How to buy Nanjing Presidential Palace tickets
Buy a ¥35 ticket in the “南京总统府” (Nanjing Presidential Palace) WeChat mini program, pick a time slot, and enter with the ID card of the ticket holder. The palace says this is its official channel. What the palace's Services page and Ticket information page do not say is whether a foreign passport works for booking or entry, and that is the one thing to sort out before you go (see the passport section below).
- Open WeChat and find the “南京总统府” mini program. You need WeChat to use it.
- Book as an individual visitor (散客). The palace's Services page says individual tickets are real-name and sold by time slot.
- Arrive in your booked slot. The Services page says to enter with the original ID card of the ticket holder (凭本人身份证原件入园). The palace's ticket page, dated 2023-02-01, says online buyers go straight to the gate and swipe the ID they booked with.
Only one official seller
The palace says it has not authorised any third-party agency or individual to sell tickets or guided tours, online or offline. It tells visitors to book only through the mini program, so they can get in without trouble and avoid losses. A ticket from anywhere else is not from the palace's own channel.
Can I use my passport to buy Nanjing Presidential Palace tickets?
The palace's pages say tickets must be bought and used with the holder's own valid ID card (身份证). The word “passport” appears only in the senior discount lines, for ages 60 to 69 and 70 and over.
The Services page and the 2023 ticket page do not mention foreign visitors, visitors from Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan, or any English booking route. They also do not say whether a non-Chinese ID can be used to book in the mini program, how it is checked at the gate, or whether there is a ticket window on site.
If a passport is the only ID you have, call the ticket line on 025-84578888 before you plan your day around this stop.
How much are the tickets, and who pays less?
The full ticket is ¥35 per person per visit, valid for one entry on the day (Services page). The ticket page also says ¥35 for a full ticket. The pages give one full price, with no separate peak or off-season price.
These are the main discount rules on the Services page, which carries no date:
- Free: people aged 70 and over, with a valid ID card or passport.
- Half price (5折): ages 60 to 69, with a valid ID card or passport.
- Free: under-18s accompanied by a parent or temporary guardian, each child carrying their own valid ID document. One adult may take at most 3 minors.
- Half price: under-18s without a guardian (valid ID card or student card), and full-time students up to undergraduate level (valid student card; adult-education institutions are excluded).
Other free or half-price groups exist: military personnel, disabled visitors, firefighters, Nanjing medical staff and Nanjing low-income recipients. Apart from the passport mention for seniors, the page does not say whether foreign documents qualify for any of these groups.
Nanjing Presidential Palace opening hours and last entry
| Season | Dates | Open | Last entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peak season | 1 March to 14 October | 08:30-18:00 | 17:00 |
| Off-season | 15 October to end of February | 08:30-17:00 | 16:00 |
From 15 October the palace closes an hour earlier, at 17:00, and the last entry moves to 16:00. The Services page lists these hours, and the 2023 ticket page repeats them.
The palace is closed all day every Monday, except on legal public holidays. The Services page adds that hours can be arranged differently for major events or special reasons.
A holiday example that has already passed
For Mid-Autumn Festival on 25 September 2026, a notice dated 18 September set 08:30 opening, last entry at 16:30 and closing at 17:30. That change was for that one day. The announcement list shows no other 2026 holiday-hours notice, so check it before a public holiday.
Do I need to book in advance, or can I buy at the gate?
The palace's Services page says individual tickets are real-name, timed-slot tickets booked through the mini program. Neither the Services page nor the Ticket information page gives a minimum number of days to book ahead or says whether same-day or walk-up tickets exist. Neither page says how far ahead the mini program releases tickets, how many tickets each slot has, or how long a visit takes.
Because your ticket is tied to a time slot and your ID, we'd book in the mini program first rather than count on the gate.
Can I get a refund on Nanjing Presidential Palace tickets?
Yes, within limits. Unused tickets can be refunded within seven days, and after that no request is possible (ticket page, same wording on the Services page). Neither page says whether the seven days count from purchase or from the visit date, and neither gives a refund fee.
If you need an invoice, ask for it within seven days after you enter. In the mini program, go to the bottom right, then common functions (常用功能), then e-invoice. Enter the order number and the phone number you booked with. Late requests are not reissued.
Is the Presidential Palace closed or under construction right now?
Two recent notices matter, apart from the Mid-Autumn one above.
Temporary closure, July 2026. The announcement list shows a notice titled 关于南京总统府景区临时关闭的通告 dated 11 July 2026, so the palace had been temporarily closed. A notice dated 13 July says that after typhoon No. 9, “Bavi” (巴威), moved away, the palace reopened normally from 14 July 2026. It advised visitors to bring rain gear.
Gatehouse and Tongyin Hall works. A notice dated 31 July 2026 says the gatehouse (门楼) and Tongyin Hall (桐音馆) are national key cultural relic protection units. It lists damaged waterproofing, cracked roof surfaces and damaged wooden components. With approval from the higher authority, hoarding and construction on both start on 15 August 2026.
That notice has no end date and no word on the visit route. The announcement list shows no later notice about the works, so it does not say whether they have finished or what visitors can see around the two buildings.
How to get to the Nanjing Presidential Palace by metro or bus
The address is 288 Changjiang Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing (南京市玄武区长江路288号).
- Metro: Line 2 or Line 3 to Daxinggong station (大行宫站), exit 5. Walk to Changjiang Road and turn right; it is about 250 m.
- Bus: lines 29, 44, 65, 95 and 304 to the 总统府 stop.
- From the airport or railway station: the palace's advice is only to fly to Nanjing Lukou airport, or take a train to Nanjing Station or Nanjing South Station, then transfer to 288 Changjiang Road. It gives no route detail.
For the rest of the city, see our Nanjing travel guide.
On site: luggage, rules and phone numbers
The palace's safety page, dated 2022-12-26, says large luggage can be left free at the scenic area's storage point. It bans weapons, flammable or explosive items and animals, and allows smoking only in designated areas.
- Ticket enquiries: 025-84578888
- Service hotline: 025-84578716
- Complaints: 025-84578700
- Help for lost children and medical help: 025-84578700
