21 Xi'an Tips That'll Save You Money, Time, and Stomach Lining
Xi'an is one of China's most tourist-friendly cities, but it has its quirks. These are the things I learned across three visits — some the easy way, most the hard way.
Before You Go
1. Xi'an qualifies for the 144-hour transit visa-free policy. If you're a citizen of one of 54 countries (US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, etc.) and transiting to a third country, you can stay up to 144 hours without a visa. You can travel within Shaanxi province.
2. The airport is 47km from the city. XIY airport feels like it's in a different city. Allow 2 hours minimum for the shuttle bus (25 CNY). Metro Line 14 connects to the city network. During rush hour, the expressway crawls.
3. Book the Terracotta Warriors independently. The museum website sells timed entry tickets with your passport number. 120 CNY, no intermediary needed. The tour companies at the train station add nothing except forced shopping stops.
The Terracotta Warriors
4. Take the official green bus 5 (306). From the east side of Xi'an Railway Station plaza. 8 CNY, 1 hour direct. Ignore everyone offering "private tours" at the station — they're scams that include long detours to jade and terracotta replica factories.
5. Hire an English guide at the museum entrance. 150 CNY for a personal tour. Worth every yuan. Without context, you see clay statues. With context, you understand 2,200 years of history.
6. Visit Pit 1 first, then 3, then 2. Pit 1 is the main event. Pit 3 is small but interesting (the command center). Pit 2 has the famous kneeling archer. This order manages the crowds — most groups start at 1 and get bogged down.
7. Allow 3-4 hours. It seems like a lot for a museum, but the scale is massive and there's a lot to absorb.
The City Wall
8. Cycle at sunset, not midday. The wall is fully exposed — no shade. Midday in summer (38°C+) is miserable. Sunset gives you golden light on the watchtowers and a comfortable temperature.
9. The 100-minute bike rental is tight for the full 14km loop. If you want to stop for photos (and you will), you'll be rushing the last 3km. Start cycling at least 2 hours before the wall closes.
10. Return the bike to the same gate you rented from. Different-gate returns cost 20 CNY extra. The South Gate (Yongningmen) has the most rental bikes.
The Muslim Quarter
11. Walk into the side alleys for real prices. The main drag of Huimin Jie has tourist-inflated prices. A rou jia mo should cost 10-15 CNY, not 25. Side streets like Dapi Yuan and Xiyang Shi have the same food at half the price.
12. The Great Mosque is worth 25 CNY. It's easy to miss because it's hidden behind food stalls. One of the most beautiful Chinese-Islamic buildings in China. Peaceful courtyard, far from the street noise.
13. Biangbiang noodles — order "you po che mian." This is the specific preparation where boiling oil is splashed over chili flakes on the noodles. It's the most dramatic and flavorful version. 12-20 CNY.
14. Don't eat dinner before 5PM in the Quarter. The stalls fire up around 5PM and peak at 7-9PM. Going at 3PM gets you leftovers from lunch service.
Food
15. Sichuan peppercorn appears in Xi'an food too. It's not as intense as Chengdu, but some Muslim Quarter dishes have a mild numbing kick. If you're sensitive to spice, ask for "bu la" (not spicy).
16. Yangrou paomo requires participation. You're given a flatbread that you tear into tiny pieces by hand. Then you hand the bowl to the cook, who adds it to mutton broth. The smaller you tear the bread, the better it absorbs the soup. It takes 5-10 minutes of tearing. This is normal.
17. Persimmon cakes (shibing) are the overlooked street food. Crispy outside, sweet persimmon filling inside. 5 CNY. Available September through November when persimmons are in season. Found throughout the Muslim Quarter.
Practical Survival
18. The Shaanxi History Museum free tickets run out by late morning. Queue by 8:30AM or pay 30 CNY for the special exhibition ticket to skip the line. Closed Mondays.
19. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda fountain show is at 8:30PM. Asia's largest musical fountain. Free. The evening show with lights is far better than the noon show. Arrive 20 minutes early for a good spot.
20. High-speed trains to Chengdu (3.5 hours) and Beijing (4.5 hours) fill up on weekends. Book on the 12306 app or Trip.com 2-3 days ahead. Trains are comfortable, fast, and far better than flying for these routes.
21. Download a VPN before arriving in China. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram — all blocked. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with your international card for cashless payments. Xi'an, like the rest of China, runs almost entirely on mobile payments.
Xi'an is straightforward once you know the tricks. The Terracotta Warriors are unmissable, the city wall is unforgettable, the Muslim Quarter is delicious, and the biangbiang noodles are... well, they're 58 strokes of pure perfection. Go prepared and you'll wonder why Xi'an isn't on more first-time China itineraries. It should be.
Getting Out of Xi'an
22. The high-speed train network makes day trips easy. Chengdu is 3.5 hours (263 CNY), Beijing is 4.5 hours (515 CNY), and Luoyang (for the Longmen Grottoes) is 1.5 hours (175 CNY). Book on the 12306 app or Trip.com with your passport number. Weekend trains fill up — book 2-3 days ahead.
23. Consider the Tang Paradise evening show. The Tang Paradise theme park (120 CNY) is touristy by day, but the evening water and light show set against reconstructed Tang dynasty architecture is genuinely spectacular. Free performances happen outside the park gates nightly. Worth combining with the Big Wild Goose Pagoda fountain show for an evening of Tang-era spectacle.
Xi'an rewards the prepared traveler and punishes the lazy one. Get the logistics right and this becomes one of China's most rewarding cities.
