People wait in line in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa in the Tibet autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua]

The world heritage site Potala Palace has recently restored its online ticket reservation service on its official website, giving tourists access to purchase tickets from the website.

Unlike in the past, where tourists had to make reservations on the spot and change tickets beforehand, online electronic tickets are tied to the ID of the purchaser, so tourists entering the scenic site only need to show their ID.

According to the website, tourists can purchase the tickets within seven days using Alipay, the only supported payment method, and the only IDs that are valid for purchases are a second-generation Chinese citizens ID card or a temporary ID card.

Besides their own ticket, all purchasers can also buy four additional tickets for others. Tickets booked online are not allowed for reschedule or transfer to another person.

An online ticket must be used during a particular time period. Tourists are required to pass through the unmarked gate machine during the scheduled time -- otherwise, the ticket is considered invalid.

Ticket holders with demagnetized or temporary IDs or those without an ID should go the Potala Palace Reservation Desk 24 hours earlier to get a daily admission ticket, ensuring that they can pass through the gate machine smoothly.

If a ticket needs to be canceled or rescheduled because of a natural disaster or emergency, the purchaser can apply for a refund on the website. The time of the refund is based on the date of the ticket. Any refunds requested more than three days before the scheduled visiting time will receive a full refund, and any refunds requested within three days of the scheduled visiting time will be charged accordingly.

Meanwhile, any refunds must be for the entire order, as individual refunds on one or more tickets within an order are not permitted.