Summer Palace Beijing: Timed Entry Tickets & QR Code Access

Free cancellation

1/9

Duration3h

Mobile ticketAccepted

The Summer Palace's Kunming Lake Waits—Just Scan Your QR Code

You book a timed-entry ticket online, receive a QR code via WhatsApp, and scan your way into Beijing's Summer Palace without waiting in the entry queue. Explore the imperial gardens, Kunming Lake, and the Long Corridor at your own pace, choosing a morning or afternoon slot that fits your schedule. Entry, QR access, and self-guided exploration are all included; you arrange your own transport to the East Gate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit the Summer Palace at leisure

Prebook ticket online
Receive QR code via WhatsApp
Arrive at Summer Palace East Gate
Scan QR code to enter
Admire Zhichun Pavilion and Kunming Lake
Stroll through Long Corridor
Explore Summer Palace leisurely

The Experience

The ticket queue at Summer Palace's East Gate can swallow an hour of your morning. Prebooking online cuts that entirely: you get a QR code sent to your phone the day you visit, scan it at the entrance, and walk straight in. The Summer Palace itself—a UNESCO site sprawling across 290 acres of imperial gardens, pavilions, and the long Kunming Lake shoreline—doesn't rush you. You set the pace, whether that's a slow morning walk or an afternoon visit when the crowds thin out.

The logistics are straightforward but specific. You'll need to send your passport number to the supplier via WhatsApp before your visit (local IDs don't work for international visitors). They send the QR ticket back the same way. Once you're at the East Gate, you scan and go—no printed tickets, no line negotiation. The main sights most people head for are Zhichun Pavilion and the Long Corridor, a covered walkway that runs for nearly half a mile along the water, but the whole place rewards wandering. You're not on a group schedule, so if you want to sit by the lake for twenty minutes or spend an hour in one corner, that's entirely up to you.

One thing to know: free entry applies to children under six and seniors over sixty, but you still need to book a ticket slot and provide ID. International students with a valid Chinese student card also don't pay, though again, the booking process is the same. Public transport gets you there—the Summer Palace is accessible by metro and bus—so you're only paying for entry, not for transport or a guide. Bring comfortable shoes; the palace is big and the paths are uneven in places.

What’s included

Summer Palace East Gate entry.
timed-entry QR code ticket sent via WhatsApp.
self-guided access to imperial gardens, Kunming Lake, Zhichun Pavilion, and the Long Corridor.
free entry for children under six and seniors over sixty (with valid ID).

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Authentic China Tours

Is this one for you?Right for independent travelers who want to explore the Summer Palace without a guide or group schedule, and who prefer to skip the entry-gate queue by booking ahead. The QR code system and flexible timing mean you move through the palace on your own terms.