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Tips for Visiting Xian City Wall

Thursday, August 15th, 2019

Dear Travelers,

We’d like to have the following quick guide to be always updated for the benefit of new visitors coming to Xian City Wall. If you have any questions or anybody having used the piece finds necessary updates, please leave a message or feedback. Thanks!

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Xian is home to the most complete and well-preserved ancient city wall in China and one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world as well.

Xian City Wall was initially built in Tang Dynasty (618 -907), based on which, the existing wall was rebuilt in Ming Dynasty during the period between 1374 and 1378. Now the remaining Xian City Wall is 12 meters tall, 18 meters wide at the base, 12-14 meters wide on the top with a perimeter of 13.74 km in length and a deep moat surrounding it.

You can stroll, even cycle or take a buggy around the Wall. Plan your Xian tour? Xian City Wall, not to be missed! The city wall itself is very impressive and ascending the wall allows you to look out on the new city from an ancient structure, avoiding the crowds and traffic with a better feel of the historical changes in the ancient capital of Xi’an with the fast development in the modern times.

Tips
tips-1 1. How to get there
Though there are totally 18 gates to the present city wall of Xian, only the four major gates are open to the public, namely South Gate, West Gate, North Gate and East Gate. You may choose any of the four gates to ascend the wall.

Just find out which gate is closer to your hotel and start up your trip to the wall. Many people would like to choose the South Gate, the largest gates of the four. It’s a 10-minute walk down south along the South Avenue from the Bell Tower to the South Gate.

The South Gate to Xian City Wall

Alternatively you can take subway line 2 from Bell Tower in the south direction and get off at the next station of Yongning Gate and exit either from Exit A1 or D1.

2. Entry Fees and Opening Hours
Entrance fee: 40 RMB
Ticketing Offices: at any of the four gates to the Wall
Opening Hour: 08:00 – 20:00
Suggested Travel Time: 1-3 Hours
Tel: 029-87283602, 87286373

Ascending Xian City Wall

3. Best time to visit Xian City Wall
1) Best Months to Visit: March – June, and September – November. If you visit in July and August, the hottest months in Xian, you’d better choose to visit Wall either in the morning or after sunset to avoid the scorching sun.

2) Best Time in a Day to Ascend the Wall: Morning or later afternoon. There are parks at the base, below the wall and you can see people doing morning exercise or dancing in the evening. Ascending the Wall in the early morning to control the crowd or come to the Wall late in the evening so that you can see the wall to be lit up or enjoy the sunset over the Wall.

4. Strolling on Xian City Wall
The top surface of the wall is a wonderful promenade. Walking all the way around the wall takes about 2 – 3 hours, depending on how fast you are. Don’t forget bring your hate, bottled water, sunglasses and have sunblock for the stroll.

If you have no time to walk all the wall or you have no fancy for the long walk, you can choose to have a shorter stroll starting from, let’s say the South Gate and get off from the West or East Gates.

5. Riding Xian City Wall
Renting a bike or return your bike at any of the four gates. Basically you are required to return your bike at 6:00pm. If your riding has surpassed the designated 6:00pm, you can return your bike at 8:00pm at the South Gate.

There are plenty of bikes, single and tandem, that can save a lot of time from your walk. You can rent a single bike at 45 RMB or a tandem at 90 RMB for 2 hours. The hire stations are located at the access points of the four gates. the bike ride takes about 1 hour.

Biking on Xian City Wall

The bike ride is a little uncomfortable with the surface a bit bumpy due to the cobble stone paved surface, hurting your hands, wrists or buttocks a bit.

6. Taking a buggy around Xian City Wall
As a third choice to go around the wall surface, you can take a battery buggy driven around the entire perimeter. For an ordinary buggy for one circle, you need to pay RMB 80 or 120 for a luxury buggy.

Taking a buggy around Xian City Wall

You also can take the buggy section by section, which costs you 20 RMB for an ordinary buggy and RMB 30 for a luxury buggy between two stops.

