Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Guests can be dropped off directly at Donghuamen. Follow the city moat on foot for approximately 8 minutes until you reach Meridian Gate (Wumen), the sole official entry and security checkpoint for the Forbidden City. Important: Donghuamen functions only as an exit. Entry to the Forbidden City is NOT permitted at Donghuamen. Please proceed on foot to Meridian Gate for security and ticket verification. What You Need to Know ⚠️ Avoid traveling through Tiananmen Square to reach Meridian Gate A separate real‑name reservation for Tiananmen Square is mandatory and must be booked at least 1 day ahead. Your Forbidden City group tour ticket does NOT include access to Tiananmen Square. For the Forbidden City group tour opiton The meeting Point: Kapok Hotel Donghuamen (Near the Donghuamen‑East Gate of the Forbidden City)

   5 minAdmission included

2. After booking with your passport name and number (for all participants), you can access to the Forbidden City directly through the security check and by showing your passport at the main entrance, Meridian Gate. Forbidden City Schedule: • Peak Season: April 1st to October 31st (Tuesday to Sunday) - Last Entry is at 16:00 • Summer Vacation: July to August (Monday to Sunday) - Last Entry is at 16:00 • Slow Season: November 1st to March 31st (Tuesday to Sunday) - Last Entry is at 15:30 Please note: • This is pre booking service, the comfirmation will send 6 days before the tour date. • Passport name and number is required at time of booking for “all participants” upon booking • This ticket product offers you direct entry to Forbidden City with your Passport • Please note that Chinese nationals including visitors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan must book tickets 7 days in advance for the Forbidden City. We cannot accept any bookings made within 7 days of the visit date.

   1 hAdmission included

3. The Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohe Dian) is the last main hall in the Outer Court.

   15 minAdmission included

4. The Gate of Heavenly Purity (Qianqing Men) separates the palace into the Outer and Inner Court. Behind the gate is the residential area of the palace.

   30 minAdmission included

5. The two chambers in the east were changed into bridal rooms for the emperor and empress; while the remaining four chambers were used as a place of worship.

   20 minAdmission included

6. Behind the Hall of Earthly Tranquility is the Imperial Garden where the imperial family members recreated themselves.

   30 minAdmission included

7. Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian) also called 'Hall of Golden Throne', is the grandest hall in the palace and the largest wooden structure in China.

   30 minAdmission included

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 1,540 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5Great experience

  We visited in September and I was great, guide was clear and helpful

  621hadrianmSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Would recommend 👌

  Would recommend this service for booking the forbidden city. No issues with getting tickets and entering the palace.

  Robert_RSeptember 2026via Viator

• 5Tour of Tiananmen Square and The Forbidden city

  This tour was a great thing to do. Lydia spoke very good English and was very clear with information, organised with ear pieces so we could all hear clearly. I’m glad we chose to do this instead as a tour and not on our own . I would definitely advise taking plenty of water

  Journey20140279360September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Forbidden city tourist

  Sofia was a great tour guide! We learned a lot about the forbidden city, even on my 4th time visiting. Would visit again 😁

  wangs738September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Nice visit of the forbidden palace

  Sophia did a great job for the visit, thanks to her

  N4404LRthibaultdSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Best tour

  It was a really interesting tour, well-organized, and never a dull moment. Our guide Lydia was super helpful and very nice. Highly recommended!

  Scenic41127716581September 2026via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Beijing

• Its from-price is close to the median of the 136 attraction tickets we list in Beijing.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 1 of 136.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Beijing

Beijing, China's capital for centuries, holds imperial palaces, sacred temples and stretches of the Great Wall within reach of its modern boulevards.

At the city's heart, the Forbidden City spreads behind vermilion walls, a labyrinth of halls and courtyards that housed the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Tiananmen Square lies to its south, and the hill of Jingshan Park to its north gives the finest view over its golden roofs. The Temple of Heaven, set in a park where locals practise tai chi and dance, is a masterpiece of imperial design.

Top-ranked sights in Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall, Forbidden City (Palace Museum), Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang).

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