Forbidden City Tickets 2026: Prices, Booking Rules & How to Skip the Line

There is no ticket office window at the Forbidden City. Since real-name booking became mandatory, every visitor — Chinese or foreign — must reserve a timed-entry ticket in advance, and passports are checked against tickets at the gate. That sounds intimidating, but the system is easy once you know the rules. This guide covers everything for 2026.

Palace Museum ticket prices 2026

• Peak season (April 1 – October 31): 60 CNY (about US$8.50) per adult
• Off season (November 1 – March 31): 40 CNY (about US$5.60) per adult
• Treasure Gallery (Ningshou Palace): +10 CNY
• Clock & Watch Exhibition (Hall for Ancestral Worship): +10 CNY
• Concessions: half price for students and seniors (60+) with valid ID; children under a set height enter free with an adult

International booking platforms such as Trip.com bundle the ticket with a small service fee — admission from US$13.93 — but they accept international cards and passports smoothly, which the official booking site often does not. For most foreign travelers this small premium buys a lot of convenience.

The 7-day booking window

Tickets are released exactly 7 days in advance at 20:00 Beijing time on the official booking channels. Popular dates — weekends, holidays, first sunny week of spring — can sell out within minutes. If your travel dates are fixed, set an alarm for the release, or simply book through Trip.com or Klook, where allotments are secured in advance and you can still find tickets days later.

What you need to book

• Your passport — the exact document you will carry on the day
• One booking per passport; children booked on their own documents
• An email address for the confirmation

On the day, skip the ticket queue and go straight to security: show your passport (and the e-ticket QR code on your phone as backup) at the Meridian Gate (Wumen), the only entrance. Exits are at the north Gate of Divine Prowess and the east Gate of Glorious Harmony.

Getting to the gate

Take Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East or Tiananmen West, pass through security into Tiananmen Square area, and walk north under the Tiananmen tower and the Duanmen gate to reach the Meridian Gate — allow 20–30 minutes for the walk and checks. Large suitcases are not allowed inside; a free luggage drop-off service operates near the entrance.

Quick tips to skip the line

• Book at least 7 days ahead for weekends, or 1–2 weeks ahead for holidays.
• Arrive at 8:30 opening — the security line is shortest before 9:00.
• Bring your physical passport; photos of passports are not accepted.
• Add the Treasure Gallery combo if you love artifacts — it is the quietest corner of the palace.

Ready? Check ticket availability for your dates on Trip.com, or compare with Klook’s Palace Museum tickets — both are reliable and email instant confirmation. For seasonal hours, see our Visitor Guide.