Potala Palace to open new visitor route in Shol Courtyard

The Potala Palace in Lhasa, Xizang autonomous region, will open a new visitor route through its historic Shol Courtyard area on Sunday, the palace administration announced on Wednesday.

The route will open on Sept 20 and will be limited to Shol Courtyard at the foot of the Potala Palace. A separate ticket will be required to access the route, according to the announcement.

Tickets will cost 25 yuan ($3.72) per person during the peak season, from May 1 to Oct 31, and 10 yuan during the off-season, from Nov 1 to April 30. Discounted tickets will be available for eligible visitors, while admission will be free during the annual "Winter Tour of Xizang" promotional period.

Visitors must book through the Potala Palace's official ticket reservation system on WeChat.

The Potala Palace administration said the new route was introduced to balance cultural heritage protection with growing visitor demand.