Yu Garden tickets for foreigners (Shanghai, 2026)

Simplest foreigner path (window + passport)

Skip Mondays unless it is a national holiday.
Go to the North gate (168 Fuyou Rd — groups + individuals) or South gate (279 Yuyuan Old Street, near Jiuqu Bridge — individuals only).
Buy an adult ticket at the window: CNY 40 peak / CNY 30 off-peak per the official page. Carry your passport in case staff ask for a real-name check.
Enter before 16:00 (last entry). The garden closes at 16:30.
Optional online: WeChat mini-program 上海豫园 — the official e-ticket channel if you already use WeChat.

Official ticketing notice (hours, Monday closure, peak/off prices, gates, mini-program): yugarden.com.cn.

Garden vs bazaar (the #1 confusion)

Classical Yu Garden — ticketed courtyards, rockeries, halls inside the walls. Daytime only under the posted hours.
Yuyuan bazaar / old street — shops, snacks, Jiuqu Bridge views outside. Generally free to wander; crowded at night; not a substitute for the garden ticket if you came for the Ming garden.

If a blog says “Yu Garden at night,” check whether they mean the free bazaar lights. The ticketed garden’s last entry is 16:00.

When to use Trip.com / Klook

On ordinary weekdays the window is enough. Around Chinese New Year and big holidays, travellers often pre-book English OTAs so they are not stuck in a long queue — same pattern as other Shanghai sights. Prefer products that clearly say Yu Garden / 豫园 admission (not a generic “old town walking tour”). Passport real-name rules still apply.

For dated theme-park tickets the same week, see Shanghai Disneyland. For skyline tickets, see Shanghai Tower and Oriental Pearl.

If the mini-program blocks you

The official online path is Chinese-first. If WeChat login or +86 SMS fails, use the gate window — that is the designed foreigner fallback here. Broader tips: booking without a Chinese phone and Alipay / WeChat Pay for tourists.

Pitfalls: Paying for the garden when you only wanted the free bazaar (or the reverse — missing the garden because you never entered a gate). Arriving after 16:00. Showing up on a Monday. Confusing south-gate individual entry with north-gate group lanes. Assuming night bazaar photos equal garden opening hours.

Sources: official Yu Garden ticketing page (yugarden.com.cn) — hours 09:00–16:30, last entry 16:00, Monday closure except national holidays, peak/off adult prices CNY 40/30, north & south gates, 上海豫园 mini-program (accessed 6 Oct 2026, re-checked 9 Oct 2026). Traveller reports on garden vs night bazaar confusion. Last reviewed 9 Oct 2026.

Also: Shanghai hub · Yu Garden attraction page · Shanghai Tower tickets · Oriental Pearl · release times.

Full Yu Garden attraction page →

FAQ

Do foreigners need to book Yu Garden online?

Usually no. Walk up to the north or south gate ticket window. Pre-book (WeChat mini-program 上海豫园, or Trip.com/Klook) around Chinese New Year and major holidays when queues grow.

How much is admission?

Official adult price: CNY 40 in peak months (1 Apr–30 Jun, 1 Sep–30 Nov) and CNY 30 off-peak (1 Jul–31 Aug, 1 Dec–31 Mar). Eligible students and visitors 60+ get half price with valid ID — one discounted ticket per person per day.

Is the night market / bazaar included?

No. Shopping streets and the area around Jiuqu Bridge outside the garden walls do not need the garden ticket. Night “Yu Garden” photos are often the free bazaar lights, not the classical garden (which closes by 16:30).

Which gate?

North gate: 168 Fuyou Rd — groups and individuals. South gate: 279 Yuyuan Old Street (near Jiuqu Bridge) — individuals only.

When is it closed?

Mondays, except national holidays. Chinese New Year hours are announced separately on the official site.

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