






Dear Travellers,
We’d like to have the following travel guide to remain updated for the benefit of new visitors coming to Terracotta Warriors.
If anybody having used the piece finds necessary updates, please leave a message or feedback. Thanks!
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Plan your Xian tour? For first-time international visitors, having a glimpse of the excavated Terracotta Warriors is a must. These Terracotta Warriors were supposed to safeguard China’s first emperor – Qin Shihuang in his afterlife.
He unified China in 221 BC for the first time in Chinese history and established Qin Dynasty (221–206 B.C.), thus starting China’s over 2000 years’ feudal society.
You are kindly reminded that Qin Shihuang’s underground palace is still there and remains intact though some of the burial sites annexing to his mausoleum have been robbed to some extent.
Why his own burial site or his underground palace still intact? It is said that his tomb has solid and strict anti-grave digging system including secret crossbows which may kill people once you are inside the tomb, and a large amount of mercury which will emit much toxic air within the tomb.
Now the entrance ticket for Qin Shihuang’ Mausoleum is also included in your ticket for Terracotta Army Museum – One ticket for two sites. The two sites are 2 km apart connected by free shuttle buses.
Located 2km east of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum, the Emperor’s afterlife army terracotta soldiers are only part of his mausoleum. These vivid over 2000-year-old soldiers of Terracotta Army were discovered March 24, 1974 by a group of local farmers when they were digging a well.
Now this site of Terracotta army has been turned into a world-famous attraction site, bombarded by tons of tourists visiting this museum. Here we’d like to sum up some useful trips for visiting the Terracotta Army.
Tip 1: How to get to Terracotta Warriors from Xian airport
1. Using Airport Shuttle Lintong Line (机场客运临潼线) + Lintong Bus 602
At Xian Xianyang International Airport, take the airport special shuttle bus (running between airport and Lintong) and get off to Xi ‘an University of Science and Technology Lintong Campus (西安科技大学临潼校区), then change for Lintong Bus No. 602 (临潼602路), get off at “Terracotta Warriors Station”, and walk 330 m to the Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses. This public transport takes about 3 hours.
Airport Special Shuttle Lintong Line (机场客运临潼线)
Departure:Terminal T3 at Xian Xianyang Airport
Business Hours: 9:30-19:30 (return service: 7:00-18:30)
Ticket price: 32 yuan ( the airport shuttle fare doesn’t include the 5 yuan for Lintong Bus 602 )
The one way transfer ( airport shuttle + Lintong Bus 602 ) takes about 3 hours
2. Using the metro system in Xian
First take the Metro Line 14 at Xian Xianyang International Airport and alight at Xian North Railway Station, then interchange for Metro Line 2. Get off at Beidajie Station, then interchange for Metro Line 1, and get off at the station of Fangzhicheng ( 纺织城站), again interchange for Metro Line 9.
At Metro Line 9, you alight at Huaqing Hot Spring Station and exit from Exit C, then change for Lintong Bus 613 or Tourism Bus 5 ( Bus 306) and reach the Terracotta Warriors Museum. It takes about 3 hours.
3. By Taxi
Arriving at Xian Xianyang Airport, line up at the official taxi stand and take taxi for Terracotta Warriors
Taxi Ride: about one hour and 66 km
Taxi fare: approx. 190 yuan, plus toll fee: 30 yuan

4. Private Transfer
Before getting to Xian Xianyang Airport, you can book a hassle-free private transfer from the airport to Terracotta Warriors. Check out Xian Car Rental with Driver for more information.
Tip 2: How to get to Terracotta Warriors from Xian North Railway Station
If you take high speed train to Xian, you will arrive at Xian North Railway Station. Choose the following ways to reach Terracotta Warriors.
1.By Subway + Bus
First take subway line 2 at Xian North Railway Station and get off at the subway station of Beidajie (北大街), then interchange for subway line 1 and get off at the station of Fangzhicheng (纺织城站) , then again interchange for Metro Line 9.
At Metro Line 9, you alight at Huaqing Hot Spring Station and exit from Exit C, then change for Lintong Bus 613 or Tourism Bus 5 ( Bus 306) and reach the Terracotta Warriors Museum. It takes about 3 hours.
2. By Taxi
Arriving at Xian North Railway Station, line up at the official taxi stand and take taxi for Terracotta Army:
Taxi Ride: about one hour and 50 km
Taxi fare: approx. 150 yuan, plus toll fee: 20 yuan
3. Private Transfer
Before getting to Xian North Railway Station, you can book a hassle-free private transfer from the airport to Terracotta Army. Check out Xian Car Rental with Driver for more information.
Tip 3: How to get to Terracotta Warriors from Xian Railway Station
If you arrive at Xian Railway Station and want to go to the Terracotta Army, you may take Bus 914. So should you find the bus terminal? Well, when you walk out of Xian Railway Station, you will enter the spacious railway square, and the Bus 914 is on the east side of the square ( on your left side).
Walk to the east side of the railway square and take the bus 914 for Terracotta Army.
Bus 914: ticket fare 7 yuan and takes about 2 hours ( 40 km with 25 stops)
Tip 4 : How to get to Terracotta Warriors from Downtown
1. Metro Line 2 + Metro Line 1 + Metro Line 9 + Lintong Bus 613
If you stay downtown Xian, or let’s say, in the Bell Tower area, you may first take Metro Line 2 and get off at the subway station of Beidajie (北大街), then interchange for subway line 1 and get off at the station of Fangzhicheng (纺织城站) , then again interchange for Metro Line 9. At Metro Line 9, you alight at Huaqing Hot Spring Station and exit from Exit C, then change for Lintong Bus 613 or Tourism Bus 5 ( Bus 306) and reach the Terracotta Warriors Museum. It takes about 3 hours.
2. Metro Line 2 + Metro Line 1 + Tourism Bus 5 ( Bus No.306)
You may first take Metro Line 2 and get off at the subway station of Beidajie (北大街), then interchange for Metro Line 1 and get off at the station of Fangzhicheng (纺织城站) . Then take the special bus Tourism Bus 5 (Bus 306) going to Terracotta Warriors . The bus station is about 200 m from exit A of Fangzhicheng (Metro line 1).
You don’t have to buy the bus ticket in advance. Just jump on the bus and later a bus guide will come to you and collect the money – RMB 7 per person.
Be sure to get off at the last destination – Terracotta Army Museum since the Bus 5 (306) is scheduled to stop at several tourist attractions including Huaqing Hot spring, Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum.
Remember where you get off the bus terminal. After finishing your visiting the museum, come to the same parking lot and take the exact bus No 5 (306) since there are some other “fake” bus 306 which eagerly push you to take their buses.
3. By Taxi
Take taxi starting from the Bell Tower area for Terracotta Army Museum
Taxi Ride: about one hour and 43 km
Taxi fare: approx. 150 yuan, plus toll fee: 20 yuan

