Badaling Great Wall Cable Car vs. Slideway
Badaling Great Wall Cable Car vs. Slideway
| North Cable Car | South Cable Car | Slideway | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | One way: CNY 100 Round way: CNY 140 Free for children below 1.2 meters (3.9 ft). | One way: CNY 80 Round way: CNY 120 The actual price is subject to change. | |
| Opening Hours | 5:30 - 17:30 (stop selling round trip tickets at 14:00) | 7:50 - 16:30 The actual time depends on the weather. | The operation time depends on the passengers flow volume. |
| Route | Guntiangou Parking Lot - No. 8 North Watchtower | The opposite of Zhan Tianyou Memorial Hall - No. 4 South Watchtower | Bear Garden at the front mountain - No. 4 North Watchtower |
| Suitable for | All, including the disabled, seniors and children | Adventurous travelers | |
North Badaling Great Wall Cable Car
Safety Rate: 
Upper Station: No. 8 North Watchtower
Lower Station: Guntiangou Parking Lot
Speed: 6m/s
Riding Time: 8 minutes
Passenger Capacity: 8 passengers per cabin
Generally speaking, the north section of Badaling Great Wall gains more favor of tourists. The journey in the north section is more challenging and exciting. Besides, tourists can have a 360-degree view on the No. 8 North Watchtower, the summit of the Badaling Great Wall. Therefore, the upward Badaling Great Wall cable car is frequently chosen by tourists.
It usually takes about 1.5 hours to climb from the entrance to the No. 8 North Tower on foot, while you can reach the summit in merely 8 minutes by taking a cable car. During the ride, you can appreciate the Great Wall from a different angle. What’s more, if you are travelling during the peak seasons, it’s a good way to miss the crowds by taking a cable car directly to the summit.
South Badaling Great Wall Cable Car
Safety Rate:
Upper Station: No. 4 South Watchtower
Lower Station: opposite to the Zhan Tianyou Memorial Hall
Speed: 8m/s
Riding Time: 6 minutes
Max. Passenger Capacity: 120 per car
The south Badaling Great Wall cable car can take tourists from the entrance to the No. 4 South Watchtower, the highest viewing point on the south section of the Badaling. From here, you can also have a panoramic view of the zigzag Great Wall. As it’s a ground cableway running on the track, you will have a chance to travel through the mountain side forest.
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Badaling Great Wall Slideway (aka Badaling Great Wall Toboggan)
Safety Rate: 
Upper Station: close to the No. 4 North Watchtower
Lower Station: near the Bear Garden at the front mountain
Speed: Can be adjusted by the passenger themselves through the control stick
Riding Time: 10 – 15 minutes for ascending, 3 – 8 minutes for descending
Compared with cable car, taking a toboggan is more fun. It’s like a gentle hill roller coaster with dozens of sliding cars connected to each other. The cars are operated in the open air, so you can get close to nature. Though the slideway is safe enough, seniors are not recommended to take it because it’s too thrilling.
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Tips for Badaling Great Wall Cable Car and Slideway
Recommended Routes:
1. Take the north cable car from the entrance to No. 8 North Watchtower – Watch sceneries on the No. 8 North Tower – Hike from No. 8 North Watchtower to No. 11 North Watchtower and get back the same way (skip it if your physical strength does not permit) - Hike from No. 8 North Tower to No. 4 North Watchtower – Take the toboggan to descend the Great Wall
2. Take the toboggan from the entrance to the No. 4 North Watchtower – Walk to the No. 8 North Watchtower – Take the north cable car to descend the Great Wall
3. Take the south cable car from the entrance to the No. 4 South Watchtower – Walk to the No. 1 South Watchtower near the entrance and leave
The cable car and slideway are charged separately.
You need to buy two one-way tickets if you want to combine the cable car and slideway rides.
The tickets for the north and south cable cars are interchangeable.
If you buy round-way tickets for either the north or the south cable car, you can go up and down by the same cable car or join the two different cable car rides together.