Beijing · 故宫博物院
At a glance
Full times, prices and rules
- Opening hours
- Apr 1–Oct 31: 08:30–17:00 (last entry 16:00). Nov 1–Mar 31: 08:30–16:30 (last entry 15:30). Morning session: check in by 12:00. Afternoon session: check-in from 11:00.
- Price
- Standard CNY 60 Apr 1–Oct 31 / CNY 40 Nov 1–Mar 31 (ages 18–59). Senior CNY 30 (foreigners 60+), Student CNY 20, children 6 and under free but still need a ticket. Treasure Gallery CNY 10; Gallery of Clocks CNY 10.
Ticket prices
- StandardCNY 60Ages 18–59 · CNY 40 from Nov 1 to Mar 31
- SeniorCNY 30Foreign visitors aged 60+
- StudentCNY 20Ages 7–17, or enrolled undergraduates and below
- ChildFreeAge 6 and under — still needs its own ticket
- Treasure GalleryCNY 10Optional add-on
- Gallery of ClocksCNY 10Optional add-on
Senior, Student and Child prices as displayed on bookingticket.dpm.org.cn on 5 Oct 2026 (high season). Maximum 10 tickets per order.
Official website (English)
The Palace Museum's own booking site opens in English, accepts passports and signs you in with an email verification code — no Chinese phone number or WeChat needed. The museum says it has not authorised any third-party sellers.
Book on the official siteLast checked 6 Oct 2026 · How we verify
Release-time calculator
Based on: 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days ahead; no same-day tickets (official). Enter your visit date and home time zone.
Don’t miss the ticket release
Step-by-step booking guide
Screenshots captured live on 5 Oct 2026 on bookingticket.dpm.org.cn (desktop 1280×800). Tap any screenshot to enlarge. We stopped before entering personal data or paying.
- 1
Open the official booking site
Go to bookingticket.dpm.org.cn — it opens in English (use the EN / 中文 switch at the top-left if you see Chinese). Click “I understand” on the cookie banner, then click “Book tickets” or scroll down to the booking box.
1Click “I understand” on the cookie banner, then “Book tickets”. 
2Coming from the museum’s English visit page? Its red “Tickets” button (top right) opens the same booking site. 2 screenshots — swipe or scroll sideways
- 2
Read the booking instructions, then click “I got it”
The pop-up lists the rules: no same-day tickets; booking opens at 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days before the visit; closed Mondays except public holidays; real-name, one ticket per ID per day; bring the same passport; enter only via the Meridian Gate. Unused tickets can be refunded before midnight the day before; 3 no-shows within 180 days means a 60-day booking ban.
3Read the booking instructions, then click “I got it”. - 3
Ignore the red WeChat banner
The red banner points Chinese ID-card holders to the WeChat mini-program. Foreign visitors can ignore it and stay on the website. The announcements list below sometimes flags special discount days.
4Ignore the red WeChat banner (it is for Chinese ID holders) and stay on the website. - 4
Be ready at 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days ahead
If you want the farthest date in the window, be on the date picker a few minutes before 20:00 Beijing time (UTC+8) exactly 7 days before your visit. Use the release-time calculator above to convert to your time zone.
- 5
Pick a date marked “Available”
The form shows opening hours (entry from 8:30, last entry 16:00 in high season). Grey dates are “Unavailable” (Monday or closed) or “Sold out”. Use “Specified date” to reach dates further along the row.
5Pick a date marked “Available” (grey = closed or sold out). - 6
Choose the morning or afternoon session
Morning: check in by 12:00. Afternoon: check-in starts at 11:00. Morning sells out first, so keep afternoon as your fallback.
6Choose the morning or afternoon session. - 7
Add tickets for each person
Use + / − for each ticket type: Standard CNY 60 (ages 18–59), Senior CNY 30 (foreigners 60+), Student CNY 20 (ages 7–17 or enrolled undergraduates and below), Children 6 and under free — but they still need a ticket. Maximum 10 tickets per order.
7Use + / − to add Standard tickets. 
8Scroll for Senior, Student and Children ticket types. 2 screenshots — swipe or scroll sideways
- 8
Check the total, then click “Next”
Make sure the total matches your ticket mix. Clicking Next opens the sign-in pop-up.
9Check the total, then click “Next”. - 9
Sign in with your email
Sign-in is email only (there is no phone field) and your account is created automatically. Enter your email, click “Get a verification code”, type the code from your inbox, tick the Terms/Privacy box and click “Sign in”. No code? Check your spam folder.
10Enter your email, click “Get a verification code”, type the code, then “Sign in”. - 10
Enter visitor details (passport)
After sign-in the progress bar moves to “Visitor info”. Enter each visitor’s name and passport number exactly as printed in the passport. One ticket per passport per day. (We stopped at sign-in, so there is no screenshot of this screen yet.)
- 11
Exhibition add-ons (optional)
The next stage, “Exhibition”, is where the paid galleries are added: Treasure Gallery CNY 10 and Gallery of Clocks CNY 10. You can skip it and keep general admission only.
- 12
Confirm the order and payCheck
Review dates, session, names and passport numbers on the “Confirm order” stage, then pay. We did not reach the payment screen, so check which payment methods are offered before relying on a foreign card.
- 13
Save the result
The final stage shows your booking result. Screenshot it and keep the confirmation email. Plans changed? Cancel before midnight on the day before your visit to get a refund and avoid a no-show strike.
