The Bird's Nest
The lattice-steel National Stadium, designed by Herzog & de Meuron with Li Xinggang, is the park's icon. Walk the exterior plaza for free, or pay to enter the stands and the lower bowl.
Modern, Family & Parks
parkmodernarchitecturefamilyolympic
Beijing Olympic Park: Bird's Nest & Water Cube Visitor Guide
Walk the central axis between the Bird's Nest and the glowing Water Cube
Beijing Olympic Park is the green axis built for the 2008 Games, anchored by the Bird's Nest stadium and the Water Cube aquatics hall. The vast grounds, the Olympic Forest Park and the night-lit architecture make an easy, car-free half-day. This guide covers what to see, whether the Bird's Nest interior tour is worth it, and how to use Line 8 to reach the park, and where the 2022 Winter Olympics legacy actually sits.
Quick Facts
- Opening hours
- Grounds 06:00β22:00; venues vary
- Last entry
- Grounds entry until 21:00
- Closed
- Open daily
- Suggested time
- Half a day
- Ticket price
- Grounds free; Bird's Nest tour ~CNY 50
- Best season
- Evenings for the lit architecture
- Booking
- Walk-in for grounds; venue tickets on-site
- Nearest metro
- Line 8 to Olympic Park or South Gate
Do You Need to Book?
The park grounds are free and open, so no booking is needed to walk them. The Bird's Nest and Water Cube charge for interior visits, and those tickets are bought on-site or through the venues' own channels.
- Walk into the grounds freely from any open entrance; there is no gate or passport check for the public park.
- Take Line 8 to Olympic Park or South Gate of Forest Park, then follow signs to the stadiums.
- Buy Bird's Nest or Water Cube interior tickets at the venue box office or via the official channel on the day.
- Book the Forest Park's paid areas separately if you want the northern lakeside section.
Getting There
By metro
Metro Line 8 to Olympic Park (Exit B) or South Gate of Forest Park; both put you on the central axis within a short walk of the stadiums.
By taxi
Show the driver ε₯₯ζεΉε ε ¬ε (Olympic Park) or ιΈε·’ (Bird's Nest). Use the south gate area for the main stadiums.
Entrances
Enter the grounds from any open side; the Bird's Nest and Water Cube sit beside each other on the central axis walk.
What to See Inside
The Water Cube
The blue, bubble-clad National Aquatics Center hosted swimming in 2008 and now doubles as a water park. Its LED-lit skin glows blue at night and is the park's best photo.
Central axis walk
A broad, car-free promenade runs between the two venues and up toward the Forest Park, echoing Beijing's northβsouth imperial axis extended into the 21st century.
Olympic Forest Park
The large northern park offers lakes, woodland trails and a hill with a view back over the stadiums. It is the calm, green counterweight to the architecture.
Photo Gallery
Built for Two Olympics
The park was created for the 2008 Summer Olympics on open land in the city's north, extending Beijing's traditional central axis beyond the old city. The Bird's Nest and Water Cube were built as the headline venues for athletics and swimming.
After 2008 the grounds became a public park and a venue for state ceremonies and concerts. Beijing then reused the site's fame for the 2022 Winter Olympics, though most winter events β including the Big Air Shougang jump β were staged at separate venues far from here.
Today the stadiums are largely exhibition and tourism objects rather than active sports grounds, and the surrounding park draws joggers, families and evening strollers. The lit skyline remains one of the city's most photogenic modern scenes after dark.
Suggested Route
- 1. Arrive at Olympic Park Leave Line 8 at Olympic Park (Exit B) and head to the central axis plaza between the two venues.
- 2. Bird's Nest exterior Walk the Nest's outer plaza and the steel lattice up close; decide there whether to pay for the interior.
- 3. Cross to the Water Cube Stroll the short axis walk to the Water Cube; time it for late afternoon so the skin lights up as dusk falls.
- 4. Central axis north Continue north along the promenade toward the Forest Park entrance for a green pause away from the architecture.
- 5. Forest Park or evening lights Enter the Forest Park for trails, or stay out for the full light show and exit via South Gate of Forest Park metro.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Do not expect live sport at the Bird's Nest; it is now mostly a paid exhibition walk, not a working stadium.
- Avoid confusing this park with Shougang β the 2022 Big Air jump is far south-west, not here.
- Skip the interior tour if short on time; the free exterior plaza and axis walk satisfy most visitors.
- Do not visit midday in summer without water; the open plaza offers little shade.
- Avoid the far south gate if you want the stadiums; use Olympic Park station for the shortest walk.
Combine It With
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beijing Olympic Park worth visiting?
Yes for the architecture and the easy, car-free grounds, especially in the evening when the stadiums light up. If you only want one Olympic site, the free exterior walk around the Bird's Nest and Water Cube is enough.
Do I need a ticket?
No ticket is needed for the public park grounds. The Bird's Nest and Water Cube charge for interior visits, and those are bought on-site or through the venues' own channels on the day.
How long should I spend there?
A relaxed half-day covers the axis walk, both venues from outside, and a stretch of the Forest Park. Add an interior tour or the water park if you want longer.
When is the best time to go?
Evenings are best, when the Water Cube glows and the Nest is lit. Spring and autumn offer comfortable walking; summer days are hot and shade is scarce on the plaza.
Is the Bird's Nest interior tour worth it?
Only if you are keen on stadium architecture. The paid walk shows the stands and lower bowl, but most visitors find the free exterior plaza and the lit-night views more rewarding.