How Forbidden City tours differ
The palace is large and the information on site is mostly in Chinese. A guide can help you find the main axis and explain what you see in the halls. Not everyone wants one, and a tour is not required to enter.
The museum lists tour routes, guide services and audio guides on its visit page. It also describes three route lengths: 2 hours, half a day and a full day. Treat these as route categories, not as promised walking times, because queues and the security check come on top.
Entry to the palace is tied to a real-name booking. A tour that includes the ticket therefore needs your passport details in advance, and you carry the original passport on the day.
Tour types compared
What each type gives you and what to check.
| Type | Good for | Check before you book |
|---|---|---|
| Entry ticket only | Visitors who prefer to walk alone with a map | Whether the booking is in your name and on your passport |
| Group walk with a guide | A first visit on a budget, with a fixed meeting point | Language, group size, length and whether the ticket is included |
| Private guide | Families, slower walkers, your own pace and questions | Hours of guiding, hotel pickup, what happens if the date is full |
| With Tiananmen Square | One morning for the square and the palace | Whether the square reservation and the palace ticket are both included |
| With the Great Wall | A full day with a transfer | Transfer, entrance fees, lunch and how long you actually spend in the palace |
| With the hutongs | A longer day that adds old lanes after the palace | Start point, walking distance and whether a meal is included |
These are types, not a ranking. A price only means something once you know what is inside it, so compare the includes line by line.
Our picks: tours compared
A one-hour visit, a guided half day with Tiananmen and a full day with the Great Wall.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Forbidden City and Mutianyu Great Wall in one day
English-speaking guide, transfers both ways, entry to both sites and water. Cable car, chairlift, toboggan and tips cost extra; lunch is only part of the private option.
Check availability →Entry ticket with one-hour guided tour
Entry is included, and the first package adds a small-group guided tour. The second package has no guide. Transport, food and drinks are not included.
Check availability →
Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City with a guide
A guide in your chosen language and reserved entry tickets. Food and drinks, the clock and jewellery museum, and transport on the 4-hour tour cost extra.
Check availability →Forbidden City tours and day trips
Group walks, private guides, ticket bundles and combinations with Tiananmen Square, the hutongs or the Great Wall, with live prices and availability.
What to check before you book
The wording differs more than the prices do.
Is the palace ticket included?
Some tours include the entry, some sell only the guide. If the ticket is not included, you still need your own booking, and that opens 7 days before the visit.
Tickets and reservation →The extra galleries
The Treasure Gallery and the Clock Gallery cost CNY 10 each. A tour price may leave them out, so look for them in the list of what is included and what is not.
Palace Museum galleries →Language and group size
A guide in your language does not appear on every date. Read the language of the departure you choose, and check the group size if you want to ask questions.
Meeting point and exit
The palace is entered at the Meridian Gate and left at the north or east gate. A tour that ends at the north exit leaves you near Jingshan Park, a long way from the south entrance.
The Meridian Gate →Cancellation terms
Terms differ by operator and cannot be carried over from the museum's own rules. Read them before you pay, because the palace ticket itself cannot be moved to another name or date.
The Monday closure
The palace is closed on Monday, apart from public holidays. Do not book a Monday tour of the interior unless the operator confirms an opening.
Opening hours →Audio guides and doing it yourself
The museum offers audio guide service on its visit page. Which languages are offered and what the rental costs in the current season, check on arrival or on the museum's own pages. Many visitors use the one-way route from the Meridian Gate to the north and read a guidebook on the way.
If you walk alone, follow the main axis: the three great halls of the outer court, the inner court behind them, then the Imperial Garden and the north exit. The route page shows the order and where the side galleries sit.
Forbidden City tours: frequently asked questions
Do I need a guide for the Forbidden City?
No. You can walk the route alone with a map. A guide helps with the history and with finding the main halls, which many visitors value on a first visit.
Does a tour price include the entry ticket?
It depends on the offer. Some include the palace ticket, some do not. Read the includes list, and remember that the Treasure Gallery and the Clock Gallery are separate tickets.
How long does a guided visit take?
The museum describes routes of 2 hours, half a day and a full day. A guided tour usually follows one of these lengths. Queues and the security check come on top.
Can I take a tour on Monday?
The palace is closed on Monday, apart from public holidays. A tour that lists the interior on a Monday needs a confirmed opening.
Do I still need my passport on a tour?
Yes. Entry is tied to a real-name booking, so the guide or operator needs your passport details beforehand and you carry the original on the day.