Terracotta Army Tour from Beijing, No Shopping

Flights and trains are frequent between Xi’an and many cities of China, especially Beijing and Shanghai, making it possible to take a one-day round trip to Xi'an. To ensure enough time for this day tour, you're suggested to reach Xi'an before 09:00 in the morning and leave after 20:00.

Upon your arrival, your private guide and driver will pick you up from Xi’an’s airport or railway station. Then drive for about 1 hour to the Terracotta Army Museum, which houses burial objects of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259 BC - 210 BC), the first emperor of ancient China. Stand by the guardrail of the viewing platform to overlook more than 8,000 life-sized terracotta warriors and horses in the three burial pits, and meanwhile your guide will explain the legendary stories of Qin Shi Huang. While it may be true that many more treasures are hidden deep down within his super large tomb, archaeologists dare not to excavate it, for fear of unknown consequences. Unexpected pitfalls everywhere, hundreds of tons of toxic volatile mercury, and landslide possibly caused by excavations would take lives of whoever step into the tomb, not to mention it would damage or even destroy the treasures. Don't worry. We'll take you to the newly opened exhibition, showcasing 230 typical archaeological finds through its 50 years of excavation, including a third never-before-seen. Examine vivid terracotta warriors in various poses and wonder about their specific roles, such as that figure with two hands clasped - actually he was a government clerk, with a knife on his waist used to cut out errors on bamboo slips. In front of a row of bronze waterfowl sits another interesting figure, who is said to be a music performer to attract the birds to dance for the emperor's enjoyment… In addition, digital interaction will connect you more with the Great Qin Empire of 2,000 years ago.

Lunch is excluded on today's itinerary, but your guide will surely offer recommendations and assistance. In the afternoon, we will drive back to downtown Xi'an to visit the City Wall from the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 AD) first. It is the best-preserved and largest ancient city wall in China, with a total length of 14 kilometers (9 miles). Leisurely walking or cycling on the centuries-old wall while witnessing traditional structures within and modern buildings outside would be awesome. Please note that bike rental is self-pay, and if you need, your guide will assist you with that.Finally, you will be guided to the lively Muslim Quarter, a food lover’s paradise. Nearly all kinds of local snacks can be found here, such as Chinese Hamburger, Cold Skin Noodles, pastries and barbecued beef. By the way, if you want to buy souvenirs like handicrafts with images of Xi’an specialties, rubbing artworks, and Shaanxi opera facial masks, don’t forget to bargain.

► Restaurant Recommendation for Dinner (at your own expense):
At the Muslim Quarter, the time-honored Junjun Mung Bean Cake Store, one of top 3 pastry shops in Xi’an, should be on your must-visit list. It has been open for more than 30 years, and has always adhered to passed-down handmade techniques without using any food additives. And no matter what time of the day, there is always a long queue in front of it, including many locals. Through the window you can clearly see the making process, which assures you of the quality of their products. While mung bean cake is the most featured products, other flavors such as jujube paste and sweetened bean paste-filled pastries are also well worth trying. By the way, the store also offers free samples, which will help you get your favorite.
Average cost per person: CNY 25 (USD 3.5)
Address: No.110, Beiyuanmen Snack Street, Lianhu DistrictAs your Terracotta Warriors tour ends, your guide and driver will escort you back to the airport or the railway station. Bon voyage!

►  If you take a same-day trip from Beijing to Xi'an
• By flight
Beijing to Xi'an: There are many flights available every day, and the recommended flights in the early morning are CZ8829 06:45/08:55 (2h10m) departing from Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX), HU7137 06:50/09:10 (2h20m) and CA1231 07:30/09:35 (2h5m) departing from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK). By taxi, it takes about 1.5 hours and costs around CNY 200 per cab to Daxing Airport from downtown Beijing, while about 1 hour and CNY 150 per cab to the Capital Airport. Please arrive at the airport more than one hour ahead.

Xi'an to Beijing: The recommended flights back to Beijing are CZ6947 20:00/22:10 (2h10m) to Daxing Airport, and CA1236 20:30/22:55 (2h25m) to the Capital Airport. The last subway from Daxing Airport is 22:30 and the last express train from the Capital Airport is 23:10.

• By train
Beijing to Xi'an: Both overnight and high-speed trains are convenient, while, for a same-day trip, the overnight train is a better choice since you can sleep on the train and arrive earlier in the morning to start the Xi’an day trip. The recommended overnight train is D43 20:30/08:23+1 (11h53m) departing from Beijing West Train Station. You can take a taxi or subway Line 7 or Line 9 to get there as it is not far from downtown Beijing. Please beware that high-speed trains would arrive too late - even the earliest doesn’t arrive until mid-noon - for your day trip, unless you take it the day before and in this case we recommend G59 19:00/23:11 (4h11m).

Xi'an to Beijing: There are more choices of overnight trains, including T42 20:20/09:22+1 (13h2m), D44 20:35/08:22+1 (11h47m) and T56 20:30/10:46+1 (14h16m), among which D44 has only one stopover. On arrival, you could take subway back to downtown Beijing.

►  If you take a same-day trip from Shanghai to Xi'an
• By flight
Shanghai to Xi'an: You are recommended to take flight CZ5791 06:45/09:25 (2h40m) departing from Pudong International Airport (PVG), or 9C8845 07:10/09:40 (2h30m) departing from Hongqiao International Airport (SHA). By taxi, it takes 1 hour from downtown Shanghai to Pudong Airport and costs around CNY230 per cab, while about 45 minutes and CNY100 per cab to Hongqiao Airport. Make sure to leave enough time for the airport transfer and flight check-in.

Xi'an to Shanghai: You are recommended to take flight FM9204 20:00/22:25 (2h25m) or MU2169 21:00/23:20 (2h20m) to Hongqiao Airport. The last subway available at the airport is 22:50.

• By train
Shanghai to Xi'an: Among all overnight and high-speed trains from Shanghai to Xi'an, the most suitable trains are Z40 16:48/08:17+1 (15h29m), Z304 17:46/08:43+1 (14h57m), D92 18:19/09:01+1 (14h42m) and Z164 18:33/09:19+1 (14h46m). All these trains depart from Shanghai Railway Station which is easily reached by subway Line 1, Line 3 or Line 4.

Xi'an to Shanghai: You can choose from the overnight trains Z166 20:48/12:03+1 (15h15m), Z42 21:10/12:15+1 (15h5m), and D124 21:16/12:30+1 (15h14m) returning to Shanghai. Then take subway back to your hotel or home address.

► We Kindly Remind
•  For this day trip, flights or trains arriving and departing from Xi'an are not included in quotations, however, we are happy to book them for you if you need the service.
• Since it is a same-day trip, traveling light with necessities is important, which can help to save time.
• Some trains may sometimes be delayed if the station you board is far away from the first station of the train, like Z42, which leaves from Urumqi, Xinjiang with a stop at Xi’an for Shanghai.

Thank you for traveling with us. Our dedicated service will surely make your trip memorable!