Does a Forbidden City ticket also reserve entry to Tiananmen Square?

At a glance

• The square's published rules explicitly accept valid reservations for the Palace Museum, National Museum, Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, Zhongshan Park and Beijing Working People's Cultural Palace instead of a separate square reservation. [1]
• The same rule says a square reservation cannot replace reservations for those venues. Keep the museum date and visitor details valid for the intended visit. [1]
• The 24 September 2026 visitor notice says square admission is free and direct reservations are made 1–7 days ahead through the Tiananmen Square Reservation Service Platform. Use this newer reservation window rather than the older page's 10-day wording. The notice's special overnight flag-raising access applied only through 7 October; do not carry those holiday entry times into a later visit. [2]
• The square rules accept foreign visitors' entry passports or foreigner residence documents and require name, document number and phone number for an individual reservation. [1]
• Palace Museum entry is through the Meridian Gate (Wumen); the ordinary exit route uses the north or east exit. The museum's ticket and route remain separate from square access. [3]

What to do next

1. Before booking, decide whether the day is a Palace Museum visit, a square-only visit or a special flag-raising visit. Secure the reservation for the actual attraction first and keep the date, visitor names and identity documents consistent.
2. If you already have a valid Palace Museum reservation for the visit, save the full confirmation and carry the booking passport. Show that reservation at the square's appropriate entry checkpoint under the authority's published arrangement; do not buy an unofficial square ticket.
3. If visiting only the square, use the official Tiananmen Square Reservation Service Platform or its named mini-program. Select the date and available time period, enter the required identity and contact information and retain the confirmed record.
4. Read the latest notice for your actual date, especially during National Day or a special event. The current holiday notice asks visitors to follow the reserved date, period and security entrance and to minimise bags for smoother checks.
5. Plan the museum approach and the exit as different legs. Protect the Palace Museum admission time before adding a long square visit, and choose the next destination from the exit you will actually use rather than expecting to retrace the museum route.
6. If the reservation cannot be displayed or recognised, show the original document and saved record to the checkpoint's assistance staff. Resolve the specific date or identity mismatch before cancelling and rebuilding other bookings.

If your situation is different

You have only a square reservation: obtain a separate Palace Museum ticket before planning to enter the museum. A square confirmation is not a sold-out museum workaround.

You have a Palace Museum reservation on a different date: arrange access for the day you actually intend to visit. Do not treat a record for another visit as a reusable access pass.

You want the flag-raising ceremony: use the ceremony's specific time-period and current access notice. The holiday opening hours differ by date; a daytime museum itinerary should not be used to guess overnight entry arrangements.

You cannot complete the phone verification: use the official assistance route or have a trusted companion help with the required reservation details. Preserve your own passport identity rather than substituting somebody else's identity record.

Common mistakes

• Assuming the reservation substitution works both ways: the square does not reserve the museum.
• Paying for the square as if it had an admission ticket: direct square admission is free.
• Copying the older 10-day window into a holiday plan: use the latest dated notice.
• Planning a timed pickup at the museum entrance after visiting: check the actual north/east exit route.

Quick questions