The Forbidden City ( The Palace Museum) Location Map from chinatouristmaps.com
Visiting the Forbidden City ( The Palace Museum ) is no doubt one of your travel highlights in Beijing. Before starting your visit, it is quite helpful for you to grab some basic travel tips for visiting the Forbidden City.
Tip # 01: Try to Avoid Weekends or Chinese Holidays
The Forbidden City is a must see highlight for every first time visitor to Beijing. Be preppared for crowds of people like you visiting this complex. Try to avoid visiting the Forbidden City on weekends or public holidays. On these tourist peak days, the hoards of people are so thick that you could hardly see anything at all. Many tour groups ( most domestic ones) seem to aggregate and move about with with their whistles, banners, and colored caps. In many cases, you have to elbow your way to see and take pictures. I also recommend you either come here early in the morning or in the later afternoon to beat the crowds, enjoy the Forbidden City as it once was before the masses turn up and ruin your photo opportunity’s. Below are the opening timese for your timing your visit.
Open daily all year.
April 1st – October 31 ( 8:30 – 17:00 )
Last Entry at 16:10
Tickets sold until 16:00
November 1st – March 31 (8:30 – 16:30)
Last Entry at 15:40
Tickets sold until 15:30
April 1st – October 31 ( 8:30 – 17:00 )
Last Entry at 16:10
Tickets sold until 16:00
November 1st – March 31 (8:30 – 16:30)
Last Entry at 15:40
Tickets sold until 15:30
Tip # 02: Choose the Right Entrance
There are two entrances to the Forbidden City - the northern gate (Gate of Divine Might – Shenwu Men) and southern gate ( Meridian Gate – Wumen) . The northern gate is less crowed entering here, saving much lining up time for tickets. If you visit Beijing in peak season or on weekends, you are advised to enter the Forbidden City from its northern gate. For low tourist season or weekdays, you can enter the Forbidden City from Tiananmen Square. One of the advantages of entering the Forbidden City from Tiananmen Square is that you can rent the taped tour narrated by Roger Moore as your following it requires you to walk from south to north.
Below is dmission policy for planning your budget:
The Museum accepts Master Card, Visa, and PayUnion cards for ticket purchase.
The Museum accepts Master Card, Visa, and PayUnion cards for ticket purchase.
April 1st – October 31st : 60 yuan
November 1st – March 31st : 40 yuan
1. Children under 120 cm in height are free of charge.
2. Special 20 yuan tickets are available for China’s elementary, middle school, and university students (including foreign students studying in Chinese universities) with valid student I.D. or certified letter from school administrator (including students from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, excluding graduate and adult education students).
November 1st – March 31st : 40 yuan
1. Children under 120 cm in height are free of charge.
2. Special 20 yuan tickets are available for China’s elementary, middle school, and university students (including foreign students studying in Chinese universities) with valid student I.D. or certified letter from school administrator (including students from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, excluding graduate and adult education students).
The Northern Entrance ( Gate of Divine Might - henwu Men) at the Forbidden City
The Southern Entrance (Meridian Gate - Wumen) at the Forbidden City
Tip # 03: Choose Your Right Transportation
Visitors are highly recommended to use Beijing Transportation - bus, subway and taxi. Please note that taxis are not allowed to stop either at the nothern gate or south gate.
By Bus:
For the nothern gate (Shenwu men), take bus No. 101, 103, 109, 111, 124, 810, 685, 814, 846, or Zhuan 1 (a suttle bus traveling between Qianmen and The Palace Museum).
By Bus:
For the nothern gate (Shenwu men), take bus No. 101, 103, 109, 111, 124, 810, 685, 814, 846, or Zhuan 1 (a suttle bus traveling between Qianmen and The Palace Museum).
For the southern gate ( Wu men), take bus No.1, 10, 120, 126, 2, 20, 37, 4, 52, 59, 728, 802, Olympic line 2, or Te 1, to “Tian’an Men East” (Tian’an men dong).
Or take bus No. 1, 10, 22, 37, 4, 5, 52, 728, 802, or Te1, to “Tian’an men West” (Tian’an men xi).
Or take bus No. 1, 10, 22, 37, 4, 5, 52, 728, 802, or Te1, to “Tian’an men West” (Tian’an men xi).
By Subway:
Take Line 1 to Tian’an men East or “Tian’an men West” (Tian’an men xi).
Take Line 1 to Tian’an men East or “Tian’an men West” (Tian’an men xi).
Parking:
There is no parking outside the two entrance gates of the Palace Museum. The following public parking lots are located in the vicinity of the Forbidden City:
There is no parking outside the two entrance gates of the Palace Museum. The following public parking lots are located in the vicinity of the Forbidden City:
*Outside the East Prosperity Gate (Donghua men)
*In the back street of Jingshan Park;
*In front of the Front Gate of Beihai Park
Visitors are encouraged to visit the Museum via public transportation.
*In the back street of Jingshan Park;
*In front of the Front Gate of Beihai Park
Visitors are encouraged to visit the Museum via public transportation.
Taxi Stands:
Taxis are not allowed to stop at the nothern gate (Shenwu men) according to the local traffic regulations, Visitors exiting this gate need to walk further either east or west to hail a taxi. Taxis are not available along Chang’an Avenue, which is in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tian’an men), the southern access to the southern gate (Meridian Gate).
Tip # 04: Well Schedule Your Visiting Time
Taxis are not allowed to stop at the nothern gate (Shenwu men) according to the local traffic regulations, Visitors exiting this gate need to walk further either east or west to hail a taxi. Taxis are not available along Chang’an Avenue, which is in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tian’an men), the southern access to the southern gate (Meridian Gate).
Tip # 04: Well Schedule Your Visiting Time
The Forbidden City is huge, covering an area of 72 hectares. Normally you should cruise through in two or three hours. Plan this together with Tiananmen Square, Jinshan Park or Beijing park. Please keep in mind that Tickets sold until 15:30(November 1st – March 31); Tickets sold until 16:00(April 01 - October).
The Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City
Tip # 05: Hire a Legal Tour Guide or Audio Guides
The Forbidden City is much worth visiting, but unless you know the history very well, you should use a Beijing Tour Guides. You are not advised to use the tourist guides around the entrance. They are self-employed tour guides. So, try to find a reliable travel agency for your tour guide services. Recorded guide: these are available for rent walking form south to north. There are numerous signs in English by each building. An actual book would probably better serve you if you want to understand what you are seeing.
Tip # 06: Dress for the Hot Weather
There are very few trees with little shade the Forbbden City. It is super hot during the summer. So if coming here in summer, be ready to bring an umbrella for sun protection, bottles of water, and comfy walking shoes. Check Beijing Climate for more information.
Tip # 7 Wear Comfortable Shoes
There are lots of outdoor areas so you can’t do a lot of hiding from the sun or rain. Wear your most comfortable shoes. It’s a long walk! strollers and wheelchairs are available for free at the tourist guide service at both southern gate and the northern gate.
Tip # 08: Avoid Tour Vendors on the Street
There are some tour vendors at each entrance selling their excursions to the Great Wall. Just ignore all handouts that will be forced upon you. Especially bus tours. They are all too good to be true, and you will be disapointed. Top 10 Tourist Scams Beijing
Tip # 09: Hail a Taxi on the Road
Please note that taxis are not allowed to stop either at the nothern gate or south gate. Some people approaching you for taxi service after you finish your visit at the Forbidden City, may be black taxi drivers. Just avoid them and hail a taxi on the road. Vehicle Drivers.
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