As of November 2026, Forbidden City tickets cost CNY 40 (about US$6) from November to March and CNY 60 (about US$9) from April to October. You must reserve online in your real name with your passport. Tickets open at 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days before your visit, none are sold on the day, and the museum is closed on Mondays.
- Entrance ticket: CNY 40 off-peak (1 Nov–31 Mar), CNY 60 peak (1 Apr–31 Oct), as of November 2026
- When tickets open: 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days before the visit date; no same-day tickets
- Where to book: bookingticket.dpm.org.cn (English) or the museum’s WeChat mini-program
- ID: your passport number to book, the same original passport at the gate
- Sessions: morning or afternoon, chosen when you book
- Closed: Mondays, except national public holidays
Tickets are limited and tied to your passport
Every visit begins at the Meridian Gate, the palace’s south entrance. Ahead of you lies the palace where 14 Ming and 10 Qing emperors lived over 505 years, one courtyard opening onto the next. The Palace Museum lets in up to 40,000 visitors a day, every ticket is tied to one passport, and the booking window is short. Set a reminder for 20:00 Beijing time on the right evening and have your passport beside you when you book. Travelers report that dates can fill up even in the November low season, and that if the site shows sold out right at 20:00, more tickets often appear over the following hour.
Ticket prices (as of November 2026)
| Ticket | 1 Nov–31 Mar | 1 Apr–31 Oct |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance ticket | CNY 40 (about US$6) | CNY 60 (about US$9) |
| Treasure Gallery (extra) | CNY 10 | CNY 10 |
| Gallery of Clocks (extra) | CNY 10 | CNY 10 |
There is no combined “through ticket”. You buy the entrance ticket, then add either gallery on top in the same booking. The Treasure Gallery covers the Palace of Tranquil Longevity area, including the Gallery of Qing Imperial Opera and the Stone Drum Gallery. The Gallery of Clocks is in the Hall for Ancestral Worship (Fengxian Dian). Some special exhibitions need a free extra reservation, which also appears inside the booking flow. What each gallery holds, and where it fits on the walk, is in our Forbidden City guide.
When tickets open, and why there are none on the day
Entrance tickets, gallery tickets and exhibition reservations all open at 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days before the visit date. For a Tuesday visit, booking opens at 20:00 on the Tuesday before. Each ticket is valid only on the day you booked.
The museum states plainly that it does not sell tickets on the day of your visit, so plan on booking ahead rather than buying at the gate. If you are flying in from the US, 20:00 in Beijing falls in the morning back home on the East Coast, so you can book from your kitchen table before you leave.
How to book it yourself
- Go to the English booking site, bookingticket.dpm.org.cn, and register with your e-mail address. You’ll receive a verification code by e-mail.
- Choose your date and session, morning or afternoon.
- Enter each traveler’s name and passport number exactly as printed. Each passport can hold one ticket per visit day.
- Add the Treasure Gallery or the Gallery of Clocks if you’d like them.
- Pay with an international bank card, WeChat Pay or Alipay.
Check the details before you pay. Once a ticket is issued, its type, date, session and visitor cannot be changed. If your plans shift, you can cancel an unused ticket without penalty until midnight on the day before your visit. After that it counts as a no-show, and three no-shows within 180 days block an ID from booking for 60 days. Chinese speakers can also use the museum’s “故宫博物院” WeChat mini-program or ticket.dpm.org.cn. The ticket hotline is 400-950-1925, open 8:00–20:00 daily.
Morning or afternoon session?
Every day is split into two sessions. With a morning ticket you must pass the ticket check by 12:00. With an afternoon ticket you can enter from 11:00. Opening hours follow the seasons, as of November 2026:
- 1 November–31 March: 8:30–16:30, last entry 15:30; last entry to the Treasure and Clock galleries 15:40.
- 1 April–31 October: 8:30–17:00, last entry 16:00; last entry to the two galleries 16:10.
We usually suggest the morning session. You walk in with the whole palace ahead of you and still have time for the galleries and the climb up Jingshan afterward. An afternoon ticket in winter leaves a shorter visit before the 15:30 last entry.
Tell us your dates, group size and what you would like to see. We reply with a day-by-day plan and a written quote.
Passports, seniors and children
Foreign visitors book with their passport number and must bring the same original passport, which is checked at the Meridian Gate with the help of facial-recognition devices. A photocopy or a photo on your phone won’t do.
