Forbidden City Entry: What to Bring When You Booked Online but Got No QR Code (2026)
Bring the original passport you used to book; that is the only document you need to enter the Forbidden City 故宫. The Palace Museum's ticketing system is fully real-name and digital, so a QR code is not required. Staff at the Meridian Gate scan your passport, match it against the booking record, and let you in. The booking name and passport number must match exactly, including the order of given names. If you booked through the official site at bookingticket.dpm.org.cn, no email confirmation is needed at the gate. Tickets cost 60 yuan in peak season (April 1 to October 31) and 40 yuan off-peak; the Treasure Hall and Clock Museum each cost 10 yuan extra. Slots release 7 days in advance at 8 p.m. Beijing time and sell out fast on weekends and holidays. The museum closes Mondays except on public holidays. Plan to arrive 30 to 45 minutes before your booked entry slot since security at Tiananmen Square 天安门 takes 20 to 60 minutes. Large suitcases are not allowed; use the storage office near the gate. If the system cannot find your booking, walk to the on-site ticket office near the entrance with your passport and the booking confirmation email saved on your phone for backup.
- Show the original passport used at booking; it is the ticket. No QR code or printed confirmation is needed at the Meridian Gate.
- Booking name and passport number must match exactly; mismatched given names cause gate rejection.
- Peak ticket is 60 yuan (April 1 to October 31); off-peak is 40 yuan. Slots release 7 days ahead at 8 p.m. Beijing time.
- Closed every Monday except on public holidays; arrive 30 to 45 minutes early for the Tiananmen Square security check.
- Save the booking email on your phone as backup; if the system fails to scan, the ticket office near the entrance can verify.
How this works
Confirm your booking record exists
Log in at bookingticket.dpm.org.cn with the email you used. Open My Tickets and confirm the booking shows your passport number and the correct visit date. Save the confirmation email offline on your phone as backup.
Bring the original passport from booking
Carry the same physical passport whose number you entered during booking. Other photo ID will not work, and a passport copy or photo will not pass the scanner. Check the expiry date is at least 6 months out.
Allow 30 to 45 minutes for Tiananmen security
Enter Tiananmen Square first; the security check on the south side takes 20 to 60 minutes depending on the day. Walk north through the square to reach the Meridian Gate, the Forbidden City's south entrance.
Scan passport at the Meridian Gate
Queue at the Meridian Gate (Wumen 午门). Hand your passport to the gate officer or place it on the reader. The system pulls your booking automatically. Entry takes about 30 seconds once your turn arrives.
Visit the on-site ticket office if scanning fails
If the scanner cannot find your booking, do not panic. Walk left to the on-site ticket office near the gate with your passport and saved confirmation email. Staff verify manually within 5 to 10 minutes.
Why this is different for foreign visitors
Unlike most museums abroad where the booking confirmation is itself the ticket, the Palace Museum runs a real-name system tied directly to ID numbers. For foreign visitors this means the passport at the gate must be the same one used to book; a different passport, even from the same person, will not work. The system started for crowd control in 2017 and stayed because it cuts scalping. By Western standards the booking process feels sparse: no QR code, no printable PDF, just a record in the museum's database. The trade-off is reliability; once your passport scans, you are inside in under 30 seconds. Most foreign confusion comes from expecting an email QR code that never arrives. Save the booking confirmation email anyway as proof if the gate scanner fails.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Booking with a passport number then arriving with a different one (renewed or a second nationality). The new passport will not match the database.
- Entering a name with the order swapped at booking. The Palace Museum requires exact match including given-name order.
- Carrying a large rolling suitcase to the gate. Bags over 40 cm are refused; use the storage office or skip the visit.
- Showing up Monday expecting it to be open. Closed every Monday except on public holidays; check the calendar before booking the day.
Frequently asked
No. The Palace Museum uses real-name ticketing tied to your passport number. Show the original passport you booked with at the Meridian Gate; staff scan it directly. No QR code, no printed ticket, no email confirmation is required at the gate, though saving the email helps if the scanner glitches.
No, the system will reject mismatches at the gate. Your booking name must match your passport including given-name order, hyphens, and spelling. If you spot a mismatch, cancel via the official site and rebook. If at the gate, walk to the on-site ticket office near the entrance and ask staff to verify with your booking confirmation email.
Yes, a friend can book using your passport details, but you must enter using that same passport. The booking is bound to the ID number, not to the device or account that booked it. Bring the physical passport you supplied at booking; a copy or photo of the page will not work at the gate.
No. The Palace Museum is paperless. Bring only your passport and a phone with the confirmation email saved offline. Staff scan the passport's machine-readable zone at the gate. Printing or screenshotting the booking confirmation is optional but useful as a backup if the scanner fails.
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