Beijing · Shanghai · Suzhou · Hangzhou · Xi'an · Chengdu · Guilin · Lijiang
Forbidden City and China attraction reservations for foreign travellers
The Forbidden City, the Terracotta Warriors and many other Chinese museums and heritage sites need a real-name reservation made days ahead, often through a Chinese-language app. Tell us the attractions, dates and number of travellers. We check availability, confirm the price in writing and, after payment, submit each reservation on the attraction's own official system in every traveller's own passport name.
- Service fee
- USD 7 per person per attraction
- Tickets
- Official face value, no mark-up
Guaranteed booking: send your request and payment at least 8 days before your visit and we guarantee the reservation. If we ever miss one, you get a full refund of that attraction's service fee and ticket money.
How it works
1. Send a request
Choose the attractions, dates and number of travellers below and send the request by WhatsApp or email, at least 8 days before your visit for a guaranteed booking. Do not send passport details yet.
2. Written confirmation
A planner checks the booking window and availability, then confirms in writing what we will book, the service fee, the face value and the payment instructions.
3. Payment, then booking
After payment we ask for each traveller's passport details, book through the official channel and send you the confirmation record. Carry the same original passports on the day.
Reservation request
Tell us what to reserve
Nothing is sent until you choose WhatsApp or email. Your choices are written into the message so the planner sees them at once. Send it and pay at least 8 days before your first visit for a guaranteed booking.
Price
No online checkout. You pay only after the written confirmation; pay at least 8 days before your visit for a guaranteed booking.
USD 7 per person per attraction
The service fee for each traveller at each attraction we reserve. A free-admission museum still carries the fee, because the work is the reservation.
Tickets at official face value
Admission is charged at the attraction's own price with no mark-up and paid together with the fee. Where the table shows no price, it is confirmed when you enquire.
Included for private-tour guests
If you book a Homeground private tour, reservations for the attractions in that itinerary are included at no extra fee.
The fee is shown in USD, converted from CNY 45. We confirm the payment currency, exchange rate and total in your written confirmation before you pay.
Guarantee and refunds
- Guaranteed booking: send your request and payment at least 8 days before your visit and we guarantee the reservation. If we ever miss one, you get a full refund of that attraction's service fee and ticket money.
- A request or payment made later than 8 days before your visit is not guaranteed, but we still try. If we cannot secure it, that attraction's service fee is refunded in full, together with any ticket money not spent.
- Once a ticket has been issued, changes and cancellations follow the attraction's own rules, and the service fee for that ticket is not refundable.
- Entry still depends on the attraction: the original passport used for the booking, security checks and the reserved time slot.
How we book
- Only through official channels named by the attraction.
- Only in each traveller's own real name and passport.
- No bots, no multiple accounts and no ticket hoarding.
- No resale and no mark-up on tickets.
- Tickets at the attraction's face value; each attraction's own real-name and cancellation rules apply.
What we do
Homeground China is operated by a licensed Beijing travel agency. For foreign independent travellers, we make attraction reservations that normally need a Chinese phone number, a WeChat account or fast action at a release time.
We use only the channel the attraction itself names: its website, its official booking email, its WeChat account or mini-program, or a platform its own site links to. Every booking is made in the real name and passport of the person who will visit.
We never resell tickets or add a mark-up: tickets are charged at the attraction's face value, and our fee is for the reservation work. You can always book yourself with our guides.
Who it is for
- Independent travellers who want to keep their own route but secure timed, real-name entry.
- Families and groups where every traveller's passport details must match the booking.
- Travellers without a Chinese phone number or WeChat account, or who cannot be online at a Beijing-time release.
Passport details
The request form on this page never asks for passport numbers. We ask for passport details only after you accept the written confirmation, by email or WhatsApp. We use them only for the reservation, pass them only to the attraction's booking channel, and delete them after the trip.
Booking rules by attraction
Each row with a source guide repeats what that dated guide found on the attraction's official source; a row marked “not yet checked” has no guide behind it yet. Rules change: we recheck the live rule for your dates before confirming. The 8-day booking guarantee covers every attraction we book.
