The Forbidden City, since its completion in 1420 and up until the last emperor's departure in 1924, has been the royal residence of China. Whether you're drawn to the architectural artistry or intrigued by royal life, this UNESCO World Heritage Site promises an enriching experience.

The palaces, with their golden roofs and red walls, present a uniform facade, yet each with unique characteristics and cultural significance. The Hall of Supreme Harmony, the grandest of them all and the site of imperial coronations and other grand ceremonies, boasts a double-eaved roof, the highest form in traditional Chinese architecture, embodying the emperor’s paramount authority. Adjacent to it, the Hall of Central Harmony features square-shaped body and a pearl-like roof finial, reflecting the ancient Chinese understanding of the universe as “round sky and square earth”.

Hall of Supreme Harmony

Hall of Central Harmony

Each palace door opens to a fresh marvel of the royal life and treasures. As you step into the imperial concubines' quarters, you can almost visualize their daily lives, perhaps touching up their makeup as they awaited the emperor’s summons, or indulging in snacks at their leisure by the table. The Treasure Gallery sparkles with an array of gold and silver artifacts and radiant gemstones, while the Timepiece Gallery showcases an eclectic collection of clocks. Each treasure has its own story, just waiting for you to explore.

Palace of Imperial Concubines

Treasure Gallery

Tickets for the Forbidden City cost CNY 60 from April to October and CNY 40 from November to March, typically requiring booking 7 days in advance. You can reserve through some reliable travel agents, the official website, or on-site. Here’s how each method works.

Meridian Gate

Travel China Guide offers flexible booking service at your convenience. Forget the official 7-day advance restriction, you can secure your ticket as early as possible and look forward to your trip with peace of mind.

Tickets can also be booked on the Palace Museum's website 7 days before the visit date at 20:00 Beijing Time. However, as they typically sell out within minutes, or even in mere seconds during high seasons or holidays, we recommend having an alternative travel date in mind.

 While purchasing tickets on-site with your passport is currently available, it is generally not the most advisable option. Queues usually start at 30 minutes and can exceed an hour during peak seasons or holidays, which may significantly impact your travel experience. 

The Forbidden City is open year-round, closed on Mondays except for public holidays. Opening hours vary by season: 

April–October (Peak Season): Open 8:30–17:00. Last entry at 16:00 (Meridian Gate) and 16:10 (Treasure Gallery & Clock Gallery).

November–March (Off Season): Open 8:30–16:30. Last entry at 15:30 (Meridian Gate) and 15:40 (galleries).

Your ticket categorizes you into Morning (8:30–12:00) or Afternoon (11:00–15:30) entry times. For an extensive exploration, choose a morning ticket to maximize your visit; for a more relaxed pace without an early start, opt for an afternoon ticket. Morning ticket holders are advised to enter before 13:00 to ensure entry. For afternoon tickets, you can start queuing as early as 10:30. If you arrive late, try to enter by 15:00 to not miss the last entry time.

Corner Tower

Most Forbidden City visitors tend to queue right at the earliest time of their selected session, so the key to enter seamlessly is to avoid the initial rush for both morning and afternoon tickets, which typically gets you through security in under 20 minutes. 

For morning entry, arriving 20 minutes before the opening time means less crowds. Afternoon visitors are suggested to queue between 13:00–15:00, which neatly dodges both the late-morning stragglers and the afternoon ticket peak while still leaving ample time before last admission. Weekday visits are advisable, as holidays can see queues exceeding 30 minutes even during off-peak times.

The Meridian Gate serves as the Forbidden City's sole entrance, with no direct public transport stops or parking nearby, which requires a walk. Since the gate is located near Tiananmen Square, many tourists choose to visit Tiananmen Square before heading here. However, this route involves additional time for long security queues. If you don't plan to visit the square, you can save more time by walking to the Meridian Gate directly from nearby spots. Here's how to get to the entrance via these two routes:

Meridian Gate

Take Subway Line 1, get off at Tiananmen East Station or Tiananmen West Station, exit from Exit B, and pass through the security check. After the check, you’ll reach the Tiananmen Square. After your visit, go through the Upright Gate, and get to the Meridian Gate.

Tiananmen Square

A popular shortcut to directly reach the Forbidden City is to first arrive near the East Prosperity Gate of the Forbidden City and then walk about 15 minutes to the Meridian Gate. Take Subway Line 8, get off at Jinyu Hutong Station, exit from Exit C, and pass through the security check to reach the Tiananmen Square. After strolling around for a while, go through the Upright Gate, and get to the Meridian Gate.

After reaching the ground level, turn right and go straight. At the end of the road is the East Prosperity Gate of the Forbidden City. Turn left at the gate and follow the crowd along the moat to reach the Meridian Gate.

An alternative shortcut is through Zhongshan Park on the west side of Forbidden City, leading directly to the Meridian Gate. Note that this route requires an additional entrance fee of CNY 3 for the park.

Having your passport on hand allows for quick entry via automated scanners. Without it, you'll need to queue at the manual verification line where staff will cross-check your identity and ticket details, which can slow down the entry process.

Visitors in the Supreme Harmony Gate

Travel light with just essentials: your passport, phone, snacks and bottled water. This not only conserves energy but also saves you from wasting time in restaurant lines. Opt for sun-protective clothing and comfortable walking shoes. 

 Please note that sprays, selfie sticks and drones are strictly prohibited to take into the Palace Museum.

The classic Central Axis route from the Gate of Supreme Harmony to the Imperial Garden covers the most iconic structures in about 2.5 hours. For those interested in imperial treasures, adding the eastern Treasure Gallery and Gallery of Timepieces extends the visit to approximately 3.5 hours. To explore more palaces and exhibitions, allocate at least 4 hours.