Summer Palace ticket prices at a glance
The park ticket opens the gates and the grounds. It costs CNY 30 in the main season from 1 April to 31 October and CNY 20 in the off-season from 1 November to 31 March (2026). The through ticket, also called the combined ticket, costs CNY 60 and CNY 50. It adds the paid inner areas to the same visit.
Boats are sold separately, and so are guides. The through ticket is not a boat ticket and not a tour. Prices are in yuan, as of 2026, and they can change, so check the board at the counter.
Prices for the park and the inner areas
Full adult prices in CNY, 2026. The main season runs from 1 April to 31 October.
| Ticket | Main season | Off-season |
|---|---|---|
| Park ticket | CNY 30 | CNY 20 |
| Through ticket (park plus inner areas) | CNY 60 | CNY 50 |
| Garden of Virtue and Harmony (Deheyuan), on top of the park ticket | CNY 5 | CNY 5 |
| Tower of Buddhist Incense (Foxiangge), on top | CNY 10 | CNY 10 |
| Suzhou Street, on top | CNY 10 | CNY 10 |
| Summer Palace Museum, on top | CNY 20 | CNY 20 |
Add up what you want to enter. All four inner areas cost CNY 45 on top of the park ticket, so the through ticket saves a little in the main season (CNY 60 against CNY 75) and in the off-season (CNY 50 against CNY 65). If you only want the tower, the single extra ticket is cheaper. The Long Corridor, the lake shore and the Marble Boat are not in the list of paid inner areas.
Our picks: Summer Palace tickets
Three ways to get in: a reserved slot, main entry only or a two-park ticket with audio guides.
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.
Summer Palace entry ticket with a reserved slot
Main or combined entry depending on the option. Entry works with your original passport or a QR code; a personal guide is not included.
Check availability →
Summer Palace and Old Summer Palace tickets with audio guides
A combined Summer Palace ticket, general entry to the Old Summer Palace and mobile audio guides for both parks. The Summer Palace museum is not included.
Check availability →
Summer Palace main entry ticket
Main entry to the park. You get a separate QR code from the provider on the day, because the booking voucher alone is not accepted at the gate. Guide and boat are extra.
Check availability →Summer Palace tours with entry
Guided visits and entry-ticket offers, with live prices and availability.
Who pays less or nothing
Reductions depend on age and documents. Bring proof for any of them.
Children
Children enter free up to and including age 6, or up to and including a height of 1.2 m. Boats use a different rule: accompanied children under 1.2 m ride free on the ferries.
Visitors aged 60 and over
Visitors aged 60 and over with a valid passport enter the park free. You can go straight to the entrance check with your passport. This applies to the park entry, so ask at the counter about the paid inner areas.
Young people and students
The rules for minors aged 7 to 18 and full-time students up to bachelor level name the Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card for foreigners. With a tourist passport, do not count on a youth or student price.
People with a disability
Holders of a valid disability certificate enter free. Whether a certificate from another country is accepted is decided at the gate, so keep the full price in mind.
Reduced prices
Eligible visitors pay half price on park, through and inner-area tickets, which makes the reduced park ticket CNY 15 in the main season and CNY 10 in the off-season. The park asks for documents at the entrance.
Which ticket for which plan
Full adult prices in the main season, 2026.
A walk by the lake
The park ticket at CNY 30 covers the lake shore, the Long Corridor, Longevity Hill and the Marble Boat. Many visitors need nothing more.
The tower as well
Add the Tower of Buddhist Incense for CNY 10, so CNY 40 in total. This is cheaper than the through ticket if you skip the other inner areas.
All the inner areas
The through ticket at CNY 60 covers the park and the paid inner areas in one purchase. It makes sense if you want the tower, the garden, Suzhou Street and the museum.
Boats, audio guides and personal guides are bought on top. In the off-season, the same logic holds with CNY 20, CNY 30 for the tower and CNY 50 for the through ticket.
How to book and what to bring
Online with a passport or at the counter.
You can book online with your passport through the Summer Palace account on WeChat. Tickets can be bought 1 to 7 days ahead for a chosen date. If you prefer to buy on the day, there is a service counter by the gates. Both routes exist, so you do not have to book days before.
A ticket is valid for the entry window you choose. Arrive inside that window and bring the same passport you booked with. Paying in China can need an app. The travel tips page explains how foreign cards link to Alipay and WeChat Pay.
The Summer Palace Museum lies east of the Wenchang Pavilion. It is also called the Wenchang Gallery. That is the same place, not a second museum ticket. Suzhou Street has been under restoration works, so check at the counter that it is open and that the through ticket is on sale before you plan your day around it.
Plan the rest of your visit
Where the ticket fits.
Opening hours
Gate times, last entry and which areas close on Monday.
Getting there
Metro Line 4 and which gate to choose.
The Old Summer Palace
A separate park with its own tickets.
For the imperial city downtown, see the guide to Forbidden City tickets, which has its own booking rules.
Summer Palace tickets: frequently asked questions
Do I need the through ticket?
Only if you want to enter the inner areas. The park ticket covers the grounds, the lake shore and the Long Corridor. If you want the tower, the garden, Suzhou Street and the museum, the through ticket is cheaper than buying each one.
Does the ticket include a boat?
No. Boats are sold separately. The Kunming Lake page lists the boat prices.
Can I buy a ticket on the day?
Yes. Besides booking with a passport, you can buy at the service counter by the gates. Take your passport.
Is the ticket valid all day?
It is valid for the entry window you select, so go in during that window. Inner areas also have their own closing times, which you find on the opening hours page.
Is a student discount available with a foreign passport?
The student and youth rules refer to the Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card for foreigners. With a tourist passport, plan for the full price.