How to Get to & Around Xian 2023

Xian is located in Shaanxi Province in the north of China. It is a capital city in China's history, which leaves it with much importance and many valuable historical sites. Now it is one of the most visisted tourist destinations. People can get to Xian by plane or train (including high speed train) and get around this city conveniently by subway, bus, or taxi. This article will provide you with comprehensive Xian transportation information on Xian flights, trains, transfer between Xian and major Chinese cities, and how to get around Xian city.

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Get to Xian by Air	Get to Xian By Train
Xian Train Stations	Xian Beijing Transportation
Xian Shanghai Transportation	Xian Chengdu Transportation
Xian Zhangjiajie Transportation	Xian Tianjin Transportation
Xian Pingyao Transportation	Xian Dunhuang Transportation
Xian Huashan Transportation	Get around Xian & Terracotta Warriors

Get to/away from Xian

Get to Xian By Air

Xian Xianyang Airport(咸阳机场) is located within the administrative area of Xianyang city, which gives the airport its name. It is 40km northwest of Xi'an city center, and 17km northeast of the center of Xianyang.

So far (October 2019), there are 62 airline companies running 313 lines which cover most major cities in China and connect several international cities in Asia. Xianyang Airport is the hub of China Northwest Airline which runs most of daily flights to and from cities, including Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Kunming, Wuhan, Chongqing, Changsha, Nanjing, Xiamen, Qingdao, and Urumqi, etc.

As for international flight, Xian has flights to Hong Kong, Macau, Seoul, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Nagoya, Fukuoka, Niigata and Hiroshima in Japan, etc.

>>Know More about Xian Xianyang International Airport and Flights

>>Get to Downtown from Xian Xianyang International Airport

>>Xian Xianyang International Airport Shuttle Bus

>>Xian Xianyang International Airport to Terracotta Warriors

Xian Xianyang Airport

Get to Xian By Train

Beijing Xian Train

There are three kinds of trains running between Beijing and Xian- High Speed Bullet Train (G-Train), Fast Train (T-Train) and Regular Train (K-Train). G-Trains run between Beijing West Railway Station and Xian North Railway Station, and take only about 4.5-6 hours to get to Xian (Beijing) from Beijing (Xian). While T-Trains run between Beijing West Railway Station and Xian Railway Station, and you have to spend half of a day to reach your destination. K-Trains cost lowest money while longest time spending on the train (usually about 15.5hrs). Among them, Xian Beijing High Speed Trains are most recommended.

Other Xian High Speed Trains:

Beijing Xian High Speed Train

Xian Railway Stations

There are three railway stations in Xian: Xi'an Railway Station, Xi'an North Railway Station and Xi'an South Railway Station. Each of them has their own specialty. Read more about Xian Train Stations>

Xian Railway Station is the transportation center of Northwest China. It was built in 1934 in Xian downtown, and has become the fourth busiest railway station in China. It connects most of cities in China, including most of the hot travel destinations: Beijing, Tibet, Chengdu, Shanghai, Yunnan, and Guangzhou, etc. Xian Xianyang International Airport operates shuttle buses to Xian Railway Station and it needs about 70min.

North Railway Station is located in Lijiajie Village in Weiyang District, mainly serving high speed trains. Passengers taking bullet train for Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Wuhan, Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Huashan, Chongqing, Lanzhou, Tianshui, Jiayuguan, Zhangye and so forth can depart here. Xian North Railway Station is well connected with Xian downtown by subway Line 2 and the airport by airport shuttle bus.

Xi'an South Railway Station, with the former name of Chang'an Station, is a middle-stop for Chongqing-Taiyuan, Chongqing-Urumqi, Chongqing-Xi'an, Xi'an-Guiyang, Chengdu-Tianjin, Xi'an-Ankang trains. The South Station locates in the city's outskirt area.

>>Xian Train Stations to Terracotta Warriors

>>Xian North Railway Station to Xian City Downtown

Xian Railway Station

Xian Trains Schedules

Transfer Between Xian and Beijing

Beijing is the capital of China and about 1216km from Xian. Both cities have rich tourism resources. Because of the convenient transportation, many tourists will arrange Beijing and Xian in one China tour.

There are about 35 daily flights between Beijing and Xian and it only takes about 2 hours. But if you want to enjoy the scenery on the way, taking a high speed train (4.5-6h) is a good choice. There are over 10 high speed trains a day. Apart from that, normal train is also available. It costs the least but takes the longest time (12-16h).

• Useful Links: Get from Beijing to Xian | Get from Xian to Beijing | Beijing Xian Shanghai Transportation

Beijing Xian Transportation Map (click to enlarge)

Transfer Between Xian and Shanghai

Shanghai is considered as one of the most developed cities in China. But when you get there, you will find that Shanghai is not all about modern but also endowed with classic beauty and elegance.

Shanghai is about 1509km from Xian. People usually take a plane or train to transfer between them. The flight will need about 2.5h and there are about 40 flights a day. High speed trains will take 6-7 hours and there are 11 of them a day. Normal trains are also about 11 pairs a day but it will take 15-22 hours.

