How to Visit the Terracotta Warriors & What Else to Do in Xi'an

Visit one of the most impressive historic sites in the world with the Terracotta Warriors near Xi’an, China.

One of the most popular tourist cities in China is Xi’an. This is where you’ll use as a home base to visit the world famous Terracotta Warriors. It’s also the main reason this city ended up on my Chinese itinerary and likely why you’re considering visiting it!

In this post, you’ll learn what to do in Xi’an and how to visit the Terracotta Warriors to make the most of your time in this fabulous city!

It’s all based on my experience there as a single, budget tourist, making my way from place to place in China. I’ll also include some “easier” ways to join tours to get there as trying to navigate your way without speaking Chinese can be a challenge!

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Table of Contents

How to Visit the Terracotta Warriors from Xi’an

A must visit when in Xi’an, you’ll need to plan out how to visit the Terracotta Warriors from the city. It is after all, a world famous site, and it’s only about an hour out of town or 40 kilometers (25 miles) to the northeast of downtown Xi’an.

About the Terracotta Warriors in China

The Terracotta Army or Terracotta Warriors is a large collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. Prior to the Qin Dynasty, it was typical for emperors to be buried with everything they would need for the afterlife, including all of their men who were still alive as to protect the emperor in their afterlife.

However, being forward thinking, rather than kill the whole army when the emperor died, they built a terracotta one which literally translates to “clay fired”.

These figures date back to around the late third century BCE but were only discovered back in 1974 by a local farmer. To date there have been about 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses found.

When to Visit the Terracotta Warriors

To avoid the crowds, plan to head to the Terracotta Warriors at 8am or early afternoon. This will help you avoid the large tour groups. Unfortunately, as I had arrived from an overnight train, I arrived at the museum at early afternoon, and it sure was busy!

For fun facts: They have a picture onsite of the crowds on their National Holiday, October 1, 2012, where a record number of 460,000 people went to the museum. For this reason, there’s also suggestions to avoid the Chinese holidays October 1-7. The experience definitely won’t be ideal with that many fellow admirers.

How long does it take to visit the Terracotta Warriors?

I left Xi’an at about 11:30am, and it only took 2.5 hours to explore the Terracotta Warriors + 2 hours of driving. I recommend allotting about 5 hours total for visiting the Terracotta Warriors. This will leave you plenty of time in the day to explore part of the city of Xi’an.

A close up of the terracotta warriors and a terracotta horse — Close up

Getting to the Terracotta Warriors from Xi’an

There are a number of ways to get from Xi’an to the Terracotta Warriors. The most affordable way?Take Metro Line 1 to the Fangzhicheng Bus Station. Here you’ll find the city bus 306, also labeled with a Chinese symbol and the number 5. There are many people who will try to steer you to “fake” buses numbered similarly.

Rumor has it these other buses stop at a number of tourist traps before taking you to the Terracotta Warriors, although you will eventually get there. But there’s a better way…

So, how do you know it’s the right bus?

You’re looking for a grey bus that is clearly marked with 5 / 306. Simply walk up and get on. Unlike the other buses there is no one standing outside trying to recruit you. The staff will walk around and issue tickets on the way. It costs ¥5 one direction.

The last stop is the Terracotta Warrior Museum, more formally known as Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, and it is about an hour ride.

For an easy day trip to the Terracotta Warriors, try a private tour. It’s affordable and comes with transportation and a guide!

Arriving at the Terracotta Warriors Site

Upon exiting the bus, it is truly mayhem with people harassing you for lunch, for souvenirs, and as you get closer to the ticket booth, for guides. To find the ticket booth, get off the bus and go right past a number of vendors, through the green fence, through a huge parking lot, and then follow the signs from there.

Tickets are ¥120, and they must make a killing on it because as far as I can tell, it’s always crowded! You can also purchase a skip-the-line ticket online to avoid waiting with the crowds.

Once you have your ticket in hand, head to the entrance either selecting a guide or firmly telling them no. Here they scan your ticket and it’s another ten minute walk to the true museum where they will scan your ticket again.

