Independent travel guide
Summer Palace
颐和园Yíhéyuán
The Summer Palace is a lake-and-hill landscape on a much larger scale than its map suggests. For a first visit, enter at East Palace Gate, cross the court buildings, follow the Long Corridor and choose either Longevity Hill or a longer lakeshore finish.
Paid admission · Checked 2026-08-02
Verified ticket prices
Official pricesAdult ¥30/¥20; combo ¥60/¥50 by season
Admission
¥30 peak · ¥20 off-seasonCombined ticket
¥60 peak · ¥50 off-seasonGarden of Virtue and Harmony
¥5Tower of Buddhist Incense
¥10Suzhou Street
¥10Summer Palace Museum
¥20- Peak season is Apr 1–Oct 31. The combined ticket covers the separately charged internal sights listed by the park.
- Municipal parks have not authorized third-party sellers; compare the service markup before checkout.
Book ahead
How to book
Trip.com foreign-passport ticket listing; the official online park channel may require a mainland phone.
Check several days ahead for weekends, holidays and peak seasons.
Booking steps
- 1
Open the verified Trip.com product and select the exact visit date and admission option.
- 2
Add every traveler with the passport name, number and nationality exactly as printed.
- 3
Check inclusions, service markup and refund rules, pay, and save the voucher or confirmation.
Bring the original passport used in the booking and the saved confirmation or platform voucher.
If the recommended route is sold out, compare the official channel and other verified international products; never substitute a Chinese ID number.
Half day
How to visit
Use the East Palace Gate for the classic first-time route.
Leave from the North Palace Gate or return toward the East Palace Gate.
- 1Stop 1East Palace Gate
Use the forecourt to check whether hillside buildings and boat services are operating before committing to the long route.
- 2Stop 2Hall of Benevolence and Longevity
The modest audience hall introduces the political function of the garden; compare its enclosed court with the open lake landscape ahead.
- 3Stop 3Long Corridor
Walk the painted corridor in sections, stepping out at lake openings to avoid missing the changing relationship between water, hill and pavilions.
- 4Stop 4Tower of Buddhist Incense
The climb is steep but gives the clearest axial view over Kunming Lake; check separate access before heading up.
- 5Stop 5Marble Boat
View the Marble Boat from the opposite bank as well as close up; the broader angle explains how it anchors the west end of the corridor.
- 6Stop 6Kunming Lake shore
Finish with a lakeside stretch suited to your exit; do not automatically circle the full lake unless a full day was reserved.
- 7Stop 7Final booking and return check
Before the final section, recheck the recorded rule: Passport booking is supported; gate service is available under current official rules. Then confirm Take Subway Line 4 to Xiyuan for the East Palace Gate, or to Beigongmen for the north gate..
Best time
Weekday opening time is best for the east court and Long Corridor. Late afternoon is attractive by the lake, but hill buildings and boats may close earlier than the park gates.
Foreigner notes
Combining every paid building, the hill climb and a complete lake circuit produces a rushed first visit. Select one demanding branch and keep the rest linear.
Wind, ice, maintenance and seasonal schedules can change boat services or individual compounds. The walking route should remain complete without them.
Queues, security checks and internal transfers can take longer than the walking distance suggests. Leave before the final return-service window.
The profile gives the normal plan. Recheck temporary closures, event controls, weather restrictions and last-entry wording on the official page before departure.
Copy the Chinese entrance name and full address into the map app; a broad attraction pin can be far from the visitor gate.
Avoid these mistakes
The grounds are large; do not combine every hill, lake and paid interior in a short visit.
Do not use a north-gate arrival for the classic first route unless you are comfortable beginning with a steep hill or long descent.
Do not treat an old ticket page, screenshot or third-party timetable as a same-day operating notice.
Do not assume the attraction's public area, museum rooms, shows, boats or cableways share one booking rule.
Continue nearby
Old Summer Palace3-4 hours (including the Western Mansions ruins area; about 1.5-2 hours for a quick pass with the admission ticket only)Forbidden CityAbout 3.5–5 hours (half a day).Temple of Heaven Park2-3 hours (Beijing Tourism Network suggests 2 hours; existing project leads say 2-3 hours; allow 3 hours with the combined core-site ticket)Beijing seasonal itinerary guideBeijing itinerary and seasonal travel guide for a 4–5 days first visit.Beijing food guideIncludes spice, ingredient, allergen and ordering notes for independent travelers.Beijing Travel Guide & MapBeijing travel guide and interactive map for independent travelers.
Sources and evidence
Published by China Trip Primer · Read the editorial and verification methodology
Items to reconfirm
- Drafted on behalf based on verified hard data; details not fully re-verified — Cross-check against official channels.
Official
Professional guide
Venue-specific official pages are used where available. City-level official references provide context and are not booking confirmation; editorial and community sources are used only for route choices, pacing and first-hand experience.
颐和园新建宫门路19号