This articleHow to choose the season, how to calculate the budget, how to book the Forbidden City, and what is the price of chartering a carSpeak clearly once. If you are planning to take your family to Beijing, save this article first to avoid many pitfalls.
Let's talk about the season first: when you go determines how much money you spend and how much you suffer
Beijing has distinct four seasons, butThe truly comfortable window period is actually not long.
September to October is widely recognized as the golden seasonAutumn is crisp and the air quality is consistently at level 1 to 2, making it the most comfortable time of the year. The red leaves of Fragrant Hills enter their best viewing period from mid October and continue until mid November. However, it should be noted that this period is also the busiest time in Beijing, with all airfare, hotels, and chartered cars increasing in price, and tickets for the Forbidden City are even more available in seconds.
Spring from March to MayNot bad, flowers are in full bloom, but Beijing is often windy and dry in spring, and occasionally encountering a sandstorm can compromise the travel experience.
June to AugustIt is not recommended to bring elders or children. Hot and rainy, there is almost no shade of trees in the Forbidden City. Walking along the central axis will make you doubt your life. And summer vacation is the peak season for parent-child travel, with queues everywhere.
From November to February of the following yearIt's the off-season, and the admission fee for the Forbidden City has been reduced to 40 yuan. The hotel prices are also friendly, but the outdoor temperature often drops below zero, which elders and children cannot afford. Unless you just want to see the Forbidden City in the snow, that's another story.
One sentence conclusion: If the budget is sufficient, choose September to October. If the cost-effectiveness is good, choose November or March. Avoid summer vacation and Spring Festival.
How to calculate the budget: Five days and four nights, depending on one's financial situation
The average cost per person for five days and four nights is about2200 yuan(Excluding round-trip transportation), it is possible to stay in a chain hotel near Qianmen, travel by subway, eat at a regular restaurant, and only purchase necessary tickets.
But this is an 'economic model'. When taking elders or families on a trip, the accommodation standards will be raised, and with the addition of chartering a car, the budget will have to go up.
Open it up and see:
accommodationThe area around Qianmen, Chongwenmen, and Xuanwumen is the most convenient, close to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, with dense subway lines. Chain hotels spend 180 to 250 yuan per night during the off-season, doubling during the peak season. Four night accommodation, with economy options ranging from 720 to 1000 and comfort options ranging from 1500 to 2500.
ticketThe peak season of the Forbidden City is 60 yuan, and the off-season is 40 yuan. The Treasure Museum and Watch Museum are priced at 10 yuan each. It is strongly recommended to purchase additional items, as not watching them is equivalent to going for nothing. Badaling Great Wall 40, Summer Palace 30-60, Temple of Heaven Joint Ticket 34, Yuanmingyuan 25. The total cost of one person's ticket is about 200 to 300.
CateringA typical restaurant has an average of 40 to 60 yuan per meal, while upgrading to roast duck has an average of 180 to 300 yuan per meal. A five-day dining budget of 400 to 800 per person is quite reasonable.
urban transportationThe subway is the most stable, with a one-way fare of 3 to 7 yuan. But if accompanied by elders or three or four people,The cost-effectiveness of chartering a car is actually higherLet's elaborate on it later.
Palace Museum Ticket: Seven days in advance, 8 pm, only available for official admission
This is the one who is asked the most and also has the most pitfalls.
The only official channel is the "Palace Museum" mini programRelease the tickets on time at 20:00 7 days in advance. Don't give up until you get it,Refresh every 5 minutesBefore 21:00, there will be leftover tickets for return flow, personally tested for effectiveness.
Ticket price: High season (April 1st to October 31st) tickets60 yuanOff season (November 1st to March 31st of the following year)40 yuanTreasure Museum and Clock Museum respectively10 yuanBoth are worth getting in.
Closed on MondaysExcept for statutory holidays. Don't run empty.
Entrance onlyMeridian GateThe exit is Shenwu Gate, with a one-way route and no turning back. Don't believe anyone at the door who says' fast track 'or' no queues', they are all scams. Officially, there are no such things.