7. English Signage
There are English signs pointing to the directions and many signs also give you the history of the wall.

8. Toilet
Use the toilets at the entrance, and there are no restrooms once you get onto the surface.

9. Little shops on the Wall
There are small shops on the surface of the wall for drinks, some refreshments or small souvenirs.

10. Vendors below the Wall
There some souvenirs stalls from vendors near the gates.

11. Local Activities below the Wall
Take your camera or iPhone to have some interesting candid photos of the local activities near the gates – dancing, singing, playing chess, etc.

Tip: Hassle-free Xian Guided Tours
If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for Xian guided tours:

Xian City Day Tour from US$69
Xian Terracotta Warriors Day Tour A from US$85
Terracotta Army and Song of Everlasting Performance from US$135

Xian 2 Day Tour Package from US$170 p/p
Xian 3 Day Tour Package from US$235 p/p

Further Readings

Beijing Xian High Speed Train Experience
Top 10 Attractions in Xian
Tips for Visiting Muslim Quarter in Xian
Tips for Visiting Xian City Wall
Tips for Visiting Shaanxi History Museum
Tips for Visiting Xian Bell Tower
How Visit Terracotta Army
How to Visit Daming Palace National Heritage Park
Top 10 Photography Spots in Xian
The Night View of Great Tang All Day Mall
Tips for Visiting Hanyang Tombs Xian
The Song of Everlasting Sorrow Show in Xian
Tips for Visiting Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Tips for Visiting Huaqing Hot Springs in Xian
How to Visit Mount Huashan
Top 10 Hostels in Xian
Best Time to Visit Xian

Any questions, just drop a line.

Tags: How to Get to Xian City Wall, How to Visit Xian City Wall
Posted in Xian Attractions & Tips, Xian Travel | No Comments »

Mt.Huashan Travel Tips

Friday, July 26th, 2019

Dear Travelers,

We’d like to have the following quick guide to be always updated for the benefit of new visitors coming to Mt. Huashan. If you have any questions or anybody having used the piece finds necessary updates, please leave a message or feedback. Thanks!
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Mt.Huashan, or Mount Hua is one of the five sacred mountains in China. The other four are Taishan in Shandong, Songshan in Henan, Hengshan in Shanxi and Hengshan in Hunan. Don’t be confused with Huangshan or Yellow Mountain, another world famous mountain in China. For more information on Huangshan, check out Huangshan tour.

Mt. Huashan is reputed as the most precipitous of the five. Then how to visit Mt. Huashan?

Mt.Huashan is easily accessible by high-speed trains from the five cities – Beijing ( 5 hours), Xian ( 35 minutes), Luoyang (one and half hours ) and Shanghai ( 10 hours) .

With Beijing Xian Zhengzhou Luoyang high-speed trains completed, it is faster and more comfortable to travel from Beijing, Xian or Zhenzghou (Luoyang) to Mt.Huashan by high-speed trains. Of course, you may take a long distance bus or rent a private vehicle from Xian to Mount Hua, but visiting Mount Hua by train is the best choice for individual tourists who prefer to travel on their own.

The Huayin City (where Mt.Huashan is located) has two train station, namely Huashan North Railway Station and Huashan Railway Station. Huashan North Railway Station is a new station used for bullet trains and high speed trains.

If you go to Huashan by high speed or bullet trains from Beijing, Xian and Zhengzhou (Luoyang), you will arrive at Huashan North Railway Station. For taking other trains, you will arrive at Huashan Railway Station.

Huashan North Railway Station is located in the north of Huayin City and Mt.Huashan.

