Last checked: October 22, 2026 · Sources: Korea Heritage Service Royal Palaces and Tombs Center and the Seoul Museum of History, linked below.
Seoul’s five palaces and Jongmyo Shrine don’t share a day off. Gyeongbokgung and Jongmyo close on Tuesdays; Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung close on Mondays. Adult foreign visitors pay 1,000 to 3,000 won per site, and Gyeonghuigung is free.
A combined ticket for the four big palaces and Jongmyo costs 6,000 won and is valid for six months. It only saves money if you plan to visit at least three of them on days when you’d otherwise pay.
Which palace is closed on which day?
Use this grid to plan your days. “Tour only” means you can enter Jongmyo only with a guided tour at a set time.
| Day | Gyeongbokgung | Changdeokgung | Changgyeonggung | Deoksugung | Gyeonghuigung | Jongmyo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Open | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Tour only |
| Tuesday | Closed | Open | Open | Open | Open | Closed |
| Wednesday | Open | Open, free | Open, free | Open, free | Open | Open, free |
| Thursday | Open | Open | Open | Open | Open | Tour only |
| Friday | Open | Open | Open | Open | Open | Tour only |
| Saturday | Open | Open | Open | Open | Open | Open |
| Sunday | Open | Open | Open | Open | Open | Open |
If a regular closing day falls on a Korean public holiday or substitute holiday, the palace opens that day. It then closes on the first non-holiday after it. This rule is for the four palaces and Jongmyo; the Gyeonghuigung page doesn’t list it. Gyeonghuigung also closes on New Year’s Day.
With the grid, a two-day plan is easy: Gyeongbokgung and Jongmyo on a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, and the eastern palaces on any day but Monday.
What are the opening hours?
| Site | Months | Open (last entry) |
|---|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung | November–February | 09:00–17:00 (16:00) |
| Gyeongbokgung | March–May, September–October | 09:00–18:00 (17:00) |
| Gyeongbokgung | June–August | 09:00–18:30 (17:30) |
| Changdeokgung and Jongmyo | November–January | 09:00–17:30 (16:30) |
| Changdeokgung and Jongmyo | February–May, September–October | 09:00–18:00 (17:00) |
| Changdeokgung and Jongmyo | June–August | 09:00–18:30 (17:30) |
| Changgyeonggung | All year | 09:00–21:00 (20:00) |
| Deoksugung | All year | 09:00–21:00 (20:00) |
| Gyeonghuigung | All year | 09:00–18:00 |
Note the different winter months: Gyeongbokgung switches to short hours in November and stays there through February, while Changdeokgung and Jongmyo return to longer hours in February.
The palace office says staff start guiding visitors to the exits 30 minutes before closing. Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung are the two you can visit after dark on an ordinary evening.
How much are tickets?
These are the individual fees for foreign visitors aged 19 to 64.
| Site | Adult (19–64) |
|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung | 3,000 won |
| Changdeokgung (palace grounds) | 3,000 won |
| Changdeokgung Secret Garden | 5,000 won, plus the 3,000-won palace ticket |
| Changgyeonggung | 1,000 won |
| Deoksugung | 1,000 won |
| Jongmyo | 1,000 won |
| Gyeonghuigung | Free |
Groups of 10 or more get a lower rate at most sites (2,400 won at Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, 800 won at Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung). Jongmyo and the Secret Garden have no group discount.
Who gets in free?
- Foreign visitors aged 18 and under, and 65 and over
- Anyone wearing a hanbok (not for the Secret Garden)
- A pregnant woman and one companion
- Everyone on Wednesdays, except at Gyeongbokgung and the Secret Garden
The fee page says free visitors must show proof, so carry your passport if your age is the reason. The rules on what counts as a hanbok are strict; our hanbok free-entry guide covers them.
The Secret Garden has its own free list: children 6 and under. Visitors 7 to 18 pay 2,500 won and those 65 and over pay 5,000 won, even though the palace grounds are free for them.
How does free Wednesday work?
The Korea Heritage Service calls it Culture Day. It used to apply only on the last Wednesday of each month. In 2026 it was widened to every Wednesday, one site at a time. The fee page now lists every Wednesday as free at all four palaces and Jongmyo except Gyeongbokgung and the Secret Garden.
The agency says Gyeongbokgung will be added later, after weighing safety and crowding. Whether Gyeongbokgung is still free on the last Wednesday of the month is not officially confirmed — check before you go.
Is the combined palace ticket worth it?
