Originally Posted by
mlasser
I would def. use the train to go to Badaling. Even the best drivers in China can be horribly unreliable. We got up at very early (something we don't like to do on vacation) to "beat the traffic" but our driver didn't show until 9 AM (2 hours late) sticking us in rush hour traffic and leaving us just enough time to see the wall for 15 minutes and take a few pictures before turning around and having to head back. Turned out to be one of the low lights of our 2 weeks in China. Hope you have better luck, but using the train puts you more in control of your day to a large extent.
I appreciate the sentiment, and know that you had a rough time of it with cars in beijing. When I was visiting/ first moved here, really dreaded cabs, because I was 'no longer in control'. However, with a smart phone, gps, some rudimentary chinese, and much better navigation than the average chinese, I'm pretty comfortable with cabs and drivers now. I always plan a route somewhere new for myself, so that I can direct them if necessary.
However, you are absolutely right that you can't control if the driver doesn't show. We know some black car drivers who work near us pretty well. They are great 'on spec', but the couple of times we've booked them for short journeys, they've been unreliable. We also have a couple of drivers we know for longer/airport journeys, but they cost more. I think (hope) we'll be OK for the GW: but will report back on our decision, after my family gets here, and how it went!
tb