The museum’s own concessions are written around Chinese ID. Free entry for under-18s, for example, applies to Chinese citizens and to foreigners with permanent residence in China. The official pages do not say whether a foreign tourist passport qualifies for the senior or student rates, so we don’t promise any discount. Bring your passport and ask at the visitor service desk whether any concession applies. For more on pacing a trip with grandparents or young children, see Beijing for seniors and families.
Booking through a travel agency
The Palace Museum does not authorize any third-party company or individual to sell its tickets. A licensed travel agency can reserve entry only through its own group booking: it must book every member of the group, enter each guest’s passport details with that guest’s consent, and put a guide on the order.
That is how our Forbidden City private tour works. The entrance reservation is included, we book it through our licensed agency’s group booking with your passport details and consent, and your guide is on the same order. Tickets are released on the same 20:00, 7-days-ahead schedule for us as for everyone, so confirm your dates with us early.
Mondays, holidays and current closures
The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday. It is closed on Mondays, except when a Monday falls on a national public holiday (Chinese New Year’s Eve is the exception to that exception), and it may also close on an irregular basis. If your Beijing days include a Monday, use it for the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace grounds or the hutongs; our list of things to do in Beijing has more ideas.
As of November 2026, the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuying Hall) has been closed since 19 October 2026 for restoration and an exhibition upgrade. The Palace of Prolonged Happiness, among the Six Eastern Palaces, reopened on 1 November 2026 but closed again under a museum notice of 4 November 2026, with no reopening date given. The Gate of Supreme Harmony has been closed for restoration since 3 August 2026, also with no reopening date; travelers report a marked route around it.
On the day: the Meridian Gate
There is only one way in: the Meridian Gate, the south gate. The route runs one way, and you leave by the Gate of Divine Prowess in the north, which faces Jingshan Park, or by the East Prosperity Gate. Take Metro Line 1 to Tian’anmen East or Tian’anmen West station, then walk north through Tiananmen and Duanmen to the Meridian Gate; that walkway is open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00–16:00. You can also reach the gate along the east or west moat roads. Coming through Tiananmen Square means a separate free reservation, explained in our Tiananmen Square guide. The museum has no car park, so plan drop-off and pick-up points in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy Forbidden City tickets at the gate?
No. As of November 2026 the Palace Museum does not sell tickets on the day of your visit. Book online in advance in your real name with your passport, through bookingticket.dpm.org.cn or the museum's WeChat mini-program.
How far in advance can I book Forbidden City tickets?
As of November 2026, tickets open at 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days before the visit date. For a Saturday visit, booking opens at 20:00 on the Saturday before. Gallery tickets and exhibition reservations open at the same time.
How much is a Forbidden City ticket?
As of November 2026 the entrance ticket is CNY 40 (about US$6) from 1 November to 31 March and CNY 60 (about US$9) from 1 April to 31 October. The Treasure Gallery and the Gallery of Clocks cost CNY 10 each on top.
Do I need my passport to visit the Forbidden City?
Foreign visitors book with their passport number and must bring the same original passport to the Meridian Gate, where facial-recognition devices help check identity. Each passport can hold one ticket per visit day.
Are there discounts for foreign seniors or children?
The official pages do not confirm that a foreign tourist passport qualifies for senior or child concessions, and free entry for under-18s is written for Chinese citizens and permanent residents. We don't promise a discount. Bring your passport and ask at the visitor service desk whether any concession applies.
Can a travel agency buy Forbidden City tickets for me?
The museum authorizes no third-party ticket sellers. A licensed travel agency can only reserve through its own group booking, with each guest's passport details and consent and a guide on the order. Our Forbidden City private tour includes the entrance reservation made this way.
Should I choose the morning or afternoon session?
Morning-session holders must pass the ticket check by 12:00, and afternoon-session holders can enter from 11:00. The morning gives the most time, especially from November to March, when last entry is 15:30. The session cannot be changed after booking.
Is the Forbidden City open on Mondays?
The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday and is closed on Mondays, except when a Monday is a national public holiday. Plan a Monday for the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace grounds or the hutongs instead.
Facts checked: 5 November 2026. Ticket prices, opening hours and entry rules can change; we re-check before every booking.