Introduction

From Suzhou, went to Beijing for a 3-day weekend to meet friends who were visiting China. Decided to try the sleeper train, buying two different tickets (sleeper and seat). For transportation around the capital, we mainly used Didi (Chinese taxi app).

Overview

  • Thursday 26th
    • Suzhou Train Station
  • Friday 27th
    • Beijing South Train Station
    • Hotel: Erman Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Chaoyangmen Subway Station Branch)
    • Meeting point: The Palace Museum North Exit
    • Jingshan Park
    • Hutong
    • Beihai Park
    • Restaurant: 老北京炸酱面(恭王府店)
    • Prince Kung’s Palace Museum
    • Shichahai Scenic Area
    • Drum Tower (from the outside)
    • Bell Tower (from the outside)
    • Restaurant: 庆云楼·宴会厅(什刹海店)
    • Shichahai Scenic Area (night lights)
    • Bar: 13Livehouse
    • Hotel: Erman Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Chaoyangmen Subway Station Branch)
  • Saturday 28th
    • Hotel: Erman Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Chaoyangmen Subway Station Branch)
    • Meeting point: Shaoyaoju Subway Station Exit E
    • Mutianyu Great Wall
    • Water Cube (from the outside)
    • National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) (from the outisde)
    • The Place
    • Hotel: Erman Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Chaoyangmen Subway Station Branch)
  • Sunday 29th
    • Hotel: Erman Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Chaoyangmen Subway Station Branch)
    • Temple of Heaven
    • Tiananmen Square Security East Red Wall 02
    • Restaurant: FangZhuanChang
    • Lama Temple
    • Summer Palace
    • Hotel: Erman Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Chaoyangmen Subway Station Branch)
    • Beijing South Train Station
  • Monday 30th
    • Suzhou Train Station

Detail

Thursday 26th

  • 22:11 Suzhou Train Station
    • Chinese name: 苏州站
    • Train D10
    • Duration: 11 hours 13 minutes
    • Cost: 591 yuans (1st class sleeper)

Friday 27th

  • 9:24 Beijing South Train Station
    • Chinese name: 北京南站

< 45 min metro

  • Hotel: Erman Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Chaoyangmen Subway Station Branch)
    • Chinese name: 尔曼酒店（北京三里屯朝阳门地铁站店）

< 20 min bus

  • The Palace Museum North Exit
    • Chinese name: 故宫博物院-神武门(北门)
    • Also known as The Forbidden City
    • Meet with my friends

< 5 min walking

  • Jingshan Park:
    • Chinese name: 景山公园
    • Panoramic views to the Palace Museum
    • Cost: 2 yuans. Purchased timed tickets in advance (within previous 7 days) via WeChat
    • Entry from south door and exit from west door

< 15 min walking

  • Hutong
    • Chinese name: 大石作胡同
    • See traditional neighborhood

< 15 min walking

  • Beihai Park:
    • Chinese name: 北海公园
    • Classical imperial park with unique white bell pagoda
    • Cost: 15 yuans. Purchased timed tickets in advance (within previous 7 days) via WeChat

< 10 min taxi

  • Restaurant: 老北京炸酱面(恭王府店)

< 1 min walking

  • Prince Kung’s Palace Museum
    • Chinese name: 恭王府博物馆
    • Best well preserved Qing dynasty mansion
    • Cost: 40 yuans. Purchased timed tickets in advance via Trip

< 10 min walking

  • Shichahai Scenic Area
    • Chinese name: 什刹海风景区
    • Three connected lakes (Qianhai, Houhai and Xihai) with restaurants, shops and a good nightlife
    • Walk around the lake

< 15 min walking

  • Drum Tower
    • Chinese name: 鼓楼
    • Wooden night timekeeping tower
    • See from the outside

< 1 min walking

  • Bell Tower
    • Chinese name:  钟楼
    • Grey brick morning timekeeping tower
    • See from the outside

