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How to visit Terracotta Army in Xian (Tips, Photos and Maps）

Monday, April 17th, 2023

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

About one hour by taxi from Xian airport to Terracotta Army (Google)

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.

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

Go to the Terracotta Army by Taxi from Downtown Xian (Google)

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

The ABCs of Yaodong

“Yaodong” literally means “Earth Caves”, one of the four types of the most distinctive Chinese traditional dwellings including Tulou ( earth houses, common in Fujian Province); Yaodong ( Cave Abodes, on the loess in the Northwest China); Ganlan ( a wood or bamboo storied house common in Guizhou, Guangdong and Guangxi) and Yikeyin (Seal-like Compound in popular Yunnan Province).

Today you still can find many Yaodong caves, the earth shelters common in the Loess Plateau in Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu and Qinghai.

Yaodongs are generally carved out of a hillside, a vertical side of a loess hill. The cross section of a yaodong is built with two parts – a rectangle in the lower part and a semi-circle in the upper part. Yadongs are warm in winter and cool in summer.

How to Visit Yaodong in Xi’an

Some of the yaodong caves houses in Xi’an are located in the villages not far from the old highways on your trip to Terracotta Army Museum ( also known as Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum)

The villages that teems with Yaodong earth houses are located between Baqiao and Lintong (Google)

So if you are intrigued by the vernacular dwellings, you just adjust your trip by driving the old highway on your mecca trip to Terracotta Warriors and the visit the earth houses in the villages, most of which are located along the old highway between Baqiao District （灞桥）and Lintong District （临潼）in Xi’an.

Virtual Tour of Yaodong Cave Houses in Xi’an

Last time we had a quick trip to one of the villages back from Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum. We branched off the highway and walked into the village along the road by a shabby shop.

Most of the villagers have brick houses.

At our first glance, we find most of the village houses are made of bricks. We met a middle-aged woman taking a lively kid dressed in traditional clothes.

We met a middle-aged woman taking a lively kid dressed in traditional clothes.

After learning we were looking for earth houses, she said that we should go to the village houses below the hills where earth houses are often dug and carved. She continued to say that Yaodong houses in the village are only auxiliary shelters in addition to the brick houses.

She was delighted to take us to Mr.Zhang’s cave house, one of her fellow villagers. As we were walking toward Mr. Zhang’s house compound, we could easily see a low hill behind his brick house. We guessed that his earth cave house was just dug into the hill behind his front brick house.

After learning we wanted to visit his yaodong house, Mr.Zhang came out, giving us a big smile, and waved us to enter his house compound.

He told us that he had two yaodong rooms on the hill behind his brick house. One room is used as one his living rooms, the other used as a shed for restoring farm tools.

After a brief visit to Mr. Zhang’s yaodong dwellings, the kind-hearted lady continued to lead us to another village household – Grandma Li and Mr.Gao’ family. She introduced that their family also has two yaodong caves, one for living and the other for used raising chickens.

Soon we reached Mr.Gao’s family. He was very happy first to show his grandeur bungalow house. We could again easily discover a hill behind his nice brick house.

We went through his front bungalow house and saw a big yard bookended by a loess hill with two carved cave houses.

A big courtyard yard bookended by a loess hill with two carved cave houses.

Gandpa Li told us that they had two cave rooms. They still used one of the the earth cave room as a living room and stressed that she still liked to stay inside a cave house since it was cool in summer and warm in winter.

She still liked to stay inside a cave house.

She and her husband also used the caves to raise chickens and other domestic animals.

Raise chickens and other domestic animals in the cave house.

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 of the options for Xian guided tours:

Xi’an Tour
Xi’an Day Tour
Xi’an Tour Packages
Beijing Xi’an Tour

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.

Xian City Wall and Xi’an City Attractions

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.

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

3. Best time to visit Xi’an 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 Xi’an 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 Xi’an 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.

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.

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:

Xi’an Tour
Xi’an Day Tour
Xi’an Tour Packages
Beijing Xi’an Tour

Archive for the ‘Xian Travel’ Category

How to visit Terracotta Army in Xian (Tips, Photos and Maps）

Tip 1: How to get to Terracotta Warriors from Xian airport

Tip 2: How to get to Terracotta Warriors from Xian North Railway Station

Tip 3: How to get to Terracotta Warriors from Xian Railway Station

Tip 4 : How to get to Terracotta Warriors from Downtown

1. Metro Line 2 + Metro Line 1 + Metro Line 9 + Lintong Bus 613

2. Metro Line 2 + Metro Line 1 + Tourism Bus 5 ( Bus No.306)

Tip 5: Basic information about Terracotta Warriors Museum

Tip 6: Opening time and entrance fees

Tip 7: Free luggage storage service

Tip 8: How to visit the Terracotta Army Museum?

Tip 9: Walking from Ticketing office to Entrance Gate

Tip 10: Exit from the museum

Tip 11: Some Restaurants Rip off

Tip 12: Toilets in the museum are free

Tip 13: Take a taxi to the Museum

Tip 14: Terracotta Army, not Qin Shihuang Mausoleum

Tip 15: Hassle-free Xian Guided Tours

Further Readings

Yaodong Cave Dwellings in Xi’an (Tips, Photos & Map)

The ABCs of Yaodong

How to Visit Yaodong in Xi’an

Virtual Tour of Yaodong Cave Houses in Xi’an

Tip: Hassle-free Xian Guided Tours

Further Readings

How to Visit Xi’an City Wall (Tips, Photos & Map)

How to get there

2. Entry Fees and Opening Hours

3. Best time to visit Xi’an City Wall

4. Strolling on Xi’an City Wall

5. Riding Xi’an City Wall

6. Taking a buggy around Xian City Wall

7. English Signage

8. Toilet

9. Little shops on the Wall

10. Vendors below the Wall

11. Local Activities below the Wall

Tip: Hassle-free Xian Guided Tours

Further Readings