Short answer
Book Mutianyu with your passport through the official Mutianyu channel or a mainstream ticketing app, a few days ahead in peak season. The entry ticket, cable car and toboggan are priced separately, and the passport you booked with is what you show at the gate.
What you are actually buying
- Park entry — real-name, tied to your passport
- Cable car up and down, or chairlift plus toboggan — sold separately
- Shuttle bus inside the scenic area on some routes
Which section to pick
Mutianyu is the usual choice for a first visit: restored, less crowded than Badaling, and with a toboggan ride down. Badaling is the closest to the city and the busiest. Jinshanling and Jiankou are for walkers and are not restored.
Getting there
- Private car or hired driver is the simplest for a group
- Tourist buses run from central Beijing in peak season
- Public transport works but adds two to three hours to the day
Related guides
More questions answered
Where these matter
Official sources
Policies and booking channels change — check the official channel before you rely on it.