Mutianyu Great Wall: Fast-Track Ticket & Cable Car

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/10

Duration2h–6h

Mobile ticketAccepted

The cable car climbs through forest to a quieter stretch of the Great Wall

You book your Mutianyu Great Wall ticket online, skip the entrance queue with a QR code scan, and ride the cable car up through forest to one of the wall's less crowded sections. Choose between a round-trip cable car or chairlift with a toboggan descent. The whole visit is self-paced once you're on top, and shuttle buses handle the walk from gate to wall.

2h–6h

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Mutianyu Great Wall

Scan QR code for entry
Explore Mutianyu Great Wall
Enjoy nature and history

The Experience

The shuttle fills up fast in the morning, and you're already scanning your QR code while others wait in the ticket queue below. That's the whole point of booking Mutianyu Great Wall tickets in advance — you skip the line, walk straight through the gate, and catch the cable car up the mountainside before the crowds arrive. The section itself sits north of Beijing, surrounded by thick forest that turns gold in autumn and stays green most of the year, which is why it feels less overrun than the restored sections closer to the city.

You've got two ways up: the cable car takes about 15 minutes and swings you over the treetops, or you can choose the chairlift paired with a toboggan ride down on the way back. The chairlift runs from mid-March through mid-November, 8am to 5pm; the cable car operates year-round, starting at 7:30am in summer and 8am in winter. Once you're up there, the wall stretches in both directions, and you can walk as far as your legs want to take you — some people spend two hours, others do the main section and head back. The forest keeps things cooler than you'd expect, even on hot days.

The QR code they send you is the only ticket that works; reference numbers and barcodes won't get you in, so keep that code safe. Tickets release 10 days ahead, and you'll get your confirmation once they're issued. Inside shuttles run between the entrance and the starting point of the wall itself, so you're not hiking up from the parking lot. If you're 60 or older, stick with the cable car option — the toboggan isn't available for that age group.

What’s included

Your ticket includes admission to Mutianyu Great Wall, round-trip cable car ride (or chairlift and toboggan if you select that option), and shuttle service between the entrance and the starting point of the wall. The QR code is your entry pass; no physical ticket is issued.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Travel China Guide

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to skip the entrance queue and reach the wall without arranging your own transport from the gate — the pre-booked QR code and included shuttles handle both, leaving you free to walk and explore at your own pace once you're on top.