nankou to Yanqing (Shacheng). It stops at 5 stations: Nankou, Badaling, Yanqing, Kangzhuang and Shacheng. It runs 2 pairs of trains Tuesday to Thursday, and 3 pairs Friday to Monday and on short public holidays.
The October 2025 notice says trips were cut because of platform works at Nankou, and that fares per section are unchanged. So S2 no longer starts at Huangtudian; it now starts at Nankou. The July 2026 suburban rail page and the October 2025 S2 route-change notice do not give directions from central Beijing to Nankou or the distance from S2 Badaling station to the wall. The October 2025 notice gives the S2 timetable as an image.
Tourist direct buses and driving
The July 2025 article also lists two Badaling Great Wall tourist direct buses: Dongzhimen hub to Badaling Great Wall, and Lianhuachi bus station - Xiyuan - Badaling Great Wall. They are booked through the Beijing Tourist Distribution Center website or WeChat mini program. No price is given there.
If you drive, take the G6 Jingzang or G7 Jingli expressway. Park in the designated car park and take the free shuttle bus into the scenic area.
Can you pay with a foreign card or cash at Badaling?
The 2024 Foreign Affairs Office story says the ticketing office takes cash, mobile payment and foreign cards at POS terminals. It also says more merchants inside the scenic area have installed POS terminals that accept foreign cards. "More merchants" does not mean every shop, so carry some cash as a back-up. For the wider cash and card picture, see Is cash accepted in China in 2026?
Badaling cable car and toboggan: extra cost?
The Beijing government English attractions page, the scenic area's visitor notice and Travel services page, the August 2026 reopening notice and the September 2024 night Great Wall notice give no cable car or toboggan price and do not say whether either is sold separately from the entry ticket. None of these pages mentions a toboggan. The scenic area's official WeChat account is the place to check on the day.
The August 13, 2026 reopening notice says the cable car and the night Great Wall are part of the normal reopening, but it gives no hours for either. Check the scenic area's official WeChat account before planning an evening visit.
Rules and contact numbers
- No pets, and do not climb the battlements.
- Guides leading a tour group with a national guide license and a travel agency itinerary enter free. Guides without a license or with documents that do not meet the requirements need a ticket.
- Ticket enquiries: 010-69121474, or 4008180088. Refund and invoice enquiries: 010-61118002. General enquiries: 010-69122222. The scenic area's visitor notice and Travel services page print different hours for 010-69121474 and 010-61118002, so call and ask.
If you are fitting Badaling into a longer Beijing trip, we can help you plan the day and tell you how to book through the official channels. We do not book Great Wall tickets or the cable car. If you are comparing sections of the wall, see Mutianyu Great Wall tickets for foreigners.
