Forbidden City tickets: how to book, step by step

Getting Forbidden City tickets as a first-time foreign visitor comes down to four things: the price, where to book, when tickets go on sale, and a few simple mistakes that can cost you your visit. All four are below.

How much is a Forbidden City ticket?

The Forbidden City ticket price depends on the season: 60 CNY from April 1 to October 31 and 40 CNY from November 1 to March 31.

Two galleries inside cost extra: the Treasure Gallery (+10 CNY) and the Clock Gallery (+10 CNY), both added during booking.

Discounts: check current discounts on the official website before booking.

On booking sites you may also see “Palace Museum Beijing tickets”: the Palace Museum is the museum inside the Forbidden City; both names refer to the same site.

What is the official website?

The official English booking website is intl.dpm.org.cn. Book there, or with a tour provider you trust, and be careful with look-alike sites.

How do you book the Forbidden City, step by step?

1. Check your date. The palace is closed on Mondays, except Mondays that are public holidays. Tickets for your date go on sale 7 days before the visit date.
2. Be ready at release time. Tickets are released around 20:00 Beijing time. Use our release time calculator to convert it to your time zone and add a reminder.
3. Open the official website: intl.dpm.org.cn.
4. Fill in the booking form. You need an email address (to receive a verification code), and for each visitor: name, country/region and passport number. Up to 5 visitors per booking. Enter each passport number exactly as printed.
5. Choose your date and session. Tickets are for a morning or an afternoon session; afternoon entry starts at 11:00.
6. Add the extra galleries if you want them: the Treasure Gallery (+10 CNY) and the Clock Gallery (+10 CNY), both added during booking.
7. Pay: bank card, WeChat Pay or Alipay; payment must be completed within 30 minutes of reserving.
8. On the day: your passport is scanned at the Meridian Gate; there is no paper ticket, so bring the passport you booked with.

The daily quota is limited, so book as soon as your date is released.

Changes, refunds and missed visits

• Refunds: cancel before midnight the day before for a refund with no penalty; cancel on the visit day before 20:00 for a refund, but it counts as a missed visit; after 20:00 on the visit day, there is no refund.
• Missed visits: 3 missed visits within 180 days block booking for 60 days. If your plans change, cancel early.

When are tickets released?

Because the daily quota is limited, popular dates can sell out: set a reminder and be on the site a few minutes early.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Bringing a different passport. Bring the same physical passport you used to book: the name and number must match. A new passport with a different number is refused: your booking must match the passport you bring.
• Booking two visitors on one passport. The rule is one ticket per passport per day: enter each visitor with their own passport number.
• Not paying within 30 minutes. Bank card, WeChat Pay or Alipay; payment must be completed within 30 minutes of reserving. Have your card or payment app ready before you reserve.
• Booking too late. Tickets go on sale 7 days before the visit date and the daily quota is limited. Don't count on buying at the gate: booking in advance is the only reliable way to get in.
• Planning your visit for a Monday. The palace is closed on Mondays, except Mondays that are public holidays.
• Taking a taxi to the gate. Cars cannot stop at the Meridian Gate, so expect a 10–15 minute walk. You can also take the metro: see Getting there.
• Going to the north gate. The Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwumen) on the north side is the main exit. You enter through the Meridian Gate (Wumen) on the south side, the only ticketed entrance.

Tickets sold out? What can you do?

• Check again shortly after release time: unpaid tickets are often released back around 20:05–20:30 Beijing time on release day.
• Try another date. If your schedule is flexible, check the days before and after, and rearrange your Beijing itinerary.
• Thinking of trying the gate? Don't count on buying at the gate: booking in advance is the only reliable way to get in. Official rules say the museum does not sell normal same-day tickets, but some travellers with a foreign passport report getting tickets or help at a ticket window near the south entrance; it is not guaranteed and can mean a long queue.
• See the palace from above: Jingshan Park, just north of the Forbidden City, gives a view over the palace roofs. Jingshan Park has its own ticket, sold on the official Visiting Beijing Parks platform or at the park with your passport.
• Book a tour that includes entry. Compare Forbidden City tours or see the options below.

Prefer a guide? Tours that include entry

If you would rather not compete for tickets at release time, or official tickets are gone, a tour that includes entry is a backup. Tour companies are not an official ticket channel of the Palace Museum and cannot create extra tickets: check that the listing includes admission, and that the company confirms your entry is booked in your passport details before the day. See all Forbidden City tours.

Schematic plan, north at the top, not to scale. Only positions confirmed by our sources are shown.

1. 1Tian'anmen (walk through from the metro)
2. 2Meridian Gate (Wumen): entrance
3. 3Gate of Supreme Harmony
4. 4Hall of Supreme Harmony
5. 5Hall of Central Harmony
6. 6Hall of Preserving Harmony
7. 7Gate of Heavenly Purity
8. 8Palace of Heavenly Purity
9. 9Hall of Union
10. 10Palace of Earthly Tranquility
11. 11Imperial Garden
12. 12Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwumen): exit
13. 13Jingshan Park: view over the roofs
14. 14East Glorious Gate
15. 15West Glorious Gate

Sources: r.visitbeijing.com.cn, en.wikipedia.org

Practical information

Getting there

• By metro: Metro Line 1 to Tian'anmen East or Tian'anmen West station, then walk through Tiananmen.
• Entrance: the Meridian Gate (Wumen) on the south side, the only ticketed entrance.
• Exit: the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwumen) on the north side.
• By taxi: cars cannot stop at the Meridian Gate, so expect a 10–15 minute walk.

Best time to visit

• Opening hours: opens at 8:30; from April to October, last entry 16:00 and closing 17:00; from November to March, last entry 15:30 and closing 16:30.
• Closed: Mondays, except Mondays that are public holidays.
• How long to plan: 3–4 hours.
• Quietest times: the busiest entry time is 8:00–10:00; the afternoon session is usually calmer.

What to bring

• Your passport: bring the same physical passport you used to book: the name and number must match. Your passport is scanned at the Meridian Gate; there is no paper ticket.
• Security check: there is a security check; going without a bag (bagless lane) is usually faster.
• Luggage: bags can be left at the entrance and collected at the exit.