< 5 min walking

  • Restaurant: 庆云楼·宴会厅(什刹海店)
    • Eat Beijing duck

< 5 min walking

  • Shichahai Scenic Area
    • Return to see night lights
  • Bar: 13Livehouse

< 30 min taxi

  • Hotel: Erman Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Chaoyangmen Subway Station Branch)

Saturday 28th

  • Hotel: Erman Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Chaoyangmen Subway Station Branch)

    Lesson learned: Beijing mornings have heavy traffic, better to take the metro

< 40 min taxi

  • 9:30 Shaoyaoju Subway Station Exit E
    • Chinese name: 芍药居地铁站-E西北口
    • Great Wall coach bus meeting point
    • Cost: 78 yuans

< 1h 40min coach

  • Mutianyu Great Wall
    • Chinese name: 慕田峪长城
    • Great wall section with 20 watchtowers, cable cars and a slide
    • Cost: 320 yuans (purchased as a pack from the guide, including Mutianyu Great Wall area, shuttle bus, round trips cable cars and slide)
    • Best views from tower watch number 20

< 2h coach

  • Water Cube
    • Chinese name: 水立方
    • 2008 Olympic swimming pool
    • See from the outside

< 1 min walking

  • National Stadium (Bird’s Nest)
    • Chinese name: 国家体育场（鸟巢）
    • 2008 Olympic stadium
    • See from the outside
    • Nice evening atmosphere with illuminated buildings

< 30 min taxi

  • The Place
    • Chinese name: 世贸天阶
    • Shopping mall with large screen ceiling

< 30 min taxi

  • Hotel: Erman Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Chaoyangmen Subway Station Branch)

Sunday 29th

  • Hotel: Erman Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Chaoyangmen Subway Station Branch)
    • Check-out before 12:00

< 30 min metro

  • Temple of Heaven
    • Chinese name: 天坛公园
    • Park with a religious temple made entirely of wood (without nails)
    • Cost: 28 yuans. Purchased timed tickets in advance (within previous 7 days) via WeChat
    • If you visit early morning, you can see older people practicing taichi or kungfu

< 20 min metro

  • Tiananmen Square Security East Red Wall 02

    • Chinese name: 天安门2号安全口
    • Must-see square with
    • Cost: Free. Booked time slot in advance (within previous 7 days) via WeChat

    Lesson learned: Don’t arrive via metro, as there is a very slow ID check just at the exit of the metro machines

< 30 min metro

  • Restaurant: FangZhuanChang
    • Chinese name: 方砖厂69号炸酱面(雍和宫店)
    • Eat ZhaJiangMian (noodles with soybean paste)

< 5 min walk

  • Lama Temple
    • Tibetan Buddhist temple with record guiness Buddha statue
    • Chinese name: 雍和宫
    • Cost: 25 yuans. Purchased tickets in advance (within previous 10 days) via WeChat

< 1h taxi

  • Summer Palace
    • Chinese name: 颐和园
    • China’s largest imperial palace with a lake
    • Cost: 20 yuans (off-season). Purchased timed tickets in advance (within previous 7 days) via WeChat
    • View of the temple from the lake and walk the long corridor

< 1h 10min metro

  • Hotel: Erman Hotel (Beijing Sanlitun Chaoyangmen Subway Station Branch)

< 45 min metro

  • 19:36 Beijing South Train Station
    • Train D9
    • Duration: 11 hours 13 minutes
    • Cost: 317 yuans (2nd class seat)

Monday 30th

  • 6:50 Suzhou Train Station

Cost

Aggregated costs (1 person):

RMB EUR (0.13 EUR/RMB)
Transportation to/from Beijing 908 114.67
Accommodation 62.64
Turistic places 450 56.83
Food 266 33.59
Transportation 144 18.19
Others* 106 13.39
Total 299.31
*Bar drinks, bubble tea, snacks, great wall photo