Buying Tickets in China: Attractions, Reservations and Audio Guides
Ticket lines in China have quietly disappeared. The big sights now run on timed online reservations, released in batches days ahead, and the walk-up window either closes early or turns foreigners away without a booking already in the system.
That makes a handful of Mandarin phrases worth keeping on your phone. You will need them for prices, for the reservation question, and for the moment the attendant asks for the ID you brought — which is always your passport.
Useful phrases
- 门票多少钱？How much is the ticket?
门票 covers admission to almost any attraction in China. Ask at the window before you pull out cash, and check whether the price changes on weekends or holidays.
- 我要两张票。I'd like two tickets.
张 is the measure word for tickets, and 两 is used instead of 二 before it. Swap 两 for any other number the same way.
- 我要一张成人票。One adult ticket, please.
成人 is adult. Children under about 1.2 metres tall often get in free, so keep 儿童票 (értóng piào) in mind if you are travelling with kids.
- 学生票有吗？Do you have a student ticket?
Most museums and parks discount by half for students, but you need your 学生证 (student card) at the window. A foreign student ID sometimes works, sometimes not.
- 需要预约吗？Do I need to book in advance?
The answer at any major sight is almost always yes. If they say 需要 (xūyào, needed), ask a follow-up about where the booking happens — usually a WeChat mini-program.
- 在哪里买票？Where do I buy tickets?
售票处 (shòupiàochù) is the ticket office and is written on signs near the gate. At some sites it sits a few hundred metres before the actual entrance, so buy first, then walk.
- 网上可以买吗？Can I buy them online?
Most big sights sell through a WeChat mini-program only. A foreign card works on some and fails on others, so having a local friend book for you is the safer path.
- 护照可以吗？Can I use my passport?
Your passport is the only ID that works for foreigners, and the booking name has to match it letter for letter. Some windows scan it, others just type the number in.
- 几点开门？What time do you open?
Most museums open at 9 and take their last entry about an hour before closing. Arriving right at opening is the only way to see the famous halls before the crowds land.
- 几点关门？What time do you close?
Many sights shut on Mondays, and this is the detail travelers get caught by. Ask this the day before you plan to visit, not on the morning itself.
- 排队要多久？How long is the wait?
Weekday mornings are quiet, weekends and public holidays are not. Two hours in a security line at a famous site is normal, so build the wait into your plan.
- 有英文讲解吗？Is there an English audio guide?
讲解 means commentary or guide, and 讲解器 is the rental audio device. Big museums have English versions; smaller ones usually only offer Chinese.
- 这个票包括什么？What does this ticket include?
Many entry tickets are gate-only, with special halls, the shuttle bus or a rooftop view charged separately. Ask before you assume the price you paid covers everything.
- 可以用现金吗？Can I pay with cash?
Ticket windows increasingly show a QR code instead of a cash drawer. Keep a few small notes for smaller spots, and set up a mobile payment app before you fly.
Quick cultural tip
The reservation gates
A timed reservation has become the rule at China's headline attractions. The Forbidden City in Beijing, the Terracotta Army in Xi'an and nearly every provincial museum release their tickets online at a set hour, often several days ahead, and weekend slots vanish in minutes.
Your passport is the only ID that counts for foreigners, and it has to match the booking name exactly. Turning up without one means the guard at the gate will most likely send you back the way you came, however far you have travelled to get there.