How the flag ceremony works
The flag raising at Tiananmen Square follows the sunrise at the square, and the lowering follows the sunset. The time is calculated astronomically for the place, so it moves through the year. Look up the raising and lowering time for your date, not a fixed clock time from memory.
The sunrise minute is not the whole program, so do not plan the start of your visit to the minute. To see the ceremony you need your own reservation for the raising slot, which is booked separately from a normal morning or afternoon slot.
Booking the raising or lowering slot
What the reservation covers.
The raising slot
It starts about 1 hour before the raising and lasts until the ceremony ends. Choose it in the reservation, in the same mini program as the normal slots.
Reservation steps →The lowering slot
It starts about 1 hour before the lowering and runs until the square closes in the evening. The time follows the sunset in the daily calendar.
A neighbor booking is not enough
A reservation for the Mausoleum, the Great Hall or the National Museum lets you into the square in the morning or afternoon. It does not give you a place at the flag ceremony.
The calendar decides the date
Raising and lowering follow the sunrise and sunset that are visible at the square. The time is different every day. Winter mornings come later and summer mornings much earlier, so the same trip needs a different plan in January and in June.
Best time to visit →No view is guaranteed
A slot gets you into the square for the ceremony. It does not reserve a spot with a good view, and you should not count on reserved stands, not even with a tour.
Our pick: a flag ceremony slot
Our take: this service books the square with a slot for sunrise or sunset.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Beijing tours around the ceremony
City tours and Forbidden City walks that fit around an early start, with live prices and availability.
Getting there in time
The ceremony is early, and in summer it is very early. Public transport, the security check and the walk to the viewing area all take time. Qianmen station on Lines 2 and 8 is a common starting point on the south side, and Tiananmen East and West on Line 1 serve the north side.
The table below gives first-train departures from Qianmen. These are departure times at that station, not arrival times from your hotel. Compare them with your day's raising time and add the queue at the check before you decide.
First trains at Qianmen
First-train departures at Qianmen. Check the timetable before you go.
| Line | Direction | First train |
|---|---|---|
| Line 2 | Inner ring | 05:16 |
| Line 2 | Outer ring | 05:25 |
| Line 8 | Toward Yinghai | 05:23 |
| Line 8 | Toward Zhuxinzhuang | 05:38 |
For most visitors, the safest plan is to compare the day's raising time with these first trains before you choose a date, especially in summer when sunrise is early. If the two do not fit, a hotel close to the square is the safer option: see where to stay.
Tips for the day
Practical points for the early start.
Bring the right ID
Carry the original passport used for the booking and the reservation on your phone. The check compares them.
Rules and checks →Travel light
A small bag is recommended. There is no general backpack ban for the square, but a smaller bag makes the check quicker.
Expect crowds on holidays
Public holidays are heavily visited, and special opening times are announced for them. The wait for the check cannot be predicted.
Best time to visit →Leave large flags and banners at home
Ordinary tourist entry does not cover large banners or gatherings. Keep to what you need for a normal visit.
After the ceremony, the Forbidden City is the next stop to the north: Forbidden City opening hours are on the sister guide.
Flag ceremony: frequently asked questions
What time is the flag raising?
It follows the sunrise on the day, so there is no single time for the whole year. Look up the time for your date and add time for the check and the walk.
Do I need a reservation for the flag ceremony?
Yes. The raising slot is chosen separately in the reservation, and a normal morning or afternoon slot does not replace it.
Is the lowering ceremony also open to visitors?
Yes, with its own slot. The time follows the sunset in the daily calendar, and the slot starts about an hour before the lowering.
Does the flag ceremony cost anything?
Entry to the square costs CNY 0 in 2026, including the raising slot. You reserve it in the same mini program as the other slots, so the only cost is your travel and your time.
Is the ceremony different on public holidays?
Public holidays are heavily visited, and special opening times are announced for them in advance. Expect longer queues than on an ordinary day, and look at the reservation page early.
Can I get a good view?
No spot is guaranteed. Arriving early and joining the queue helps, but the reservation gives access to the square and not a reserved place.
Can I take the first metro to the ceremony?
That depends on the date. The first trains at Qianmen leave between 05:16 and 05:38, and the check adds time on top. Compare your day's raising time with these departures before you decide, and do not count on it in summer without checking.