ChinaEase Buddy
Maintained by Lin · Prices and booking rules checked against official sources, October 2026 · Hotel prices checked in the Trip.com and Ctrip apps
For three full days in Beijing:
Day 1: the Forbidden City (Palace Museum), then the view from Jingshan Park.
Day 2: one section of the Great Wall, such as Mutianyu or Badaling.
Day 3: the Temple of Heaven, then Qianmen, Dashilan or a hutong area.
Book the Forbidden City first. Tickets go on sale at 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days before your visit, and there are no same-day tickets. It's ¥60 from April to October and ¥40 from November to March, and it's closed on Mondays. Count your arrival and departure days separately.
Last reviewed: October 27, 2026
| Day | Morning / main visit | Later in the day |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | The Forbidden City, entering by the Meridian Gate | Jingshan Park, then dinner near your hotel |
| Day 2 | One Great Wall section, with transport planned both ways | Back in Beijing; keep the evening free |
| Day 3 | The Temple of Heaven (not on a Monday) | Qianmen and Dashilan, or a hutong area if you have the energy |
This means three full sightseeing days, plus your arrival and departure.
Fix the Forbidden City date first, and keep a separate day for the Great Wall. If your dates include a Monday, use the order below.
Save the Summer Palace for a fourth day rather than adding it after the Temple of Heaven and the hutongs.
Beijing airport transfer: PEK or PKX: check your airport and how you'll get into town before counting your arrival day as a sightseeing day.
Official adult prices and booking rules, checked in October 2026.
| Sight | Adult ticket | How to book |
|---|---|---|
| Forbidden City (Palace Museum) | ¥60 April–October, ¥40 November–March; Treasure Gallery and Gallery of Clocks ¥10 each | Official website or WeChat mini program, with your passport. On sale at 20:00, 7 days before; no same-day tickets |
| Jingshan Park | ¥2 (¥10 during exhibitions) | WeChat account "Visiting Beijing Parks" up to 7 days ahead, or at the gate |
| Temple of Heaven | Combined ticket ¥34 in high season: the park plus the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Echo Wall and the Circular Mound Altar. Park only: ¥15 | WeChat account "Temple of Heaven", 1 to 7 days ahead, with your passport. Same-day tickets at the gate if there's space |
| Badaling Great Wall | ¥40 April–October, ¥35 November–March | No booking needed; buy on site |
| Mutianyu Great Wall | ¥45; the shuttle bus and the cable car or toboggan cost extra | See the Great Wall day-trip guide |
Closed on Mondays (except public holidays): the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven's three ticketed sights. The Temple of Heaven park stays open.
Opening hours. The Forbidden City opens at 8:30; last entry is 16:10 from April to October and 15:30 from November to March. The Temple of Heaven's ticketed sights are open 8:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30), and the park 6:00–22:00. Badaling is open 6:30–16:30 from April to October and 7:30–16:00 from November to March. Jingshan Park is open from early morning to 20:00 or 21:00, depending on the season.
Free: the National Museum of China (book a real-name slot up to 7 days ahead; slots are released at 17:00). Under-18s get into the Temple of Heaven free with a valid ID.
| Monday–Wednesday example | Suggested block | Check before committing |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Great Wall day | The section is open, the weather is safe, and you have transport back |
| Tuesday | Forbidden City and Jingshan Park | A ticket for this date, booked at 20:00 seven days before |
| Wednesday | Temple of Heaven, then Qianmen | A combined ticket for the three ticketed sights |
The Forbidden City closes on Mondays except national holidays. The Temple of Heaven's three ticketed sights close on Mondays too (except public holidays), but the park itself stays open.
This is a planning example, not a promise that tickets will be available. If the Great Wall is closed or the weather is bad, swap in a city day and rebuild the order around your bookings.
Book the Forbidden City at 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days before your visit, on the Palace Museum's official website or WeChat mini program. Book with your passport; you'll need the original at the gate. Add the Treasure Gallery or the Gallery of Clocks (¥10 each) if you want them.
Enter through the Meridian Gate (午门), the south gate, and walk north through the palace. Go in the morning: last entry is 16:10 from April to October and 15:30 from November to March.
After you leave by the north gate, walk up Jingshan Park (景山, ¥2) for the view over the Forbidden City.
Each place around Tiananmen has its own access and ID rules. A Forbidden City ticket doesn't cover the others.
Keep the evening light: dinner near your hotel or a short walk around Wangfujing.
Choose one section. Mutianyu is ¥45, and the shuttle bus and the cable car or toboggan cost extra. Badaling is ¥40 (¥35 from November to March), needs no booking, and is open 6:30–16:30 from April to October and 7:30–16:00 from November to March.
Price and confirm the whole journey, there and back. A train station, bus stop or scenic-area entrance is only one part of the trip.
Save the pickup point or station name in Chinese, the last return connection and a backup plan. Keep the evening free in case of delays.
Plan the Great Wall train or bus journey: Badaling station choices, Mutianyu bus connections and return checks.
Get the combined ticket (¥34 in high season), which covers the park and its three ticketed sights: the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Echo Wall and the Circular Mound Altar. Book 1 to 7 days ahead on the "Temple of Heaven" WeChat account with your passport, or scan the code at the gate for a same-day ticket if there's space. The ticketed sights are open 8:00–18:00 and closed on Mondays, except public holidays.
