Potala Palace

Here is a travel guide for the Potala Palace: Ticket Information • Ticket Prices: Off-season (March 16 to April 30, 2025) - Route 1 full-price ticket 100 RMB/person, concession ticket 50 RMB/person; Peak season (May-October) - Route 1 200 RMB/person, Route 2 100 RMB/person. • Booking Method: Reserve within 10 days in advance via the "Potala Palace Ticket Booking System" or the official WeChat account. One WeChat ID can book one adult ticket while binding two seniors or two minors. Seniors aged 60+ with "difficulty using smart technology" and special groups can book on-site at the "Potala Palace Ticket Office" one day in advance. Tour Routes • Route 1: Classic route covering 8 Snow City attractions and 16 main palace attractions, allowing deeper exploration. • Route 2: Simplified route covering 8 Snow City attractions and 9 main palace attractions. When visiting the White Palace, visitors can only pass through the ground-floor hall without accessing certain upper areas. Transportation Guide • Bus: Take lines 1/6/12/17/24 to [Laba Station] or lines 12/13/14 to [Minhang Road Station], then walk about 10 minutes. • Taxi: A taxi ride within Lhasa city usually costs 10 RMB. • Shared E-bikes: Convenient for short trips within urban Lhasa. Photo Spots • Potala Palace Square: Perfect for full frontal views with 6 reflection shooting points. Best shooting times are dawn, dusk, and when night lights are on. • Yaowangshan Viewing Platform: The iconic 50 RMB banknote viewpoint. The two-level platform has lower deck for portraits and upper deck for panoramic palace views (closes after 5 PM). • Zongjiao Lukang Park: The artificial lake offers beautiful backside reflections of the palace, often with bar-headed geese and other migratory birds. • Nanshan Park: "Mirror Lake" creates perfect palace reflections. The glass viewing platform along the hiking trail overlooks the entire Lhasa city. Important Notes • Dress Code: Avoid skirts or revealing clothing. Remove sunglasses and hats inside the palace. Long pants + jacket recommended. • Visiting Rules: The route is one-way with no backtracking. Climb slowly. Photography and touching artifacts are prohibited inside. Follow directional arrows. • Altitude Sickness Prevention: Rest 2-3 days after arriving in Lhasa before visiting. Consider taking rhodiola 3 days in advance. Bring ibuprofen and glucose oral solution. Oxygen tanks (20 RMB/can) are more economical inside the scenic area.