Jiuzhaigou caps visitors at around 41,000 per day. In peak autumn, if you carelessly wait until you reach the gate to queue for tickets, the chance of being turned away empty-handed is very high. On Trip.com, Jiuzhaigou tickets usually go on sale about 3 weeks (21 days) before the visit. My experience is to watch for the exact day the system opens and book right away to be safe; it only takes about 5 minutes on your phone. Below is a detailed step-by-step guide to booking Jiuzhaigou entrance tickets for 2026, based on my own real experience, so you can follow along easily.
Part of the Jiuzhaigou independent travel guide.
How much are Jiuzhaigou tickets in 2026?
A Jiuzhaigou visit requires an entry ticket + a shuttle bus ticket (you can't walk it all). The base price is split into 2 seasons:
Age-based discounts (peak season)
The system works out your exact age from the birth date on your passport up to the visit date:
- Seniors (60 and over): 90 yuan (~360,000 VND / about 346,000 VND actual on Trip) – free entry, you only pay for the bus.
- Students (15–22): 185 yuan (~740,000 VND / about 711,000 VND actual on Trip) – entry drops to 95 yuan + 90 yuan for the bus.
- Youth (7–14): 140 yuan (~560,000 VND / about 538,000 VND actual on Trip) – entry drops to 50 yuan + 90 yuan for the bus.
- Children (under 7): 100% free (both entry and bus) – you still need to select the 0đ ticket and enter your child's passport details so the system grants entry.
Quick notes
- Booking limit: Each passport can buy only 1 ticket per day, up to 8 tickets per booking.
- Validity: A ticket is valid for 1 day. It expires once you leave the gate, and you must be out of the valley by 18:00. For a second day you need to buy a whole new ticket.
Where should you book?
There are plenty of ways to buy Jiuzhaigou tickets: figuring it out yourself at the original price on the official channel (the Aba Tourism WeChat mini program), asking your hotel to book, or buying through travel agents. But the official channel is entirely in Chinese, often fails with foreign passport numbers and is picky about international cards, while relying on the hotel makes you dependent and costs a service fee.
So the simplest and most convenient way for independent travelers is still booking through Trip.com. It supports Vietnamese, accepts flexible payment by Vietnamese Visa/Mastercard, MoMo wallet or QR code, saves your passport details accurately after one entry, and syncs directly with the ticket gate, so there's no risk of trouble when you arrive.
Step-by-step: booking entry + bus tickets
Tickets sell out very fast in peak season, so book as soon as sales open about 3 weeks before your visit. Tickets on Trip.com can be cancelled for free, so book as early as possible to hold your spot. If your plans change, you can cancel later without losing money.
- Step 1: Go directly to the Jiuzhaigou booking page (entry ticket + shuttle bus) to land on the right package for international visitors (Non-Chinese mainland visitors). It's best to download the Trip.com app and book there, because Trip sends you reminders and keeps updating your ticket info.
- Step 2: Choose your visit date and a morning entry time slot (usually 08:00 – 10:00).
- Step 3: Enter the traveler details. Extremely important: Each passport can buy at most 1 ticket per day. Write your full name in capital letters, exactly as on your passport, and double-check every digit of the passport number.
- Step 4: Pay with a Visa/Mastercard, MoMo wallet or a bank QR code, whichever is easiest for you.
- Step 5: Once booked, the ticket is issued almost instantly and a confirmation email is sent. All ticket info is automatically linked to your passport number, so on the day you just bring your original passport and that's it.---
Tips for entering on the day
- Opening hours: In peak season (1/4 – 15/11) the gate opens at 7:30, in low season (16/11 – 31/3) at 8:30, and entry stops after 14:00. Arrive about 30–45 minutes early to avoid a long queue jamming the square.
- Ticket check: If you booked online, you don't need to swap for a paper ticket. Go straight to the lane for guests using passports/electronic documents and hand your original passport to the staff to scan, and the automatic gate opens.
- Boarding the bus: After the ticket gate, follow the signs straight to the shuttle bus lot. Buses run continuously, taking visitors up the valley branches. For tips on choosing a branch and splitting your time, see the article: The best one-day independent Jiuzhaigou itinerary.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. What if tickets are sold out on the day I need?
The cancellation policy on Trip.com is very flexible (often free up to the visit date if plans change), so groups and individuals keep cancelling tickets. Keep checking in the evening (around 21:00 – 23:00) or early morning, and some tickets usually get released. My advice is to always leave 1 spare day in your itinerary when visiting Sichuan in peak season.
2. Can I fix a wrong name or passport number?
It can't be fixed by hand at the ticket gate. If you spot a mistake, cancel the order in the app while it's still within the free cancellation period and book a new ticket with the correct passport details.
3. Do I get a refund if it rains?
No. Jiuzhaigou stays open as normal in rain and wind, except for especially dangerous natural disasters. Remember to prepare a disposable raincoat and waterproof shoe covers before you go.
4. Can I buy Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou tickets together?
These two scenic areas are about 2–2.5 hours apart and run by different management, so tickets must be bought separately. You can book Huanglong scenic area tickets in advance just like Jiuzhaigou if you plan to combine Huanglong with Jiuzhaigou.
With your admission tickets sorted, the next important thing is the high-speed train ticket from Chengdu to Zhenjiangguan/Jiuzhaigou. Read on in this article: How to snag Jiuzhaigou high-speed train tickets in peak season to complete your itinerary. Everything you need to prepare is gathered in the 2026 independent Jiuzhaigou travel guide.