Short answer
Beijing's major sights are all world-class, and this is the city where advance planning matters most. Three days covers the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven and the hutong lanes. Five days adds the Summer Palace, a second Wall section and the museums.
Two airports and half a dozen railway stations serve the city. The Capital Airport Express is a flat ¥25 to Dongzhimen in about 25 minutes and the Daxing express reaches Caoqiao for around ¥35.
The rule that catches visitors out is reservation, not price. The Forbidden City sells no same-day tickets and releases slots seven days ahead at 20:00 through its official mini-program, and Tiananmen Square needs its own booking.
Why Beijing, and what it is for
Six centuries of imperial planning are still standing in a straight line through the city: the Bell and Drum Towers, the hutongs, Jingshan, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen and the Temple of Heaven along the central axis, which UNESCO listed in 2024.
The second reason is variety. In three days you can stand on a Ming dynasty wall in the mountains, eat in a courtyard restaurant in a 300-year-old lane, and walk through a former factory district turned gallery zone. The cost is scale: plan two or three anchor sights a day rather than six.
How many days do you need?
| Time | What you get | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | Forbidden City and Tiananmen in the morning, the Temple of Heaven or a hutong walk in the afternoon | A taste, no Great Wall |
| 2 days | Add one Great Wall section as a full day out | The minimum that feels like Beijing |
| 3 days | Add the Temple of Heaven, a proper hutong afternoon and the Summer Palace or the Olympic park | The standard trip |
| 5 days | Add a second Wall section, the museums, 798, and a slow dinner in the old city | Comfortable, no rushing |
The Great Wall takes a full day once transport is counted, so one day in Beijing means choosing between the Wall and the imperial core. If the Wall is the priority, leave the Forbidden City for the next visit.
The sights that matter
The Forbidden City
The 600-year-old palace complex. Tickets are ¥60 in peak season from 1 April to 31 October and ¥40 from 1 November to 31 March, with the Treasure and Clock Galleries at ¥10 each. Entry is by advance real-name reservation only, with slots opening seven days ahead at 20:00 in the official mini-program, and it closes on Mondays. Our Forbidden City ticket guide covers the booking steps.
The Great Wall
Badaling is the closest and busiest, at ¥40 in peak season and ¥35 from 1 November to 31 March, with advance online booking required and a high-speed train from Qinghe taking about 19 minutes. Mutianyu is quieter, Jinshanling is for walking, and Huanghuacheng meets the water. See the Great Wall guide.
The Temple of Heaven
The Ming and Qing emperors' sacrificial complex in the south of the city, in a park where locals do tai chi and sing opera at 07:00. Half a day, with a separately ticketed main hall. See the Temple of Heaven guide.
The Summer Palace
The imperial garden retreat northwest of the centre, with Kunming Lake, the Long Corridor and the hilltop temple. Half a day or more, and one of the best places in the city on a warm afternoon. See the Summer Palace guide.
The hutongs and Shichahai
The old lane neighbourhoods north of the Forbidden City, around Shichahai, Nanluoguxiang and the Drum and Bell Towers. This is the part of Beijing you walk rather than queue for. The hutong guide maps the routes.
Tiananmen Square
Between the Forbidden City and Qianmen, with its own reservation requirement, separate from the palace booking.
Getting in from the airport
| Option | Route | Time and cost |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Airport Express | PEK Terminals 2 and 3 to Sanyuanqiao, Dongzhimen and Beixinqiao | About 25 minutes to Dongzhimen, flat ¥25, trains roughly every 10 minutes |
| Daxing Airport Express | PKX to Daxing Xincheng and Caoqiao, up to 160km/h | Around ¥35 in ordinary class, ¥50 in business class |
| Metro with a change | Lines 2, 10, 12, 13 and 19 connect with the express stations | Base metro fare ¥3, distance-based |
| Taxi or DiDi | Metered, door to door | Flag fall ¥13 for the first 3km, then about ¥2.3 per km |
Capital Airport is about 25km northeast of the centre and Daxing roughly 46km to the south, so check which one your flight uses before booking a hotel. Our Beijing airport guide covers the terminals.
Rail is the other way in and it is excellent. Beijing South handles the high-speed lines to Shanghai and Tianjin, Beijing West covers the southern and western routes, Beijing Chaoyang sits on metro Line 3, and Qinghe is the station for the Badaling train. The railway stations guide maps the routes, and the metro guide covers fares and payment.
