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4-Hour Small Group Tour to Forbidden City with Entry Tickets

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Overview

Available languages

English

Mobile ticket

Ideal for history, culture, architecture, and museum enthusiasts, this tour embodies the popular saying: "70% of visiting the Forbidden City is learning its stories, 30% is seeing the palaces". Over this 4-hour walking experience, you’ll pause at key spots for engaging "story time"—gaining deep insights into its rich culture—while exploring major buildings and courtyards. With groups limited to 15 people, you’ll enjoy personalized attention from your guide. Entrance fees are included. Alternatively, you may opt for our Forbidden City ticket-only service and explore independently at your own pace.

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.

Cancellation Policy

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

What To Expect

1

Beijing Urban Planning Exhibition Hall

Please note: You must bring actual passport for this tour. This tour have two options Option 1: Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City Group Tour Start time: 10:00am Meeting point: In front of Beijing Urban Planning Exhibition Hall Option 2: Forbidden City and Coal Hill Park Group Tour (Tour without Tian'anmen Square) Start time: 8:00am and 13:00 Meeting point: In front of Donghuamen (East gat of the Forbidden City) Itinerary: Option 1: Forbidden Cit Tour with Tian'anmen Square Meet your group in front of Beijing Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, then follow your tour guide to go through travel agency passage to enter Tian'anmen Square (Tiananmen Square may be closed by the government at any time, so entry isn't guaranteed, since Tian'anmen Square is free so there is no refund ).

10 minutes • Admission Not Applicable
2

Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang)

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 (about 109 acres).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. (Please note: In peak season 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.)

1 hour • Admission Not Applicable

What‘s Included

If you choose the Coal Hill Park option then entry ticket is included

Group tour includes a professional guide

Fobiddden city entrance fee

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

If you choose entry ticket option-No Tour Guide Service Included

Hotel pick up and drop-off

Gratuites

If you choose option: Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City, you will not visit Coal Hill Park

If you choose Forbidden City and Coal Hill Park option, you will not visit Tian'anmen Square

Please note: For ticket-only bookings, visit independently (no guide, no meeting point)

Options

Forbidden City Entry Ticket

Forbidden City Entry Ticket: This option to book your Forbidden City Ticket-No Tour-No Guide. You will enter Forbidden City by scan everyone's passport
No meeting point : Forbidden City ticket booking only. Visit independently:Go straight to Meridian Gate, scan passport to enter,no meeting point
Starting point:
Donghuamen, China, Bei Jing Shi, Dong Cheng Qu, 景山前街4号 邮政编码: 100006

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

Forbidden City+Coal Hill Tour

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
Starting point:
Donghuamen, China, Bei Jing Shi, Dong Cheng Qu, 景山前街4号 邮政编码: 100006

Reviews

4.90

1,800 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

1703
61
12
4
20
  • Good experience

    W5444KYthomasa,,Dec 14, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Mina was great, very knowledgeable and showed us some less busy spots an cool places. small earpieces connected to one microphone made it easy to hear what was said.

    W5444KYthomasa's photo 1
  • Forbidden City Visit

    863samirac,,Dec 14, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    It was an amazing experience visit Forbidden City with Mina tourist guide. Mina was very careful and attentive with the group. She is a wonderful tourist guide and tell us in details the history of this place. Thank you so much Mina.

  • Amazing! Must visit in Beijing

    mingyih2025,,Dec 13, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    John was such an amazing guide and he was so knowledgeable and shared us so much info on the culture and history of forbidden city!

    mingyih2025's photo 1
    mingyih2025's photo 2
  • Very nice trip

    peterpR4608GE,,Dec 13, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Was a nice trip through the forbidden city with John made the 3 hours we spent in the city alone feel very short. Would book a tour again

    peterpR4608GE's photo 1
  • Great informative tour of Tiannamen and Forbidden city

    KAZ24673,,Dec 13, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Miko our tour guid was very enthusiastic , full of energy, take great care to details out the historical significant of events and building. Was really great and informative experience. Would highly recommended this tour since you will get fast track for the entrance and hassle free experience. And of course get Miko the great basketballer as your guide, wont regret it.

  • Very good wxperiwnce

    Giovanni S,,Dec 13, 2025

    - Review from Viator

    5.00

    Vivian was a very good tourist guide, professional, giving us all information about site and where to take a beautiful photo of the site. Very recommended

  • Awesome guide and well paced tour

    JNgTA,,Dec 12, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    It is very nice to come back to visit the Forbidden City again after 20 years. But now several rooms are closed to public, so you cannot see the inside of the palace up close. It is a shame because the engravings and handiwork is amazing. Thankfully we have a very good guide, Mina Li, who was able to provide us with stories of warlords and other historical events as we move through the palace. The pace was just right, giving us enough time to take pictures and walk through the palace. Mina even helped our group make a restaurant reservation afterwards. Her service attitude is awesome.

  • Worth the time and walk!

    norainihannan,,Dec 10, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Our guide Miko was understanding and earnest in bringing us through a 4-hr walk. Even though we have 2 elderly family members, Miko ensured that the pace was comfortable with multiple stops. This allowed everyone to enjoy the walk and have a good understanding of the shared history.

  • Excellent tour

    charlielK4381FG,,Dec 10, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    A fanstatic tour! Miko was very knowledgeable and a great guide for the Forbidden City. Highly recommend taking this tour!

  • Great tour with excellent guide

    202frederikw,,Dec 10, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    I can fully recommend the tour and certainly the very qualified guide who showed us the interesting areas of the complex and even gave me extremely valuable travel trips for Beijing. She even got out of her way to assist me in renting a bycycle after the tour had ended, In all I was very impressed by the service and knowledge of the guide!

-10% off

From US$13.50

Was US$15.00

4.90
(1,800 reviews)
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