Everything in one place.
The apps, the official pages, and the booking links from the guides. Links marked affiliate pay this site a small commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.
Apps to install before you fly
| App | What for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Alipay | Paying, buses (Transport code), DiDi taxis, shared bikes | Verify with your passport and link two cards before you leave |
| Paying, restaurant mini programs, messaging | Same: verify and link cards at home | |
| Amap (高德地图) | Maps, subway routes, bus stops | Works far better than Google Maps here; Apple Maps is a fallback on iPhone |
| DiDi | Taxis and private cars | Also available inside Alipay; the app takes a home number and an international card |
| Trip.com | Hotels, trains, tickets, eSIM | English interface, international cards |
| Dianping (大众点评) | Restaurant reviews | Like a Chinese Yelp; Chinese interface, worth it for the photos and ratings |
| A VPN of your choice | Foreign apps on a Chinese SIM | Install and test at home. Turn it off if a payment fails |
Official reservation pages and release times
Around Tiananmen, six sights must be reserved online in advance. Reservations open on a schedule, Beijing time. These are the official pages; rules and times change, so check them close to your date.
| Sight | Reservations open | Official page |
|---|---|---|
| Tiananmen Square | 1 to 7 days ahead; a new date opens at 12:00 | Square reservation ↗ |
| Tiananmen Gate Tower | 7 days ahead, 17:00 | Same platform as the Square |
| Forbidden City (Palace Museum) | 7 days ahead, 20:00 | Palace Museum booking ↗ |
| National Museum of China | 7 days ahead, 17:00 | National Museum ↗ |
| Great Hall of the People | 3 days ahead, 17:00 | Via the Beijing ticketing platform |
| Chairman Mao Memorial Hall | 1 to 6 days ahead | Via the Memorial Hall's official WeChat account or mini program |
Two details older guides get wrong. A Forbidden City ticket no longer gets you into Tiananmen Square; if you want both, book both. A National Museum reservation lets you walk into the Square after the museum, in that order only. Bookings for the Great Hall, the Memorial Hall or the Gate Tower also admit you to the Square.
Places you can usually buy on the day, though I'd still book online: the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Old Summer Palace, Beihai, Jingshan, the Lama Temple and the Great Wall. Places with no ticket at all: Qianmen, Wangfujing, the hutongs, Shichahai and the outdoor areas of Olympic Park. Beijing's city ticketing platform is described on the city government site ↗.
Hotels by area
Trip.com affiliate links.
The six transfer-station areas from Where to Stay. Each link opens hotels within walking distance of that station.
- Jianguomen ↗ · high-end, CBD side
- Chongwenmen ↗ · widest choice, my pick when in doubt
- Dongzhimen ↗ · Airport Express and nightlife
- Xizhimen ↗ · Great Wall train and universities
- Zhushikou ↗ · old Beijing, lower prices
- Ping'anli ↗ · hutong courtyards
Resting at Capital Airport Terminal 3
Trip.com affiliate links.
Three hourly hotels inside the terminal, for a late arrival or a long layover. Prices are on Trip.com.
- Ji Hotel, arrivals level ↗
- Airport Station Lounge, arrivals level ↗
- Capsule hotel, B1 across from Starbucks ↗
The Great Wall, and getting there
Trip.com affiliate links.
Badaling is the section you reach by train: 30 to 40 minutes from Beijing North, tickets from ¥28. Mutianyu has no train, so most visitors go on a day trip with a return bus, or by car.
- Badaling train tickets, Beijing North to Badaling Great Wall ↗
- Badaling entry tickets ↗
- Mutianyu day trip, return bus and entry ticket ↗ · buses leave the city centre between 8:00 and 11:45, about an hour and a half each way
- Mutianyu entry tickets ↗
Airport transfer and eSIM
Trip.com affiliate links.
- Private airport transfer, Capital or Daxing to your hotel ↗ · booked ahead; the driver waits in the arrivals hall and helps with the bags
- Mainland China eSIM ↗ · the listing says Google Maps and ChatGPT work on it; compare data allowances before you buy
Free download
Guide to Payment in Beijing: the official booklet handed out at the airport's Payment Service counter, scanned page by page. 13 pages, no sign-up.
The videos
- A Guide to Your First Hour in Beijing, China (2026)
- How to Pay in China as a Foreigner: Subway to Street Food
- Where to Stay in Beijing: 6 Best Areas by a Local
- How to Get Around Beijing: 10 Transport Tips from a Local
- Beijing Travel Guide: What to Book Before You Go
- 15 China Travel Mistakes Tourists Always Make
- 6 Ways Tourists Waste Money in China
- All videos on the channel ↗
Affiliate disclosure: if you book through the Trip.com links on this page, this site earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for the support.
Reservation rules as of July 2026; the Tiananmen Square and Memorial Hall windows re-checked against the official notices on 16 September 2026; links checked September 2026.