Terracotta Warriors itinerary

Trip to Terracotta Warriors Itinerary: A Travel Guide Blog

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Last updated on May 7th, 2025

Enhance your experience at the Terracotta Warriors with our travel tips. My Terracotta Warriors itinerary included.

Xi’an has always been at the top of my bucket list for visiting China, primarily because I want to see the impressive Terracotta Warriors (Chinese: 秦始皇陵兵马俑). This UNESCO-listed site is one of the most significant discoveries of the 20th century and is one of the most popular attractions in China.

My visit to the Terracotta Warriors completely blew me away; it is truly a sight to behold. We were amazed by Emperor Qin’s vision and the fact that everything was constructed over 2,200 years ago. The experience is especially remarkable when you consider the story behind its creation. These statues have withstood the test of time and offer a fascinating glimpse into the country’s rich history.

This clear plan ensures you have the best Terracotta Warriors itinerary during your visit!

Terracotta Warriors Travel Guide: Pre-Trip Essential

Terracotta Warriors Travel Guide blog

The Terracotta Warriors (Chinese: 秦始皇陵兵马俑) were created by Emperor Qin, who wanted his army to accompany him in the afterlife. The site was discovered in the 1970s by local farmers digging a well. The sites is extensive, containing about 600 pits and underground vaults that span 22 square miles.

The three main pits and an associated museum are open to the public to visit. Each pit is at a different stage of excavation, and the museum houses remarkable artifacts, including the Emperor’s Chariot. There are columns of warriors that archaeologists have reconstructed from broken pieces.

Terracotta Warriors Ticket

Terracotta Warriors Entrance Ticket:

The fare is including the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Lishan Garden (Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Park) and shuttle buses inside the scenic area. We recommend buying tickets in advance especially during peak season.

While you don’t need to book a tour to see the Terracotta Warriors, it is highly recommended if you want an explanation of the history. We suggest booking a day tour to Terracotta Warriors Museum via Trip.com, and you can opt for a small group tour with no more than 8 participants. You can also arrange a tour through the hotel, hostel, or guesthouse where you’re staying.

How to get to the Terracotta Warriors

How To get to Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum

To get to the Terracotta Warriors by public transport from Xi’an city, you have a few options:

By Bus: You can take official tourist bus no. 5 (#306) from Xi’an Railway Station to the Terracotta Museum directly from the city center. The bus fare is around CNY 7, and the journey takes approximately one hour. Be cautious, as there are many fake buses pretending to be these services. There are about 12 stops along the journey, make sure to get off at the last station.

By Metro: To start your journey, take the metro and heading to the Fangzhicheng metro station and take Exit A. After you exit the station, you’ll find the bus stop located 200 meters from Exit A. Buses run from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with departures every 5 minutes.

All buses stop along the main road outside the Terracotta Warriors Museum. It is a 300-meter walk from the bus stop to the ticket office. Along the way, there are restaurants and snack vendors.

Alternatively, you can use ride-haling DiDi (China’s version of Uber) to travel to and from Xi’an city, which is about CNY 100 to CNY 150 for a one-way trip.

My Terracotta Warriors itinerary

During my visit to Xi’an, I made it a point to see the Terracotta Warriors site and associated museum. It is a spectacular location and a must-see for anyone in this region of China.

We arrived at the entrance gate of the Terracotta Warriors early in the morning after taking a Didi ride from downtown. We had purchased our Terracotta Warriors Museum Tickets on Trip.com before our visit and joined the large crowd waiting to enter. The lines were quite long, and we had to go through security. Remember to bring your passport for ticket verification!

Terracotta Warriors Pits

View on the Terracotta Warrior Pit 1

Terracotta Warriors Pit 1 (秦始皇陵兵马俑一号坑) is the first and largest site, primarily consisting of frontline soldiers (步兵). The entire Pit 1 is surrounded by a protective megastructure. In Pit 1, you first encounter the reconstructed warriors and horses before moving along the pit to view the repair area.

Get the Terracota Warriors Admission Ticket

Begin your visit at Pit 1, the most impressive area that features over 6,000 warriors and horses. Since I arrived early, I was able to avoid the crowds and take my time exploring the pits.

Terracotta Army at Pit 1

Walking into the main excavation site, Pit 1, and coming face-to-face with the warriors is truly a sight to behold. The sheer size and scale of the figures cannot be fully appreciated through images, shows, or television.

