Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)
Traveler rating
4.8/5
Based on 1,586 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service) worth booking?
Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service) is a 2-hour experience in Beijing, China, from $10 per person. It scores 90 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Exceptional”, based on a 4.8/5 rating across 1,586 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 90 / 100
- Rating
- 4.8/5 (1,586)
- Duration
- 2 hours
- From
- $10 per person
Get your direct entry Forbidden City admission ticket to explore this impressive attraction during your Beijing trip. Discover the secrets that have been hidden since Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty (1420 to 1912). This city was constructed from 1406 to 1420. The city consists of 980 buildings! Have fun spending the day looking at priceless Chinese artifacts. Please note: • Passport name and number is required at time of booking for “all participants” upon booking • This ticket product offers you direct entry to Forbidden City with your Passport • This is Forbidden City ticket not including Tiananmen Square reservation, you can just take a taxi to East gate or West Gate of Forbidden City and walk to the Main entrace South Gate (Meridian Gate 午门） to enter to Forbidden City directly. No need pass through Tiananmen Square.
What you get
About this experience
Get your direct entry Forbidden City admission ticket to explore this impressive attraction during your Beijing trip. Discover the secrets that have been hidden since Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty (1420 to 1912). This city was constructed from 1406 to 1420. The city consists of 980 buildings! Have fun spending the day looking at priceless Chinese artifacts. Please note: • Passport name and number is required at time of booking for “all participants” upon booking • This ticket product offers you direct entry to Forbidden City with your Passport • This is Forbidden City ticket not including Tiananmen Square reservation, you can just take a taxi to East gate or West Gate of Forbidden City and walk to the Main entrace South Gate (Meridian Gate 午门） to enter to Forbidden City directly. No need pass through Tiananmen Square.
What's included
Included
- Admission ticket
- Live guide ( for Forbidden City group tour option only)
Not included
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
What you'll see and do
Donghuamen
Guests can be dropped off directly at Donghuamen. Follow the city moat on foot for approximately 8 minutes until you reach Meridian Gate (Wumen), the sole official entry and security checkpoint for the Forbidden City. Important: Donghuamen functions only as an exit. Entry to the Forbidden City is NOT permitted at Donghuamen. Please proceed on foot to Meridian Gate for security and ticket verification. What You Need to Know ⚠️ Avoid traveling through Tiananmen Square to reach Meridian Gate A separate real‑name reservation for Tiananmen Square is mandatory and must be booked at least 1 day ahead. Your Forbidden City group tour ticket does NOT include access to Tiananmen Square. For the Forbidden City group tour opiton The meeting Point: Kapok Hotel Donghuamen (Near the Donghuamen‑East Gate of the Forbidden City)
5 minutes here · Admission included
Meridian Gate (Wu Men)
After booking with your passport name and number (for all participants), you can access to the Forbidden City directly through the security check and by showing your passport at the main entrance, Meridian Gate. Forbidden City Schedule: • Peak Season: April 1st to October 31st (Tuesday to Sunday) - Last Entry is at 16:00 • Summer Vacation: July to August (Monday to Sunday) - Last Entry is at 16:00 • Slow Season: November 1st to March 31st (Tuesday to Sunday) - Last Entry is at 15:30 Please note: • This is pre booking service, the comfirmation will send 6 days before the tour date. • Passport name and number is required at time of booking for “all participants” upon booking • This ticket product offers you direct entry to Forbidden City with your Passport • Please note that Chinese nationals including visitors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan must book tickets 7 days in advance for the Forbidden City. We cannot accept any bookings made within 7 days of the visit date.
60 minutes here · Admission included
Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohedian)
The Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohe Dian) is the last main hall in the Outer Court.
15 minutes here · Admission included
Gate of Heavenly Purity
The Gate of Heavenly Purity (Qianqing Men) separates the palace into the Outer and Inner Court. Behind the gate is the residential area of the palace.
30 minutes here · Admission included
Palace of Earthly Tranquility
The two chambers in the east were changed into bridal rooms for the emperor and empress; while the remaining four chambers were used as a place of worship.
20 minutes here · Admission included
The Imperial Garden of The Palace Museum
Behind the Hall of Earthly Tranquility is the Imperial Garden where the imperial family members recreated themselves.
30 minutes here · Admission included
Hall of Middle Harmony (Zhonghe Dian)
Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian) also called 'Hall of Golden Throne', is the grandest hall in the palace and the largest wooden structure in China.
30 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Donghuamen
Donghuamen Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100006, China
Hotel pickup
Pickup is available for selected locations.
Ends at
Returns to the starting point
Ends at
Donghuamen · Donghuamen Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100006, China
Options you can book
Morning Entry Ticket
Entry 8:30 A.M –12:00 P.M: Excluding the Treasure Gallery and the Clock Gallery. No guide included: No meeting point, please scan your passport to enter the Forbidden City at the Meridian Gate. Please make your own way there. Note: Please submit all guests' full names and passport numbers for reservation. Entry is valid with passports only.
Main Entry +Treasure Gallery
Morning/Afternoon timed ticket: 【8:30 slot: Morning ticket, entry 8:30 A.M–12:00 P.M】// 【11:00 slot: Afternoon ticket, entry 11:10 A.M–15:00 p.M】 No guide included: No meeting point, please scan your passport to enter the Forbidden City at the Meridian Gate. Please make your own way there. Note: Please provide all visitors’ full names and passport numbers to book it, and your passports will serve as your entry ticket.