When to come
| Period | Weather | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sep-Oct | Dry, clear, roughly 10-24°C | The best window. Book hotels and Wall trips early, especially around National Day in early October |
| Apr-May | Warming, roughly 10-26°C | Pleasant but windy, with dusty air on some spring days and heavy pollen |
| Nov-Feb | Cold and dry, frequently below freezing | Fewest crowds and lowest prices. Indoor heating is good, outdoor sightseeing is short |
| Jun-Aug | Hot and humid, 30-35°C, thunderstorms | Long days but uncomfortable walking, and the peak domestic holiday season |
Where to stay
| Area | Why stay there | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Wangfujing and Dongdan | Central, walking distance to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen | Highest prices, chain hotels rather than character |
| Qianmen and Dashilan | South of Tiananmen, old lanes, easy early start | Touristy, and the streets get packed |
| Gulou and Shichahai | Hutong courtyards, bars, the old city on foot | Fewer rooms, and some courtyard hotels cannot register foreign guests |
| Sanlitun and Chaoyang | Restaurants, nightlife, international food | A metro ride from the main sights |
| Beijing South area | Convenient for arriving or leaving by high-speed rail | Little of interest on the doorstep |
What it costs
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Hostel dorm bed | ¥80-150 per night |
| Budget hotel room | ¥250-400 per night |
| Mid-range hotel room | ¥500-900 per night |
| Street and food-court meal | ¥15-40 per person |
| Mid-range restaurant dinner | ¥60-150 per person |
| Metro ride | ¥3-9, distance-based |
| Forbidden City ticket | ¥60 peak, ¥40 low season |
| Badaling Great Wall ticket | ¥40 peak, ¥35 low season |
Budget ¥400-700 per person per day for a mid-range trip covering accommodation, food, tickets and metro travel, and less in hostels with street food. The Great Wall day adds ¥40-100 of transport on top of the ticket.
The rules that matter: reservations, ID and security
- Real-name reservations are the norm. Book with the passport you will carry. The Forbidden City releases slots seven days ahead at 20:00, with no same-day tickets.
- Tiananmen Square is a separate booking from the Forbidden City, checked before you enter the square.
- Mondays close things. The Forbidden City and many museums shut on Mondays, public holidays excepted.
- Security screening is everywhere. Metro stations, railway stations and major sights all X-ray bags.
- Set up payment before arrival. Bind a foreign card to Alipay or WeChat Pay and verify your passport at home.
- Reject the cheap Wall tours. Coaches sold near Tiananmen and Qianmen usually bundle shopping stops and cut the Wall time. Use public transport or the official bus and train routes.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need in Beijing?
Three days covers the Forbidden City, Tiananmen, one Great Wall section and a hutong afternoon. Two days is the minimum if you insist on the Wall. Five days adds the Summer Palace, a second Wall section and 798.
Do I need to book the Forbidden City in advance?
No same-day tickets and no window sales exist. Slots open seven days ahead at 20:00 through the official Palace Museum mini-program or website, issued to your passport.
Which airport should I fly into?
Both work. Capital Airport (PEK) is about 25km northeast and the express reaches Dongzhimen in roughly 25 minutes for a flat ¥25. Daxing (PKX) is about 46km south with its own express to Caoqiao for around ¥35.
How do I get to the Great Wall?
The easiest route is the high-speed train from Qinghe to Badaling, about 19 minutes, with advance booking required for the Wall itself. Buses from Deshengmen also run there. Mutianyu and Jinshanling need a tour or a private car.
Is Beijing expensive?
Not by Western standards. Metro rides are ¥3-9, a street meal ¥15-40, and major tickets ¥40-60. The cost sits in hotels, from ¥250 for a budget room to ¥900 and up.
What is the best time of year to visit?
Late September to October, when the air is clearest and the temperature sits around 10-24°C. Spring is pleasant but windy, summer is hot and humid, and winter is cold and dry but quiet and cheap.
Can I visit Beijing without speaking Chinese?
Metro signage and announcements are bilingual, major sights have English information, and translation apps handle menus and taxis. Bookings are the harder part, since most official systems run through Chinese-language mini-programs.
Do I need a visa for Beijing?
It depends on your passport. Many nationalities enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, and Beijing is a major port for the 240-hour transit scheme, which has conditions about arriving from one country and departing to another.
Related reading
Forbidden City prices, the seven-day reservation window and the Monday closure follow the Palace Museum's official ticketing information. Badaling ticket prices, opening arrangements and the requirement to book ahead follow the scenic area's official notices, and the Qinghe to Badaling train time follows China Railway published schedules. Airport express fares and routes follow Beijing Capital International Airport and the metro operator's published information. Hotel, food and transport costs are typical ranges and are quoted as approximate. Prices and reservation rules change, so confirm them on the official channel before you travel.