Selected Xian – Huashan Train Timetable (subject to change without notice )
TO:
D652 (Highspeed) Xian North Railway Station – Huashan North Railway Station (07:53 – 08:25)
G672 (high speed) Xian North Railway Station – Huashan North Railway Station (09:06 – 09:46)
G2006 (Highspeed Xian North Railway Station – Huashan North Railway Station (10:25 – 10:57)
G824 (high speed) Xian North Railway Station – Huashan North Railway Station (10:49 – 11:22)

FM:
G2003 (high speed) Huashan North Railway Station – Xian North Railway Station (13:16 – 13:50)
G853 (highspeed) Huashan North Railway Station – Xian North Railway Station (14:18 – 14:59)
G655 (high speed) Huashan North Railway Station – Xian North Railway Station (15:03 – 15:39)
G2007 (highspeed) Huashan North Railway Station – Xian North Railway Station (15:17– 15:50)
G833(highspeed) Huashan North Railway Station – Xian North Railway Station (15:35 – 16:16)
G1003 (high speed) Huashan North Railway Station – Xian North Railway Station (17:22 – 18:05)
G663(highspeed) Huashan North Railway Station – Xian North Railway Station (20:56 – 21:29)

Train fares
Bullet Train: First Class RMB60; 2nd Class RMB35
High speed train: First Class RMB90; 2nd Class RMB55

Highspeed trains to Huashan from Beijing, Luoyang and Shanghai (subject to change without notice )
Beside Xian, there are many daily highspeed trains from Beijing and Luoyang; one bullet train from Shanghai.

Beijing West Railway – Huashan North Railway Station ( 4 daily high speed trains )
Luoyang Longmen Railway Station – Huashan North Railway Station ( over 10 daily high speed trains )
Shanghai Railway Station – Huashan North Railway Station ( one daily train )

Today I make an excursion from Xian to Mt.Huashan by train, Please follow me into the sacred mountain – Mount Hua. Last night I bought the train ticket for Train G672 for Huashan from the ticket office at Xian Railway Station though the train starts from Xian North Railway Station instead Xian Railway Station.

Xian North Railway Station is located about 15km from Bell Tower in the north of Xian, taxi fare RMB 35, or you may take the newly opened Subway Line 2 from Bell Tower to Xian North Railway Station, ticket price RMB 3.

My bullet train leaves Xian North Railway Station at 09:06am

My bullet train leaves Xian North Railway Station at 0815am

Still a tourist low season, there are not many passengers on the train

Not a tourist high season, there are not many passengers on the train

Within 40 minutes, we arrive at Huashan North Railway Station which is located in the north of Huayin City.

Within 40 minutes, we arrive at Huashan Railway Station which is located in the north of Huayin City.

For red common train tickets, exit under Red characters

For blue train tickets, to exit under blue characters

For red train tickets, exit under Red characters

I take a clichéd picture of the exterior Huashan North Train Station

I take a clichéd picture of the exterior Huashan Train Station

In tourist high season ( April – October ), there are two public bus lines – Bus Line 1 ( 华阴1路） and Bus Line 2 ( 华阴2路) offering free shuttle service taking tourists from Huashan North Railway Station to Huashan Tourist Dispatch Center.

The two bus lines start from the square in front of Huashan North Railway Station and ends at Huashan Eco-Square, namely Huashan Tourist Dispatch Center where you line up to purchase the entrance tickets, the ticket for shuttle buses up to the cable station and the tickets for taking cable car up or down.

There are no shuttle buses on the square in front of Huashan North Railway Station since it is still a low tourist season. You can take a taxi at the price of about 15 -20 yuan.

Tourist Dispatch Center for Mt. Huashan Scenic Spot ( A Large Indoor Hall )
Today I have to take a taxi from Huashan North Railway Station to the Tourist Dispatch Center for Mt. Huashan Scenic Spot ( Tourist Service Center ) which is located about 5km to the south of Huashan North Railway Station.

Local taxi drivers don’t use the meter to calculate the taxi fare since Huayin is a small city. The taxi ride costs RMB 15 – 20 from Huashan North Train Station to the Dispatch Center for Mt. Huashan Scenic Spot.

