[Must-See! Complete Guide to Visiting the Terracotta Warriors] No mistakes for beginners, history buffs will be thrilled~
Coming to Xi’an without visiting the Terracotta Warriors is like not coming at all! But the site is large and has many rules, so a little carelessness can waste time and cause trouble. Here’s the most detailed list of tips online—save this and go straight in~
🎫 Ticket Booking | Secure in advance to avoid wasted trips
✅ Booking channels: Only official channels are valid! Search for the “Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Museum” official WeChat account, click “Ticket Booking,” and fill in your ID information with real names (one ID per person)
✅ Booking time: 3-7 days in advance! During peak season (March-November) and holidays (May Day, National Day, summer vacation), book at least 10 days ahead. Tickets are released in time slots daily and sold out when full
✅ Ticket prices: Peak season 120 RMB/person, off-season (December-February) 100 RMB/person. Combo tickets include Terracotta Warriors + Lishan Garden, no need to buy separately
✅ Discounts:
• Half price: Minors aged 6-18, full-time undergraduates and below (with ID + student card)
• Free: Children under 6 years old or under 1.4 meters, seniors over 65, disabled persons, active military personnel (with valid documents + advance booking)
❌ Avoid pitfalls: No on-site ticket windows! Last-minute visits are very likely to be denied entry. Cancel bookings at least 24 hours in advance if plans change, or it will affect future ticket purchases
🚗 Transportation Guide | Avoid unlicensed taxis and save time
✅ Public transport (recommended): Metro Line 9 → Huaqing Pool Station Exit C → transfer to Lintong Bus 613/602 → Terracotta Warriors Station. Takes about 1.5-2 hours, cost-effective and no traffic jams
✅ Self-driving: Navigate to “Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Museum.” Parking lot 1 charges 20 RMB with no time limit; nearby lots charge 10 RMB; some hotels offer free parking
✅ Direct shuttle: There is a direct shuttle from Qin Feng Departure Station in the city center, going straight to the entrance—great for those who want convenience
❌ Avoid pitfalls: Don’t take roadside unlicensed taxis or three-wheeled motorcycles! They overcharge and may take you to unofficial spots. Refuse any solicited carpooling
⏰ Return times: Bus 602 runs until 8:00 PM, Metro Line 9 until 11:00 PM. For late shows, carpooling is possible (about 30-40 RMB per person)
📝 Touring Tips | See the core in 3 hours
✅ Best route (no detours):
Terracotta Warriors Museum → Pit 1 (see the impressive army formation) → Pit 3 (command center) → Pit 2 (finest warriors) → Artifact Exhibition Hall (bronze chariot and horses) → Lishan Garden (free shuttle bus back and forth)
✅ Must-see at Lishan Garden: Bronze Chariot and Horse Museum (treasure of the museum), Hundred Plays Warrior Pit, burial mounds. It’s recommended to buy the 15 RMB shuttle bus ticket (4 km in the park, walking is exhausting)
✅ Off-peak tips: Enter between 8:30-10:30 (good light, fewer people) or 2:30-4:30 PM (fewer tour groups), avoid the 11 AM-2 PM peak
✅ Duration: 3-4 hours; for a deep visit, half a day is recommended, with about 1.5 hours for each park area
📦 Luggage storage: Free storage is available on the east side of the ticket hall for large luggage; keep valuables with you
👂 Guide options | Don’t just look, listen!
