Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City (Palace Museum): Tickets & Tours
Description
The Forbidden City is also known as Palace Museum, it was the imperial residence of 24 Ming and Qing dynasty Emperors, and the center of political power in China for over 500 years from 1420 to 1924. The palace as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. The Forbidden City is arguably the most famous palace in all of Chinese history, and is the largest and best preserved royal palace complex still standing in the world. Due to the numbers of tourist restrictions in the Forbidden City every day, a very limited ticket available daily and can be booked on the app 7 days in advance. Most of the time, tickets to the Forbidden City are hard to buy. Through our booking service, we can save you time and energy.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Tiananmen Square is free‑entry for all visitors, yet advance real‑name reservation is required with daily visitor capacity limits. Overseas travelers may encounter difficulties navigating the official Chinese‑language reservation system. Our service offers on‑site support and cultural interpretation for international guests. As the world’s largest urban central square, Tiananmen Square stands as an iconic symbol of Beijing and China’s political‑cultural heart. Located right at the core of Beijing, it can host grand mass gatherings of up to one million people and ranks high on every visitor’s must‑see list. Surrounding the square lie landmark national sites: the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the National Museum of China, the Great Hall of the People, the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong and Tiananmen Rostrum. Major national celebrations broadcast nationwide are frequently held on this very square. ✅ Upgrade Option: Professional English‑speaking tour guide service available
The Forbidden City is the largest and the best preserved of ancient royal palaces in the world, and was once the royal residence of 24 Chinese emperors and countless concubines. It has a history of 600 years old. The Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum, is a must visit attraction for visitors to Beijing. Attracting countless tourists from all over the world every day. Due to numbers of tourists restrictions every day, it is necessary to book visiting tickets in advance. It is recommended to make a reservation at least 8 days in advance. We will send you a successful ticket purchase email 7 days in advance, and then you only need to bring your passport to enter directly. So, make sure to provide the correct passport number is necessary.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
If you select the Forbidden City group tour option: Please Meet at Hotel Kapok Donghuamen 东华门木棉花酒店 Address: No. 16 Donghuamen Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 北京东城区东华门大街16号 Take Subway Line 8 to Jinyuhutong Station, Exit C. Turn right and walk around 8 minutes to reach the hotel.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- 1. Easy to book, provided with the correct passport name and passport number.
- 2. Upon receiving a ticket confirmation letter from the local supplier, you only need to present your passport to enter through security checks to the Forbidden City.
- 3. Explore the Forbidden City at your own pace. You can freely choose to travel in the morning or afternoon.
- 4, Tourists holding foreign passports can make reservations within 7 days (not applicable to Chinese tourists, including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan)
- 5, Please note that mainland Chinese, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan visitors must book Forbidden City tickets 7 days in advance. Bookings within 7 days of the tour date are not accepted.
- 6, If you choose the Forbidden City group tour option, please meet your tour guide at Kapok Hotel Donghuamen. If you only book the ticket reservation service, please enter directly through the Meridian Gate.
Reviews(110)
Jade conducted the 4-hour tour in a very competent and personable manner. The time flew by, and despite the hot weather, there were always shady spots and air-conditioned rooms to pass through. Her English is excellent, so the group from Peru, Australia, the USA, and Germany got along very well and had a lot of fun.
Many thanks for this lovely feedback on guide Jade! We’re so glad you loved the 4-hour guided tour with her. She’s professional, friendly and well-prepared — she wisely arranged shaded and cool spaces to escape the heat during your trip. Her fluent English made communication smooth for your international group from Peru, Australia, America and Germany, and we’re happy you all had lots of fun. Jade will be thrilled to read your nice words!
We had a wonderful time at the Forbidden City. It was fascinating to learn about the Chinese history and see the grand architecture. Sofia was a lovely and knowledgeable guide. We appreciate her taking us to good photo spots. She also gave us a good recommendation for lunch after the tour!
Dear guest, Thank you so much for your lovely review! We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed your trip to the Forbidden City and admired its profound history and magnificent ancient architecture. Sofia is truly delighted that her professional commentary and carefully picked photo spots brought you a fantastic experience, and we’re glad our lunch recommendation suited you well. We look forward to welcoming you back to Beijing again in the future!
Sofia was a very good guide very friendly. Wonderful visit with a small group of 4. She takes pictures of us and bé very kind. Thank you sofia, we will Come back.
