How to Book Forbidden City Tickets Online

Last updated on 2024-04-20

All visitors to the Palace Museum (often referred to as the Forbidden City) must book their tickets online at least one day in advance. Tickets are not available on the day of visiting at the entrance of the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City tickets start to sell 7 days in advance at 8 PM. Because the Forbidden City tickets are limited, and therefore are very popular and sometimes very difficult to book. We suggest all visitors to book their tickets right after the tickets are available.

If you are a foreign traveler and don't know where or how to book the tickets, this article can be your guide!

1. Book tickets through WeChat Mini Program
2. How to pick up your tickets and enter the Palace Museum
3. Opt for a guided, hassle-free tour

1. Book tickets through WeChat mini program

The Forbidden City offers a mini program in WeChat. The mini program is the only official channel for booking the Forbidden City tickets.

To book the tickets, you must install and register with WeChat on your mobile phone and then bind a supported bank card with WeChat for online payment. If you have done so, below is the guide to walk you through the booking procedures:

Step 1: Search and start the Forbidden City mini program in WeChat

In WeChat, click the search button and input "故宫" for search, then you will find the mini program as below.

Step 2: Start booking tickets

Click to start the Forbidden City mini program. At the default page of the mini program, click "购票约展" to start booking tickets.

Step 3 Select ticket & input visitor information

Select date, morning/afternoon, and ticket type and quantity, click "立即预订" to proceed. Then, input your passport info and contact info.

Notes:

If a date or time is grey and cannot be selected, it means the tickets are sold out for that day or time, or the Forbidden City is closed on that day;
You can book 5 tickets maximum in a single order. If you need more tickets, just place another order;
You must input correct passport info since you need to use your passport to check into the Forbidden City on the day of visiting;
Seniors over sixty can book tickets for seniors.

Step 4: Select gallery ticket and confirm booking

Next, you can select the inside gallery ticket and/or the exhibition ticket; then click the "提交订单" button to start payment process.

Step 5: Payment

To make the payment online, you need to bind a supported bank card with WeChat. After payment, your booking process is complete.

2. How to pick up your tickets and enter the Palace Museum

You don't need paper tickets to enter the Forbidden City. Once your tickets are booked online, just go to the Forbidden City on your booked date and time and show your passports to check into the Forbidden City directly. Be sure to check the map and read our tips before you go.

3. Opt for a guided, hassle-free tour

If you are visiting more attractions or destinations, you may opt for one of our guided, hassle-free tours. Here are some of our most popular package tours:

Learn more about booking tickets to Mutianyu Great Wall, Badaling Great Wall, Jinshanling Great Wall or Terracotta Army.

The China Guide is a Beijing-based travel agency that customizes private tours, educational student tours, and incentive trips across China. We have more than ten years of experience crafting tours for tens of thousands of travelers from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, and beyond. We promise all our tours have no hidden fees, no shopping stops, no touristy restaurants, just memorable experiences! Learn more about us or contact us to start planning your perfect China trip.