How To Visit the Terracotta Warriors of Xi’an

The Terracotta Army depicts the armies of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. They were buried with the emperor in 210-209 BCE with the purpose of protecting him in his afterlife. The figures were discovered in 1974 by local farmers outside of Xi’an, and the warriors are now considered an 8th World Wonder.

How to Visit the Terracotta Warriors

The Terracotta Warriors are located around 30 kilometers east of Xi’an, the capitol of Shaanxi Province. There are a few ways to visit the Terracotta Warriors:

Take a bus to the Terracotta Warriors

Depending on where you are coming from, there are many buses that you can take. If you are coming from the Xi’an Railway Station, North Train Station, or the Xi’an Xianyang International Airport, you can see which buses to take here.

Take a tour van to the Terracotta Warriors

There are many travel agencies and tour groups that arrange trips to see the Terracotta Warriors. They will usually arrange a van to take you and possibly a few other customers, depending on if you book a private tour or not.

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Take a taxi/didi to the Terracotta Warriors

Alternatively, if you don’t want to take a bus or book with a tour group, you can take a taxi or call a Didi to take you.

Buying Tickets for the Terracotta Warriors

The museum is usually open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The ticket will cost you RMB150 ($21 USD) per person. This price includes entry to the vaults and museum, plus the documentary film of the warriors and their excavation.

You can buy tickets at the site, or ahead of time if you book with a tour group. Our group bought tickets on site, but it’s recommended you do some research and double check before you go.

We had to pay in cash for our tickets, so make sure you bring extra along – or there is an ATM there.

The 3 Pits at the Terracotta Warriors

There are 3 pits you can visit to see at the Terracotta Warrior Museum. Most people will usually follow the set path from Pit 1 to Pit 3 to Pit 2.

Pit 1

Pit 1 is the biggest pit and contains more than 2,000 figures.

Pit 3

Pit 3 is the command post where the high ranking officers can be seen. It is the smallest pit to walk around.

Pit 2

Pit 2 has mostly been excavated. It is large, but does not feature many sculptures.

Tips for Visiting the Terracotta Warriors:

• Arrive early in the day, before the crowds arrive around 10am. Alternatively you can arrive around 12pm when many people leave for lunch.
• Usually a few hours is enough time to see all the pits.
• If you don’t have a guide with you, you can rent an audio guide (in English) to listen to as you walk through the pits.
• Many vendors will be walking around trying to sell sculptures and figures. If you want to buy from them, you should barter with them to lower the prices.

Visit the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an

The Terracotta Warriors are a must see when visiting Xi’an! Take the opportunity to see one of the wonders of the world!

After a trip to the Terracotta Warrior Museum, check out these 5 Must Eat Dishes at the Muslim Quarter in Xi’an