How to Visit the Forbidden City

Forbidden City is one of the most famous tourist sites in the center of Beijing city, is a treasured remant of China's imperial past.Today, the fortified citadel that for centuries housed the emperors, their families, and their servants has become a UNESCO-protected historical site known as the Palace Museum. With nearly 15 million visitors every year, the complex is far from “forbidden” these days. As Forbidden City is a huge place to see, you should know the improtant travel tips for visiting in advance:


How to buy Forbidden City Ticket
1. Buy the entrance tickets at the ticket office with your passport or ID card and directly, it is located on east side of the Forbidden City south gate. International Service Windows are available there, you can pay in cash. If you have Alipay or Wechat Pay, you can buy ticket from official webiste, only in Chinese version. There are 80000 tickets are available for sale daily, you'd better book the ticket in advance if you travel during the holidays.

How to book ticket in advance for western tourist
The online booking system allows individual visitors to purchase admission tickets 10 days in advance.
1) You can book the ticket from the some website, such as www.trip.com. Credit card payment is available.
2) Book a tour to visit the Forbidden City with a local Beijing tour company, they will help you to book the tickets accordingly; Or ask your hotel concierge to help you.


Best Time to Visit the Forbidden City

Forbidden City can be visied all year around, we suggest you visit in the early morning once it's open or in the afternoon. The most crowded time during the day is from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, the Forbidden City will receive the highest number of visitors.

If you intend to avoid large crowds, you'd better not plan your Forbidden City tour during the Chinese holidays, such as the National holiday , Labor's Holiday and Chinese New Year Festival. There are sea of people around the famous tourist attractions. Two-month summer vacation also busy here.


How to get into the Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is located directly across from Tiananmen Square. Enter via the front entrance—you can enter from the back too, but you should start at the front gate, the Meridian Gate, so you can exit through the Gate of Divine Might and walk across the street to Jingshan Park for panoramic views. You can take public city bus to get to Forbidden City No 1, 4, 20, 52, 57, 101, 103, 109, 111; Or take Beijing Metro Line 1 to get off at the Tiananmen West or Tiananmen East Station, then walk into the Forbidden City.


How to visit the Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is the world’s largest palace complex and consists of almost 1000 buildings. If you’re planning a visit there, you should set aside at least 3-4 hours to explore this city grounds. It’s impossible to see everything in a single visit but there are certainly a few highlights and must-see spots. The Forbidden City imperial palace is divided into a southern part and northern part. The southern part is where most of the temples and praying halls are located. This is where the emperor would conduct ceremonial and political matters. The northern part is where residential housing is located. This is where the emperor, empress, concubines, palace maids, servants, and eunuchs would live.

And there is only one entrance gate going into the Forbidden City that is located right after Tiananmen Square. If you have time, you should climb to the top of Jingshan Hill to enjoy a bird-eye view of the Forbidden City.


Know before Visiting
1) The Forbidden City is closed on Monday
2) The Forbidden City sales 80000 tickets daily, you'd better book the tickets in advance.
3) Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00 (Apr.-Oct.); 08:30-16:30 (Nov.-Mar.)
4) As there are lots of walking in the Forbidden City, you should wear a comfortable shoes and prepare some water and snack.
5) Bring the passports when you visit.
6) Remember to follow the signs for the “Palace Museum” because if you look for the “Forbidden City” you’ll never find it.
7) Time for Visting: Half day