Beijing's one-stop ticketing platform: Book attractions quickly and easily

Editor's note: Zaruhi Poghosyan is a multimedia editor for CGTN Digital. This article is part of China, Soft Focus series.

China's cross-border and domestic travel surged in 2025, with record numbers of international visitors crossing the country's borders, supported by expanding visa-free and transit-entry policies. 

A large part of visitors choose Beijing as their first stop, drawn by its iconic temples and landmarks, rich cultural heritage and world-famous museums, and inevitably need to navigate the city's online booking systems at some point. 

While securing tickets is generally straightforward, the process can feel repetitive – entering passport or ID details again and again, hunting down the correct WeChat mini-program for each attraction, and double-checking you're on the official page. For international visitors, the language barrier can add another layer of friction.

Fear not – Beijing's Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism has rolled out a new solution designed to make visiting the city's top attractions significantly smoother – especially for travelers who have struggled with navigating multiple apps and registration systems. 

The city's unified attraction ticketing portal, now live in trial mode through the "Jingtong" (京通) WeChat mini-program, brings together the official booking channels of 74 major 5A and 4A-level tourist sites into a single, streamlined access point. To access the portal, simply type "Jingtong" into Wechat's mini-program search bar and select the top suggestion.

The biggest improvement here is simplicity. After submitting personal information once, users can book multiple attractions, reducing both time and frustration – a common pain point in China's highly digital but often multi-faceted ticketing ecosystem.

The platform allows visitors to browse attractions by district, rating, theme or proximity, helping users quickly identify options that fit their interests or travel routes. Select an attraction of your choice and you'll be redirected to its official ticketing page, ensuring authenticity and security.

Importantly, the system includes a dedicated English interface. International users can access it by selecting "Visit Beijing" on the English homepage of the Jingtong mini-program and choosing "Purchase Tickets." 

For those who like to plan ahead, the platform offers selecting ticket dates up to a week in advance and choosing from a range of ticket package options. Each visitor is able to purchase tickets for up to five people.

For attractions that require reservations but no ticket purchases, such as the Capital Museum, users can also be redirected to the corresponding mini-program to make a reservation.

As to free-entry scenic spots that do not require reservations, users can view the attraction's general information, opening hours, contact number, address and visitor information after clicking into the page.

By integrating municipal tourism resources into one streamlined service, Beijing aims to make planning a cultural itinerary more intuitive and less time-consuming.

Authorities say the platform will continue expanding its coverage and services – a move that could further smooth the visitor experience as the city works to make its attractions more accessible to both domestic and international audiences.