Beijing7 attractions
A dash (—) in the table means we check that rule for your travel dates when you contact us.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Attraction | Official channel | Passport accepted | When tickets open | Real name | Face value | Notes | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Museum of ChinaRequest this attraction: National Museum of China | Official website · Official WeChat account | Yes | Up to 7 days ahead; new inventory daily at 17:00 Beijing time; three entry windows | Yes | Free, reservation required | Basic admission is free; paid special exhibitions are separate. Closed most Mondays. The museum warns against unofficial booking routes, so we use only its own reservation system. Source guide: National Museum booking and route | Checked 12 Aug 2026 | |
| Summer PalaceRequest this attraction: Summer Palace | Official WeChat account · Ticket window | Yes | Confirmed when you enquire | Yes | Confirmed when you enquire | Admission or combined ticket; choose from the route you will walk. Carry the passport used for the booking. Source guide: Summer Palace gates and route | Checked 12 Aug 2026Confirmed when you enquire: When tickets open, Face value | |
| Temple of HeavenRequest this attraction: Temple of Heaven | Official WeChat account · Ticket window | Yes | Confirmed when you enquire | Yes | Confirmed when you enquire | A park-only ticket does not include the three core sights; the combo ticket does. Core sights normally close on Mondays. Source guide: Temple of Heaven gate and route | Checked 12 Aug 2026Confirmed when you enquire: When tickets open, Face value | |
| Tiananmen SquareRequest this attraction: Tiananmen Square | Official website | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Yes | Confirmed when you enquire | Covers the open square only, not Tiananmen Rostrum or the Palace Museum. Security and temporary controls still apply. Source guide: Forbidden City for foreign visitors | Checked 22 Aug 2026Confirmed when you enquire: Passport accepted, When tickets open, Face value | |
| Forbidden City (Palace Museum)Request this attraction: Forbidden City (Palace Museum) | Official website · WeChat mini-program · Official email | Yes | 7 days ahead at 20:00 China time; no same-day tickets | Yes | Confirmed when you enquire | We submit each reservation on the museum's own official channel in the visitor's own passport name. We do not resell tickets or add a mark-up, and any ticket price we collect is paid to the museum at face value. The museum's real-name and cancellation rules apply. You can also book it yourself with our travel article. Source guide: Forbidden City for foreign visitors | Checked 22 Aug 2026Confirmed when you enquire: Face value | |
| Badaling Great WallRequest this attraction: Badaling Great Wall | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Our Great Wall articles cover transport, not the admission booking rule, so we check the official rule for your date before the written confirmation. Source guide: Beijing to Badaling | Checked 13 Aug 2026Confirmed when you enquire: Official channel, Passport accepted, When tickets open, Real name, Face value | |
| Mutianyu Great WallRequest this attraction: Mutianyu Great Wall | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Admission, shuttle and cable car are separate purchases. Our travel articles do not record the booking rule yet, so we check it for your date before the written confirmation. Source guide: Beijing to Mutianyu | Checked 13 Aug 2026Confirmed when you enquire: Official channel, Passport accepted, When tickets open, Real name, Face value |
Shanghai4 attractions
A dash (—) in the table means we check that rule for your travel dates when you contact us.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Attraction | Official channel | Passport accepted | When tickets open | Real name | Face value | Notes | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Museum East (general entry)No booking needed | Not applicable: walk-in entry | Not applicable: walk-in entry | Not applicable: walk-in entry | Yes | Free, no reservation | Free walk-in for individual visitors: there is no reservation to make, so there is nothing to book and no fee. Bring your original ID to the B1 east entrance. Closed most Tuesdays. Source guide: Shanghai Museum East entry | Checked 26 Sept 2026 | |
| Shanghai Museum East: Curio-City and Digital GalleryRequest this attraction: Shanghai Museum East: Curio-City and Digital Gallery | Official WeChat account | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | These two areas need separate advance bookings in the museum's special-reservation section. How a foreign passport is handled is confirmed with the museum. Source guide: Shanghai Museum East entry | Checked 26 Sept 2026Confirmed when you enquire: Passport accepted, When tickets open, Real name, Face value | |
| Shanghai Museum, People's SquareRequest this attraction: Shanghai Museum, People's Square | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | From 9 July 2026 to 14 November 2027 it shows one ticketed special exhibition. Our guide does not record its price or booking terms, so we confirm them when you enquire. Source guide: Shanghai Museum East entry | Checked 26 Sept 2026Confirmed when you enquire: Official channel, Passport accepted, When tickets open, Real name, Face value | |
| Shanghai Tower observation deckRequest this attraction: Shanghai Tower observation deck | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Our travel articles do not record a booking rule yet, so a planner checks the official rule for your date before the written confirmation. | Not yet checked | Not yet checkedConfirmed when you enquire: Official channel, Passport accepted, When tickets open, Real name, Face value |
Suzhou1 attraction