Practical adviceThe first batch of visitors entered the park at 8:30, but there were almost no people on the central axis an hour ago, and the photography experience was completely different. Wearing the most comfortable shoes, the Forbidden City starts with a 20000 step walk, and slippers and vests cannot pass through security checks.
When is it worth renting a car and what price is reasonable
Let's start with the conclusion:If there are elders or children traveling together, or on the day of going to the Great Wall, chartering a car is much more comfortable than taking the subway or bus.
Although there are S2 and 877 bus routes in Badaling, taking elderly people to squeeze into buses, transfer, and queue, they have no strength to climb the Great Wall. The chartered car can be directly picked up by the hotel or placed at the entrance of the scenic area, and can be adjusted at any time according to physical strength.
The market trend of Beijing chartered cars with drivers(Urban 8 hours/100 kilometers benchmark):
Buick GL8 (7-seater)Daily Rent1000 to 1200 yuanSuitable for family travel, with ample and comfortable space.
Toyota Coaster (19 to 23 seats)Daily Rent1300 to 2500 yuanSuitable for carpooling between two families or small teams.
Ordinary sedan (5-seater)Daily Rent600 to 800 yuanSuitable for situations with two or three people and a tight budget.
Pay attention to a few pitfallsThe quotation usually includes driver and vehicle usage fees, butGas, parking, and highway fees are generally charged separatelyBefore booking, please clarify whether it is a one price, all inclusive package. Book at least one week in advance during peak season, and if you need a car on the same day, it will either be out of stock or the price will be increased.
When is it not necessary to charter a carOnly visit the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace in the city, which are directly accessible by subway. The subway is completely sufficient. The value of chartering a car is mainly reflected inOn the day of the Great WallandReduce walking for eldersThese two scenes.
How to arrange the best schedule for five days and four nights
Day 1Arriving, stay at Qianmen or Chongwenmen. In the afternoon, stroll around Qianmen Street or Niu Street, and rest early in the evening. On the first day, don't wait for scenic spots to save energy for the rest.
Day 2Tiananmen Square (reservation required) → Forbidden City (walk along the central axis and add the Treasure Museum, three to four hours) → Jingshan Park opposite Shenwu Gate, climb for ten minutes to see the panoramic view of the Forbidden City. Starting from 20000 steps this day, go to the vicinity of Shichahai for dinner in the evening. Don't arrange any more walking projects.
Day 3Badaling Great Wall.It is recommended to charter a car for this dayDeparting at 7am to avoid crowds, take the cable car and walk for a while to take care of elders without getting tired. On the way back in the afternoon, take a look at the appearance of the Bird's Nest Water Cube for free, and take enough photos. Go back to the hotel in the evening to eat copper pot braised pork.
Day 4Summer Palace (enter from the north gate, take a boat to the stone boat, save legs) → Temple of Heaven in the afternoon (enter from the east gate, add an echo wall to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests). There is a distance between the scenic spots on this day. If you didn't sleep well the night before or if your elders are tired, you can cut down the Temple of Heaven and replace it with a hotel for rest and a nearby alley for a stroll.
Day 5: Mobile. Whatever you want to make up for, or go buy some souvenirs. Return in the afternoon or evening.
Beijing is aThere is a huge difference in experience between doing homework and doing homeworkThe city. The tickets for the Forbidden City have not been arranged, so I cannot enter at the entrance; On the day of the Great Wall, I squeezed into the bus and by the time I arrived, my legs were already weak; If you don't book a chartered car in advance during peak season, you may not have a car even if you increase the price temporarily.
These matters should be dealt with a week in advance, and when we arrive in Beijing, we will only have fun. Not handled properly, four out of five days are being remedied.
If you are planning to take your family to Beijing and are unsure about how to choose the season, how to control your budget, or whether to book a private car, you canTravel time, number of people, and whether there are any elders or children accompanyingSend it to us. Let me confirm the most problematic steps for you first, so that you don't regret them when you arrive in Beijing.
