Attraction Booking in China: Passports, Phone Codes and Chinese-Only Systems

Find out whether the venue is reservation-controlled

1. Open the venue's official visitor page and check the current entry policy for your date, not a search-result summary.
2. Note the booking window: many venues release slots a fixed number of days ahead, and the popular slots go first.
3. Check the weekly closing day as well — several major museums close on Mondays or Tuesdays except public holidays.
4. Read the document rules: what counts as valid ID for a foreign visitor, and whether every visitor needs their own booking.

The three obstacles foreign visitors hit

• Passport fields: some systems accept only mainland ID formats. Where a passport is accepted, enter the name and number exactly as printed in the document.
• Phone verification: some booking platforms send codes only to Chinese mobile numbers. An international number works in some systems and fails in others; do not assume the first failure is your mistake.
• Chinese-only interfaces: the official booking channel may exist only as a Chinese-language website or mini program. Translate the page with your phone, or ask your accommodation to walk you through it.
• Coverage differs by venue: some systems accept passports and offer English interfaces, others do not; the venue's current official page decides what applies to you.

When the system will not accept you

1. Call the venue's published service number or ask at your accommodation for help with the official channel before trying resellers.
2. Ask the venue whether staff can complete the booking at an entrance service window with your passport — some cities and venues offer this, and the current venue notice decides.
3. If one visitor's document fails, book what you can and resolve that person's entry with the venue directly rather than rebooking everyone.
4. Keep the confirmed order, date, slot and visitor details saved offline; a prefilled form or a payment attempt is not proof of entry.

Plan the booking order before you fly

• Book the reservation-controlled venues first, then fit the flexible stops around them.
• Do not build a day around a venue until its date and entry status are confirmed.
• Use official ticketing information for the city you visit to see which attractions need bookings and which sell on site; the Palace Museum's English rules page shows what a reservation-controlled venue looks like.
• If a booking fails on the day, switch to that day's indoor or free alternative rather than travelling to the gate to argue.