Afternoon Entry Ticket
Entry 11:10 A.M–15:00 P.M: Excluding the Treasure Gallery and the Clock Gallery. No guide included: No meeting point, please scan your passport to enter the Forbidden City at the Meridian Gate. Please make your own way there. Note: Please submit all guests' full names and passport numbers for reservation. Entry is valid with passports only.
Forbidden City group tour
Ticket+Tour guide(Foreigner): For foreign guests only. English-speaking tour guide + entrance ticket. Only available for tourists with foreign passports. Meeting point: Meet infront of Kapok Hotel （东华门木棉花酒店)，Address: No.16th. Donghuamen road, Dongcheng district. Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes Booking within 6 days: We recommend booking your tour as early as possible. Otherwise, international visitors may need to queue up at the entrance. Note: : Visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are only accepted for bookings of 8 days in advance or longer. Pickup included
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
- Group size
- Up to 30 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Lily's Tour Company
Know before you go
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please note: Passport name and number is required at time of booking for “all participants” upon booking
- Passport is required for all travelers on the day of travel for direct entry. (not for Chinese tourist, Chinese tourist must buy the ticket by ID card information)
- Chinese tourists( including Taiwan and Hongkong ) must book over 8 days in advance.
- This is only pre-booking service, if we get the ticket then the comfirmation letter will received 6 days in advance.
- The ticket is only valid on the day you book to travel
- Please note that Chinese nationals including visitors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan must book tickets 7 days in advance for the Forbidden City. We cannot accept any bookings made within 7 days of the visit date.
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 1,585 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
8 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
8 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Traveler reviews
1,585 verified traveler reviews for Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service). Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Great experience
Lydia was a fantastic guide - very engaging and got us through all the checkpoints
Response from the operator: Dear Guest Thank you for your wonderful review! We are delighted that Lydia was such an engaging guide and helped you smoothly get through all checkpoints. It’s our pleasure to hear you enjoyed your tour. Hope to see you again! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
via Tripadvisor
Amazing!
My girlfriend and I enjoyed our time during this tour. Lydia was kind and generous with her knowledge and insight of the city. I would book other tour with her in Beijing :)
Response from the operator: Dear Guest Thank you so much for your lovely review! We are glad you and your girlfriend had a wonderful time on the tour. It’s fantastic that Lydia was kind and shared abundant knowledge and insights about Beijing with you. We are delighted you would love to book another tour with her. Hope to welcome you both again soon! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
via Tripadvisor
5/5 recommend!
Had a wonderful time with Lydia she was super welcoming and very informative! She took us to quieter areas so we could admire the Forbidden City in peace and was super patient with the group despite all the delays in traffic! I learnt a lot and recommend this tour!
Response from the operator: Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your lovely review! We are delighted that Lydia took you to quieter spots in the Forbidden City and stayed patient with your group despite traffic delays. We will pass your kind compliments to Lydia. Hope we have the chance to welcome you back to Beijing soon! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
via Tripadvisor
A great visit
Lydia was a great guide, she took us through the history of tiananmen square and the forbidden city with many tellings about the their story ! Recommended your guide
Response from the operator: Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your kind review! We are delighted that Lydia brought the history of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City alive for you with all those wonderful stories. We will pass your lovely compliments to her. Hope to welcome you back to explore more of Beijing soon! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
via Tripadvisor
Excellent Tour
I really enjoyed this tour. Our guide,Lydia, was very knowledgeable and patient. The value exceeded the price. Well done
Response from the operator: Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your nice review! We are glad you thoroughly enjoyed the tour with Lydia. It’s wonderful to hear she was knowledgeable and patient, and that you found great value for your trip. We will pass your kind compliments to Lydia. Hope to welcome you back to Beijing sometime soon! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 2 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
- Price range
- $10 to $35
- Hotel pickup
- Available for selected locations
- Booked in 30 days
- 555
- Verdict
- Exceptional
Who runs this experience
Operated by Lily's Tour Company, who run 74 experiences we rank across 2 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 55.3 and 2 in the 90+ Club.
See everything Lily's Tour Company runsWhy this scores 90
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service): questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Beijing.
How much does Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service) cost?
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Prices start at $10 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Beijing usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service) take?
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Plan for about 2 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Beijing is not rushed.
Is Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service) worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 90 out of 100, which we label "Exceptional". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.8/5 across 1,586 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable most popular in Beijing, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service) suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 2-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)?
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Around 555 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Beijing can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Beijing and add a light layer if any part of the 2-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service) start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Beijing within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Beijing?
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On Outty we rank every Beijing experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Temple Heaven, Lama Temple, Summer Palace & Peking Duck Bus Tour, Beijing Mutianyu Great Wall Sightseeing Full-day Group Tours, Mubus: Mutianyu Great Wall Bus Tour with Summer Palace Options. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Beijing?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Beijing?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)?
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Included: Admission ticket; and Live guide ( for Forbidden City group tour option only). Not included: Food and drinks; and Hotel pickup and drop-off. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service) include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered, or you can meet at the start point instead from 3 listed pickup locations in and around Beijing.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
What happens to Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service) if the weather is bad?
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This experience depends on good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.
What do travelers say about Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)?
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Across 1,586 reviews averaging 4.8 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
What booking options are available for Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)?
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There are 4 options to choose from, including Morning Entry Ticket, Main Entry +Treasure Gallery, Afternoon Entry Ticket, Forbidden City group tour. Prices and start times differ by option, so compare them on the booking screen.
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