# Summer Palace, Beijing > The Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) is Beijing’s great imperial park in the north-west: Kunming Lake, Longevity Hill with the Tower of Buddhist Incense, and the Long Corridor. Entry is ¥20 in winter and ¥30 April–October; the through ticket is ¥50–60. Book with your passport. The park opens daily from 6:00–6:30; the paid halls close Mondays. Allow 3–4 hours. Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-summer-palace - City: [Beijing](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing), China - YesGo score: 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 3 h 30 min - Opening hours: Park daily: April–October 6:00–20:00, last entry 19:00; November–March 6:30–19:00, last entry 18:00. Paid sights 8:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30), in winter 8:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30); closed Mondays except public holidays - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry ticket: ¥20 from 1 November to 31 March, ¥30 from 1 April to 31 October - Through (combo) ticket: ¥50 in winter, ¥60 in summer — park plus Tower of Buddhist Incense, Dehe Garden, Wenchang Gallery and Suzhou Street - Single sights: Tower of Buddhist Incense and Suzhou Street ¥10 each, Dehe Garden ¥5, museum in Wenchang Gallery ¥20 - Concessions: Half price for ages 6–18 and students; free under 6 or under 1.2 m, and for foreign visitors 60+ with a passport - Booking: Real-name, with passport, 1–7 days ahead in WeChat; there is also a ticket window at the gate - Park hours: April–October 6:00–20:00, last entry 19:00; November–March 6:30–19:00, last entry 18:00 - Paid sights: Entry 8:00–17:30 in summer, 8:30–16:30 in winter - Mondays: Park open; Tower of Buddhist Incense, Dehe Garden, Suzhou Street and the museum closed, except public holidays - Lake boats: Roughly mid-March to mid-November; ferries across the lake ¥30–40 a crossing - Payment: Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign Visa/Mastercard; some cash - Metro: Line 4: Beigongmen, Exit D — North Palace Gate; Xiyuan, Exit C2 — East Palace Gate - Address: 19 Xinjian Gongmen Road, Haidian District (新建宫门路19号) - Coordinates: 39.99750, 116.26890 - Facts checked: 04.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1750** — work began on the Qingyi Garden under the Qianlong Emperor (source: Russian and Chinese Wikipedia) - **≈ 3/4** — of the grounds is Kunming Lake (source: English, Russian and Chinese Wikipedia) - **1998** — inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **728 m** — the Long Corridor along the north shore of the lake (source: English, Russian and Chinese Wikipedia) - **41 m** — height of the Tower of Buddhist Incense on Longevity Hill (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **150 m** — the Seventeen-Arch Bridge out to South Lake Island (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **≈ 290–297 ha** — total area — sources give slightly different figures (source: Russian, English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **1762** — Suzhou Street built on the Back Lake; restored in 1988 (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **1884–1895** — rebuilt for Empress Dowager Cixi and renamed Yiheyuan (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **1914** — tickets first sold to the public (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) ## Summer Palace tickets: entry or through ticket? The basic entry ticket is **¥20 from November to March** and **¥30 from April to October**. It covers the whole park — the lakeshore, the Long Corridor, the Marble Boat, the Seventeen-Arch Bridge and the outside of Longevity Hill. The **through ticket**, ¥50 in winter and ¥60 in summer, adds four sights with their own gates: the Tower of Buddhist Incense, Dehe Garden with its opera stage, the Wenchang Gallery museum and Suzhou Street. Bought separately those cost ¥10, ¥5, ¥20 and ¥10, so the through ticket pays off as soon as you want the tower and Suzhou Street. Get it for a half-day visit from Tuesday to Sunday. Plain entry is enough on a Monday, for a late walk after the halls close, or if you only want the lake. Ages 6–18 and students pay half; children under 6 or under 1.2 m and foreign visitors over 60 with a passport go free. Tickets are **real-name**. The Beijing government says you can book 1–7 days ahead through the park’s official WeChat account and bring your passport on the day, and there’s a ticket window at the gate area too. Unofficially, sales for each date open at 21:00 in the “颐和园官方在线购票” mini-program or the “畅游公园” (Visiting Beijing Parks) account; pick “Passport” as the ID type and enter your name as printed. Payment is the snag. The mini-program runs on WeChat Pay and doesn’t always accept foreign cards, and its English is thin. Link your Visa or Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly; if