Drum Tower night market: tickets, hours and how to visit
From 18:00, the whole street turns into stalls — grilled squid, soup dumplings, sweet rice wine.
Drum Tower night market at a glance
From 18:00, the whole street turns into stalls — grilled squid, soup dumplings, sweet rice wine. Plan on 2 hours here, plus half an hour either side for entry, security and parking.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tickets | Free. |
| Opening hours | Stalls from 17:30; busiest 19:00–21:30. Some close by 23:00. |
| Time needed | 2 hours; longer if you eat at every stall you like the look of. |
| City | Kaifeng, China |
What to see
Three things carry this sight. If you are short on time, do them in this order.
- The whole street of stalls200 m, both sides, grills and steamers
- Guantang baosoup dumplings, the Kaifeng version is bigger than Shanghai's
- The lanes behind the Drum Towercheaper, fewer visitors, same food
Tickets and booking
How the ticket works, and what foreigners usually get wrong.
Before you buy
- Price. Free.
- Booking. Prices on the main drag are two to three times what locals pay. Walk one block east to the Bookstore Street lanes for the same stalls at half the price — the food is better because it is cooked for residents.
- Payment. Most Chinese sights take WeChat Pay or Alipay only. Cash works at staffed windows but not at self-service machines; a licensed guide can pay on your behalf and settle with you at the end of the day.
Getting there and when to go
In the old city centre. Cars cannot enter after 17:00; the nearest drop-off is Ziyou Road, 5 minutes walk.
Stalls from 17:30; busiest 19:00–21:30. Some close by 23:00.. The first hour after opening is the quietest — tour groups arrive around 09:30. Late afternoon gives better light but the main viewpoints start clearing people out, so shoot early if that is your priority.
Public transport reaches Drum Tower night market, but connections and waiting times add up. With luggage, older travellers, or two sights in one day, a car and driver removes the guesswork.
The one thing that goes wrong
Kaifeng local note
- Prices on the main drag are two to three times what locals pay. Walk one block east to the Bookstore Street lanes for the same stalls at half the price — the food is better because it is cooked for residents.
Pairing Drum Tower night market with
These are usually on the same day or the same trip.
Drum Tower night market: questions travellers ask
What should I actually eat?
Is it safe?
How booking works — three steps, itinerary before price
No deposit to get a plan, and nothing is locked in before you agree.
Send the brief
Dates, party size, how you arrive and what you want to see around Drum Tower night market.
Get a route and a price
We order the stops by location and traffic, then quote per car per day with fuel, tolls and the driver included.
Confirm and travel
Only after you accept the route and the price do we assign the car and guide.
