Beijing Day Tour: Tiananmen, Forbidden City & Great Wall

The Forbidden City holds 9,999 rooms built over 600 years for 24 emperors.

A private day tour from Tianjin via bullet train to Beijing, visiting Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Mutianyu Great Wall with a live guide in English or Chinese. Your guide and driver meet you at Beijing station. You walk the Forbidden City's highlights, hike the less-crowded section of the Great Wall after a cable car ride up, and return to Tianjin by train the same day. Private transfer, all entry fees, round-trip cable car, lunch and train tickets are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Tiananmen Square50m
2. Forbidden City2h · entry included
3. Mutianyu Great Wall2h · entry included

Beijing highlights and Great Wall visit

• Take taxi to Tianjin train station
• Take bullet train to Beijing
• Meet private guide and driver at Beijing station
• Visit Tiananmen Square and nearby landmarks
• Walk to and tour the Forbidden City
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Drive to Mutianyu Great Wall
• Take cable car up Great Wall
• Hike on Great Wall for 2 hours
• Take cable car down Great Wall
• Return to Beijing train station
• Take bullet train back to Tianjin

The experience

The day starts with a 30-minute bullet train ride from Tianjin to Beijing. You present your passport at the station and the operator buys the ticket online in advance. Your private guide and driver meet you at Beijing station and drive you to Tiananmen Square, the world's largest city-center square. You'll walk past the Great Hall of People and the National Museum along Chang'an Street, and see Chairman Mao's Mausoleum at the square's center.

From Tiananmen Gate you walk into the Forbidden City, the largest imperial palace in the world. The complex holds 9,999 rooms and spans over 600 years of history, housing 24 Chinese emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Your guide leads you through the highlights. Plan to spend a couple of hours here. At midday your guide takes you to a local restaurant for an authentic meal.

In the afternoon you drive roughly 1.5 hours to Mutianyu Great Wall, a less-crowded section where you'll hike for around two hours. You take the cable car up to the midway point, then walk the wall itself, and take the cable car back down: a setup that saves time and energy. After the hike, your driver and guide return you to Beijing station to catch the train back to Tianjin.

What’s included

Round-trip bullet train ticket, private car with driver, professional guide in English or Chinese, entry to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, round-trip cable car at Mutianyu Great Wall, lunch at a local restaurant, and bottled water throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availableNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Lily's Tour Company

Is this one for you?The hike at Mutianyu lasts around two hours on the wall itself, but the cable car up and down means you're not climbing the full height. Book this if you want to walk the Great Wall without the steepest ascent. A private guide and driver throughout the day means the pace stays flexible and you're not waiting for a group.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Chinese and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's included in this tour from Tianjin?

The bullet train ticket both ways, private car and driver, professional guide in English or Chinese, all entry fees to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, round-trip cable car on the Great Wall, and lunch at a local restaurant are all included. Bottled water is provided during the day.

How much walking and hiking is involved?

You'll walk through Tiananmen Square and spend a couple of hours in the Forbidden City on foot. At Mutianyu Great Wall, after the cable car takes you halfway up, you hike for around two hours on the wall itself before taking the cable car back down.

Do I need my passport for this tour?

Yes. You'll present your passport at Tianjin station to board the bullet train, and the operator needs your passport name, number, expiry and country at the time of booking. A current valid passport is required on the day of travel.

How long is the full day?

The tour runs eight to ten hours total, including the train rides to and from Beijing, all three sites and lunch. The drive from Beijing city to Mutianyu Great Wall alone takes about 1.5 hours each way.