Sketch Map of the Five Peaks at Mt.Huashan

Mt.Huashan is a well organized scenic spot and rated as a 5-star attraction at the national level in terms of safety, cleanness and convenience. All passengers are supposed to go to the Dispatch Center for Mt. Huashan Scenic Spot where people buy entrance tickets and bus tickets.

Each entrance ticket for Mt.Huashan is valid in two days which also covers the admission for other three attractions – Xiyue Temple, Yuquan Temple and Xianyu Valley.

Related fees at Mt.Huashan
Entrance ticket fee ( valid with 48 hours ) :
RMB 180 (April – November);
RMB100 (December – next March).
Shuttle Buses going from the tourist center to the cable car station: RMB 40 (two ways)
Cable car ticket: RMB 80 (two ways Dec – Feb); RMB150 (two ways March – November)

ATMs
In the Ticket Hall there is a China Bank ATM with English, and it works well. If you are in dire need of cash, you can process your credit get the cash you need.

Enquiry: 0913 – 4361979
Complaint: 0913 – 462692
SOS: 0913 – 4625088

Note: The ticket is valid within 48 hours. You don’t have to stay overnight on the mountain and you can stay elsewhere and return to the mountain next day.

The entrance ticket also allows you to visit other three attractions: Xiyue Temple, Yuquan Temple and Xianyu Valley. Xiyue Temple, in particular, is worth visiting! See my blog: How to Visit Xiyue Temple.

The Dispatch Center for Mt. Huashan Scenic Spot ( Tourist Service Center )

Dispatch Center for Mt. Huashan Scenic Spot

Five Peaks at Huashan
Mt.Huashan Scenic Spot is mainly composed of 5 peaks – North Peak (1614.pm), the Central Peak(2037.8m), East Peak(2096.m), West Peak(2086.2m) and South Peak (2154.9m).Hiking Trails
Basically people with strong legs would climb up to the North Peak before reaching other four peaks.

There are two walking trails leading to the North Peak. The most popular is the traditional route in Huashan Yu (Huashan Gorge) starting from Yuquanyuan Temple (west gate); the second trail is the Huangpu Yu (Huangpu Gorge) starting from Huashan East Gate.

A cable car is set over the Huangpu Yu (Huangpu Gorge) trail where you can take the cable up tp the North Peak. On the top of the North Peak, people would climb from North Peak respectively to Mid-Peak, East Peak, South Peak and West Peak, then take cable car down from West Peak.

Of course, it is difficult for you to hike all the five peaks in a day. If you don’t have strong legs, you may retrace to the north peak, take cable car down. Basically it takes about 4 hours walking from the North Peak to the West Peak.

Cable Car Stations on the Mountain
There are two cable car stations – one at the North Peak and the other at the West Peak. You may take the cable up to the north peak, then hike to the West Peak and take the West Peak’s cable car down (about 4 hours’ walk).

You don’t have to retrace to the North Peak. Of course, you need strong legs hiking from the north peak to the west peak. . If you don’t have strong legs, you may retrace to the north peak, take cable car down.

Note: The last cable car starts at 19:00 ( high season: March – November ); 17:00 ( low season: December – February ).

I first take the shuttle bus (RMB40 two ways) from the Dispatch Center to Huangpu Yu, the starting point for cable car up to the North Peak.

I first take the shuttle bus (RMB40 round trip) from the Dispatch Center to Huangpu Yu, the starting point for cable car up to the North Peak.

Cable car ticket: RMB 80 (two ways Dec – Feb); RMB150 (two ways March – November). The cable car ticket is separated from the entrance tickets and people have to buy at the cable car station. Each cable car accommodates 6 passengers.

Cable car

It takes about 6 minutes up to the North Peak.

It takes about 6 minutes up to the North Peak

We get off the cable car and continue to walk up for 15 minutes before we reach the North Peak. Now we are on the platform of the North Peak with the West Peak and East Peak as the back drop.

Now we are on the platform of the North Peak with the West Peak and East Peak as the back drop.

