Grand Palace Bangkok: the visitor guide

The Grand Palace opens daily at 8:30 am and tickets cost 500 baht, on sale until 3:30 pm. Go at opening, cover your shoulders and knees, and ignore anyone outside who says it is closed.

It is the one sight in Bangkok that is worth the crowds. The ticket also gets you into Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which is the real reason to come.

The essentials

The official site gives two closing times on the same pages. Treat 3:30 pm as the safe number and plan to be through the gate well before it.

When to go

Arrive at 8:30 am. The compound is largely open air and the morning is cooler, so you see the best of it before the heat builds. Allow two to three hours if you want to see both the temple and the palace buildings without hurrying.

Hours can change for royal ceremonies. On 12 August 2026, for example, tickets were sold only until noon. The official schedules page shows the palace open throughout November 2026, but it warns that dates may be changed or added, and it had no December entries on 6 November. Check again the day before your visit.

Tickets

You can buy at the ticket office on the day or online through the official site, up to one month ahead. Online tickets cannot be refunded or moved to another date or time, so book them only once your day is fixed.

For most visitors, buying on the day is the better choice. It keeps you flexible if the weather or your plans change. If you are visiting on a tight schedule, the online ticket is reasonable peace of mind.

Dress code

This is the rule that catches people out. The palace is a place of reverence and the list of what you cannot wear is long:

• Sleeveless shirts, vests and see-through tops
• Short tops, short shorts and short trousers
• Torn, tight or cycling trousers
• Mini skirts and skirt-style trousers
• Sleepwear

Trousers or a long skirt with a shirt that covers your shoulders will be fine. Dress for it before you leave the hotel. A 2018 report mentions clothing for hire at the main entrance, but the official pages do not confirm this, so do not rely on it.

The closed today scam

This is an old trick and it still works. A friendly person near the palace, sometimes looking like an official, a guard or a guide, tells you the palace is closed today, or that your clothes will not pass. They offer a cheap tuk-tuk tour of other temples instead. The tour ends at a gem shop or a tailor, where the stones are often fake or wildly overpriced.

How to avoid it:

• Do not take advice about opening times from anyone in the street. Walk to the gate yourself.
• Check the official schedules page or ask your hotel.
• Never accept a tour from a tuk-tuk driver who approaches you. Never buy gems on a stranger’s recommendation.
• If you do take a tuk-tuk, agree the price first. The palace’s own site warns that a tuk-tuk can cost more than a taxi.

If something goes wrong, the Tourist Police hotline is 1155 and runs 24 hours.

How to get there

By river, the best way. Take the BTS to Saphan Taksin, use Exit 2 and walk to Sathorn Pier. Board the orange flag express boat to Tha Chang (N9), and the palace is on your right as you walk in. You can also get off at Tha Tien (N8), walk past the food stalls to the large junction, and see the palace ahead of you and slightly to the right. That stop also puts you next to Wat Pho.

By MRT. Sanam Chai on the Blue Line is the closest station, about 1 km away according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The palace’s site suggests Exit 1, then bus 3, 9, 44, 47, 53 or 82. A taxi for the last stretch is simple if it is already hot.

By car or taxi. This is the easiest door-to-door option from a riverside hotel, though traffic around the Old City can be slow. See getting around Bangkok for how the boat, BTS and MRT fit together.

Rules worth knowing

Drones are not allowed over the palace. Filming and photography are covered by rules from the Bureau of the Royal Household, which you can download on the official site. If you plan to shoot anything beyond ordinary holiday photos, read them first.

What to pair it with

Wat Pho is next door and Wat Arun is just across the river, so all three fit into one morning and early afternoon. Our guide to the best temples in Bangkok compares them, and the 3-day Bangkok itinerary builds your first day around this route. If you only have time for one, choose this one. For more ideas, see things to do in Bangkok.

Questions people ask

How much is the Grand Palace ticket?

500 baht for foreign visitors. It covers the palace, Wat Phra Kaew and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles. Children under 120 cm enter free.

What time does the Grand Palace close?

Ticket sales run from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. The official site lists closing as both 3:30 pm and 4:30 pm, so arrive by 2:30 pm at the latest.

What should I not wear to the Grand Palace?

No sleeveless tops, see-through tops, short tops, short shorts, mini skirts, torn or tight trousers. Cover your shoulders and knees and you will be safe.

Is the Grand Palace ever closed?

Yes, but rarely, and for royal ceremonies. Check the official schedules page before you go, not a stranger outside the gate.

Can I buy Grand Palace tickets online?

Yes, up to one month ahead on the official site. Online tickets cannot be refunded or moved to another date.