Plan your next trip to Beijing: The train bound for spring

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Juyong Pass Great Wall "spring train"

The freshness of deep spring wakes me up in early April. With the mountain apricot blossom swaying in the wind, the train bound for spring is slowly approaching me at the foot of Juyong Pass Great Wall.

Juyong Pass Great Wall behind the flower sea of apricot blossom. /Photo by Qu Bo

The “spring train” is Beijing Railway Line S2, arriving at Badaling Station. The train goes through the apricot blossom sea under Juyong Pass Great Wall, thus the name.

I went to the flower sightseeing tour yesterday with my CGTN colleagues. With the background of the magnificent Great Wall, the romantic flower sea meets the express train. The scenery is quite spectacular.

Since 2015 after a photographer recorded the beautiful arrival of the "spring train," it has become a popular scenic spot. In the peak blooming season around March and April, nearly 1,000 visitors gather every day to take photos and enjoy flower blossoms on both sides of the S2 line railway.

Juyong Pass Great Wall “spring train” passing by the apricot blossom. /Photo by Qu Bo

In order to facilitate visitors' journey, this year Juyong Pass Great Wall Administration built a “spring train” sightseeing plank road, where a large number of tourists can walk through and enjoy the flowers in a certain loop.

At present, the plank road has finished two scenic platforms, and the main road has been basically constructed and opened to the public.

Visitors walking on the plank road. /VCG Photo

Two higher scenic platforms on the top of the mountain and the rest of the project are expected to be completed on April 20.

Juyong Pass Great Wall “spring train” passing by the apricot blossom. /Photo by Qu Bo

How to get there:

1. Railway Line S2

Take subway line 8 or line 13 to Huoying Station, and change here to Line S2 at Huangtudian Railway Station. It takes about 40 minutes on the train and then you get off at Badaling Station.

All Line S2 trains have unnumbered seating. Passengers can get on the train by sweeping the Beijing Municipal Administration & Communication Card and the balance of the card need to be more than 18 yuan. Otherwise, you can buy tickets at the station's ticket window.

The S2 train runs 12 times a day, with the earliest train leaving at 7:46 a.m. and the latest at 21:40 p.m..

Due to the limited S2 trains, it is highly recommended to line up one to two hours in advance. The train was full when we arrived, so we couldn't do anything but wait for the next train.

2. Driving

Starting from downtown Beijing, you can drive on Beijing-Tibet Expressway and exit at Juyong Pass Exit. Park your car in No.1 parking lot of the Juyong Pass Great Wall scenic area and walk about one kilometer to the sightseeing plank road.

Juyong Pass Great Wall “spring train” passing by the apricot blossom. /Photo by Qu Bo

Tips of flower sea appreciation

The blooming season around the "spring train" is concentrated from late March to early April and the period only lasts about 20 days.

After arriving at the plank road, the most important thing is watching your steps since the plank is narrow. Do not cross the railroad fence, nor get close to the railway line.

The best viewing time is when the spring train passes by and the interval time is around two hours. If you are a shutterbug, plan for it in advance.

Haven't had enough of the beautiful scenery? CGTN reporters did a live stream while going on the sightseeing tour. Click here and check it out!