Beijing Summer Palace travel guide! All you should know in 2025!

**Optimized Summer Palace Reverse Route Guide (Enter at East Palace Gate, Exit at New Palace Gate)**

**Core Principles:**

✅ **Basic Ticket Only (20-30 RMB)**｜❌ Skip Full Pass｜⛵️ **Choose Correct Pier + Check Weather**

📍 Route Summary (~3 hours)

1. **Start: East Palace Gate (东宫门)**
– Pass through Renshou Hall (imperial audience hall) quickly.

2. **Imperial Residence Zone (Key Stops)**
– **Hall of Jade Ripples (Yulan Tang)**: See Emperor Guangxu’s “prison” with bricked-up windows (10 mins).
– **Hall of Happiness & Longevity (Leshou Tang)**: Cixi’s residence – **smell the wood!** Legend says apple fragrance lingers from 150,000 lbs/year used for scenting.
– **Garden of Virtue and Harmony (Deheyuan)** (exterior only): Skip interior.

3. **World’s Longest Corridor**

– Descend to **Long Corridor’s east end**, walk **westward** (fewer crowds!).
– Admire 14,000+ ceiling paintings (Romance of Three Kingdoms/West Lake scenes).

4. **Tower of Buddhist Incense View**

– Walk west to **Pavilion of Spring’s Arrival (Zhichun Ting)**:
🔹 **Best eye-level photo spot for Tower of Buddhist Incense** with lake reflections.

5. **Highlight: Walking in the Picture (Must-visit!)画中游**

– Navigate to **Hua Zhong You** (located on the west side of Longevity Hill) – a newly renovated viewpoint.
– **Photo Tips:**
🔹 Frame Kunming Lake from the top pavilion for “walking in painting” shots.
🔹 Use upturned eaves as foreground for depth.
– ⚠️ Wear comfortable shoes – steep steps!

6. **Crucial Transport: Boat Tips**
– ⛵️ **Pier**: Official pier near Marble Boat.
– ⚠️ **Route**: Select **South Lake Island/Seventeen-Arch Bridge line ONLY** (15 mins).
– 🌦️ **Weather**: Boats cancel if winds ≥ Level 4. Alternate: Walk via West Dyke to island (+30 mins).

7. **South Lake Island Panorama & Bridge**
– Disembark at **South Lake Island**, head to **Hanxu Hall**:
🔹 **Prime frontal view of Longevity Hill + Tower of Buddhist Incense**.
🔹 Stunning sunset views over Kunming Lake.
– Cross **Seventeen-Arch Bridge** (count 544 stone lions!).

8. **Signature Shot: Bronze Ox Framing**
– Find **Gilded Bronze Ox** east of bridge:
🔹 **Crouch low to frame Tower of Buddhist Incense within its horn**.
🔹 Best light: Afternoon sun.

9 **Exit: New Palace Gate (Xinjian Gongmen)**
– Final view: Bridge arching over water, pavilions dotting hills.
– 🚌 Transportation: Multiple buses and taxis are available.

⚠️ Key Reminders
– **Boat Ticket**: Buy **one-way (Marble Boat → South Island)** only (~¥30-40).
– **Off-Peak**: Enter before 8 AM for crowd-free Hua Zhong You.
– **Essentials**: ID or Passport (e-ticket), navigation app, sunscreen, power bank.

Proven efficiency: 💰30 RMB ticket + one-way boat, 📸 7 core sites + 3 photo spots, 🚶 minimal backtracking. Ends with convenient exit – unlock the Summer Palace’s essence effortlessly!

FAQS

How to get to the Summer Palace?

It is located 25 km northwest of the city center.

Taxi

The Summer Palace has three major entry gates
East Gate ( Main Gate ), also called “East Palace Gate“, 东宫门
North Gate, also called “Beigongmen, or North Palace Gate, 北宫门
South Gate, also known as “New Palace Gate” 新建宫门

Subway:

Take subway line 4 to Beigongmen Station, and you will get to the north gate. You will reach the East gate if you get off 1 station earlier.

Open time and tickets

The Summer Palace has the main gate ticket and the package ticket. For some attraction tickets, you need a full day to visit; I recommend buying the primary gate tickets and going inside, and then purchasing the inside park tickets if you’re interested.

Is it open on Monday? YES, It is open every day.

High Season (From April 1 to October 31)
Open: 6:00
Tickets stop selling at 19:00;
Close: 20:00

Low Season (From November 1 to March 31 next year)
Open: 6:30
Tickets stop selling at 18:00.
Close: 19：00

Summer Palace Admission
30 yuan (peak season)
20 yuan (off-season)

Summer Palace Combo ticket （It includes the entrance fee of all the other parks inside）
60 Yuan (peak season)
50 yuan (off-season)

The main attractions inside the park: 5 yuan for De He Garden, Wenchang Exhibition, 20 yuan; 10 yuan for Foxiang Pavilion, 10 yuan for Suzhou Street.