Hi, we are travelling to Europe via Beijing next July. We arrive into Beijing around 7am. Will this be enough time to get to our hotel (which is not booked or decided upon yet) and then do some sort of trip to the Great Wall? Can you do a half day trip? Can anyone give advice on what is on offer. We overnight in Beijing before flying out to Paris early the next morning.
Regards, Dreamweaver

Yes, you have numerous options, and some sections can be reached by public transport in that time, others requiring hire of a car and driver.

As search of this forum using the words "great wall" in the "search the forums" box above will provide you with a great deal of information on this topic.

Taking a pessimistic view of the struggle through the airport and the morning traffic, and assuming a brief pause at the hotel to eat, change, etc. let's suppose you set out at about 10pm. Probably your best option would be a taxi to Mutianyu, only these are best negotiated the previous day. However, get the reception to write down Mutianyu Great Wall in characters, the time that you want to be back at the hotel (and the name of the hotel and the fact that you want to return to it not somewhere else), and a price of ¥350. Flag down a few drivers passing the hotel (rather than those waiting for custom--although problems in this regard vary from hotel to hotel) and you'll get one to agree after a few tries.

Alternatively, take the metro to Ji Shui Tan and walk a few minutes east to De Sheng Men, or take a taxi straight there (again, get the reception to write 德胜门 down for you) and on the east side of the De Sheng Men (rebuilt gate/fragment of city wall) you'll find express buses departing to Ba Da Ling every few minutes. These drop you straight at the wall, and you can catch a bus back at the same time. You can have someone write Ba Da Ling (八达岭) down for you, too, but everyone there is used to foreigners turning up for this bus, which will get you there for only a few ¥RMB (¥12, I think without double-checking). You catch it back from the same place you got off it.

It's traditional these days to decry Ba Da Ling, often by those who've never been there. It remains the most busy of the officially open sites, but for those with a shortage of time easily the most convenient, and a quick whip up an expressway in a reasonably comfortable air-con bus. It remains just as spectacular a site as it always has, the Wall leaping up to every high point, and those with no previous experience of China are hardly likely to mind meeting a few Chinese on the Wall, and be as thrilled as everyone else was when, 15 years ago and earlier it was the only choice.

There are (poor, overpriced, but tolerable) restaurants at the foot of the Wall, and even a KFC and a Starbucks.

Peter N-H

As you have only 1 day in Beijing, it probably would be most efficient to hire a private driver and work out an itinerary with him ahead of time.
You need a Chinese visa for this stop over though?

Have a great day in Beijing.

Thanks so much for your help. Much appreciated.

>it probably would be most efficient to hire a private driver and work out an itinerary with him ahead of time.

That rationale works in American but not in China.

The private driver will come with a tour guide.

They will tell you that Ba Da Ling section is too crowd, Mutianyu is cordoned off because a foreign leader is visiting. Jingshanling and Simatai sections are way too far for one day trip.

They will talked you to go to a great wall section called “Watergate” at Juyong path.

This “knock off” great wall section is the most inner section and closest to the city proper.

The guide and driver will take you to this section to save time and gasoline.

They will dump you into this section for one hour, then dropped you off at various scammy shopping stops.

The tour guides/tour directors and drivers in Beijing and Shanghai are spoiled & ruthless.
Forget about service, the only thing in their mind is to squeeze kick backs from their clients.

You will have a much better time to explore the city by yourself. You can make it.

If you have never seen the Forbidden City, I suggest that you go there instead of the Great Wall. The FC is one of the best experiences we've ever had as tourists.

We explored Beijing on our own, but for the Mutianyu Great Wall, it was easier to hire a private driver.

Our driver was professional, spoke English fluently, drove safely and never suggested anything remotely close to a shopping trip. He was not a tour guide, he only drove us to the Wall, waited for us, took us to lunch and dropped us off after the day trip.

>Forbidden City, I suggest that you go there instead of the Great Wall.

Forbidden city tour has 3 routes, the eastern route, central route & western route.

Upon entry and after visiting the supreme, middle & preserved harmony halls,

The eastern route heads right from the big stone carving to the Jewel rooms, that's where the artifacts are stored. Tourists will see huge size jades, paintings, bronzeware, ceramics & 18th/19th century ornate clocks in the area.

The central route passes by the working office of the emperors.

The western route passes by the living & working area of Dawagers.

Most Chinese tour directors/guides would simply take their groups to the the central or western route.
Make no mistake they want to squeeze time to take their clients to scammy shops.

If you decide to hire a Chinese guide or join a tour with Chinese tour director to Forbidden city, you only see the tip of an iceberg.

You are better off to visit Forbidden city on your own, at your own pace. Do a little home work in advance, get an audio guide at the South gate/Wumen.

This is a place that's worth to spend a whole day or days.