From here you are facing Pit 1, 2, and 3 and the Museum on the right. If you want the wow factor, go to Pit 1 first. The pure size will awe you. Neatly lined up in rows and columns are hundreds, if not thousands, of Terracotta Warriors.

Pit 1 of the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, China - a building filled with rows upon rows of excavated terracotta warrior statues — Pit 1 Terracotta Warriors

Things that Surprised Me Most about the Terracotta Warriors

While I had some idea of what to expect when visiting the Terracotta Warriors, I was still in awe and learned a ton. Here are my top 3 surprises:

There is still so much to be excavated! Pit 1 has the most uncovered and it is less than half of the building.

Some of the men they find are in so many pieces, and they take the time to match them and rebuild them. Truly incredible archeology at work!

They say there are 8,000 men in there, but I’m unsure whether that’s an estimate or how many they have excavated, and if so, where are the rest of them?!

Pit number 3 at the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, China — Pit 3 Terracotta Warriors

Getting back to Xi’an from the Terracotta Warriors

Exiting the Museum area, you are led through blocks and blocks of shops and restaurants. Eventually, you get to the end where the signs have pointed you to bus 306, and there is not a bus in sight. No need to worry, you simply need to retrace your steps to where the bus dropped you off – through the parking lot, through the green fence on your right and in front of you should be the buses.

Prefer a tour to make logistics easy? Check out the Xi’an Terracotta Warriors Walking Tour with Transfer Options or the Mini Group: Half-Day Xi’an Terracotta Warriors Tour.

About the City of Xi’an, China

Xi’an is the original capital of China and the birthplace of Chinese civilization. It is still the capital of the Shaanx Province and the eastern end of the Silk Road. The city itself is a fully walled city with a central bell tower and nearby drum tower. It is considered one of the top visited cities in China due to it’s rich history and the famous Terracotta Warriors.

Exploring the City of Xi’an and Everything It Has to Offer

There is a lot to see and do in the Xi’an area. I personally didn’t have enough time to walk the top of the city walls, as they say it takes 4-6 hours, but it is one of the top things to do in the city. You can walk it or rent a bike to do it. Even if you opt out of doing that, you’ll have plenty of other options.

Outside of the city walls, you’ll find the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Little Wild Goose Pagoda while inside the walls you’ll locate the bell tower and drum tower. Right behind the drum tower, you’ll find the Muslim Quarter. This area has street market after street market of everything under the sun from clothes, souvenirs, practical household items, and perhaps the most fun, food.

Additional attractions in the city include the Shaanxi History Museum, Xianyang Museum, and the Banpo Museum. Another popular thing to do is the evening fountain and music show at the square right in front of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Crowded street food in Xi'an — Food Market

Trying Authentic Chinese Food at the Xi’an Street Markets

If you’re looking for a wild food experience, you have to check out the street markets. There are plenty of items to choose from, like deep fried whole crabs to lamb feet. Or, you can go for something like the Chinese hamburger, which is composed of what I would call mystery meat, or candied baby apples stacked up on a stick. Really, you can find just about anything on a stick.

My strategy was to find the longest line on the street and go for it. This landed me a Chinese hamburger for ¥15. It was pretty tasty but it’s just a bizarre looking bun filled with meat and optional spicy sauce, no cheese, vegetables or other sauces. It doesn’t compare at all to an American hamburger, but I’m sure it also doesn’t on the calorie count!

Some of the traditional food stalls in Xi'an, China — Food stalls

Overall Feedback on Xi’an and the Terracotta Warriors

I found Xi’an to have a lot of charm while exploring. There were always people out, but other than the food street, it was not super crowded. It seems all of the tourist groups head to the Terracotta Warriors, so if you’re visiting Xi’an as part of a group, no need to determine how to visit the Terracotta Warriors on your own. They will definitely take you!

While in Xi’an, if you are an adventure travel junkie or an outdoor lover, you should also plan a day to head to Mount Hua for the Plank Walk in the Sky! It’s a bucket list item for sure!

Exploring Other Parts of China

Visiting Xi’an and the Terracotta Warriors are a must on any itinerary to China. Here are some other options to consider adding to your trip.

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How to Visit the Terracotta Warriors & What Else to Do in Xi’an