Summer Palace tickets: prices, hours and route

Foreign visitors buy Summer Palace tickets at the gate with a passport, and there are two ticket types to choose from. Below: both tickets, opening hours, how to get there, and when a guided tour is worth it.

Entrance ticket or through ticket?

	Entrance ticket	Through ticket
Price	30 CNY from April to October and 20 CNY from November to March	60 CNY from April to October and 50 CNY from November to March
The grounds, Kunming Lake, the Long Corridor and the Seventeen-Arch Bridge	Yes	Yes
The Tower of Buddhist Incense, Suzhou Street, the Garden of Virtue and Harmony (Dehe Garden) and the museum	No	Yes
Boat rides	No	No

Which one to choose: the entrance ticket already covers the lake, the Long Corridor and the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, which is enough for a first visit. Take the through ticket if you want to climb up to the Tower of Buddhist Incense or see Suzhou Street and the Garden of Virtue and Harmony.

How do you buy Summer Palace tickets?

1. No need to book ahead: foreign visitors can usually buy tickets at the entrance with their passport; booking in advance is not required. If you prefer to book: online booking is on the official Visiting Beijing Parks platform (畅游公园, bjgyol.com.cn, also in WeChat): switch the language to English and choose "Passport" as the ID type.
2. Bring your passport and go to the ticket office at the gate you arrive at: the East Palace Gate, the North Palace Gate and the New Palace Gate.
3. Choose the entrance ticket or the through ticket (see the table above).
4. Boats are extra: boat rides on Kunming Lake are not included in the entrance ticket.

Would rather have transport and a guide arranged? See the guided Summer Palace tours below.

Book ahead or buy at the gate?

• Buying at the gate is the normal way: foreign visitors can usually buy tickets at the entrance with their passport; booking in advance is not required.
• You want certainty before you go: online booking is on the official Visiting Beijing Parks platform (畅游公园, bjgyol.com.cn, also in WeChat): switch the language to English and choose "Passport" as the ID type.
• You want transport and a guide: a tour makes sense, but you are paying for those services. The official prices are 30 CNY from April to October and 20 CNY from November to March (entrance) and 60 CNY from April to October and 50 CNY from November to March (through ticket): compare before you pay.

What are the Summer Palace opening hours?

• Hours: 6:00–20:00 from April to October (last entry 19:00) and 6:30–19:00 from November to March (last entry 18:00).
• Mondays: the park is open every day, but some sites inside close on Mondays.
• How long to plan: 2–3 hours.

How do you get to the Summer Palace?

• By metro: Metro Line 4 to Beigongmen station, then about 7 minutes on foot to the North Palace Gate.
• Gates: the East Palace Gate, the North Palace Gate and the New Palace Gate.

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

1. 1North Palace Gate (Metro Line 4, Beigongmen)
2. 2Suzhou Street (through ticket)
3. 3Tower of Buddhist Incense (through ticket)
4. 4Long Corridor
5. 5Seventeen-Arch Bridge (to South Lake Island)
6. 6East Palace Gate

Sources: en.wikipedia.org, english.visitbeijing.com.cn, goasia.cc

A simple route

Coming by metro, you arrive at the North Palace Gate. A simple order for a first visit:

1. With a through ticket: start with Suzhou Street, then climb to the Tower of Buddhist Incense.
2. Walk the Long Corridor along Kunming Lake.
3. Continue to the Seventeen-Arch Bridge.
4. Leave by another gate (the East Palace Gate, the North Palace Gate and the New Palace Gate) if it suits your next stop.

The grounds are large, so wear comfortable shoes and follow the signposts.

Boats on Kunming Lake

Boat rides on Kunming Lake are not included in the entrance ticket. Options and prices can change, so check them at the lake on the day.

When is the best time to visit the Summer Palace?

The best seasons are spring (late March to May) and autumn (September to October); winter is quieter.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Expecting everything to be included. The entrance ticket does not cover the Tower of Buddhist Incense, Suzhou Street, the Garden of Virtue and Harmony (Dehe Garden) and the museum. Choose the through ticket if you want them.
• Arriving too late. Check the last entry: 6:00–20:00 from April to October (last entry 19:00) and 6:30–19:00 from November to March (last entry 18:00).
• Forgetting about Mondays. The park is open every day, but some sites inside close on Mondays.
• Leaving your passport at the hotel. You need it to buy tickets at the gate.
• Planning too little time. Plan 2–3 hours.

To plan the day, read Summer Palace: tickets and how to get there, or see how it fits into 4 days in Beijing.

Guided Summer Palace tours

A Summer Palace tour with transport and a guide keeps the day simple, especially if you combine the palace with other sights. Compare more Beijing tours.

Before you buy a ticket or a tour, read what 791 travellers report about the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven, including the problems with resold tickets.