Forbidden City Beijing: Entry Ticket & Guided Tours

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/8

Duration2h–4h

GroupPrivate

Mobile ticketAccepted

Four ways to walk through Beijing's Forbidden City, starting whenever you choose

You get reserved entry to the Forbidden City and choose how to experience it: solo with a map, in a small guided group at fixed times, with a private English-speaking guide on your schedule, or with that guide plus round-trip hotel transfer included. All four packages include the main entrance ticket; passport is required for entry scanning.

2h–4h

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Forbidden City with guided options

Provide full name and passport number
Present passport at Meridian Gate
Choose entry option
Enter Forbidden City
Explore independently or join guided tour
Complete 2-hour tour if guided
Return to hotel if transfer included

The Experience

You're standing at Meridian Gate with your passport scanned, and the Forbidden City opens in front of you. The choice is already made: go alone and move at your own rhythm, or have someone walk you through the 980 buildings and 24 emperors' worth of history. The ticket is reserved. The gate is open. What happens next depends on which of the four packages you picked before you landed.

If you booked just the entry ticket, you walk straight through and navigate the courtyards yourself — morning sessions run 8:30am to noon, afternoons from 11:30am to 3:30pm. No guide talking over the sound of your own thoughts, no group waiting while someone takes a photo. The Forbidden City stays yours. But if you wanted someone to point out why the roof tiles are yellow, or which courtyard the concubines crossed, the shared group tours leave Meridian Gate at 9:00am and 2:00pm with an English-speaking guide included, groups stay small enough that you're not herded. The 2-hour walk covers the main halls and the layout that made sense to the people who lived here, not just the Instagram angles.

The private tour option gives you a guide at whatever time works — no fixed departure, no waiting for a group to assemble. You pick the hour, meet at Meridian Gate, and the guide is there. If your hotel is downtown Beijing and you'd rather not navigate the subway with luggage or figure out which gate to enter from, the fourth package adds a driver who picks you up, drops you at the Forbidden City, waits through your 2-hour tour, and takes you back. The price is set before you get in the car, so there's no negotiation at the curb. Bring your passport — it's scanned at entry, no exceptions. Leave the tripod, drone, and large bags at the hotel; they're not allowed inside.

What’s included

All packages include your reserved official Forbidden City entry ticket and access during your chosen time slot.
Shared group tours and private tours add an English-speaking guide for 2 hours.
The private tour with transfer adds hotel pickup and drop-off in central Beijing, with the driver waiting during your tour.
Your passport is required for entry scanning.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Unique Beijing Tours

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to skip the ticket line and entry hassle — your reservation is confirmed and you choose whether to explore alone, join a small group, or have a guide walk you through the layout and history. The transfer option removes the navigation step if you're traveling with luggage or prefer not to use the subway.