All three itineraries start with the sights that usually require planning: Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. The 5- and 7-day versions add places only when the geography makes sense. Each stop links to its individual practical guide.
This is not another route to memorise. It is here to show why the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, central Beijing and 798 belong on different parts of your trip.
798 Art District guide for foreign visitors: galleries, a realistic half-day route, how to get there, payment…
Read guide →Beihai Park in Beijing: the 900-year-old imperial lake garden by the Forbidden City, the White Dagoba, tickets…
Read guide →Beijing's free flagship museum: what's inside, the route that works, and how first-timers solve the four real…
Read guide →Visiting the Forbidden City in Beijing: why it matters, how to buy tickets (book ahead), timing, and tips for…
Read guide →Mutianyu Great Wall guide for foreign visitors: what it is, passports & tickets, how to get there from Beijing…
Read guide →Jingshan Park in Beijing: the best ¥2 view over the Forbidden City rooftops, how to get there from the…
Read guide →Beijing's 800-year-old hutong food street: what to eat, where to stay in a courtyard, how to get there, the…
Read guide →Shichahai (Houhai), Beijing: the food and nightlife guide — copper-pot hotpot, Kao Rou Ji roast meat, Peking…
Read guide →Visiting the Summer Palace in Beijing: royal gardens, Kunming Lake, how to get there, and tips.
Read guide →Temple of Heaven guide: the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Echo Wall and the Circular Mound, combo…
Read guide →Tiananmen Square guide: free but reservation-only, how to book with your passport, the flag-raising ceremony…
Read guide →A complete foreign-visitor guide to Beijing Olympic Park, the Bird's Nest and Water Cube: route, metro, venue…
Read guide →These are the things to solve before your first attraction: carry the right document, use the local payment and transport options, and know what your hotel is required to do. Rules and opening arrangements can change, so use the official links on the day you book.
Use the same original passport for booking and entry. Beijing’s municipal-park system lets foreign visitors book with a passport, but the passport must still be presented with the e-ticket at the gate.
Official park-ticket instructions →Do not assume a famous attraction has walk-up entry. Book date- and time-specific visits first, especially the Forbidden City and major parks; then make restaurants and transport fit around that reservation.
Official Beijing ticket platform →Beijing’s subway gates accept eligible overseas Visa and Mastercard cards directly. You can also buy a ticket, use a BEIJING PASS, or use an Alipay transport QR code after identity verification.
Official foreign-card metro FAQ →Link your international bank card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before you need a taxi or café. Keep a small amount of RMB as a backup: cash is legal tender, but small merchants may not have change for large notes.
Official payment setup guide →Bring your passport to hotel check-in; the hotel completes the accommodation registration. If you stay in a private home or other non-hotel lodging, you or your host must register the stay with local public security within 24 hours.
Official accommodation-registration guide →At Capital or Daxing airport, the Beijing Service counter can help with SIM cards, payment apps and visitor information. The current GO BEIJING service also brings multilingual maps, ride-hailing, ticketing and hotel tools together inside international Alipay.
Official arrival and GO BEIJING guide →Before you leave the hotel, confirm: passport, booking QR code, the exact Chinese destination name, enough phone battery, water, weather layer and a way to pay. At the gate, follow security and photo rules instead of relying on an old social-media post.
Open the Beijing route plans →For trips beyond Beijing, use the official Railway 12306 website or app and complete passport identity verification before you book. The passenger name must match the passport, and you should carry that original passport to the station.
Official 12306 foreign-traveller guide →For visitor questions, service problems or complaints, Beijing’s 12345 Online service is available in 10 languages. For an emergency, call 110 police, 119 fire, 120 medical, or 122 for a traffic accident.
Official 12345 help and emergency guide →Last checked 10 Aug 2026. Individual attractions can change reservations, hours and entry rules at short notice.