✅ Official guide: 90 RMB for groups under 10, no sales pitch, suitable for families or groups
✅ Audio guide device: 30 RMB each, with location-based automatic narration, flexible and free, good for solo travelers
✅ Private guide: 258 RMB per group of 1-3 people, interactive Q&A, customizable content, usually includes earphone fee (about 20 RMB/person)
❌ Avoid pitfalls: Don’t hire unofficial guides! Their info may be fake and they might take you to shopping stores. Always check the guide’s license
💡 Highlights: General warrior in Pit 1 (detailed armor), kneeling archer (best preserved), bronze chariot and horses in the exhibition hall (peak Qin craftsmanship)
⚠️ Important notes | Visit respectfully and avoid trouble
✅ Must bring: ID card, student card (student tickets are checked), comfortable walking shoes, water bottle (drinking points available), sun protection/rain gear (many outdoor areas)
❌ Prohibited items: Drones, lighters, selfie sticks (banned in some exhibition halls), no touching the warriors, no flash photography (damages artifacts)
✅ Special groups: Barrier-free access and wheelchair rental available (ID deposit required). Seniors over 65 and families with kids are advised to visit off-peak and take it slow
🍜 Food tips: Food inside the site is expensive; bring snacks and water. After visiting, go to Lintong city for authentic Shaanxi cuisine at better prices
🎁 Shopping tips: At the entrance, choose small souvenirs like keychains or fridge magnets; avoid buying expensive jewelry (mostly replicas)
📌 Key reminders
⏰ Ticket check stops: 5:00 PM in peak season, 4:30 PM in off-season. Plan your visit to avoid missing entry time
🌟 Combine your trip: Terracotta Warriors + Huaqing Palace can be done in one day—morning at the warriors (fewer crowds), afternoon at Huaqing Palace, evening watch the “Song of Everlasting Regret” show
💡 Pro tip: Take photos from the sides or back of the viewing platform to avoid front-row crowds; side lighting makes the warriors look more three-dimensional
Visiting the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an is a chance to converse with millennia of history~ Prepare well to fully immerse yourself in the awe of the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” Wishing everyone a great trip and amazing photos! 📸
A 2-Hour Quick Tour of the Terracotta Army - A Perfect Score! Even with only two hours to explore the Terracotta Army, I was still thoroughly awestruck – a truly worthwhile trip! Entering Pit 1, I was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the army. The orderly ranks and magnificent presence far surpassed any photos or videos. Each terracotta warrior was unique, with a distinct expression and lifelike detail in every hair, armor, and shoe sole – the craftsmanship of the ancients was truly breathtaking. Pit 2 showcased a complete array of troop types and exquisite artifacts, while Pit 3, serving as the command center, exuded majesty. Finally, the group of bronze chariots and horses was a masterpiece of craftsmanship. The entire tour was efficient and well-paced. Two hours was enough to efficiently explore the three main pits and the bronze chariots and horses. The route was smooth, and the experience was incredibly rewarding. Touching a thousand years of history up close and experiencing the grandeur of the Qin Dynasty – truly deserving of its place among the Eight Wonders of the World. Though the time was short, the impact was lasting. I highly recommend witnessing this miracle that has transcended millennia!
I have been here 3 times. If you can, avoid going during national holidays, winter and summer holidays, the crowd is just unbearable. A visit without a guide is useless. You won’t understand a thing. A guided tour with a professional guide makes the experience absolutely worth it!
We went to Lishan Garden first, and then to the Terracotta Army. We arrived at around 1:30 pm, and there weren't many people left. The guide we hired was very patient and kept helping us find a good spot. As expected of one of the Eight Wonders of the World, the Terracotta Army is definitely worth it!
A new guide for a one-day tour of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses in Lishan Garden is here ||| You must not miss the Terracotta Warriors and Horses when you go to Xi'an! A one-day tour is really enough! I just took my baby there, and I'll share some of my thoughts with you! 📅About reservations: Follow the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum of Qin Shihuang, and book tickets a week in advance🎫. The total price of Lishan Garden + Terracotta Warriors and Horses is 120 yuan. Children under 16 and seniors over 65 are free of charge, but reservations are also required! 🏨About accommodation: There is no problem staying in the city when visiting the Terracotta Warriors and Horses. There are also cars back to the city after watching the Song of Everlasting Regret. 🚗About transportation: The subway is very convenient. Take a Didi when you go out. Don't sign up for any one-day tours! ⚠️The following precautions⚠️Be sure to visit the reverse route! Lishan Garden-Terracotta Warriors and Horses can really avoid the flow of people! Even on holidays, there will be fewer people. Take Metro Line 9 to the Imperial Mausoleum Station, get off and take a taxi to Lishan Garden or bus🚌. Don't trust the cars that are intercepted at the door. Get off the bus and walk straight to the ticket gate to enter the park (the same code as booking the Terracotta Warriors). Take a sightseeing bus to visit Lishan Park (free tickets for those under 1.2 meters) to save energy and finish the tour quickly. Find two places for explanations. The official explanation of the Terracotta Warriors is on the right hand side after the ticket check. They will also take you to visit Cinnabar but they are not mandatory. There is an official bus that goes directly to the Terracotta Warriors at the exit of Lishan Park, which picks up and drops off tourists for free. Keep going forward when you see "Mi Xue Bing Cheng". The Terracotta Warriors are visited in the order of Pits 1-3-2, and there are free stamps. After visiting the Terracotta Warriors, there is a long commercial street with complete dining. It is very convenient to take a taxi from the Terracotta Warriors to Huaqing Pool to watch the Song of Everlasting Regret within 20. The subway 🚇 goes directly to the city center when you go out of the Song of Everlasting Regret.
