Forbidden City tickets are reserved in advance with a real name and a passport, and nobody can walk up on the day. If you set a calendar reminder for the evening the window opens, the rest is simple.
It is natural to feel nervous about booking something you cannot read. This page sets out the rules in plain order, so you know what to do and when.
When do reservations open?
Palace Museum tickets open for reservation at 20:00, seven days before the visit[1]. So book on the same weekday one week before the visit.
Set the alarm in your Malaysian phone, because the time is the same as in Beijing. Rules can change, so check the official channel on the day.
Who needs a ticket, and what do you bring?
Every visitor needs a real-name advance reservation, and same-day walk-up entry is not available[2]. That includes children, so book for each person in the group.
International visitors can book with a passport and must bring the original passport used for the booking to enter through the Meridian Gate[3]. Bring the original, not a copy, and keep the passports with whoever is leading the group.
Where should you book?
Reserve only through the official Palace Museum mini-program, because no third parties are authorised to sell tickets[4]. A mini-program is a small app that runs inside another app on your phone.
If a website or agent offers a “ticket” that costs extra, pause. Our guide for foreign visitors explains what a legitimate booking looks like.
What does it cost?
When we checked, one travel guide listed general admission at 60 yuan (CNY 60) in peak season and 40 yuan in off-peak season[5]. That is a secondary source, so confirm the price on the official mini-program before you plan your budget.
Our budget planner lets you enter today’s quotes and convert to Malaysian currency yourself.
What if your plans change?
Tickets can be refunded free before 24:00 on the day before the visit, and not at all once the ticket has been checked[6]. If your flight or weather might shift, cancel early rather than hold a place you will not use.
Three broken appointments within 180 days block reservations for the next 60 days[7]. For a group, one person should keep a short list of who is booked on which day.
What are the ticket office hours?
The ticket office on Duanmen Square opens from 08:30 to 16:10 between 1 April and 31 October, and to 15:40 from 1 November to 31 March[8]. Treat it as a place for help if something goes wrong, not as your main plan.
Remember the palace is closed on Mondays except national holidays[9], so do not build a Monday around it.
A simple routine for a group
- Choose the visit date once your flights are confirmed.
- Put the booking evening in your calendar, seven days earlier.
- Collect each traveller’s passport details in one note.
- Book together on one phone, then screenshot every confirmation.
- Keep passports with one person on the day.
If you are on a package, ask the agency to confirm in writing who books the palace and which day. The package comparator shows what to check in a quote.
What if the date is full?
Choose another day before you give up on the palace, or begin the day at the Temple of Heaven while you wait. Our Forbidden City visit plan shows how to pace the day once your ticket is in hand.
For more help with reservations, browse the booking hub.