How to Book Forbidden City Tickets as a Foreigner (2026)

By PabloNormal mode⏱ 10 min✔ Last verified 19 October 2026

Short answer: Forbidden City tickets are online only and real-name. There’s no ticket window. Foreigners book with their passport number through the Palace Museum’s official ticketing site. Tickets release at 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days before your visit and often sell out quickly in peak season. Bring the same passport to the Meridian Gate (south entrance). It’s closed on Mondays.

How to get Forbidden City tickets: be online at 20 Beijing time 7 days before, book on the official site with your passport number, add the Treasure or Clock Gallery if wanted, then enter at Meridian Gate with the same passport

Prices (2026)

Ticket	Price
Adult, 1 Apr – 31 Oct (peak)	¥60
Adult, 1 Nov – 31 Mar (off-peak)	¥40
Ages 7–18 and full-time undergrads	¥20
Ages 60+	Half price
Ages 6 and under	Free, but still needs a booking
Treasure Gallery / Clock Gallery	+¥10 each, booked with the main ticket

Step by step

Pick your date. Not a Monday (closed except public holidays). Avoid Chinese public holidays if you can, as they sell out fastest.
Set an alarm for 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days before. Convert to your time zone: that’s 13:00 in London (winter: 12:00) or 08:00 in New York (winter: 07:00).
Book on the official site. Go to the Palace Museum’s official ticketing site: https://www.dpm.org.cn/. Enter each visitor’s name and passport number exactly as printed. One ticket per passport per day.

Add galleries if you want them. The Treasure Gallery and Clock Gallery are booked at the same time.
Pay and keep the confirmation.
On the day: enter at the Meridian Gate (south) with the original passport you booked with. Use the manual ticket check. Photocopies and phone photos aren’t accepted. Peak-season hours: 8:30–17:00, last entry 16:00.

Sold out? Try this

Refresh after 20:00. Tickets release in batches, and “sold out” can change in the first minutes.
Try a weekday later in the week, or the off-season (Nov–Mar).
Book a guided tour that includes entry. Licensed tour operators hold group allocations. Check reviews and what’s included.
Avoid unofficial resellers. The museum hasn’t authorised third-party ticket agents, and a ticket in someone else’s name won’t get you in.

Rules that catch people out

Cancel by 24:00 the day before, free. No-shows count against you: 3 missed bookings in 180 days bars booking for 60 days.
Name must match the passport. Typos mean no entry.
No same-day tickets and no walk-up sales.

FAQ

Can I book through WeChat?

The Palace Museum’s official WeChat mini program (search “故宫博物院” in WeChat) is built mainly for Chinese ID holders. Foreigners should use the official ticketing site at dpm.org.cn with a passport.

How long do I need inside?

Plan 3–4 hours for the central axis plus one gallery. Exit is at the north gate (Shenwu Gate), opposite Jingshan Park, which is a great view back over the palace.

Do other museums need booking too?

Yes. Many major Chinese museums, such as the National Museum of China in Beijing and the Shanghai Museum, need free or paid real-name reservations in advance. Book early and bring your passport.

Still stuck?

Booking windows are tight. Don’t want to stay up for the 20:00 release? Our ticket booking service books on the official site in your name ($15 per person + ticket price, full refund if we can’t get your dates).

Sources: Palace Museum official ticketing site; prices, release time and rules as summarized by China Travel Club (checked Sep 2026), Forbidden City tickets guide and Trip China. Rules change, so confirm on the museum’s official site before booking.