it still fails, book through an agent such as Trip.com or join a tour — your passport details are needed either way. Keep a little cash for boats and drinks. > **The main halls are closed on Mondays** On Mondays the park opens as usual, but the Tower of Buddhist Incense, Dehe Garden, Suzhou Street and the museum stay shut, except on public holidays. The through ticket isn’t worth it that day — you’re left with the lake, the Long Corridor and the bridges. In summer the city sometimes opens the halls on Mondays as a one-off, so don’t plan on it. Go Tuesday to Sunday. ## Summer Palace opening hours From April to October the park is open **daily 6:00–20:00**, last entry 19:00. From November to March it’s **6:30–19:00**, last entry 18:00. Those are the Beijing government’s figures, and the official Visit Beijing portal gives the same. The paid sights keep shorter hours: in summer 8:00 to 18:00 with last entry at 17:30, in winter 8:30 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:30. They’re closed on Mondays except on holidays; in July and August the city has opened them on Mondays by special notice. Come on a **weekday morning**. Be at the gate at opening, walk Suzhou Street while it’s empty and reach the tower just after the halls open. By midday on weekends and Chinese holidays the Long Corridor and the boat piers are packed. ## How to get to the Summer Palace by metro 1. From Tiananmen Square, take **Line 1** from Tiananmen West one stop west to **Xidan**. 2. Change to **Line 4** northbound and ride 15 stops — past Xizhimen and Beijing Zoo (Dongwuyuan) — to **Beigongmen**, about 30 minutes on the train. 3. Leave by **Exit D** and walk west for about 5 minutes; the **North Palace Gate** (北宫门) is on your left. Allow about 50 minutes door to door; the fare is ¥5. 4. To start at the lake instead, get off one stop earlier at **Xiyuan** (also on Line 16), Exit C2 — it’s a 10–15 minute walk to the **East Palace Gate** (东宫门). 5. From Capital Airport: Airport Express to Dongzhimen, Line 2 to Xizhimen, then Line 4 north to Beigongmen. 6. For a taxi or DiDi, show **颐和园北宫门** (North Gate) or **颐和园东宫门** (East Gate). At the gate, show your booking QR code and passport. ## Is the Summer Palace worth it, and how long do you need? Yes, if you have at least two days in Beijing. On a clear day it’s the most beautiful place in the city — water, a temple-covered hill and a painted lakeside corridor, everything the stone courtyards of the [Forbidden City](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/forbidden-city) are not. But it isn’t a quick stop: it’s about 50 minutes each way from the centre and the grounds are huge. Allow **3–4 hours**. The classic route runs from the North Gate through Suzhou Street, over Longevity Hill to the Tower of Buddhist Incense, down to the Long Corridor and the Marble Boat, across the lake by boat to the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, and out of the East Gate to Xiyuan station. With only two hours, enter by the East Gate and do the corridor and the tower. With a single day in Beijing, skip it for the centre. On a Monday, or on a bitter winter day, buy plain entry and just walk the shore. ## What to see at the Summer Palace - **Tower of Buddhist Incense** (佛香阁) — the 41-metre, three-storey tower on a stone base halfway up Longevity Hill. A steep climb, rewarded with the whole lake below you. Through ticket or ¥10. - **The Long Corridor** (长廊) — a 728-metre covered walkway along the shore, its beams painted with thousands of landscapes and scenes from Chinese novels and legends. - **The Marble Boat** (石舫) — a stone pavilion shaped like a ship at the west end of the corridor; boats leave from here for the island. - **Seventeen-Arch Bridge** (十七孔桥) — the 150-metre bridge to South Lake Island, its railings lined with stone lions. Best from the east shore late in the afternoon. - **Suzhou Street** (苏州街) — a canal-side shopping street on the Back Lake, modelled on the waterways of Suzhou, right by the North Gate. - **Dehe Garden** — the three-storey opera stage built for Cixi’s Peking opera performances. - **Hall of Benevolence and Longevity** by the East Gate, where Cixi and the emperor received officials. - **Garden of Harmonious Pleasures** (谐趣园) — a small garden copied from a famous one in Wuxi, in the north-east corner, with a pond wrapped in a covered walkway. ## Dragon boats on Kunming Lake and the boat from Beijing Zoo **Ferries**, including dragon-headed boats, cross the lake on fixed routes — for example from the Marble Boat or the South Ruyi Gate to South Lake Island. At the last prices published by Visit Beijing a crossing costs ¥30–40, and children under 1.2 m ride free; you can also rent rowing, pedal and electric boats by the hour against a deposit. The season runs roughly from mid-to-late March to mid-November, and boats