Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City Tour with Private/Group Options

4.9 (536 reviews) Beijing, China
Duration3h - 4h
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Group sizeUp to 15 travelers
Pickup offeredSee the meeting and pickup details below

Overview

This ultimate Forbidden City small group tour will take you to see 18 palaces. It will provide you a deeper understanding of what the Forbidden City looks like and the culture behind it in 4 hours. The Forbidden City now limits daily ticket sales. With this tour, no worries about tickets.

Options

Tiananmen SQ + Forbidden City

Group tour : Group tour covers the Tiananmen Square + Forbidden City. Entry tickets are included.
Meeting point: Grand Hotel Beijing (北京贵宾楼饭店)
Address: No.35 East Chang'an Avenue, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
By subway: Take Metro Line 1 or Line 8 to Wangfujing Station, exit via Exit A/B/C for easy access. Please arrive at least 5 mins early.
Duration: 3 hours
Note: Bookings from foreign tourists are accepted within 7 days. You need to queue up and collect tickets with real names on site.
Starting point:
Grand Hotel Beijing, 35 Dong Chang An Jie, Dong Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100006

Private tour+Hotel pickup

Private tour option: Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City. Hotel pickup, professional guide and entrance tickets are all included.
Duration: 4 hours
Pickup included

Forbidden City Tour Only

Group Tour : This is a group tour covering only the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is not included.
Meet at the meeting point: Meeting piont:Kapok hotel Add: No. 16 Donghuamen Street, Dongcheng district, Beijing.
木棉花酒店北京东华门大街16号
Duration: 3 hours
Note: Bookings from foreign tourists are accepted within 7 days. You need to queue up and collect tickets with real names on site.
Starting point:
Hotel Kapok Beijing, 16 Dong Hua Men Da Jie, Dong Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100006

What's included

  • Forbidden City entrance ticket
  • Hotel pickup(if you choose the hotel pickup option)
  • Professional historian guide
  • Local taxes
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel drop-off
  • Food and drinks

What to expect

  1. Tiananmen Square
    Pass by
    You can either join the tour at the designated meeting point or enjoy morning pickup from your Beijing hotel lobby. Take a comfortable tour vehicle with your guide to Tiananmen Square first.
    As the world’s largest urban public square, it sits right on Beijing’s central axis. The iconic Tiananmen Gate stands on its northern edge, directly facing the Forbidden City. Surrounding the square are landmark buildings: the Great Hall of the People to the west and the National Museum of China to the east. At the centre rises the Monument to the People’s Heroes. This symbolic site carries profound modern Chinese history, offering wonderful photo opportunities.
    Important reminder: Tiananmen Square sees massive visitor volumes during China’s summer vacation (July & August), May Day Holiday and National Day Holiday (1st–7th October. Please prepare yourself for lengthy waiting times in security queues.
    Note: Valid passport/ID is required to pass security checks for entry.
  2. The Palace Museum
    2h · Admission ticket included
    Then you will walk to the Forbidden City, one of Beijing’s top landmarks.
    Also known as the Palace Museum, it houses roughly 10,000 rooms. For over 500 years, it served as the residence of 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Your professional guide will share its profound history. The tour covers a total of 18 palaces; please refer to the itinerary for full details.
    Please be aware the tour finishes inside the Forbidden City. Return transfer back to your hotel is at your own arrangement.
  3. Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Men)
    5m · Admission ticket included
    Passby
  4. Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian)
    5m · Admission ticket included
    Passby
  5. Meridian Gate (Wu Men)
    5m · Admission ticket included
    Passby
  6. Gate of Heavenly Purity
    5m · Admission ticket included
    Passby
  7. Palace of Earthly Tranquility
    5m · Admission ticket included
    Passby
  8. Palace of Heavenly Purity
    5m · Admission ticket included
    Passby
  9. The Imperial Garden of The Palace Museum
    5m · Admission ticket included
    Passby
  10. Gate of Divine Prowess
    Pass by
    pass by
  11. Hall of Union
    5m · Admission ticket included
    Passby

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

By taxi: 35 East Chang'an Avenue, Dongcheng District, Beijing 中国北京市东城区东长安街35号
By Metro: Line 1 / 8 → Wangfujing Station Exit: C (Southwest) Walk 3 minutes west.

Meeting point

Address: No. 16 Donghuamen Street, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 木棉花酒店,北京东华门大街16号
You can take taxi to Kapok hotel or take subway Line 8 to Jinyuhutong station and go out from Exit C , and walk to the right side to Kapok hotel for around 8 minutes.

End point

The tour will be ended at the North Gate of the Forbidden City.

Pickup details

For the private tour option, we will offer the downtown hotel pickup service.

Additional information

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Passport name, number is required at time of booking for all participants, Please make sure to carry the same valid ID document throughout your trip, otherwise you may be denied entry to the scenic spots.
  • Please note that Chinese nationals including visitors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan must book tickets 7 days in advance for the Forbidden City. We cannot accept any bookings made within 7 days of the visit date.
  • Forbidden City tickets require real-name reservation 168 hours (7 days) in advance and often sell out quickly. We highly recommend you book your tour as early as possible. Otherwise, international visitors may need to queue at the entrance to purchase tickets on site.
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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