The two days
- Day 1 — Terracotta Warriors: Tourist Bus 5 (306) from Xi'an Railway Station east square, ¥7, ~1 hr. Get there at opening to beat the crowds. Pit 1 first, then 3, then 2. Half a day total.
- Day 2 — Old city: Rent a bike on top of the City Wall (~¥45, 100 min). Big Wild Goose Pagoda in the afternoon, Muslim Quarter for dinner — lamb skewers, biang biang noodles, persimmon cakes.
Getting there
HSR from Beijing (~4.5 hrs, $75), Shanghai (~6 hrs, $90), or Chengdu (~3 hrs, $40). Xi'an North is the HSR station — 30 min by metro to the old city. Book on Trip.com; passport works as your ticket. See the HSR guide.
Where to stay
- Inside the city wall — walkable to Bell Tower, Muslim Quarter, Drum Tower. Best for a short visit.
- Near Xi'an North station — only if you have an early HSR onward.
What to skip
- Tour-bus combos that bundle Terracotta + Huaqing Hot Springs + a jade factory. The jade stop is a sales trap.
- Tang Dynasty dinner show — overpriced. The wall at sunset is the real show.
Next steps
Most travelers do Xi'an as the middle leg of the 14-day classic loop — Beijing → Xi'an → Chengdu → Guilin → Shanghai.