aren’t included in any park ticket. The crossing saves a half-hour walk: board at the Marble Boat after the Long Corridor and land by the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, a short walk from the East Gate. You can also arrive by water. The **Royal River** boat leaves from a pier inside [Beijing Zoo](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-zoo) and runs about 9 km up the Changhe river, with a change at Ziyuwan pier in Zizhuyuan Park, to the South Ruyi Gate pier of the Summer Palace. Boats run hourly from late morning into mid-afternoon, from mid-March until late October or early November depending on the day’s notice. Fares aren’t officially published. The zoo and the palace each need their own ticket. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] It’s not Monday — or I only want the lakeside walk - [ ] Booked for my date, ID type “Passport” - [ ] Original passport with me, not a copy - [ ] Alipay or WeChat Pay works with my foreign card - [ ] A little cash for the boat and drinks - [ ] 颐和园北宫门 saved to show a taxi driver - [ ] 3–4 hours, comfortable shoes and water ## Summer Palace vs Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Beihai | | Summer Palace | Forbidden City | Temple of Heaven | Beihai Park | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Lakeside imperial park | Imperial palace, the Palace Museum | Park with imperial altars | Imperial garden round a lake | | Ticket, Nov–Mar | ¥20, ¥50 through ticket | ¥40 | ¥10, ¥28 with halls | ¥5, ¥15 with the island | | Ticket, Apr–Oct | ¥30, ¥60 through ticket | ¥60 | ¥15, ¥34 with halls | ¥10, ¥20 with the island | | Booking | Passport, 1–7 days ahead; gate window too | Passport, no same-day sales | Passport, 1–7 days ahead | Not needed, tickets at the gate | | Mondays | Halls closed, park open | Closed | Halls closed | Temples closed | | Where | North-west, about 50 min by metro | Centre | South of the centre | Next to the Forbidden City | The Forbidden City is the headline sight — book it first. The Summer Palace is the runner-up for wow factor but needs its own half day. If you can’t fit in the trip north-west, Beihai gives you a smaller dose of lake, boats and hilltop views in the centre. ## Beijing’s palaces compared Palaces and imperial residences in Beijing rated by YesGo. - [Forbidden City](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/forbidden-city) — YesGo score 61/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h 30 min · ¥40 Nov–Mar, ¥60 Apr–Oct - [Tiananmen Gate](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/tiananmen-gate) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥15, concession ¥5, booking only - [Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple)](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/lama-temple) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥25, booked in WeChat - [Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan)](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/old-summer-palace) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ¥10, ¥25 with the ruins - [Summer Palace](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-summer-palace) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h 30 min · ¥20–30, ¥50–60 through ticket - [Prince Gong's Mansion](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/prince-gong-mansion) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ¥40, book ahead with passport ## North-west Beijing in a day Pandas at the zoo in the morning, then Line 4 north to the Summer Palace and the ruins of the Old Summer Palace — all on one metro line. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Beijing Zoo](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-zoo) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ¥10–15, ¥14–19 with pandas 2. [Summer Palace](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/beijing-summer-palace) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h 30 min · ¥20–30, ¥50–60 through ticket 3. [Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan)](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/old-summer-palace) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ¥10, ¥25 with the ruins > **Go in by the North Gate** Beigongmen station is five minutes from the North Gate, which drops you straight onto Suzhou Street; from there you cross the hill and come down to the lake, with no backtracking. Leave by the East Gate for Xiyuan station on the same line. Ignore anyone near the metro who says the gate is closed and offers a “special entrance” — the gates keep to schedule. ## Good to know Don’t mix it up with the [Old Summer Palace](https://yesgo.io/china/beijing/old-summer-palace) (Yuanmingyuan), a separate park of ruins about 3 km east with its own ticket. There’s no dress code: the temples on the hill are part of the museum park. Food