First, basic information quick overview
Opening hours
Peak season (April 1 – October 31) : Open at 6:00 and close at 20:00
Off-season (November 1 – March 31) : Open at 6:30 and close at 19:00
Garden within Garden Opening hours: 8:00-18:00(peak season)/8:30-17:00(off-season), closed on Mondays (except statutory holidays).
Ticket price
Peak season: Ticket 30 yuan, combined ticket 60 yuan (including the garden in the garden, such as Dehe Garden and Foxiang Pavilion)
Off-season: Ticket 20 yuan, joint ticket 50 yuan
Discount tickets: children under 1.2 meters, seniors over 60 years old, etc. Students and certain groups will enjoy half price (15 yuan ticket, 30 yuan joint ticket).
Second, traffic guide
subway
Beigongmen Station (Line 4 Exit D) : Direct to Beigongmen, suitable for backcrossing route.
Xiyuan Station (Line 16 Exit C2) : Walk 800 meters to Donggongmen (classic Main gate).
Public transportation
Donggong Gate: 331, 332, 346 road, etc.
North Palace Gate: 303, 331, 384 road, etc.
New palace gate: 74, 374, 437 road.
West Gate of Summer Palace: 469, 539 road (near West Suburban Line subway station).
self-driving
Navigate the “Summer Palace P6 parking lot” and arrive before 8 am to avoid congestion.
Third, must play route recommendation
1. Classic rampage Route (3-4 hours)
East Palace Gate → Renshou Hall (Government District)→ Kunming Lake → Long Corridor → Buddha Incense Pavilion → Stone boat → West Embankment → Seventeen Holes Bridge → New palace gate
Highlights: Covering the core landscape of the royal garden, suitable for first time Tours.
Tips: Enter the garden at 7 am and go straight to Foxiang Pavilion to avoid tour groups.
2. Labor-saving cruise route (2-3 hours)
New palace gate → Seventeen Hole Bridge → Boat to the Stone boat → Painting middle stream → Long corridor → Happy Life Hall → Renshou Hall → East Palace gate
Ticket: Big Boat Loop 8:00-18:00 operation, children under 1.2 meters free.
Recommended dock: Eight Party Pavilion (hand boating/foot boat), Wenchang Pavilion (antique battery boat).
3. Deep Photography Route (full day)
North Palace Gate → Suzhou Street → Four great Islands → Stone boat → Buddha Incense Pavilion → Long Corridor → Harmonious Garden → West Embankment → New palace Gate
Best shooting spot:
The top floor of Foxiang Pavilion: The symmetrical composition of Kunming Lake and the Seventeen Holes Bridge from above.
The corridor invites the moon gate: 3 PM light penetrates the carved beams and columns.
West bank mirror Bridge: spring peach blossom reflection, ancient wind out of the holy land.
The south end of the Seventeen Holes Bridge: “Golden piercing” at 16:00 before and after the winter solstice, and the silhouette is taken in other seasons.
Fourth, food punch guide
On-site catering
Fast food: Wenchangge Fast Food Restaurant, Songtang Fast Food restaurant (simple meal set).
Coffee and tea:
Coffee: Enjoy the Mandarin ducks on the lake, the environment is quiet.
Summer Palace Coffee: Backyard courtyard style, suitable for a nap.
Prince Yi: Chinese court style, recommend ice American + Buddha incense pavilion reflection.
Special experience: Listening Bird House Restaurant (800 meters outside the East palace gate, palace dishes need to be reserved).
Nearby food
Longfor Star Delight (New Palace Gate 10 minutes by taxi) :
Sanyuan Plum Garden: The same court cheese of Cixi.
Small hanging pear soup: Beijing food network red shop, pear soup must point.
Fifth, hidden gameplay and pit avoidance guide
Cultural interaction
Stamp punch: Chenghuai Pavilion, Shifang cultural creation shop to buy “Summer Palace passport”, set 10+ characteristic stamps.
AR experience: Use AR function to watch the stereoscopic projection of Guangxu Emperor under house arrest in “Yang Renfeng”.
Dressing suggestion
Hanfu/Light and elegant color: with red wall green tile, Kunming Lake blue more out of the piece.
Comfortable shoes: The park is mostly stone roads, and non-slip shoes are required for sudden walking.
Pit warning
Garden within Garden Closed: Dehe Garden and Foxiang Pavilion are closed on Mondays (some courtyards close at 17:00 in off-season).
Explanation service: Rent electronic explanation device (20 yuan/day) more freedom, avoid the guide urged.
No shops in West Embankment: Bring your own dry food, no kiosks throughout.
Sixth, peripheral linkage
Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park (2 km from the Summer Palace) : After visiting the Summer Palace, you can visit by the way to feel the vicissitudes of history.
Light Science and Technology Museum (outside the North Palace) : parent-child interactive experience, suitable for science and technology lovers.
Conclusion: The Summer Palace is beautiful all seasons, spring to enjoy the peach blossom of the west Bank, summer view of Kunming lotus rhyme, autumn products after the mountain red leaves, winter shot golden perforation. It is recommended to reserve at least half a day to slow down and feel the serenity and grandeur of the royal garden.
