Visiting any new country for the first time, can be quite daunting, with the language and culture leaving you with a lot to take in. As with any tourist city in the world, if you are too naive, people will take advantage of you, and Beijing is no exception. One of the most frequented tourist destinations in Beijing is the Forbidden City, so here are some tips for when you visit, to make sure you get the most out of it, and that you do not get taken advantage of. For any business translation inquiries, contact Translation Company UK

Getting There

Instead of getting a taxi to the Forbidden City, use the ample public transport that is available, and have an adventure or two on the way! There are plenty of public buses which you can use;

Bus numbers 1, 4, 20, 52, 57, 101, 103, 109 and 111, will all take you to the Forbidden City.

You can also use the Metro system and will need to go on the East/West line, and get off at either Tian’anmendong or Tian’anmenxi.

Admission and Opening Times

The Forbidden City is open year round, and if you have planned your trip during a local festival or holiday, you should expect large crowds. From October the 16th to April the 15th the city is open from 8:30AM, to 4:30PM. From April, the 16th to October the 15th, the city is open from 8:30AM, to 5:00PM. From November, the 1st to March 31st, the admission fee is 40RMB, and from April the 1st to October 31st, the fee is 60RMB. Children, who are under 120CM tall, are admitted for free. The entrances are either at the front gate, which is inside the Tiananmen Gate, or at the Wumen gate, which faces west. Also make sure that you only purchase your tickets from the official kiosk and avoid any touts.

Plan your visit

There is plenty of information freely available n the internet, which shows you the layout of the Forbidden City, including the Palaces and all of the exhibitions that are on show. It is a good idea to do some research on exactly what you want to see when you visit as it is a very large complex, with many things on offer. When planning your visit, you may wish to speak to a professional travel company and let them accommodate your desired itinerary. A quick search of the internet will show that there are many China tours family packages for 2014, available.

Official Tours

You have a couple of options for English speaking tours when you visit the Forbidden City. You can use the services of an official tour guide who will take you through some of the popular exhibits and places and be able to give you a running commentary in English. Alternatively, you can elect to have one of the official audio tours as Roger Moore narrates the tour through a pre-designated route. The audio tour costs 40RMB with a 100RMB deposit; the personal tour will all depend on how long you require the guide’s services, so you will need to negotiate. There is also somewhere that you can check your bags in, so there is no need to carry a heavy bag with you during your tour. Just make sure you bring your camera!