A dash (—) in the table means we check that rule for your travel dates when you contact us.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Attraction | Official channel | Passport accepted | When tickets open | Real name | Face value | Notes | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humble Administrator's GardenRequest this attraction: Humble Administrator's Garden | Official WeChat account | Confirmed when you enquire | 1–7 days before the visit; no daily release time confirmed | Yes | CNY 80 · adult, April, May and July–October (CNY 70 in the other months) | A real-name ticket for a named visitor, date and entry slot, booked on the official Suzhou Gardens WeChat service. Suzhou Museum is a separate reservation. The current passport steps inside the official service were not verified, so we confirm them for your date before the written confirmation. Source guide: Humble Administrator's Garden tickets | Checked 26 Sept 2026Confirmed when you enquire: Passport accepted |
Hangzhou3 attractions
A dash (—) in the table means we check that rule for your travel dates when you contact us.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Attraction | Official channel | Passport accepted | When tickets open | Real name | Face value | Notes | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liangzhu Museum and Archaeological Ruins ParkRequest this attraction: Liangzhu Museum and Archaeological Ruins Park | Official website · Official WeChat account | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Two venues with separate arrangements; one confirmation does not cover the other. We check each venue's current admission or reservation status for your date. Source guide: Liangzhu museum and park | Checked 13 Aug 2026Confirmed when you enquire: Passport accepted, When tickets open, Real name, Face value | |
| Lingyin Temple and Feilai PeakRequest this attraction: Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak | Confirmed when you enquire | Yes | Confirmed when you enquire | Yes | Free, reservation required | Admission is currently free, but every visitor needs a real-name timed reservation, and a passport is accepted. There is no same-day booking, and on-site registration ended on 1 February 2026. We recheck the rule for your date before the written confirmation. Source guide: Jiangnan 6 or Beijing 11 days | Checked 26 Sept 2026Confirmed when you enquire: Official channel, When tickets open | |
| West Lake boatsRequest this attraction: West Lake boats | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Boats, traffic controls and crowd measures change by date, so a planner checks them for your date before the written confirmation. | Not yet checked | Not yet checkedConfirmed when you enquire: Official channel, Passport accepted, When tickets open, Real name, Face value |
Xi'an4 attractions
A dash (—) in the table means we check that rule for your travel dates when you contact us.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Attraction | Official channel | Passport accepted | When tickets open | Real name | Face value | Notes | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terracotta Warriors (Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum)Request this attraction: Terracotta Warriors (Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum) | Official website · Official WeChat account · Partner linked by the official site | Yes | Confirmed when you enquire | Yes | CNY 120 · standard adult | One ticket covers the museum and Lishan Garden, with the shuttle between them. The museum's English ticket link routes to Trip.com. Sales can stop at capacity. Source guide: Terracotta Army visit | Checked 11 Aug 2026Confirmed when you enquire: When tickets open | |
| Shaanxi History Museum (incl. Tang mural gallery)Request this attraction: Shaanxi History Museum (incl. Tang mural gallery) | Official WeChat account | Yes | 5 days ahead at 17:00 (checked 12 August 2026) | Yes | Free, reservation required | We do not resell tickets: basic admission stays free, our fee is for the reservation work, and we submit it on the museum's official WeChat system in your own passport name. The Tang mural gallery is a separate paid ticket, charged at face value. No-shows get a 180-day booking restriction. You can also book it yourself with our travel article. Source guide: Shaanxi History Museum plan | Checked 12 Aug 2026 | |
| Xi'an City WallRequest this attraction: Xi'an City Wall | Douyin mini-program · Meituan · Ticket window | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | CNY 54 · government full fare | Walk-up windows also sell tickets: foreign visitors can buy at a staffed window and get a paper pass, and no advance-reservation requirement was verified, so booking ahead is optional. An online booking is still exchanged for a paper pass at a window before the gate. Source guide: Xi'an City Wall visit | Checked 26 Sept 2026Confirmed when you enquire: Passport accepted, When tickets open, Real name | |
| Huaqing PalaceRequest this attraction: Huaqing Palace | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Our travel articles do not record a booking rule yet, so a planner checks the official rule for your date before the written confirmation. | Not yet checked | Not yet checkedConfirmed when you enquire: Official channel, Passport accepted, When tickets open, Real name, Face value |
Chengdu3 attractions
A dash (—) in the table means we check that rule for your travel dates when you contact us.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Attraction | Official channel | Passport accepted | When tickets open | Real name | Face value | Notes | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda BreedingRequest this attraction: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding | Official website | Yes | Online, up to 14 days ahead, subject to availability; morning or afternoon entry | Yes | CNY 55 · adult | Separate from Panda Valley in Dujiangyan; the city-base ticket is not valid there. On-site sales are only for special cases. Source guide: Chengdu Panda Base vs Panda Valley | Checked 11 Aug 2026 | |