inside is limited and the lakeside restaurant is pricey, so eat before or after. ## Tips - Start at the **North Gate** by Beigongmen station and work downhill: Suzhou Street, the hill, the tower, the corridor, the lake. - Book two or three days ahead — weekend and Chinese-holiday dates sell out. - Screenshot your booking QR code; signal at the gates can be patchy. - Google Maps is blocked in China without roaming or a VPN — save an offline map and 颐和园北宫门 before you go. - The Seventeen-Arch Bridge looks best late in the day from the east shore. - Pair it with the Old Summer Palace, two stops south on Line 4 at Yuanmingyuan Park station. - Bring water and snacks — the circuit is several kilometres and kiosks are few on the hill. ## Questions ### How much is a Summer Palace ticket? Entry is ¥20 from November to March and ¥30 from April to October. The through ticket, adding the Tower of Buddhist Incense, Dehe Garden, the museum and Suzhou Street, is ¥50 or ¥60. ### Is the through ticket worth it? Yes, from Tuesday to Sunday if you want the tower and Suzhou Street — bought separately the four sights cost ¥45. On a Monday they’re closed, so buy plain entry. ### How do foreigners book Summer Palace tickets? Book 1–7 days ahead in the park’s WeChat mini-program with “Passport” as the ID type, or buy at the gate window. If your card won’t work, agents such as Trip.com sell tickets. ### What are the Summer Palace opening hours? April–October 6:00–20:00, last entry 19:00; November–March 6:30–19:00, last entry 18:00. The paid halls close at 18:00 in summer and 17:00 in winter. ### Is the Summer Palace open on Mondays? The park is open every day, but the Tower of Buddhist Incense, Dehe Garden, Suzhou Street and the museum are closed on Mondays, except public holidays. ### How do I get to the Summer Palace by metro? Line 4 to Beigongmen, Exit D, for the North Gate, or to Xiyuan, Exit C2, for the East Gate. From Tiananmen, change from Line 1 to Line 4 at Xidan — about 50 minutes. ### Which gate should I use? The North Palace Gate by Beigongmen station: you start at Suzhou Street and walk downhill to the lake, then leave by the East Gate for Xiyuan station. ### How long do you need at the Summer Palace? Three to four hours for the hill, the corridor and a boat across the lake. Two hours covers only the East Gate area, the corridor and the tower. ### Can you take a boat to the Summer Palace from Beijing Zoo? In the warm season, yes: the Royal River boat runs from the zoo along the Changhe river, changing at Zizhuyuan Park, to the South Ruyi Gate. There’s no winter service. ### Is the Summer Palace the same as the Old Summer Palace? No. The Summer Palace is the intact lakeside park; the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) is a separate park of ruins about 3 km east with its own ticket. ## How we checked Entry prices, both seasons’ hours, the booking rule and the address come from the Beijing Municipal Government. The through ticket, single-sight prices and concessions come from the official Visit Beijing portal (a 2023 article); 2026 guides give the same ¥60 and ¥50. The government lists Monday closures only for the winter season, Visit Beijing for the whole year, and in summer the city opened the halls on Mondays until 31 August by special notice — so we say “closed Mondays except holidays” and flag the summer exceptions. Lake boat fares come from the same 2023 article and may have changed, so they are marked checking. Royal River boat fares aren’t officially published, so we leave them out. Metro exits come from guides, which disagree on walking times (5–15 minutes). Sources disagree on the area (290 vs 297 ha) and on the start date (1750 in Russian and Chinese Wikipedia, “around 1749” in English) — we give 1750. Painting counts for the Long Corridor vary widely, so we don’t give one. The park’s own website did not load from our network. ## Sources - Beijing Municipal Government, english.beijing.gov.cn — Ticketing, Parks: The Summer Palace (entry prices, seasonal hours, Monday rule, 1–7 day booking, gate window, address) - Visit Beijing (official Beijing tourism portal), Summer Palace tickets and hours article (2023) — through ticket, single-sight prices, Monday closures, concessions, lake boats - Visit Beijing: Royal River boat from Beijing Zoo to the Summer Palace (2025) and boat season (2026) - Guangming Daily (gmw.cn) — summer Monday opening of the halls until 31 August - Beijing Bendibao (2026) — mini-program, 21:00 ticket release, park gates (unofficial) - Wanderin China (2026) — through ticket, metro exit, boats, payment issues (unofficial) - English, Russian and Chinese Wikipedia: Summer Palace, Летний дворец (Пекин), 颐和园; Wikidata Q4132 - English Wikipedia: Beijing Subway Line 4; China Discovery and Travel China Guide — Exits D and C2 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.