Beijing
3 days in Beijing: itinerary
Three days is enough for Beijing's core: one day at the Forbidden City and Tiananmen, one at the Great Wall at Mutianyu, one split between the Temple of Heaven and the hutongs. Xi'an and Chengdu do not fit a three-day Beijing itinerary — they are separate trips, not day trips. Add a fourth day for the Summer Palace or 798.
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- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
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- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
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GuideBeijing
Key facts
- Days neededcheck
- 3 covers Forbidden City, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven and hutongs; 4–5 to add Summer Palace and 798
- Book aheadcheck
- Forbidden City tickets release about 7 days out and sell out; passport needed at booking
- Great Wall pickcheck
- Mutianyu: about 1.5–2 hours by road from central Beijing, cable car up
- Getting aroundcheck
- Subway fare is a few CNY a ride (2026 estimate, check); buy a Yikatong card or scan Alipay/WeChat Pay
- Best months
- September–October and April–May; avoid 1–7 October and Spring Festival
- Entry basics
- Visa or visa-free transit rules vary by passport; set up Alipay or WeChat Pay and an eSIM before flying
- Day-trip fit
- No full-day trip fits inside 3 days; Xi'an, Chengdu, Chengde and Tianjin are separate trips, not day trips
Top picks
Build the three days around one anchor sight per day, then fill the gaps with food streets and hutongs. Trying to fit two big sights into one morning is the most common way this itinerary fails: the Forbidden City alone takes 3–4 hours at walking pace, and the walk out to Jingshan Park adds another hour.
Day 1 is the historic centre: Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, then Jingshan Park for the view back over the palace roofs, finishing in the Nanluoguxiang or Shichahai hutongs for dinner. Day 2 is the Great Wall. Day 3 is the Temple of Heaven in the morning, the 798 art district or the Summer Palace in the afternoon, and Peking duck for a last dinner.
| Pick | Why it earns a slot | Time | Cost (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forbidden City + Tiananmen | The reason most people come; needs a booked slot | 3–4 hours | 60 CNY palace, square free (check) |
| Great Wall at Mutianyu | Restored, cable car, far fewer people than Badaling | Full day with travel | 45 CNY entry, cable car extra (check) |
| Temple of Heaven | Park life plus the round hall; easy subway stop | 2 hours | 15–35 CNY (check) |
| Summer Palace | Lake, gardens and the Long Corridor; half day | 3 hours | 30 CNY (check) |
| 798 Art District | Galleries and cafés in a former factory zone | 2–3 hours | Free to walk |
| Hutong walk: Nanluoguxiang, Shichahai | Free, best in the evening, food on the way | 2 hours | Free |
| Jingshan Park | Best cheap view over the Forbidden City roofs | 45 minutes | 2 CNY (check) |
Prices and hours
Almost every major sight in Beijing now runs on timed online booking with a passport number, and the Forbidden City is the one that catches people out: tickets open roughly a week ahead and are gone within hours on peak dates. Book the moment your dates are fixed, and carry the same passport you booked with.
Opening hours shift by season — most sights open around 08:00–08:30 and stop admitting visitors 30–60 minutes before closing. The Forbidden City closes on Mondays in most periods, and many museums follow the same rule. Treat every time below as something to confirm on the official site the week you travel.
| Sight | Typical hours | Ticket (2026 estimate) | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forbidden City | 08:30–17:00, closed Mondays (check) | 60 CNY (check) | Online, passport, ~7 days ahead (check) |
| Tiananmen Square | Early morning to evening (check) | Free, security check | Reservation may be required (check) |
| Mutianyu Great Wall | 07:30–18:00 (check) | 45 CNY entry (check) | Entry plus shuttle/cable car |
| Temple of Heaven | 06:00–22:00 park, halls shorter (check) | 15–35 CNY (check) | On site or online |
| Summer Palace | 06:30–18:00 (check) | 30 CNY (check) | On site or online |
| Jingshan Park | 06:00–21:00 (check) | 2 CNY (check) | On site |
| Beijing subway ride | 05:00–23:00 approx. (check) | A few CNY (2026 estimate, check) | Yikatong card or phone scan |
Getting there
Beijing has two main airports. Capital Airport (PEK) is northeast of the centre; Daxing (PKX) is south of it. Both connect by express rail and subway, and a taxi to the centre is the slow option in rush hour. Nonstop flights from the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand land at PEK or PKX, and total travel time varies widely by origin and route — check flight times from your home country before you lock dates, because arrival day is usually a write-off.
Within the city, the subway is the fastest way between the sights on this itinerary and costs a few yuan a ride. Buy a Yikatong card at any station or set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly — foreign cards often fail on the spot, and none of it can be fixed at the airport. For the Great Wall, a pre-booked minibus or a private car is the simplest option; public buses to Mutianyu exist but eat most of the morning.
- Forbidden City and Tiananmen: subway Line 1 to Tian'anmen East or West (check).
- Temple of Heaven: Line 5 to Tiantandongmen (check).
- Summer Palace: Line 4 to Beigongmen (check).
- 798 Art District: Line 14 to Wangjing South, then a short taxi (check).
- Mutianyu: road transfer, about 1.5–2 hours each way (check).
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is 3 days enough for Beijing?
Yes for the core: Forbidden City, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven and the hutongs. You will not fit the Summer Palace, 798 and a day trip as well. Add a fourth day if you want a slower pace or a second wall section.
What is the best 3-day itinerary for Beijing?
Day 1: Tiananmen, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, hutongs. Day 2: Great Wall at Mutianyu. Day 3: Temple of Heaven, then Summer Palace or 798, and Peking duck. Book the Forbidden City about a week ahead.
Which day trips fit a 3-day stay in Beijing?
None. Xi'an, Chengdu, Chengde and Tianjin are separate trips, not day trips, and each costs one of your three days. Inside the city, the Summer Palace and 798 are half-day options, not day trips.
Do I need to book the Forbidden City in advance?
Yes. Tickets release roughly seven days ahead, sell out on peak dates, and you enter with the passport used to book. Check the official site the week you travel, as release timing and Monday closures change.
How much does 3 days in Beijing cost?
Sight tickets run about 150–200 CNY total with the Great Wall cable car (2026 estimate). Add a few CNY per subway ride and 100–300 CNY a day for food. Hotels are the big variable, from hostels to courtyard hotels.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialBeijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau
- officialPalace Museum (Forbidden City)
- officialBeijing Subway
- secondaryWikivoyage – Beijing