Tiananmen Square tours: what a tour adds
A paid tour is not required for a visit to Tiananmen Square. The visit itself is free with a reservation. A tour makes sense if you want a guide, transport or a plan that links the square with the Forbidden City and the hutongs. Tour groups need a reservation for the square just like individual visitors.
The neighboring sights are booked separately: the Mao Mausoleum, the National Museum, the Tiananmen Gate Tower, the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower and the Great Hall of the People each have their own booking. Being close on the map does not give you a shared ticket. Before you pay for a tour, ask what it includes, such as the square reservation, entry to other sights, transport and meals.
Our picks: Tiananmen tours
Our take: the day tour adds the Great Wall at Mutianyu. The group tour is the compact version, and the palace tour has the most reviews.
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.
Forbidden City and Mutianyu Great Wall tour
- English-speaking guide
- Round-trip transfer
- Palace and Great Wall entry
The palace and the Great Wall in one day with transfers; when the security queue is long, the square is only a drive-by.
Check availability →
Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City three-hour group tour
- English-speaking guide
- Palace entry
A compact group tour with a guide and palace entry; extra halls inside the palace cost more.
Check availability →
Forbidden City tour with tickets
- Licensed English-speaking guide
- Palace entry
A licensed guide and palace entry; Jingshan Park and the inner museums come with the matching option.
Check availability →Beijing tours with Tiananmen Square
Guided walks, Forbidden City combinations and hutong trips, with live prices and availability.
What needs its own booking
The sights around the square, as of 2026.
| Sight | How to book | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tiananmen Square | WeChat mini program, 1 to 7 days ahead | CNY 0 |
| Mao Mausoleum | Official WeChat account or mini program, 1 to 6 days ahead | Free |
| National Museum of China | Free reservation, 7 days ahead | Free |
| Tiananmen Gate Tower | At least 1 day ahead, no same-day tickets | CNY 15 |
| Zhengyangmen Gate Tower | Official WeChat account, tickets released daily at 17:00 | CNY 20 |
| Great Hall of the People | Official mini program only, no authorized ticket agents | – |
For most first-time visitors, the best split is to reserve the square and one neighboring sight yourself and to use a tour for the parts that are harder to arrange alone, such as the Forbidden City and a hutong walk. The Great Hall cannot be bought through an agent.
Combining the square with other stops
What fits into one Beijing day.
The Forbidden City
The palace is the usual next stop after Tiananmen Gate. It has its own ticket, and being next door gives no combined entry. Read Forbidden City tours before you pick a combination.
Qianmen and Dashilar
South of the square lies a historic trading district. Qianmen Street is 840 m long and Dashilar Commercial Street 275 m. Long-established food and clothing brands and souvenir shops line the streets, and the area once had theaters, tea houses and bookshops.
Qianmen guide →Hutongs
Qianmen and Dashilar are a historic street district. A specific hutong route, a rickshaw ride, the meeting point and the length are details to read in each tour description.
The National Museum
Its permanent themes include ancient Chinese jade, porcelain, Buddhist sculpture, the history of money, and clothing and jewelry. Opening hours change with the season.
Museum guide →The Mausoleum and the Monument
The Mausoleum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 08:00 to 12:00 and reopened on 1 September 2026. The Monument to the People's Heroes stands in the middle of the square.
Mausoleum guide →The Great Wall
The Great Wall is a separate trip out of the city and takes most of a day, so it rarely fits with the square on the same morning. See Mutianyu from Beijing to compare the options.
The Temple of Heaven
The temple south of the square is a separate visit. See Beijing city tours with the Temple of Heaven.
Before you book a tour
Check the date first. The Mausoleum, the Gate Tower, the National Museum and the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower are closed on Mondays or have no regular Monday opening, with exceptions for public holidays. The Mausoleum closes at noon. Pick a day that fits the sights you want.
Then ask three things: does the price include the square reservation, which entrances does the guide handle, and where does the tour start and end? A tour does not change the security checks. You still carry your passport. See rules and security checks and how to reserve.
Plan the rest of your trip
Pages that go with a tour day.
Tiananmen Square tours: frequently asked questions
Do I need a tour to visit Tiananmen Square?
No. The square is free to enter with a reservation, and you can walk it on your own. A tour adds a guide, transport and links to other stops.
Are the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square on one ticket?
No. The square is free with a reservation, and the Forbidden City has its own ticket. Being next to each other does not give a combined entry.
Can a tour book the Great Hall of the People?
Entry is reserved only through the official mini program, and no ticket agents are authorized. Ask what a tour offers for this sight before you rely on it.
Can I book a tour for the same day?
Do not count on it. The square reservation cannot be made on the day of the visit, and the Tiananmen Gate Tower has no same-day tickets. Book a tour with enough lead time for the reservations it depends on.
How much does a tour cost?
That depends on the product, the length and the date. The list above shows current prices and availability, so use it rather than a general figure.
How do I pay for things in Beijing?
Metro ticket machines accept foreign Visa and Mastercard, and RMB cash works at counters and machines. The Alipay transport code needs identity verification. A foreign card is not accepted everywhere, so carry some cash.
Is tiananmen-square.org a tour operator?
No. This is an independent travel guide with no link to any authority, the National Museum of China, a tour operator or a hotel. Tours in the list are offered by their own providers.