What it costs, and when it opens
These are the numbers a search result is most likely to get wrong, so start here. Admission to the Palace Museum is ¥60 in the peak season (1 April to 31 October) and ¥40 in the low season (1 November to 31 March). The Treasure Gallery and the Gallery of Clocks are ¥10 each on top of that, and are worth booking at the same time as the main ticket.
- Tickets go on sale seven days before your visit date, at 20:00, and are valid for that day only. The museum sells no same-day tickets.
- Admission runs from 08:30. Last entry is 16:00 in the peak season and 15:30 in the low season; the two gallery museums stop admitting ten minutes later. The museum closes at 17:00 and 16:30 respectively.
- It is closed every Monday, except when a public holiday falls on one.
- Everyone enters through the Meridian Gate, the south gate. The route runs one way, south to north, and you leave by the Gate of Divine Prowess or the East Flowery Gate.
- Students at bachelor level and below pay ¥20 year round, and visitors aged 60 and over pay half price. The free admission for under-18s is the one line a foreign visitor should read twice: it is limited to Chinese nationals — including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents and foreigners holding a Chinese permanent residence permit — so a child on an ordinary foreign passport pays the full ¥60 or ¥40. There is no child ticket and no height-based exemption. Concession or not, everyone still has to book.
- The museum has authorised no third party to sell its tickets. If a site offers to guarantee one, it is reselling you nothing.
What a foreign visitor should expect
Foreign visitors can book through the Palace Museum's official international site with passport details. The booking name and document should match the passport you carry to the Meridian Gate; keep the confirmation available offline.
- Use the official Palace Museum channel, not a search advert or an unverified reseller.
- Enter the passport number carefully. A typo can become an identity-check problem at the gate.
- Read the calendar for your actual date: daily capacity and ticket release timing are operational details, not permanent rules.
A reliable passport-booking workflow
Decide the date first, then open the official booking page before building the rest of the day around it. With tickets released seven days out at 20:00, the Forbidden City is a timed, high-demand visit; it is not a sight to leave as an unpriced walk-in option.
- Create or use the international visitor booking route and select the passport option.
- Check the ticket type, entry date and the name against the passport before payment.
- Save the confirmation, booking reference and passport image in a secure offline place.
- Arrive with time for security and the walk to the entry gate; the booking time is not a promise that the surrounding queue is zero.
If the calendar is full
Do not buy a random 'guaranteed ticket' from a street tout. Re-check the official calendar, ask the official customer-service channel about legitimate availability and move the rest of the Beijing day instead of gambling on a gate exception.
- Keep Tiananmen-area access and security requirements separate from the museum ticket itself.
- Put Jingshan Park, the National Museum or a hutong walk on the backup list, subject to each attraction's own booking rules.
- If a tour includes the Palace Museum, ask whether the ticket is in your passport name and whether the guide is using the official channel.
Make the day easier
The Palace Museum is large. Wear comfortable shoes, carry water and avoid scheduling a long-distance train immediately after the visit. A slower morning inside the complex is more useful than racing through every hall.
- Use the official map and decide on a short route before entering.
- Plan a weather and crowd buffer; the route from city transport to the gate takes time.
- Link the visit to a Beijing city plan, not to an airport transfer with a hard cutoff.
Questions travelers ask
Can a foreign visitor book the Forbidden City with a passport?
Yes. The official international booking route is designed for foreign visitors and uses passport details. Bring the same passport and the booking confirmation to the entry check.
How much does the Forbidden City cost?
Admission is ¥60 in the peak season (1 April to 31 October) and ¥40 in the low season (1 November to 31 March). The Treasure Gallery and the Gallery of Clocks are ¥10 each on top. Students pay ¥20 year round and visitors aged 60 and over pay half, but the free admission for under-18s covers Chinese nationals only — including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents and foreigners with a Chinese permanent residence permit. On an ordinary foreign passport a child pays the full adult fare. Everyone still has to book.
Is the Forbidden City open every day?
No. It closes every Monday except when a public holiday falls on one. On the days it is open, admission runs from 08:30 until 16:00 in the peak season and 15:30 in the low season.
Can I buy a Forbidden City ticket at the gate?
No. The museum publishes that it sells no same-day tickets: everything goes on sale seven days ahead at 20:00, and a ticket is valid only for the day you booked. Do not build a Beijing day around turning up and buying one.
How far in advance should I book?
Tickets are released seven days before the visit date at 20:00 and are valid for that day only. In a holiday week, be ready at the release minute—this is one of the most contested bookings in the country.