Tip 5: Basic information about Terracotta Warriors Museum
Located 30km east of Xian, the Army of Terracotta Warriors are undoubtedly the greatest archaeological find of the 20th century. The museum is composed of three pits: Pit 1, Pit 2 and Pit 3.
Pit 1 is most impressive and the highlight of the museum. Pits 2 and 3, though interesting, are not as impressive as the pit 1. If you don’t have sufficient time, PIT 2 and PIT 3 can be avoided.
The movie -360 degrees, the background film, is in English and very cool, which takes about 15 minutes long. It gives some background to what you see with your own eyes. It is worth the 15 minutes. The film ticket is included in your entrance fee.
Tip 6: Opening time and entrance fees
Ticket Selling Hours:
8:30 – 17:00 (March 16 – Nov 15)
8:30 – 16:30 (Nov 16 – March 15)
Opening Time
8:30 – 18:00 (March 16 – Nov 15)
8:30 – 17:30 (Nov 16 – March 15)
Entrance Fee:
RMB 120 ( all year round) per person
The ticket also includes the entrance to Qin Shihuang’ Mausoleum.
Note: the Terracotta Warriors Museum is open all year round – 365 days every year! Children under the height of 1.2m don’t have to pay.
Ticket Booking:
Book your ticket through the museum’s official website: www.bmy.com.cn ( in Chinese )
Booking Phone Number: 029-81399127
On-site Ticket booking has been cancelled at present during the covid-19 period. So please prebook your tickets.
Note: There is a cap for the number of visitors ( limited to daily 8000 visitors due to covid-19 period). But basically you won’t have any problem buying your tickets if you avoid visiting the site during National Holiday ( Oct 01 -07 ).
Tip 7: Free luggage storage service
On the left side of the Ticketing Office is the Tourist Information Center which offers free luggage storage service.
Tip 8: How to visit the Terracotta Army Museum?
Rent an audio guide? Hire a tour guide? or Using a guidebook?
Rent an audio guide
Rent an audio guide ( recorded guide ). You just pay RMB 40 an audio tour. The voice sounds like an American accent and it is easy to understand and informative.
Using a tour guide service on the spot
When you are going to buy your tickets at the ticketing office, some tour guides on the spot will come to you, eager to offer you the guide service. If you haven’t done much homework before you came to Xian. You are advised to hire a local tour guide to guide or translate for you at the price of about RMB 100-150. You will get more knowledge than from a guidebook or the recordings. Just avoid the shopping sites your local guide may suggest you to go.
Prebook a private tour from a local travel agent
Half-Day Private Tour of Terracotta Warriors
Full-Day Private Tour of Terracotta Warriors
Using a guidebook
Using a guidebook to guide your tour in and around the museum.
Tip 9: Walking from Ticketing office to Entrance Gate
It takes 5-10 minutes walking from the ticketing office to the entrance gate. If you pay RMB 5, you take a small tram ride to the entrance gate. In my opinion, if you are in good shape, just avoid using the small tram.
Free luggage storage service:
On the left side of the Ticketing Office is the Tourist Information Center which offers free luggage storage service.
Tip 10: Exit from the museum
After you finish visiting the museum and leave for your bus terminal, or in a word, on the way back, you have to pass through an area with a lot of shops and restaurants. This obviously poses some pressure on you to buy some souvenirs or spend some money here.
If you are tender-hearted, and going to buy something to support China’s economy, please bargain!
Tip 11: Some Restaurants Rip off
There are many restaurants leading up to the museum. Some of them just rip you off. So take great care of your money!
Tip 12: Toilets in the museum are free
For the toilets outside the museum, you have to pay. But once you are inside the museum, you enjoy free toilets. They are the same squatting-style facility like everywhere else in china.
Tip 13: Take a taxi to the Museum
It takes about 160 RMB by taxi from the downtown Xian to Army of Terracotta Warriors. Very often you have to bargain with your taxi driver.
Tip 14: Terracotta Army, not Qin Shihuang Mausoleum
If you take Bus 5(306) to Terracotta Army Museum, don’t get off at Qin Shihuang’ Mausoleum. Qin Shihuang’s Mausolem is not much worth visiting since it is just a mound, not excavated yet.
So don’t confuse Terracotta Army with Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum. The entrance for Qin Shihuang’ Mausoleum is also included in your ticket for Terracotta Army Museum.
The Terracotta Warriors Museum is open all year round – 365 days every year! Children under the height of 1.2m don’t have to pay.
Tip 15: 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 Tour
Xian Day Tour
Xian Tour Packages
Beijing Xian Tour
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 to 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.