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Forbidden City Guided Group Tour with Entry Tickets|Multi‑Departs

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Overview

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English

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Embark on an unforgettable imperial tour with flexible daily departure times. You can choose to add Tian'anmen Square sightseeing or explore only the Forbidden City upon booking.

This 2-3 hour excursion includes all entry tickets, letting you skip ticket procedures and focus purely on sightseeing. Led by seasoned guides with over 15 years of experience, immerse yourself in captivating royal tales and magnificent ancient architectures, and delve deep into the timeless heritage of the Forbidden City.

Feel free to wander and explore the palace at your own pace after the guided tour ends.

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately

Your passport name and number are required at time of booking (for all participants)

Please don't forget to bring your passport, you may be refused entry without it.

0-3 Years old infant is free, children have to purchase tickets as well

Tian'anmen Square might close without advance notice due to government activity, if this happens you will skip the Square

Tour departs punctually. Please arrive 10 minutes early. Once the tour left, you are unable to join the tour, and this tour is not refundable.

Chinese citizens, including customers from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, need to reserve the tickets for the Palace Museum 7 days in advance. Once the tickets for the Palace Museum are sold out, it will be impossible to participate in this itinerary. In addition, according to the regulations of the Palace Museum, Chinese citizens can only choose to reserve tickets with their ID cards. Therefore, when making a reservation, it is necessary to submit the Chinese name and ID card number, and on the day of the tour, the submitted ID document must be presented to join the tour group.

In case of peak travel seasons and when all the tickets reserved online for the scenic area are sold out, tourists are required to go to the ticket office of the scenic area by themselves under the guidance of the tour guide to handle the purchase of paper tickets on-site. Please be informed.

Since this is a small - group itinerary, your punctual arrival at the meeting point is essential for a seamless travel experience. Tiananmen Square and the Palace Museum have strict regulations and procedures. If you are late, it may unfortunately prevent you from joining the tour and entering the Palace Museum. Due to the unique nature of the itinerary arrangements, in the event that lateness causes you to miss the tour, we regret that we will not be able to process a refund. We highly recommend that you communicate with your hotel in advance to accurately confirm the travel time from the hotel to the meeting point and make sufficient preparations. This way, you can embark on your journey with ease and enjoy every moment of it.

In Peak season, the security checks at Tiananmen Square are particularly stringent. If the waiting time exceeds one hour, we recommend considering a bus ride that passes by the square. Given the sweltering heat, waiting in line for an extended period increases the risk of heat - related illnesses. Additionally, spending too much time at the square could detract from your experience at the iconic Forbidden City, which is a highlight of our tour. We will only proceed with this alternative if the majority of the group is in agreement. Please keep this in mind as we plan our visit.

This tour is not recommended for travelers with physical/visual impairments or mobility restrictions due to varied terrain (underground passages, stairs) and the length of the tour. Please note that this tour covers 4 hours of walking.

This tour is not recommended for travelers with physical/visual impairments or mobility restrictions due to varied terrain (underground passages, stairs) and the length of the tour. Please note that this tour covers 4 hours of walking.

What To Expect

1

Beijing

Please note that we have two different tour packages available. Please choose according to your needs, and check carefully the different meeting points and times for each option. You must bring your actual valid passport for this tour. Option 1 Tian’anmen Square & Forbidden City Group Tour Start time: 7:30 am & 9:30am & 11:30am Meeting point: In front of Laoshe Teahouse Option 2 2 Hour Forbidden City Group Tour Start time: 8:30AM, 10:30AM, 12:30PM & 2:00 PM Meet at Meridian Gate (the main entrance of the Forbidden City)

Admission Not Applicable
2

Tiananmen Square

For Option 1: You will visit Tian'anmen Square first. Tiananmen Square is the geographical center of Beijing City. It is the largest city square in the world, occupying an area of 440,000 square meters. Followed by your expert and professional guide, a very informative introduction of the Tian'anmen square and surrounding buildings will be given to your group, as everyone moves along towards to the Forbidden City. (Note: In peak season security checks at Tiananmen Square are particularly stringent. If the waiting time exceeds 1 hour, we recommend considering a bus ride that passes by the square. Additionally, spending too much time at the square could detract from your experience at the iconic Forbidden City, which is a highlight of our tour. We will only proceed with this alternative if the majority of the group is in agreement. Please keep this in mind as we plan our visit.)

30 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Options

May 4th: Square+Palace

May 4th: Square+Palace: The Forbidden City is open on Mondays during public holidays, and this tour covers both Tian’anmen Square&the Forbidden City

Tiananmen Square+Forbiddencity

This option including Entry Tickets to Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City. Please arrive before 9:50am Beijing Planning Exhibition: You can reach here by taxi: 请带我去北京城市规划馆前门东大街20号, subway line 2 at Qianmen Station, exit E2, then walking 400 meters. Starting point: Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall, 20 Qian Men Dong Da Jie, Dong Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100051

May 4th: Forbidden City+Coal

May 4th: Forbidden City+Coal : The Forbidden City is open on Mondays during public holidays, and this tour covers both the Forbidden City&Coal Hill Park

2 Hour Forbidden City

Duration: 2 hours 2 Hour Forbidden City: Meet in front of Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City at 9:00am, 12:30&14:00. Visit Forbidden City Only. Tickets are included. 2‑hour Forbidden City: 2‑hour Forbidden City‑only tour with entry ticket and English‑speaking guide. Meeting point: Meridian Gate (main entrance) Starting point: Meridian Gate, 4 Jing Shan Qian Jie, Dong Cheng Qu, China, 100006