| Sanxingdui MuseumRequest this attraction: Sanxingdui Museum | Official website · Official WeChat account · WeChat mini-program | Yes | Confirmed when you enquire | Yes | Confirmed when you enquire | The museum offers an inbound-visitor ticket pool and English booking pages using passports. It warns against unofficial channels, so we use only its own. Source guide: Sanxingdui booking and route | Checked 13 Aug 2026Confirmed when you enquire: When tickets open, Face value | |
| Jinsha Site MuseumRequest this attraction: Jinsha Site Museum | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Confirmed when you enquire | Our travel articles do not record a booking rule yet, so a planner checks the official rule for your date before the written confirmation. | Not yet checked | Not yet checkedConfirmed when you enquire: Official channel, Passport accepted, When tickets open, Real name, Face value |
Guilin1 attraction
A dash (—) in the table means we check that rule for your travel dates when you contact us.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Attraction | Official channel | Passport accepted | When tickets open | Real name | Face value | Notes | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Li River cruise (Guilin to Yangshuo)Request this attraction: Li River cruise (Guilin to Yangshuo) | Official WeChat account | Confirmed when you enquire | No general release rule confirmed; the 2026 National Day notice opened full-route boats 15 days ahead | Yes | CNY 215 · adult, 3-star boat (4-star boat CNY 360), August 2026 list | Booked on the scenic area's official WeChat service account. 3-star boats board at Mopanshan and 4-star boats at Zhujiang, so tell us the boat class you want. The official material does not explain the foreign-passport steps, so we confirm your passport and ticket collection before the written confirmation. High water can suspend sailings at short notice. Source guide: Li River cruise tickets | Checked 26 Sept 2026Confirmed when you enquire: Passport accepted |
Lijiang1 attraction
A dash (—) in the table means we check that rule for your travel dates when you contact us.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Attraction | Official channel | Passport accepted | When tickets open | Real name | Face value | Notes | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (entry and cable cars)Request this attraction: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (entry and cable cars) | WeChat mini-program | Confirmed when you enquire | Cable cars for the next 7 days: Glacier Park daily at 20:00, Spruce Meadow at 21:00; entry up to 7 days ahead | Yes | CNY 100 · entry, plus CNY 20 eco-bus; cable cars extra: Glacier Park CNY 120, Spruce Meadow CNY 40 (2026 list) | Entry and each cable car are separate official products in different mini-programs; the cable cars use real-name and face-recognition checks. The Yak Meadow cable car has been closed for rebuilding since 4 March 2026. Wind or weather can suspend a cable car, and the operator's change or refund rule then applies. We confirm the current passport steps before the written confirmation. Source guide: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain tickets | Checked 26 Sept 2026Confirmed when you enquire: Passport accepted |
Questions about the reservation service
How much does the attraction reservation service cost?
USD 7 per person per attraction, plus the attraction's official ticket price with no mark-up. Both are paid together after we confirm in writing. Reservations for attractions in a Homeground private-tour itinerary are included at no extra fee.
Can you book the Forbidden City?
Yes. We submit the reservation on the Palace Museum's own official channel in each visitor's own passport name. Tickets open seven days ahead at 20:00 China time and there are no same-day tickets, so send your request early. Send your request and payment at least 8 days before your visit and we guarantee the reservation; if we ever miss it, you get a full refund of the service fee and ticket money. We do not resell tickets or add a mark-up: tickets are charged at face value, and the museum's real-name and cancellation rules apply.
Can you book the Shaanxi History Museum?
Yes, on the museum's official WeChat system in your own passport name. Basic admission is free, so you pay only our fee for the reservation work, plus the separate ticket at face value if you add the Tang mural gallery. We do not resell tickets, and you can also book it yourself with our guide. A no-show brings a 180-day booking restriction, so tell us early if plans change.
Is the reservation guaranteed?
Yes, if you send your request and payment at least 8 days before your visit: we guarantee the reservation, and if we ever miss one, you get a full refund of that attraction's service fee and ticket money. Later than that, we still try but cannot guarantee it; if we cannot secure it, we refund that attraction's service fee in full together with any ticket money not spent.
Why don't you ask for my passport number in the form?
Because it is not needed to check availability. We ask for passport details only after you accept the written confirmation, use them only for the booking and delete them after the trip.
Can I cancel after the ticket is issued?
Cancellation and changes then follow the attraction's own rules, and the service fee for an issued ticket is not refundable. Some attractions also restrict future bookings after a no-show, so tell us early if plans change.
Do I still need my passport at the gate?
Yes. Real-name attractions check the original passport used for the booking. A photo or photocopy of the passport is not a substitute.