Then take the metro or a taxi to Qianmen (前门) and Dashilan (大栅栏) for food and a shorter walk.
If hutongs are your priority, pick the Shichahai (什刹海) area instead of adding it on top of every stop. Save the Chinese place name and check the route in your map app.
Keep the Summer Palace for a fourth day. If you leave early the next morning, spend the last evening near your hotel.
| Item | What to book or check | When |
|---|---|---|
| Forbidden City | A ticket in your passport name; entry by the Meridian Gate | 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days before your visit |
| Temple of Heaven | The combined ticket on the "Temple of Heaven" WeChat account | 1 to 7 days ahead |
| Great Wall | Section, transport both ways, shuttle and cable car, last return, weather | Before you go; check again the day before |
| Hotel | The "Guests Accepted" line on Trip.com, the address in Chinese, the nearest metro station | Before you pay |
| Onward train | Station, passport name, departure time | On 12306; tickets go on sale 15 days before departure |
Spell your name exactly as in your passport. A nickname, a missing middle name or a wrong passport number can cause problems at the gate.
If your plans change, Forbidden City tickets can be refunded without penalty until midnight the day before your visit.
Prices and booking rules on this page were checked against official sources in October 2026. Check again for your dates: a release time doesn't guarantee a ticket.
Choose a hotel for getting around, not the lowest price in the city. A useful metro line saves more time than being next to one sight.
Wangfujing and the central east side suit most first-time visitors: close to the Forbidden City, restaurants and transport. For the night of November 4, 2026, a budget chain on Wangfujing was ¥255 on Ctrip, and a Lavande hotel there was CNY 600 on Trip.com, or CNY 636 with taxes and fees. All the prices I checked
Qianmen suits travelers focused on the historic centre and the Temple of Heaven.
Before you book, read the hotel's "Guests Accepted" line on Trip.com (how I checked), and save its name and address in Chinese.
Beijing hotels don't put out toothbrushes, combs or razors unless you ask, so pack your own.
Metro: fares go by distance: ¥3 for up to 6 km, ¥4 for 6–12 km, ¥5 for 12–22 km and ¥6 for 22–32 km. The Capital Airport Express is ¥25. You don't need an app: tap your Visa or Mastercard at the metro gate.
Allow time for security checks, long corridors, transfers and finding the right exit.
Use taxis or DiDi for awkward connections, late returns or limited mobility. Save the destination in Chinese and check the plate before you get in. Book a DiDi in English
Beijing's sights are big: even two nearby ones can mean a lot of walking. Keep one flexible block each day.
| Situation | Best adjustment |
|---|---|
| Only two full days | Keep the Forbidden City and the Great Wall; drop Day 3 rather than squeezing all three |
| Four full days | Add the Summer Palace, the National Museum or a slower neighbourhood day |
| Bad Great Wall weather | Swap Days 2 and 3 if your bookings allow; never ignore closure or safety notices |
| Travelling with children | Shorter museum time, proper meal breaks and an easier Great Wall route |
| Limited mobility | Fewer stops a day, check step-free access, and budget for taxis |
| Monday or a closure | Use the Monday order above and check each venue's calendar before changing a booking |
If Beijing is part of a longer trip, plan it with the 7-, 10- or 14-day routes rather than city by city. If you're also visiting Nanjing, see my 3-day Nanjing itinerary.
Beijing to Shanghai by high-speed train: second class was ¥553–667 on 12306 for November 4, 2026, taking 4 h 41 min to 6 h 5 min. How to book China trains
Calculate a China travel budget for your trip: set your travel days and group size, then add actual intercity and flight costs separately.
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Three full days are enough for a focused first visit: one imperial-centre day, one Great Wall day, and one Temple of Heaven plus hutong or flexible-sight day. Three hotel nights with a late arrival and early departure are not the same as three full days.
One Monday–Wednesday option is the Great Wall, then the Palace Museum, then Temple of Heaven and Qianmen. Confirm tickets, operations and weather before using that order. Holiday exceptions and current closure notices take priority.
Choose by transport, walking ability, season and crowds. Badaling is ¥40 (¥35 from November to March), needs no booking and has an official website. Mutianyu is ¥45, and the shuttle bus and the cable car or toboggan cost extra.
Yes. Tickets go on sale at 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days before your visit, on the official website or WeChat mini program, and there are no same-day tickets. Book with your passport and bring the original to the Meridian Gate. It's closed on Mondays except national holidays.
It is not a good first-trip plan. Both need meaningful time, and combining them creates a fragile schedule with transport, security, ticket, weather, and walking risks.
A central area near a useful metro connection is usually the safest choice. Wangfujing, the central east side, and Qianmen can work, but check the exact hotel location, passport check-in, and daily routes before booking.
Use the metro for longer trips: rides of up to 32 km cost ¥3–6, and you can tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard at the gate. Use taxis or DiDi for awkward connections. Save addresses in Chinese and allow time for security checks.
Yes. Share your dates, arrival and departure points, group, interests, walking ability, hotel, budget, and fixed bookings to receive a route adapted to the actual trip.
Official adult prices: the Forbidden City is ¥60 from April to October and ¥40 from November to March; the Temple of Heaven combined ticket is ¥34 in high season; Jingshan Park is ¥2; Badaling is ¥40 (¥35 in winter); Mutianyu is ¥45, plus the shuttle bus and cable car. The National Museum of China is free.
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