Forbidden City&Coal Hill Park

Forbidden City&Coal Hill Park: This option including entry ticket to the Forbidden city&Coal Hill park. Tour start at 8:00 or 13:00without Tian'anmen square Meeting point: Donghuamen: You can reach here by taxi 请带我去故宫东华门, by subway line 8 at Jingyu Hutong Station, exit C, then walking 700 meters

Tian'anmen & Forbidden City

Duration: 3 hours TiananmenSquare&Forbidden City: Meet at Laoshe Teahouse: 7:30AM & 9:30AM &11:30AM. Tour including entry to Tian’anmen Square&the Forbidden City. Starting point: Lao She's Teahouse, China, Bei Jing Shi, Xi Cheng Qu, Qian Men Xi Da Jie, 正阳市场3号楼 邮政编码: 100031

May 4th:Square+Forbidden City

May 4th: Square+Forbidden City: The Forbidden City is open on Mondays during public holidays, and this tour covers both Tian’anmen Square & Forbidden City Starting point: Lao She's Teahouse, China, Bei Jing Shi, Xi Cheng Qu, Qian Men Xi Da Jie, 正阳市场3号楼 邮政编码: 100031

5th of Oct: T-Square+Palace

Tian'anmen Square+Palace: Tour Start at 7:30, 9:30 or 11:30am. Meet in front of Laoshe Teahouse, you will visit Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City. Starting point: Lao She's Teahouse, China, Bei Jing Shi, Xi Cheng Qu, Qian Men Xi Da Jie, 正阳市场3号楼 邮政编码: 100031

12th of June 10:00am

12th of June 10:00am: Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City Tour - Meet at Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall, tour start at 10:00am Starting point: Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall, 20 Qian Men Dong Da Jie, Dong Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100051

5th of Oct

Duration: 2 hours 2‑hour Forbidden City: 2‑hour Forbidden City‑only tour with entry ticket and English‑speaking guide. Meeting point: Meridian Gate (main entrance of Starting point: Meridian Gate, 4 Jing Shan Qian Jie, Dong Cheng Qu, China, 100006

Tiananmen Square+ForbiddenCity

Tiananmen Square+ForbiddenCity: This option including Entry Tickets to Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City. Please arrive before 9:50am Beijing Planning Exhibition: You can reach here by taxi: 请带我去北京城市规划馆前门东大街20号, subway line 2 at Qianmen Station, exit E2, then walking 400 meters. Starting point: Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall, 20 Qian Men Dong Da Jie, Dong Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100051

What‘s Included

If you choose 2 Hour Forbidden City Tour, you will only visit Forbidden City

Group tour includes a professional guide

Fobiddden city entrance fee

If you choose the Tian'anmen Square option entry ticket is included

Hotel pick up and drop-off

Gratuites

Meals

Cancellation Policy

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

Reviews

4.90

2,080 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

1970
68
13
5
24
  • Great Tour Option for Limited Time and Flexibility

    Reginald G,Jun 16, 2026

    - Review from Viator

    5.00

    Great tour guide, very flexible! Vivian was very knowledgeable and because we were a smaller tour she catered to our needs and interests. She was very flexible and we got a lot done in the 3 hours!

  • Great experience with Anson

    621renaeg,Jun 16, 2026

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Anson was very knowledgeable and was a great tour.

  • Jimmy was a great tour...

    Angela G,Jun 15, 2026

    - Review from Viator

    5.00

    Jimmy was a great tour with very clear English. He took us to the main sites of the Forbidden City but also to some area off the beaten track. There was plenty of interesting information and facts and I appreciated that at each part of the Forbidden City, he gave us time to wander around and look at our own pace. He was also very helpful in taking pictures even though there were multiple groups of people.

  • Forbidden city tour with great guide!

    maxwS4044KF,Jun 14, 2026

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    I had a real lovely experience at the forbidden city. My guide Jimmy was really friendly, funny and he could tell endless stories about the history of the forbidden city in perfect English. The tour takes about 3-4 hours depending on the traffic at the security checkpoint. The length of the tour is perfect, you get to see everything and afterwards you’ll really need a break because it’s a lot of walking but 100% worth it. You’ll get an earpiece so that you can wander around freely and still hear your tourguide, this is great because the whole complex is enormous. Had a great experience and would definitely book with Jimmy again if I return to china with my family.

    maxwS4044KF's photo 1
  • Getting to know the dynasties

    bahiamann,Jun 13, 2026

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Andy is a very knowledgeable guide and was so helpful in answering all my questions.

  • Fun and interesting tour

    angelawT589KB,Jun 10, 2026

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Jimmy was great. He contacted me a couple days in advance with a detailed explanation of what to expect, bring and where to meet, including photos of our meeting spot and his banner. His English was great and his tour was very informative. He was efficient but also gave us plenty of time to look around and take photos, often offering to help take photos of me and my daughter. Jimmy was friendly and gave interesting and fun facts throughout the tour, highly recommend!

  • Wonderful Experience

    Constance F,Jun 10, 2026

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Our guide, Vivian, was fantastic! A treasure trove of interesting facts and stories about the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour.

  • Leo was fantastic!

    curtis m,Jun 10, 2026

    - Review from Viator

    5.00

    Great experience for our family! Leo was very knowledgeable and friendly. Helped us to learn so much and to get us where we needed to be on time. He was an amazing guide! Five stars all the way!

  • Forbidden City Tour with Moko

    Wendy H,Jun 5, 2026

    - Review from Viator

    5.00

    We had a great time touring Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City with Moko. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and funny. It was a great blend of history and modern insights.

  • Recommended Tour

    Maps83892,Jun 4, 2026

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Our guide Lucy was very helpful and explained the history of the palace nicely. Even though the queue to Tiananmen Square was super long and the Forbidden City was very crowded, the whole experience was still wonderful.

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