Things to Do in China: Booking Attractions and Tours with a Passport

How real-name booking works

1. You book with your passport details. Type your name and passport number exactly as they appear on the photo page.
2. One passport, one booking. Most systems limit how many tickets one ID can hold per day.
3. You bring the original passport. At the gate, staff or machines check the passport against the booking. A screenshot alone usually isn't enough.
4. Foreign passports often use a staffed lane. For example, the Palace Museum tells foreign visitors to use the manual ticket-checking channel at the Meridian Gate (Beijing 12345 hotline).

If you renew your passport before the trip, book with the new one.

The big sights: official rules

Palace Museum (Forbidden City)

• Book only through official channels. The museum says it has not authorised any third party to sell admission, Treasure Gallery, Gallery of Clocks or exhibition tickets. Use its official website or WeChat mini program (Palace Museum). Foreign visitors can switch the official site to English and book with a passport (Beijing 12345).
• Prices: ¥60 from 1 April to 31 October, ¥40 from 1 November to 31 March. The Treasure Gallery and Gallery of Clocks are ¥10 each (Palace Museum).
• Entry: bring the original ID you booked with to the Meridian Gate (Wu Men), the south gate (Palace Museum).
• Refunds: free before 24:00 the day before. You can still cancel before 20:00 on the day, but it counts as a missed appointment. Three missed appointments in 180 days blocks you from booking for 60 days (Palace Museum).
• Help: visitor service 400-950-1925, 08:00–20:00, English available (Beijing 12345).

National Museum of China

• Free, but reserve first on the museum's official website after real-name verification. Each day has three entry slots: 9:00–11:00, 11:00–13:30 and 13:30–16:00 (13:30–16:30 from 1 June to 31 October) (NMC).
• Limits: each account can make one reservation a week, for up to 5 people. The same ID can be used for one reservation a day and four a month. Three no-shows block the ID for 30 days (NMC).
• Entry: show your original ID and the confirmation message at the North Gate in your time slot. Metro Line 1, Tian'anmen East, Exit C or D (NMC).

Badaling Great Wall

Beijing's official attraction page says no reservation is required and tickets can be bought on site: adults ¥40 in peak season (1 April – 31 October) and ¥35 off season. It's in Yanqing District, about 60 km north-west of central Beijing (Beijing Municipal Government). To book ahead, the "Throughout the Great Wall" (长城内外) WeChat mini program sells tickets in Chinese and English and accepts passports. The site also has multilingual ticket machines and accepts cash, mobile payment and foreign cards at POS terminals (Beijing Municipal Government). For getting there by train, see our 12306 train guide.

Summer Palace

Beijing's 12345 hotline says online Summer Palace tickets need a mainland Chinese mobile number. Without one, go to the entrance service window and buy with your passport through the staff-assisted booking service (Beijing 12345). This answer dates from June 2025, so check locally.

Shanghai Museum

• Shanghai Museum East (1952 Century Avenue, Pudong): 10:00–18:00, last entry 17:00, closed Tuesdays; no reservation for individual visitors (Shanghai Museum). Enter with your passport through the B1 East Gate (Shanghai Municipal Government).
• People's Square museum: during "On Top of the World Tree: Ancient Civilizations of the Americas" (9 July 2026 – 14 November 2027), it shows only that exhibition and needs advance booking. The museum says individual visitors can book in its WeChat mini program and overseas visitors can book through trip.com. Bring your original ID to the South Gate individual passage (Shanghai Museum).

For where to base yourself, see where to stay in Beijing and where to stay in Shanghai.

When a guided tour makes sense

Booking direct is usually cheapest and is the only official route for some sights, like the Palace Museum. A tour can still help when:

• you want transport to the Great Wall sorted for you;
• you'd like an English-speaking guide to explain what you're seeing;
• you have little time and want one booking that covers the day.

1. Is the entry ticket included, and who books it? Remember the Palace Museum has not authorised any third-party ticket sellers (Palace Museum). Ask the operator how they handle entry and what happens if no tickets are available.
2. What passport details do they need, and by when? Real-name tickets need your exact passport details.
3. What's the cancellation policy? Read it on the listing.
4. Which day of the week? Avoid closure days (see the table above).

Before you go

• Payment: set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with our Alipay and WeChat Pay setup guide, and read using a foreign card in China.
• Data: booking pages and mini programs need mobile data. See eSIM and internet in China.
• Entry rules: check whether you can visit visa-free with the visa-free checker and the 240-hour transit guide.
• City basics: Beijing starter guide · Shanghai starter guide.

FAQ

Can foreigners book the Forbidden City online?

Yes. Use the Palace Museum's official English booking site with your passport. Tickets open at 20:00 seven days before, and there are no same-day tickets.

Is the National Museum of China free?

Yes, but you must reserve a time slot on its official website with real-name verification, up to 7 days ahead.

Do I need to book the Badaling Great Wall in advance?

Beijing's official page says no reservation is required and tickets are sold on site. You can also book with a passport in the "Throughout the Great Wall" WeChat mini program.

What do I need at the gate?

The original passport you booked with. Many sights check it in a staffed lane for foreign passports.

Should I book a tour or go independently?

Independent is cheaper and is the only official route for some tickets. A tour helps with transport and guiding. Check what's included and how entry tickets are handled.

Related guides