Looking at the East Peak and West Peak from the North Peak where I stand. To climb all the peaks take about 5 hours.

If you don’t have strong legs, you may just stop on the north peak and enjoy the beautiful surrounding views. If you’d like to continue your climb, you may do as the two gentlemen.

If you’s like to continue your climb, you may do as the two gentlemen.

Even more dangerous – the Wipe Ear Precipice

Even more dangerous – the Wipe Ear Precipice

Passengers have hung thousands of locks along the safety chain at various places along the trail for good wishes.

ATMs
In the Ticket Hall there is a China Bank ATM with English, and it works well. If you are in dire need of cash, you can process your credit get the cash you need.

Mt. Huashan is reputed as one of the most precipitous mountains in China.

Hotels and Eating on Mt.Huashan
If you want to see the sunrise or sunset, you need to stay overnight on the mountains. there are some hotels with basic facilities. In high season you need to book in advance.

Wuyunfeng Hotel (华山五云峰饭店)
Tel: 15319160066
Location: about 30minutes walking distance to the East Peak
Over 100 twin and triple rooms, a good choice for a short stay to catch a sunrise at the East Peak.

Dongfeng Hotel ( East Peak Hotel) 东峰饭店
The best choice for viewing the sunrise from the East Peak
Tel: 0913 – 4301312

Xifeng Hotel ( West Peak Hostel )
It is a basic and friendly place for your overnight stay 西峰饭店
0913 – 4301310

Beifeng Hotel ( North Peak Hotel ) 北峰饭店
The busiest hotel on the mountain.
Tel: 15719136466 ( mobile)

Hotel at the foot of Mt.Huashan
Jingyuan Hotel Tel: +86-(0)913-4368688
Lianhua Hotel Tel: +86-(0)913-4368888
Huashan Hotel Tel: +86-(0)913-4658111

Huashan Sunrise and Sunset Time in a year

Months    Sunrise Sunset
Jan-Feb:   7:42-7:47 17:45-18:03
Mar-Apr   6:35-7:10 18:35-18:56
May-June 5:29-5:44 19:08-19:28
July-Aug 5:31-5:44 19:44-19:57
Sept-Oct   6:15-6:29 18:04-19:10
Nov-Dec   6:03-6:24 17:35-18:47

Best Time to Hike Huashan
The best time to visit Huashan is from April to October, a high tourist season in Huashan. Each 15th day of March ( Chinese lunar calendar ) is the “Mountain Praying” Day when there are a number of grand temple activities and celebrations.Hospitals
For an emergency, you may go to the following hospitals:
(1) Shaanxi Hornored Soldiers’ Hospital
TEL：0913-4365777
Add：Kangfu Road, Huayin, Weinan(2)Hospital of Huayin City
TEL: 0913 – 4612337, 0913 – 4612249
Add: 47 Taihua Road, Huayin(3) Mount Hua Xiehe Hospital
TEL: 0913 – 4362815
Add: HuayinBank services
You can use ATMs service at the Huashan Tourist Service Center:
China Construction Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.Contact Information for the Mt. Huashan Administration:
Hotline: 0913-4361979 ( Mon to Sun, from 8am to 6pm)
Suggestions or complain bad services: 0913-4362692 (Mon to Sun, from 8am to 6pm)
For emergency or first aid dial: 0913-4365088 (24 hours)
Travel Bureau of Huayin City: 0913-4613358 (Mon to Sun, from 8am to 5 pm )
E-mail at webmaster@huashanly.com
Fax: +86-(0)913-4362691

Add on:

How to visit Xiyue Temple

Tip: Hassle-free Xian Guided Tours
If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for Xian guided tours:

Xian City Day Tour from US$69
Xian Terracotta Warriors Day Tour A from US$85
Terracotta Army and Song of Everlasting Performance from US$135

Xian 2 Day Tour Package from US$170 p/p
Xian 3 Day Tour Package from US$235 p/p