Transportation to the Great Wall
 

Does anyone know the price of private transportation from downtown Beijing to the Great Wall (Mutianyu), Ming tombs, and Sacred Way?

If you want a tour package including private transportation, the price will be depended on how many people you are. If wanna travel by taxi, that could be RMB500-600.

Cheers

Can you tell us about this? Where do you pick the bus up? Where does it go? Is it direct? Does it make a lot of stops?

Thanks!

I've never taken the bus, but if it is like most Beijing buses, it is slow and crowded. If you are "with kids" as your screen name suggests, I would not recommend it. But, if you're still interested, here's the dealio, from my guidebook: take tourist bus 6 at Xuanwumen directly to Mutianyu on weekends and national holidays. Or, take bus 916/936 from Dongzhimen bus station to Huairou International Conference center and change to minibus to Mutianyu (RMB 25-30)

We payed $120 total for an all day private tour with driver/guide who spoke good English and had an Audi. We went to Mutianyu, Ming tombs and Sacred Way. (You can skip the tombs but the Sacred Way was interesting!)

Got it. Thanks for your help.

Marija -
Do you have contact information for your guide? If not, how did you find that person?

We went with Jerry. Here's his e-mail.

[email protected]

What exactly is the Sacred Way? (sorry but i couldnt find info about it on fodors).

Also, does anyone have information of other drivers that we can use in Beijing? I emailed Jerry a while back and he didn't answer me.

My friend and I decided to spend our last day/night in Beijing at the Commune Kempinski hotel by the Great Wall. But then we realized that the Commune is by the Badaling portion of the wall and is 2 hours from Matianyu. Should we not stay at the Commune? Or should we stay there and hire a driver to take us to another portion of the wall?

Thank you...

Here's a description and photos of the Sacred Way:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attr...sacred-way.htm

Make sure jerry's e-mail didn't go into spam since it has a foreign address.

Taking a bus to the Great Wall at Badaling is very easy, even if you don't speak of word of Chinese. Take the subway to Jishuita Station (just north of the Back Lakes) and walk a short distance east to the towering Deshengmen Gate (formerly an enterance to the old walled city). There is a bus transport area behind the stone structure. Look for Bus 919 - very clearly marked, air conditioned and clean. The buses run non-stop one after another, and return from the drop off point at Badaling just as easily. If a bus is full, just wait for the next one. Only 20 yuan per person each way. A woman will collect the fare en route. The children will enjoy it. It is not at all like the crowded city buses you see on the streets.

OJudy - I believe the subway station is called Jishuitan.

Swinggal - Mutianyu or Badaling are both easy daytrips from Beijing. I've posted on the Commune on another thread. Basically, the commune is good if you have a passion for modern architecture. It IS located near Badaling. If you're interested in exploring Mutianyu, it would probably make more sense to do it as a daytrip from Beijing. If you want to have a unique experience on the wild wall, I'd suggest staying at the Red Capital Ranch, a boutique hotel located in an unspoiled section of the wall. There's another thread on it somewhere, if you do a search.

Would it be a bad idea to just wait until I arrive in Beijing and find a guide either through my hotel or through a travel agency nearby?

Or just make a plan with a taxi driver?

There are so many guides posing as travelers here that it is not easy to wade one's way through all of these names, not knowing who is who...

I will be in the city in early April.

EK -- If you are willing to wait til you get to Beijing and make a deal with a taxi driver that is the BEST thing to do. I guess most travelers are intimidated by the language barrier. But, if you can somehow communicate -- and perhaps your hotel doorman can help you -- this is the absolutely best way to get to the wall (I recommend Mutianyu). A round trip, including waiting time, should be RMB 400.

eks,

Don't stress it and wait till you get there. We leave next week(yeah!!!) for 8 days in Beijing and I am going to wait till I get on ground before I hire anyone.

I figure a land with a billion people in it won't run out of tour guides before I get there.

They try and advertise here on this forum so competition must be fierce for them in Beijing.

Hope you have a fantastic trip!

Aloha!

Have a great trip, HT. Thanks to you, I ate loco moco 3 times and went to Coconut Grill, no time to do TR.

You guys are great. Thanks for the info. I can't imagine that I would have a problem making a deal with a cab driver..that is a good idea to let the hotel doorman do the translating. Also very helpful, PP, to know an approximate price.

Marija,

I've had trouble posting to this Board
tried posting this message on another question so hope one of my attempts finds its way to you :)

We have printed all of your wonderful postings. Like you we plan to travel independnently in China in September and want to pre-arrange domestic flights, a Yangtze Cruise, etc. We contacted wacts based on your recomemndaiton. Despite our providing an approximate itinerary and specific questions about portions of it, the company's reply laid out a fully guided trip with destinations not included on our plan.

Did you make your arrnegments online or by phone? And did you work with a specific agent to finalize details? If yes, we would appreicate your providing a bit more info on how and with whom you worked with.

Feel free to respond to our personal email at [email protected]

Thank you.

A taxi is the best way to do it, especially if you go as early as possible, to see the sun come up, without the crowds and much less traffic hassle.

Just thought I would post this so those interested can see prices charged by a tour company in Beijing:


http://www.cbw.com/specialtour/index.html