Dear Friend, Thanks for your nice review! Happy to hear Sofia gave you an amazing small-group tour and took lovely photos for you. We’ll share your praise with Sofia, await your next visit! Regards Lily's Beijing Team
It is a huge, complete, and very beautiful place; it is important to dedicate at least 3 hours to see the important things!
¡Muchas gracias por tu reseña de 5 estrellas! Nos alegra mucho que hayas disfrutado plenamente de la Ciudad Prohibida. Tienes toda la razón, es un lugar inmenso y lleno de belleza e historia, ideal dedicarle al menos 3 horas para recorrer sus sitios más destacados. Esperamos que tengas un viaje maravilloso por Pekín.
My family and I had the pleasure of joining a guided tour of the Forbidden City and it was truly an outstanding experience. Our tour guide, Marco did an excellent job bringing the history of the Forbidden City to life. Marco did an excellent job bringing the history of the Forbidden City to life. Marco guided us thoughtfully through the stories of the various dynasties and emperors, explaining not just historical facts but also the significance of the architecture, traditions and the power structures of imperial China. The explanations were clear, engaging and easy to follow. What stood out most was Marco's depth and knowledge. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Beijing, if Marco is the guide. It was informative and exceptionally well delivered.
Thank you so much for this wonderful 5-star review and lovely recommendation! We are absolutely thrilled to hear you and your family had an outstanding Forbidden City tour with our guide Marco. It’s fantastic that his in-depth historical knowledge, vivid storytelling and clear explanations made your visit so engaging and informative. We greatly appreciate your kind recognition of Marco’s professional service. We hope you enjoyed your time in Beijing and look forward to welcoming you back on your next trip!
We went to the Forbidden City. It is a must if you are in Beijing, you can spend all day and still not see it all. Would go again. A mention to our guide Summer. She is fantastic. We booked the trip outside of our package trip. Summer's English was way better than that of our package tour guide. Turned up on time. She has obviously been to the Forbidden City lots of times, but used her knowledge of it to guide us through, allowing us maximum time to be there and still see all the places before they would close.
Dear guest, Thank you so much for your wonderful review and for sharing your experience at the Forbidden City. We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed exploring this incredible landmark and that you found it well worth a full day of discovery. It’s fantastic to know that Summer made your visit so memorable with her excellent English, punctuality, and in-depth knowledge of the Forbidden City. We greatly appreciate your kind words about her professional guidance, which helped you make the most of your time and see everything before closing. We hope to welcome you back to Beijing again soon for more unforgettable experiences! Best regards, Tony
Sofia was extremely informative and we had a great tour. We were a small group and it was organised very well.
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your wonderful 5-star review! 😊 We are thrilled to hear Sofia was extremely informative and that you had such a great Forbidden City tour. It’s fantastic to know your small group experience was well-organized and enjoyable throughout your visit. We truly appreciate your kind words and recommendation. Welcome back anytime, and we look forward to welcoming you again soon! Best regards, Lily's tickets service
Perfect option. Booking this way made it easy for our trip. The company booked our tickets and then messaged me with the confirmation.
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your wonderful 5-star review! 😊 We are thrilled to hear that booking your Forbidden City tickets through us was a seamless and easy experience for your trip. It was our pleasure to handle the reservation and send you the confirmation smoothly, saving you time and hassle during your visit to this iconic landmark. We truly appreciate your kind recommendation. Welcome back to Beijing anytime, and we look forward to assisting you again in the future! Best regards, Lily's tickets service
Every information was super clear and fast, really big, lot of building, unforgettable experience, absolutely a must-do! ✅
Dear Guest, Thank you for your amazing 5-star review! We’re thrilled our information was clear, our spaces were impressive, and your experience was unforgettable—we truly appreciate you highlighting us as a must-do. We can’t wait to welcome you back soon! Regards Tony
We really enjoyed our half day tour of the forbidden city.Our guide,Summer,was knowledgeable kind and professional.She taught us a lot of Chinese history and made sure we had enough time to take pictures.Highly recommend this tour!
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that Summer’s knowledge, kindness, and professionalism made your Forbidden City half-day tour such a memorable experience. It was a pleasure to have her share the rich history of this amazing place with you and ensure you had plenty of time to capture those special moments. We truly appreciate your recommendation and are grateful for your support. We can’t wait to welcome you back for another adventure soon! Regards Tony
