Attraction tickets in China
Almost every major attraction now requires a timed online reservation, often days ahead.
What everyone needs to know
- Major sites — Forbidden City, Terracotta Army, Mogao Caves, Zhangjiajie, Huangshan — sell timed slots and sell out.
- Many require real-name registration, so your passport number must be entered correctly at booking.
- Book on the official WeChat mini-program or the attraction’s own site where possible; third-party resellers add cost and risk.
- Free-admission sites still require a booking to control numbers.
The numbers
| Item | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Forbidden City | ¥60 peak / ¥40 off-peak, free on some days |
| Terracotta Army | ¥120 |
| Mogao Caves | ¥238 for the full ticket |
| Booking lead time | 3–7 days, longer for holidays |
Do it in this order
- Identify the ticketing channel for each site before your trip and register your passport.
- Book the earliest slot you can tolerate — crowds build through the day and photos are impossible by noon.
- Carry your physical passport: it is checked against the booking at the gate.
- Keep screenshots of QR codes in case mobile data fails at the entrance.
Mistakes to avoid
- Arriving at the Forbidden City without a reservation — walk-in tickets no longer exist.
- Booking under a nickname or variant passport spelling.
- Relying on a reseller and paying 3× the official price.
Sources
Attraction tickets city by city
- Beijing
- Shanghai
- Xi'an
- Chengdu
- Chongqing
- Guilin
- Zhangjiajie
- Hangzhou
- Guangzhou
- Shenzhen
- Harbin
- Sanya
- Lijiang
- Kunming
- Suzhou
- Xiamen
- Zhengzhou
- Taiyuan
- Guiyang
- Fuzhou
- Yiwu
- Tianjin
- Nanjing
- Wuhan
- Changsha
- Qingdao
- Jinan
- Shenyang
- Dalian
- Changchun
- Hohhot
- Urumqi
- Lhasa
- Xining
- Lanzhou
- Yinchuan
- Dunhuang
- Luoyang
- Kaifeng
- Datong
- Pingyao
- Qufu
- Tai'an
- Huangshan
- Hefei
- Nanchang
- Wenzhou
- Ningbo
- Wuxi
- Yangzhou
- Shaoxing
- Zhuhai
- Foshan
- Dongguan
- Haikou
- Nanning
- Yangshuo
- Dali
- Shangri-La
- Xishuangbanna