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SimpleChinaTripBooking guide for foreign visitors
Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square tickets for foreigners

天安门广场 — one recommended booking path, with clear steps.

Last checked 6 Oct 2026

Photo: Charlie fong冯成 / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

Beijing · 天安门广场

At a glance

Book ahead?
Yes — book ahead
Where
Official WeChat mini-program (天安门广场预约参观)
When tickets release
Book 1–7 days ahead; available dates update daily at 12:00 Beijing time (noon). No same-day booking.
Open & closed days
Open daily with security screening; may close or restrict during special events
Price
Free
Hours
Early morning to evening (about 05:00–22:00 is the commonly cited window).
Passport on entry
Yes — bring the same passport used to book.
Full times, prices and rules
Ticket release
Book 1–7 days ahead; available dates update daily at 12:00 Beijing time (noon). No same-day booking. Choose 升旗/降旗 slot if watching flag ceremony.
Opening hours
Early morning to evening (about 05:00–22:00 is the commonly cited window). Flag-raising and lowering follow sunrise and sunset.
Recommended path

Official WeChat mini-program (天安门广场预约参观)

Official TAMGW WeChat guide: mini-program is the practical path for passport holders. Official PC portals (yuyue/tyy-ext.tamgw.beijing.gov.cn) often fail foreign phone SMS — geo-blocked or unreachable from some overseas IPs (curl failed Oct 2026). Hotel staff can book on your behalf with your passport details. Don’t assume a Forbidden City or National Museum ticket gets you into the square — traveller reports conflict, so book the square separately.

How to book via WeChat

Last checked 6 Oct 2026 · How we verify

Step-by-step booking guide

  1. 1

    Open WeChat mini-program

    In WeChat, search 天安门广场预约参观 (Tiananmen Square reservation).

  2. 2

    Choose 个人预约

    Select individual reservation (not tour-group). Read and accept 预约须知.

  3. 3

    Pick date and time slot

    Dates appear for the next 1–7 days; calendar updates daily at 12:00. Select 升旗/降旗 only if attending the flag ceremony.

  4. 4

    Enter passport details

    Name, ID type = passport, passport number, phone (Chinese number often required on the booker’s account). Up to 4 adults + 3 children per order per official guide.

  5. 5

    Submit and save the confirmation

    Confirm the booking, then screenshot the success screen, QR code and order number.

  6. 6

    On the day

    Arrive early for security. Present original passport + reservation success info for the booked slot.

Key pitfalls

  • Free but mandatory real-name reservation 1–7 days ahead; no same-day booking.
  • New dates appear at 12:00 noon Beijing time — set an alarm for peak holidays (e.g. National Day flag slots).
  • Official web portal often rejects non-Chinese phone SMS; use WeChat mini-program or have hotel book.
  • Bring original passport matching the reservation; security lines can exceed 30–60 minutes.
  • If watching flag raising/lowering, you must select the 升旗 or 降旗 time slot when booking.
  • A Forbidden City or National Museum ticket is not a reliable substitute for a square reservation.

If it doesn’t work

Backup options

Brief backups — not competing primary paths.

Beijing apps (京通 / 北京日报 / 北京时间)Official TAMGW listing also names Jingtong WeChat/Alipay/Baidu mini-programs and Beijing Daily / Beijing Time apps.
Official website (天安门广场预约参观系统, desktop)Official web portals exist but often require Chinese phone SMS; may be geo-blocked abroad.
Ask your hotel or a friend to book for youWidely reported: give passport details to hotel front desk; they book on WeChat with their Chinese number.
What recent travelers report
Without Chinese phone, WeChat booking failed; hotel reception booked successfully with passport. Walk-up without reservation refused. reddit.com
Travelers struggling with reservation UX / passport fields on mini-program. reddit.com
2026: Tiananmen must be booked ahead along with Forbidden City / National Museum. reddit.com

Check before you go

Unverified or may have changed — confirm on the booking channel.

  • Official PC booking URLs (yuyue.tamgw / tyy-ext.tamgw) timed out / unreachable from verification box Oct 2026 — likely geo-block or firewall; use WeChat or hotel booking.
  • Whether a same-day Forbidden City or National Museum reservation always substitutes for square entry: traveler reports conflict — do not rely on it.

FAQ

Is Tiananmen Square free?

Yes, but you must make a free real-name reservation 1–7 days ahead.

Source: tamgw.beijing.gov.cn

When do new dates open?

Available dates update daily at 12:00 Beijing time (noon). Peak holiday flag slots go fast.

Source: sohu.com

Can foreigners use a passport?

Yes. Enter passport as the ID type. Bring the same original passport on the day.

Source: dragontrail.cc

I have no Chinese phone number — what now?

Official PC site often needs Chinese SMS. Practical fix: hotel or a friend books the WeChat mini-program using your passport details.

Source: reddit.com

Does a Forbidden City ticket get me into the square?

Traveller reports conflict (2026): some say a Forbidden City or National Museum booking was enough, others were refused. Don’t rely on it — book the square separately in the WeChat mini-program.

Source: reddit.com

Did this booking path work for you?

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Sources

  • tamgw.beijing.gov.cnOfficial TAMGW WeChat mini-program booking steps (个人预约) · accessed 6 Oct 2026
  • yuyue.tamgw.beijing.gov.cnOfficial Tiananmen area reservation hub listing WeChat/Jingtong/PC channels (may be geo-blocked overseas) · accessed 6 Oct 2026
  • sohu.comSep 2026 media citing official: 1–7 days ahead; dates update daily at noon 12:00; pick 升旗/降旗 for flag ceremony · accessed 6 Oct 2026
  • dragontrail.ccForeigner-focused: passport OK; WeChat primary; web phone SMS issue; someone-else booking · accessed 6 Oct 2026
  • reddit.comHotel staff booked with passport when traveler lacked Chinese phone · accessed 6 Oct 2026
  • unusualnomad.com1–7 day window, passport fields, WeChat steps · accessed 6 Oct 2026
  • reddit.comSep 2026: travellers disagree on whether a Forbidden City ticket covers square entry · accessed 6 Oct 2026
  • reddit.com2026 advice: book the square separately, ahead of time · accessed 6 Oct 2026

Last checked 6 Oct 2026 · How we verify