# The Summer Palace Beijing: Tickets, Metro and How to Spend a Day by Kunming Lake > Beijing's most beautiful imperial garden — the Long Corridor, the Tower of Buddhist Incense and a boat on Kunming Lake. A straight Line 9 to Line 4 run from KOULING Ruiyue. _Category: attraction · Reading time: 6 min read_ The Summer Palace (颐和园, Yíhéyuán) is the grand finale of Chinese imperial garden design — a vast lakeside park of pavilions, bridges and a painted long corridor built around Kunming Lake. It is the most beautiful of Beijing's classic sights and an easy half-day. From KOULING Ruiyue it is a straight run up Line 9 and then Line 4. ## Why go After the enclosed grandeur of the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace feels like breathing out. The 长廊 (Long Corridor) is painted with thousands of scenes; the 佛香阁 (Tower of Buddhist Incense) and 石舫 (Marble Boat) are postcard icons; and a boat across Kunming Lake is the move on a warm day. It is enormous, so go early — the light on the water is best before noon. ## The Summer Palace Enter via the North Palace Gate (北宫门) for the quickest route to the lakeside, or the East Palace Gate (东宫门) for the classic frontal view. The must-sees are the Long Corridor, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Marble Boat and a boat ride on Kunming Lake. The garden is huge — pick a loop rather than trying to see everything. - Metro: Beigongmen Station (Line 4), Exit D — 5-minute walk to the North Gate; Xiyuan Station (Line 4 / Line 16) also serves the East Gate. From Guogongzhuang take Line 9 to National Library, then change to Line 4 northbound. - Opening hours: Grounds roughly 06:30–18:00 (seasonal); indoor palaces about 08:30–17:00 — verify before you go - Tickets: Through-ticket (combo) about CNY 50–60; garden-only ticket about CNY 30 — prices shift with season and which courtyards are open; verify on arrival - How long: 3–5 hours ## How to spend the day - **North Gate first** — Enter at 北宫门 and go straight to the lake and the Long Corridor before the crowds build. - **Climb to the Tower of Buddhist Incense** — The central hill gives the best view over Kunming Lake — worth the steps. - **Boat on Kunming Lake** — Paddle or electric boats run in warmer months; the crossing frames the Marble Boat perfectly. - **Walk the Long Corridor** — 728 metres painted ceiling to floor — shade and stories, especially good at midday. - **Leave via the East Gate** — Xiyuan Station on Line 4 / Line 16 is right there for the ride back. ## Tips for visitors - **Go early or late** — Midday in peak season is hot and crowded; the park opens early for walkers. - **Wear good shoes** — It is a big park with hills — expect well over 10,000 steps. - **Boat season** — Lake boats run roughly April–October; off-season the water is for views only. - **Combine with the Old Summer Palace** — Yuanmingyuan (圆明园) is one stop north on Line 4 if you want more garden history. ## What your ticket actually covers The Summer Palace charges separately for the park and its sights. The basic entrance ticket (around ¥30 peak season, ¥20 in winter) covers the grounds, the Long Corridor and Kunming Lake shoreline only. Longevity Hill's Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, Wenchang Pavilion and Suzhou Street each need the through ticket (联票), roughly ¥60 in summer — buy this on arrival at the gate or in the WeChat mini-program; foreign passports work at staffed counters, and the passport itself is your ticket at the turnstiles. The dragon boats across the lake cost extra, around ¥10–20 depending on the route, and are worth it in the afternoon when the marble boat side of the park is far from the north gate. Cash is still accepted at ticket windows, which helps if your WeChat or Alipay setup fails on the day. ## Crowd timing and the seasons The Summer Palace absorbs enormous crowds on Chinese public holidays — avoid the May Day and National Day golden weeks entirely if you can. On normal days, tour groups arrive in force from about 10:00 and peak through the early afternoon; before 9:00 the Long Corridor is nearly empty and the light across the lake is best. Weekdays are noticeably calmer than weekends, and Sunday afternoons are the worst slot. Seasonally, spring (April–May) brings blossom along the west dike, summer means lotus on the lake and heavy humidity, and late autumn — late October to early November — offers the best photography of the year, with red foliage on Longevity Hill. Winter has its own austere beauty and the smallest crowds, though the lake freezes and the boats stop running, usually from December to March. ## Pairing the Summer Palace with the Old Summer Palace The Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan, 圆明园) sits two metro stops away on Line 4, which makes an easy half-day add-on if you have the energy. Enter the Summer Palace early, walk the Long Corridor and lake by late morning, then take Line 4 from Beigongmen to Yuanmingyuan station. The ruined European-style palaces at the far end of the site require a combined ticket on top of the entrance fee, and the walk to them from the gate is long — the shuttle carts help if legs are tired. Be honest about your stamina: the Summer Palace alone is a five-to-six-kilometre walk with hills, and many visitors arrive at Yuanmingyuan with nothing left. If you must choose one, do the Summer Palace first; if you want both comfortably, split them across two mornings. Check seasonal opening hours before combining, as closing times shift with the seasons. ## Related Beijing guides If you found this useful, these cover the next question most visitors ask: - **Attractions** — /guides/beijing-museums/ - **Itineraries** — /guides/beijing-live-music-guide/ - **Transport** — /guides/booking-multiple-high-speed-rail-tickets/ ## Getting the photos without the crowds - **Arrive before 8am** — The East Palace Gate area is nearly empty at opening; by 10am the Seventeen-Arch Bridge viewpoint needs patience. Morning light also hits the lake from a kinder angle. - **Shoot the Long Corridor early or late** — The painted beams read best in soft light; midday, the corridor is both harshest and most crowded. Walk it toward the lake and shoot back for depth. - **Use the boat for lake angles** — The Kunming Lake ferries give you the Tower of Buddhist Incense above water — a view you cannot get from shore. Ferries run roughly April to October and pause in wind or rain. - **Skip the Bridge of Infinite Variety at noon** — It is the classic shot but shoulder-to-shoulder by mid-morning. Late afternoon, tour groups thin out and the light warms the marble. - **Check drone rules** — Drone flying is restricted across central Beijing; do not assume the park is an exception — treat it as off-limits unless officially permitted. ## Common mistakes and what to skip - **Don't start at the East Palace Gate** — Most tours enter here, so it's the most congested point. The North Palace Gate on Line 4 lets you walk Suzhou Street downhill into the park and reach the lake faster. - **Skip Suzhou Street if on a budget** — It's a rebuilt commercial street with shop staff in costume; charming for some, but the through ticket's other sights are better value. - **Don't underestimate distances** — The park is nearly 3 sq km. A full circuit of the lake on foot takes over two hours; use the ferry if your time is short. - **Leave time for the exit** — Taxis are hard to flag near the gates and the metro is a 10-minute walk; check last train times if you're staying late. - **Bring water in summer** — Shade is scarce on the open lake shore and bottled water inside costs more than at convenience stores outside. ## Where to stay **KOULING Ruiyue Hotel** — 5m from Guogongzhuang Metro Station · 9.6/10 · US$26 View hotel: https://12001.net/hotels/ruiyue/ From KOULING Ruiyue, the Summer Palace is a straight Line 9 to National Library, then one change to Line 4 northbound to Beigongmen — about 50–60 minutes door to gate. After a long lakeside walk, coming back to a quiet room 5 metres from the metro is the easy option. Rooms from US$26. --- Source: https://12001.net/guides/summer-palace-beijing/ © KOULING Hotels