The Integrated Palace Ticket costs 6,000 won. It covers one visit each to Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Jongmyo, within six months of the day you buy it. The Secret Garden is not included.
| What you plan to visit (adult, paid days) | Single tickets | Combined ticket |
|---|---|---|
| All five | 9,000 won | 6,000 won |
| Gyeongbokgung + Changdeokgung + one of the 1,000-won sites | 7,000 won | 6,000 won |
| Gyeongbokgung + Changdeokgung only | 6,000 won | 6,000 won |
| Gyeongbokgung + two 1,000-won sites | 5,000 won | 6,000 won |
What we’d do: buy it only if Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung are both on your list, plus at least one more site on a non-Wednesday. If you’re under 19, over 64, or touring in a hanbok, you won’t need it. On a Wednesday, only Gyeongbokgung charges, so a single 3,000-won ticket is cheaper.
Where to buy: the ticket office at any of the four palaces or Jongmyo. The fee page lists no online sale. You can get a refund only at the palace where you bought it, and not once any part of the ticket has been used.
Do you need to book anything?
For most of the palaces, no. You walk up, buy a ticket and go in. Two places work differently.
Changdeokgung Secret Garden
The Secret Garden (Huwon) is a separate guided visit with fixed entry times, capped at 100 people per slot. Half the places go on sale online from 10:00 KST six days before your visit; the other half are sold at the palace from 09:00 on the day. Our Secret Garden booking guide has the booking calendar and refund rules.
The fee page warns that tickets for April–May and October–November sell out very fast.
Jongmyo on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays
On these days you can’t wander Jongmyo on your own. You enter at a set time with a guide, in your language group, for about 50 minutes. English tours start at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00. Groups of fewer than 10 can join without booking.
On Wednesdays, weekends and public holidays you can walk around freely.
When are the English guided tours?
| Site | Days | English tour times | Meet at | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyeongbokgung | Daily except Tuesday | 11:00, 13:30, 15:30 | In front of the information center, inside Heungnyemun Gate | 1 to 1.5 hours |
| Changdeokgung (palace grounds) | Tuesday–Sunday | 10:15, 13:15 | Opposite Injeongmun Gate | About 50 minutes |
| Changgyeonggung | Tuesday–Sunday | 11:00, 15:00 | Beside Okcheongyo Bridge | About 1 hour |
| Deoksugung | Tuesday–Sunday | 10:45, 13:30 | The palace map board, 10 m past Daehanmun Gate | About 45 minutes |
| Jongmyo | Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun (compulsory on Mon, Thu and Fri) | 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00 | — | About 50 minutes |
| Changdeokgung Secret Garden | Tuesday–Sunday | 10:30, 11:30, 14:30 (15:30 March–November) | Secret Garden entrance | About 70 minutes |
The tours start inside the grounds, so you need an admission ticket or free entry first. Parties of fewer than 10 need no booking, and Deoksugung’s page says individual visitors join for free. Gyeongbokgung’s page adds that tours leave on time and you can’t join late. In the Secret Garden, the Ongnyucheon stream area is closed for repairs until further notice. No English tour is listed on the official Gyeonghuigung page.
The guard ceremonies at Gyeongbokgung and Deoksugung are separate and free to watch; see our changing of the guard guide for the times.
What about Gyeonghuigung?
Gyeonghuigung is the fifth palace. It’s run by the Seoul Museum of History, not the Korea Heritage Service, so it isn’t part of the combined ticket and doesn’t need one: entry is free.
It’s open 09:00 to 18:00 and closed on Mondays and New Year’s Day. Pair it with Deoksugung, which is also closed on Mondays.
This autumn (dated notices, checked October 22, 2026)
- October 29 to November 15, 2026: the four palaces, Jongmyo and the royal tombs are open free during the Korea Grand Festival. Jongmyo switches to free walking (no compulsory tour). The Secret Garden special viewing and regular closing days are excluded.
- November 10 to 15, 2026: Changgyeonggung’s ordinary evening opening is suspended for a separate night program. Daytime last entry is 16:30 and closing is 17:30.
- Every Wednesday free entry reached Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo on October 7, 2026, after Deoksugung on August 5.
Sources
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center (Korea Heritage Service) — Opening hours and closing days (Korean) — checked Oct 22, 2026
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Admission fees, free admission and Integrated Palace Ticket (Korean) — checked Oct 22, 2026
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Viewing regulations (Korean) — checked Oct 22, 2026
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Gyeongbokgung guided tours (Korean) — checked Oct 22, 2026
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Changdeokgung guided tours (Korean) — checked Oct 22, 2026
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Changgyeonggung guided tours (Korean) — checked Oct 22, 2026
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Deoksugung guided tours (Korean) — checked Oct 22, 2026
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Jongmyo guided tours (Korean) — checked Oct 22, 2026
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Culture Day free opening expanded step by step (May 28, 2026, Korean) — checked Oct 22, 2026
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — October–November 2026 closing-day openings and free entry (Sep 30, 2026, Korean) — checked Oct 22, 2026
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Changgyeonggung evening viewing suspended Nov 10–15 (Sep 2, 2026, Korean/English) — checked Oct 22, 2026
- Seoul Museum of History — Gyeonghuigung Palace — checked Oct 22, 2026