Getting tickets for the Forbidden City (The Palace Museum, officially) can be really tricky these days! Here are some tips for securing your tickets.

What you must know:

1. The Forbidden City is closed on Monday, except during national holidays.
2. You CANNOT just show up and get tickets anymore. You MUST book in advance.
3. You must register for tickets with your full legal name and passport number.
4. Tickets are released at 8 p.m. each evening. Pay attention to this deadline if you are travelling during busy seasons. (Busy seasons include all Chinese national holidays and the summer holidays.)
5. Entry for morning tickets stops at 12 noon. Entry for afternoon tickets begins at 11 a.m.
6. OPEN: 8:30 a.m., LAST ENTRY: 4:30 p.m.

Two options for international visitors:

1. You can book on the official Palace Museum website.
   • The site is simple to use and you can pay with either a credit card or WeChat. You have to sign into the website with an e-mail address, then reserve tickets with your full name and passport number. You can purchase up to ten tickets.
2. You can book on Trip.com.
   • A lot of local people use the Chinese version of Trip.com to get tickets, and the international site works just as well. There are several options available (just entry tickets, or tickets which include the Clock Gallery and Treasure Gallery, or even options to join guided tours) and the prices are reasonable.

OTHER NOTES ABOUT THE FORBIDDEN CITY:

• The Forbidden City is one of China’s busiest sites, so it’s usually a bit crowded. But if you want to avoid the biggest crowds, go very, very early or mid-afternoon. If you REALLY want to avoid crowds, the dead of winter is a good time to go. (You’ll be freezing, but you’ll have the place mostly to yourself!)
• If you are very sensitive to heat, avoid going to the Forbidden City in July and August. There isn’t always a lot of shade, it’s crawling with huge groups, and the humidity is at its peak at that time. The palace is definitely worth exploring, but you may wear out before you see everything on those hot summer days.

Have you already been to the Forbidden City? What did you think? Let me know!