Lingyin Temple Hangzhou: Free Entry, Booking, Hours

Lingyin Temple lies west of West Lake, next to Feilaifeng, a hill carved with Buddhist statues. Since 1 December 2025 there has been no entry fee, but you must reserve a named slot at least a day ahead. Foreigners can book with a passport and must enter in the slot they booked. This page sums up the official notices, the quotas, hours and rules, and what we could not check. We re-read the booking rules on 17 October 2026 and found no change from the November 2025 notice, but policies can change, so check the mini program again before you go.

For the city overview and a day plan see the Hangzhou and Suzhou guide. Hotels are in where to stay in Hangzhou and Suzhou, the lake is on the West Lake page, and entry rules and payments are on the China hub.

Entry fee, checked 17 October 2026

From the West Lake authority notice published by Hangzhou News on 19 November 2025.

Some older guides and search results still say you must buy a CNY 45 ticket or CNY 30 incense at the gate. That contradicts the official notice above. We follow the notice. We did not check shops or paid activities inside the temple, such as souvenirs, incense or food.

How to book

1. Open Alipay or WeChat and search for the mini program named "杭州灵隐飞来峰", as the notice states. Booking opened on 24 Nov 2025.
2. Pick a date (from 7 days ahead down to 1 day ahead) and a morning or afternoon slot. New quota is released each day at 08:00.
3. Enter the name and passport number. One phone number can book up to 5 visitors at a time, and each visitor's details must be entered.
4. On the day, carry the original of the same passport you booked with. Staff check it against your face.

The rules say that visitors without a Chinese ID card can book with a passport or the other documents listed, and that the name and number must match the original. Tour groups, including foreign ones, are booked in bulk by the travel company. We have not tested whether a foreign phone number or overseas account can complete the booking, so try it well before your trip.

If you cannot book because the slot is full, the rules say that if the slot is not full you can register at the gate with the original ID, one person per ID, until it fills. Do not rely on this on holidays.

Hours and slots

Daily quotas include tour groups: 35,000 on weekdays, 50,000 on weekends and 65,000 on public holidays. The Hangzhou Political Net interview says the management set three warning levels based on headcount in the area (23,000, 28,000 and 32,000), and entry may be limited if crowds build up.

What you can see

Wikivoyage describes Lingyin as an active Buddhist temple at the foot of a hill and one of China's famous old temples. Next to it is Feilaifeng (Peak That Flew Here), a limestone hill about 209 m high with hundreds of carved Buddhist figures on its rock faces.

Wikivoyage also mentions a cable car up to a temple on a nearby summit, and the Three Temples of Tianzhu Hill, which locals prefer for worship because they are quieter. We did not check hours, cable car fares or routes, and the official notice does not list the Tianzhu temples as part of the free-entry area. Check before you go.

Getting there

The Lingyin Temple website carries a news item about a group that rode Hangzhou bus 7 to the temple, via Xixi Road and the Lingxi tunnel. That shows a bus reaches it, but we did not check the boarding stop, the fare or times. A taxi from Hubin is also possible, but we did not check fares. Wikivoyage warns that taxis are scarce on public holidays and in the rain and suggests ride-hailing apps.

The temple runs a hotline for questions and help, open 24 hours per the notice: 0571-87969691.

Planning the day

Our suggestion, not official guidance. Book the morning slot and arrive before the crowds. Allow about 2 to 3 hours for the temple and Feilaifeng at an easy pace, then continue to the Longjing tea fields or return to West Lake. For a Chinese holiday, book the full 7 days ahead the moment the quota opens, because it is capped.

Money and links on this page

There is no entry fee, so we sell no ticket. The booking box here opens a provider's search page for Hangzhou tours, useful only if you want a day tour that includes this temple. As of 17 October 2026 we have no registered affiliate link for Hangzhou and earn no commission from it yet. Booking the temple yourself, as described above, does not go through us and costs nothing.

Frequently asked questions

How this guide compares

We read China Highlights' Hangzhou guide and Travel China Guide's Hangzhou page on 17 October 2026. Neither gives the booking rules: China Highlights lists West Lake and tea villages without a Lingyin booking explanation, and Travel China Guide's page is a history article that does not mention Lingyin. This page prints the official quotas, slots, passport rule and cancellation penalties with their dates, and says what we could not test.

See also

• Hangzhou and Suzhou travel guide
• Where to stay in Hangzhou and Suzhou
• West Lake: free to walk, boat prices
• Humble Administrator's Garden, Suzhou
• China hub: entry rules, payments, internet, trains

Prices, schedules and entry rules change. Figures here are approximate as of 2026; always confirm on the official or operator page before you book. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.