- 14
On the day: Meridian Gate with your passport
Walk to the Meridian Gate (Wumen, south side — approached through Tiananmen) with the original passport used for booking; the passport is your ticket. Respect your session’s check-in window. Exits are the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwumen, north, towards Jingshan Park) and the East Prosperity Gate (Donghuamen).
Key pitfalls
- No same-day tickets. Booking for each date opens at 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days before — peak dates can sell out within minutes.
- The morning session sells out first. Have the afternoon session as your backup when you book at 20:00.
- Real-name booking: one ticket per passport per day, and you must bring the same original passport. Entry is only through the Meridian Gate (Wumen, south side).
- Children 6 and under are free but still need their own ticket in the order. Maximum 10 tickets per order.
- Refunds are only possible before midnight on the day before your visit. Three no-shows within 180 days trigger a 60-day booking ban.
- The red WeChat banner on the booking site is for Chinese ID-card holders. Foreign visitors can ignore it and keep using the website.
- Sign-in is by email only. If the verification code doesn't arrive, check your spam folder before requesting another.
- The museum says it has not authorised any third-party sellers for admission, gallery or exhibition tickets.
If it doesn’t work
Backup options
Brief backups — not competing primary paths.
What recent travelers report
Stuck booking? Message me on WhatsApp
Xiaocong, a local in China, replies 9:00–24:00 Beijing time. Send a screenshot of the step you’re stuck on.
Message on WhatsAppCheck before you go
Unverified or may have changed — confirm on the booking channel.
- Official policy: no same-day tickets. Traveler reports of a same-day window near the Meridian Gate conflict with that — last resort only.
- Payment methods on the final step were not captured. Whether foreign Visa/Mastercard cards are accepted is not stated on the official English pages.
FAQ
What time do Forbidden City tickets go on sale?
At 20:00 Beijing time (UTC+8), 7 days before your visit date. There are no same-day tickets.
Source: intl.dpm.org.cn
Can I book without a Chinese phone number or WeChat?
Yes. The official English booking site signs you in with an email verification code only, and creates the account automatically. The red WeChat banner on the site is meant for Chinese ID-card holders.
Source: Our own booking-flow walkthrough (checked 5 Oct 2026)
How much are tickets, and are there discounts?
Standard tickets are CNY 60 from April 1 to October 31 and CNY 40 from November 1 to March 31. On 5 Oct 2026 the booking site listed Senior CNY 30 (foreigners 60+) and Student CNY 20 (ages 7–17, or enrolled undergraduates and below). The Treasure Gallery and Gallery of Clocks cost CNY 10 each.
Source: intl.dpm.org.cn
Do young children need a ticket?
Yes. Children 6 and under are free, but each child still needs a ticket in the order.
Source: Our own booking-flow walkthrough (checked 5 Oct 2026)
How many tickets can I buy in one order?
Up to 10 tickets per order, and only one ticket per passport per day.
Source: Our own booking-flow walkthrough (checked 5 Oct 2026)
Morning or afternoon session — what’s the difference?
Morning ticket holders must check in by 12:00; afternoon check-in starts at 11:00. Entry starts at 8:30 and last entry is 16:00 in high season (15:30 from November to March). Morning sells out first.
Source: Our own booking-flow walkthrough (checked 5 Oct 2026)
Can I get a refund, and what happens if I don’t show up?
Unused tickets can be refunded before midnight on the day before your visit. Three no-shows within 180 days lead to a 60-day booking ban.
Source: Our own booking-flow walkthrough (checked 5 Oct 2026)
Which gate do I enter, and do I need my passport?
Enter only through the Meridian Gate (Wumen, south) with the original passport used for booking. Exit north through the Gate of Divine Prowess or east through the East Prosperity Gate.
Source: young.dpm.org.cn
Can I buy tickets on the day?
Officially no — the museum does not sell same-day tickets. Some travelers report same-day passport sales at a window near the Meridian Gate, but this is unreliable; treat it as a last resort.
Source: intl.dpm.org.cn
Is Trip.com or a tour agent official?
The museum says it has not authorised third parties to sell admission, Treasure Gallery, Gallery of Clocks or exhibition tickets. Use bookingticket.dpm.org.cn.
Source: young.dpm.org.cn
Which days is it closed?
Mondays (except national holidays) and Chinese New Year’s Eve. The museum may also close irregularly, so check the official visit page before you go.
Source: intl.dpm.org.cn
Did this booking path work for you?
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Sources
- intl.dpm.org.cnOfficial English visit page: hours by season, last entry, prices (CNY 60/40, galleries CNY 10), Monday closure, no same-day tickets, 40,000 daily cap, passport for booking · accessed 6 Oct 2026
- bookingticket.dpm.org.cnOfficial booking portal: Booking Instructions (refund before midnight the day before; 3 no-shows in 180 days → 60-day ban), sessions, ticket types, email sign-in · accessed 6 Oct 2026
- Our own booking-flow walkthrough (checked 5 Oct 2026)cookie and Booking Instructions dialogs, red WeChat banner, sessions, ticket types and prices, max 10 per order, email-only sign-in
- young.dpm.org.cn7-day/20:00 release; no same-day; original ID at Meridian Gate · accessed 6 Oct 2026
- ticket.dpm.org.cnChinese booking rules: 7 days ahead 20:00; passport for foreigners · accessed 6 Oct 2026
- reddit.comForeigner same-day Meridian Gate purchase reports · accessed 6 Oct 2026
- reddit.com2026 confirmation on-site foreigner sales still possible when online sold out · accessed 6 Oct 2026
Last checked 6 Oct 2026 · How we verify