🗿 Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
Things to do in The Terracotta Army
Thousands of life-size warriors guarding China’s first emperor
The Terracotta Army is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries ever made: thousands of life-size clay soldiers, horses and chariots, each with individual features, buried over 2,000 years ago to guard the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. It sits about an hour outside Xi’an and is the reason most travellers come to the city — a genuinely awe-inspiring half-day, best paired with a night or two in Xi’an itself.
Time needed
1 day (from Xi'an)
Best time
September–October and April–May are most comfortable, but the warriors are indoors in vast covered halls, so it’s a solid year-round visit
Region
Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
Don’t miss
Stand before Pit 1
Pit 1 is the showstopper — a vast aircraft-hangar of a hall holding rank after rank of warriors stretching into the distance. A guide or audio guide transforms the visit, explaining how the figures were made, painted and arranged, and why no two faces are alike.
Check availability on GetYourGuideTop things to do in The Terracotta Army
- Pit 1 — the enormous main hall with its massed ranks of warriors.Find tours
- Pits 2 and 3 — the cavalry, archers and command post, with close-up display cases.Find tours
- The bronze chariots exhibition hall, with its exquisite half-size imperial carriages.
- A guided day tour pairing the Army with the Huaqing Palace hot springs nearby.Find tours
- Cycle Xi’an’s intact Ming City Wall back in town, and eat through the Muslim Quarter.Find tours
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How to get to The Terracotta Army
The site is about an hour east of Xi’an. Take the official tourist shuttle bus (line 游5/306) from near Xi’an Railway Station, a guided tour, or a DiDi. Ignore touts near the station and site selling unofficial or “combined” tickets — buy at the official ticket office. Xi’an is a high-speed-rail hub, an easy stop between Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu.
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Best time to visit
September–October and April–May are most comfortable, but the warriors are indoors in vast covered halls, so it’s a solid year-round visit. Arrive at opening to get ahead of the tour groups in Pit 1.
The Terracotta Army tips
- Take a guide or audio guide — without the context, it’s rows of statues; with it, it’s extraordinary.
- Buy official tickets only, and ignore touts selling “combo” tickets or unofficial tours near the station and site.
- Visit Pit 1 first thing before the crowds build, then work through Pits 2 and 3 and the bronze chariots.
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