The resurrected legion! Especially in the morning, I went to the pit No. 1 to visit, the sun shining on the terracotta warriors, it really felt that those Qin army sharps came to us like a bronze wall! (Of course, during May 1st, people are called a lot... Although there is spray cooling when queuing, it is still very sun-dried. It is recommended to carry sunscreen clothes and sun hats and small fans. Although the air-conditioning in the No. 1 pit is very air-conditioned, some pavilions are not air-conditioned, and the road is very hot...) Terracotta Warriors and horses are really thousands of people Ah! Some are rough, some are beautiful, some are terracotta warriors and horses and there are still painted residues on the horse, those war horses are particularly beautiful! (Of course, the better ones are still behind!) (Pay attention to the huge queue in the toilet! So try to drink less water... drink a mouth or two to moisten your throat when you are thirsty, Otherwise, it is too painful to queue up for the toilet...) It is still far from the tomb of Qin Shihuang (Lishan Garden), so the scale of the entire Qin Shihuang Mausoleum is really unimaginable! In addition to the No. 1 pit, No. 2 pit, and No. 3 pit, there is also a cultural relics exhibition hall that cannot be missed! Those particularly representative boutique terracotta warriors and horses and bronzes Waterfowl are there! Various boutique cultural relics! Absolutely not to be missed! Compared with the No. 1 pit, you can only squeeze in the crowd to see the army array from a distance (most of the time is outside the crowd, you can't see anything, you need patience and luck to squeeze inside...), the cultural relics exhibition hall can watch various details up close! Going to Lishan Garden is after visiting the museum, passing through the commercial street (you can eat and drink to replenish energy, there are various souvenirs for sale, there is a theater, there is VR, and there is a Qinling Mausoleum Palace... I don’t know if it’s the colorful Terracotta Warriors and Horses that pit countless people...) to the Qin Shihuang statue to queue up and take the car (If it is not too peak, there should be not too many tourists to Lishan Garden)
One of the eight wonders of the world, it is worth visiting and especially worth a thumbs up! Pit No. 1 initially displays the battle formation of the Qin army. The scene is magnificent, shocking, imaginative and proud. The Qin terracotta warriors and war horses unearthed in Pit No. 2 and Pit No. 3 are beautifully displayed in the exhibition hall. The various life-size combat postures are lifelike, which makes people sigh. Especially after more than 2,000 years, the overall shape of the colored military officers and generals is lifelike, which makes people feel magical and incredible. After visiting the exhibition hall, remember to watch the film and television of Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses to understand how it was discovered and the archaeological excavation process, and briefly simulate the magnificent scenes of the construction of Qin Shihuang Mausoleum more than 2,000 years ago, the firing of Qin terracotta warriors, etc. Warm reminder: Qin Shihuang Mausoleum Scenic Area (Qin Shihuang Bronze Chariot and Horse Exhibition) is very worth watching carefully, and there will be no regrets in this life!
So elegant! So realistic! Whether it is a crane, a swan, or a goose and duck, it is so realistic! Maybe in the palace of Qin Shihuang, there were real animals on one side and bronze figurines on the other side... There are also Yuefu bronze bells inlaid with gold and silver. The Qin Dynasty already had Yuefu, and it was so exquisite! (After all, when it comes to Terracotta Warriors, most people's impression is pottery figurines, but there are actually many newly discovered cultural relics!)
After more than 2,000 years of dust, Qin Shihuang's Terracotta Warriors and Horses shocked the world, which is a historical spectacle that should not be missed. Step into the pit, eight thousand Tao Yuan is waiting in a tight line, each of them is equal to the real person, lifelike. They are different, or solemn, or calm, thousands of people, no similar, delicately show the Qin Dynasty craftsmen to the peak of sculpture skills. These Tao Yuan formed a huge army, magnificent, instantly pulled people back to the Jinge iron horse of the Great Qin Empire, people really feel the Qin army "sweeping the six countries, tigers see He Xiongxu" powerful spirit. Terracotta Warriors and Horses are not only artworks, but also a vivid history book, carrying a heavy historical culture, witnessing the great process of China's earth from division to unity. Come here, touch the texture of history, feel the wisdom and blood of the ancients, and have a deep dialogue with the millennium civilization.