Visit Terracotta Warrior Pit 2

Meanwhile, Terracotta Warriors Pit 2 (秦始皇陵兵马俑二号坑) contains a variety of terracotta warriors, including infantry, cavalry, chariot warriors, and archers. In comparison to Pit 1, the combat formations in Pit 2 are more complex.

Terracotta Warrior Pit 2

Adjacent to the pit is a large exhibition hall that displays many cultural relics unearthed from Pit 2. Visitors can observe a selection of representative pottery figures and Qin weapons in this space.

Terracotta Warrior Pit 3

Terracotta Warriors Pit 3 (秦始皇陵兵马俑三号坑) primarily houses the commanding general and his advisers. Both Pits 2 and 3 have additional excavation areas where more warriors and horses can be found.

Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum Pit 3

However, their condition varies, and they are not as well preserved as those in Pit 1. The site is currently awaiting new techniques that will enable the removal of these warriors with minimal damage, and we hope these methods will be available soon.

Lastly, we proceed our visit to the Exhibition Hall. This hall contains hundreds of wonderful artifacts and exhibits excavated from the site and provides a comprehensive history of both the site and the local culture.

Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (Lishan Garden)

Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang Lishan Garden

The entrance ticket to the Terracotta Warriors also includes a free visit to the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇陵), which was historically known as Lishan Garden (骊山园). Currently, no one possesses the technology to access the tomb, as historical accounts indicate that it is surrounded by traps and toxic substances.

Shuttle Bus to the Lishan Garden

After exit from the Terracotta Warriors museum, we next proceeded to the shuttle bus area and took the complimentary shuttle bus to the mausoleum site.

Terracotta sculptures at K9901 Burial Pit

The Emperor Qin’s mausoleum site covers a large area and features beautiful grounds, with several monuments located within. It has few more pits evacuated such as K9901 Burial Pit (陪葬坑百戏俑).

Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Museum of Bronze Chariots and Horses

The Qin bronze chariot at Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Museum of Bronze Chariots and Horses (秦始皇帝陵铜车马博物馆) is another must see here. It houses two sets of meticulously crafted bronze chariots and horses and open for public exhibition.

Qin Bronze Chariot

Although a tour guide to Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang is included with the ticket, they only speak Mandarin. The rental of audio device is CNY 10 with CNY 90 deposit. The tour experience is about 90% listening to history and 10% viewing, so it’s easily skippable if you don’t understand Chinese and have no interest in the emperor’s history.

Our visit to the mausoleum site took about two hours.

Terracotta Travel Guide Tips

Exhibition at Terracotta Warrior Pit 2

To help you prepare for your visit, here are some quick travel tips for Terracotta Warriors:

Be prepared for large crowds and long waiting queues, especially at the main entrance for ticket validation and security checks. My advice is to arrive as early as possible to avoid the rush. Also, best to visit on weekdays, and avoid weekends and national holidays.

Ticket: If possible, purchase your tickets online in advance (we used Trip.com), and ensure to have your passport for validation at the entrance for seamless access.

Get the Terracota Warriors Admission Ticket

Plan your Visit: The site has 65,000 visitor per day! The volume of visitors can make it challenging to navigate and view certain areas, particularly the main site and the best-preserved sections, which are behind glass. The area with the largest crowd is Pit 1, where visitors can see three restored figures up close. You can choose how close you want to get to view these figures. The experience is incredible.

Be cautious of individuals attempting to sell counterfeit warrior statues. They may try to trick you into dropping one to pressure you into purchasing a set. Avoid making eye contact and simply walk away.

Stay hydrated, especially during the hot season. The site is continuously busy and crowded.

Local Tour Service: For more history and information, consider renting an audio guide. It costs CNY40 for the audio tour, with a deposit of CNY100. Tour guide services are available on-site. When purchasing your tickets at the ticket office, you will encounter many eager tour guides offering their services. The price for a tour guide is typically between CNY100 and CNY150.

Overall: A Visit to Terracotta Warriors

All in all, we hope this Terracotta Warriors itinerary is helpful. The Terracotta Warriors are truly amazing and definitely worth a visit. The exhibition and the display of the excavation work are simply breathtaking. It’s no wonder the Chinese people are in awe of what they have discovered and are eager to share it with the rest of the world. My sincere advice is to go there as early as possible to avoid the tour groups. The crowd can get quite intense in the afternoon when many tours arrive. It is a must-visit site in Xi’an.

Lastly, this visit to the Terracotta Warriors is part of our Xi’an travel experience. Continue reading for more Xi’an travel stories.

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