Trip guides

The palace and the evening show use two separate tickets, so plan them as two parts of one day.

Trip planning

Daytime and evening are separate

A common mistake is buying one ticket and expecting it to cover both the palace and the show.

A daytime visit to Huaqing Palace needs a palace admission ticket. The evening Changhenge show needs a show ticket. They are sold separately and checked separately, so budget and queue for both if you want to do both in one day.

The show is staged outdoors on Jiulong Lake, inside the palace grounds. If you visit during the day and return for an evening show, you will enter again with the show ticket and the original ID documents for your party.

Leave a gap between the daytime visit and the show for dinner and for the entry queue. Book about ten days ahead, and earlier in peak season and on public holidays. If you take a late show, arrange a taxi or a car for the return, since Metro Line 9 will have stopped.

Trip planning

Show news and booking tips

Short, evergreen notes for planning a visit. Times and prices are listed on the showtimes and booking pages.

Before you go

Book about ten days ahead

#BookingReserve roughly ten days in advance. In peak season and on public holidays, book earlier to hold the zone you want.

Show day

Bring the original ID for every guest

#EntryEntry is checked guest by guest. Mainland ID holders scan the original card; passport and Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan document holders collect paper seat vouchers at the ticket office.

Peak season

You choose a zone, not a seat

#SeatingBookings select a zone only. The system assigns seats, one order may be split, and seats cannot be changed once issued.

Daytime

The palace and the show are separate tickets

#TicketsA daytime visit to Huaqing Palace needs an admission ticket. The evening show needs only a show ticket. They are sold separately.

After dark

Plan the ride home after the late shows

#Getting backMetro Line 9 has stopped by the time the late shows end. Arrange a taxi or your own car in advance.

Any visit

What to bring and what to leave

#On-site rulesFilming, drones, smoking, large luggage and folding chairs are not allowed. Flat shoes are recommended, and the show runs about 70 minutes without an interval.

One-day plan

A sample one-day timeline

A loose plan you can shift to fit the start time you book.

Afternoon: arrive at Huaqing Palace with a palace admission ticket and see the grounds and hot spring sites in daylight.
Early evening: have dinner nearby and collect paper seat vouchers at the ticket office if you booked with a passport or a Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan document.
Before the show: reach the gate at least 20 minutes early with the original ID document for every guest.
Show time: about 70 minutes, nine acts, no interval.
After the show: earlier starts may still allow a metro return; for late shows, use a taxi or your own car.

This is an independent guide. Admission prices, opening hours and show schedules change, so confirm the current day through official channels.

In-depth guides

Seating and booking guides

2026-11-08

Don't Judge a Zone by Its Neighbour: You Buy the Floor, Not the Seat Next Door

#SeatingSome say Central edge seats sit beside East/West A, so the cheaper zone is better value. Here is why that argument falls apart: a ticket buys the baseline view of a zone, not the zone next door.

Daytime and evening are separate tickets

The palace needs an admission ticket; the evening show only needs a show ticket — don’t buy both by mistake

Central ¥359 from · East/West A ¥289 from · VIP C ¥588

See showtimes & prices