• Useful Links: Get from Shanghai to Xian | Get from Xian to Shanghai

Shanghai Xian Transportation Map (click to enlarge)

Transfer Between Xian and Chengdu

Chengdu is in southwestern China and has long been entitled as the “Land of Abundance”. Many tourists are attracted here by Sichuan cuisine, Giant pandas and the hospitable Chengdu people.

In the past, people may need over 10h to travel between Xian and Chengdu by train although they are only 600km apart. Now the high speed train, which is also the most recommended transportation choice, has shortened the trip to about 4 hours. If you think it is not fast enough, taking a plane will only need 1.5h.

• Useful Links: How to Plan a Xian Chengdu Tour

Xian Chengdu Transportation Map (click to enlarge)

Transfer Between Xian and Zhangjiajie

Many people know about Zhangjiajie from the famous fiction movie Avatar and the scary pictures of the Grand Canyon Glass Bridge. No matter you are a nature lover or a brave adventurer, Zhangjiajie is a place you can not miss.

Zhangjiajie is in Hunan Province and about 590km from Xian. The most recommended way to get there is by flight (1.5h). Another option is to take overnight train (18h). If you don’t mind transferring, you can choose a combination of flight with normal train (9.5h), or high speed train with normal train (12h).

• Useful Links: Get from Xian to Zhangjiajie

Xian Zhangjiajie Transportation Map (click to enlarge)

Transfer Between Xian and Tianjin

Tianjin is an important gateway to China and is home to Tianjin International Cruise Home Port. Tianjin and Xian are about 1100km away. From 07:20 to 22:30, there are about 10 direct flights from Tianjin Binhai International Airport to Xi’an Xianyang International Airport. The flights will take about 2 hours. As for the 13 daily trains, 6 are high speed trains which travel about 6-6.5 hours and the other 7 are normal trains and need 15.5-19.5 hours.

If you depart from Tianjin Port, it is recommended to take a taxi to Tianjin Airport (60km) or Tianjin Railway Station (67km) first and then take a flight or train accordingly.

• Useful Links: Travel from Tianjin/Tianjin Port to Xi’an

• Recommended Tours: 4 Days Xian Terracotta Warrior Tour from Tianjin Cruise Port

Tianjin Binhai International Airport

Transfer Between Xian and Pingyao

The whole Pingyao Ancient Town in Shanxi Province is listed as a World Heritage Site and it is only 500km from Xian. It is a perfect destination for the travellers who want to take a sidetrip after a Xian tour.

Because of the short distance, there is no need to take a flight. The best recommended way to transfer between these two places is by high speed train which only needs 2.5-3 hours. There are 2 normal trains and both of them are overnight trains which will need about 10 hours.

• Useful Links: Xi’an Pingyao Transportation

Xian Pingyao Transportation Map (click to enlarge)

Transfer Between Xian and Dunhuang

Anyone who has ever heard about the Silk Road will be familiar with Dunhuang in Gansu Province. It is an oasis amidst the vast desert and home to the amazing Mogao Grottoes. If you are an enthusiast in history and art, Xian and Dunhuang will not let you down.

To travel the 1720km between Xian and Dunhuang, taking a flight will be the best choice. There are usually 3-4 flights a day and the duration is about 2.5 hours. As of October, 2019, there is only one daily train with a duration of about 22h. No direct high speed train is available but you can take a transfer in Xining or Lanzhou which will need at least 12h in total.

• Useful Links: Travel from Xian to Dunhuang

• Recommended Tours: 5 Days Silk Road Tour from Xian

Xian Dunhuang Transportation Map (click to enlarge)

Transfer Between Xian and Huashan

Many people may misunderstand the steep Moun Hua as a part of Xian. But actually Mount Hua is in Huayin city and only 123km from Xian. With a Mount Hua hiking experience, your Xian tour will be more complete and unforgettable.

Xian provides both high speed trains and buses to Mount Hua. You can take one of the over 50 high speed trains at Xianbei Railway Station to Huashanbei Railway Station, which needs about 30-40 min. Then transfer to a free tourist bus (about 20min) to Huashan Tourist Center. Taking a bus to Mount Hua directly from Xian will need about 1.5-2h. You can take the bus at Xian Bus Station, which is near Xian Railway Station.

• Useful Links: Get from Xian to Mount Hua

Xian Huashan Transportation Map (Click to Enlarge)

Getting Around Xian

By Metro

So far, there are four Metro lines under operation in Xian. Line 1 runs east-west while Line 2 connects the north and south. Line 3 runs between Yuhuazhai in southwest and Baoshuiqu in northeast, and Line 4 is between Beikezhan North Square in the north and Hangtianxincheng in the southeast. With high speed, the metro can take you to Xi’an Sports Park, Da Ming Palace, Bell Tower, Shaanxi History Museum, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, major bus stations, etc. easily. >>Xian Metro

By Taxi

Taking a taxi is always convenient because it helps you get from any destination to any destination directly. In Xi’an, usually 8.5 RMB is charged for the first 3 kilometers (or 2 kilometers high-emission cars), and 2 RMB (or 2.4 RMB for high-emission cars) for each subsequent kilometer.

By Bus

Travelers usually choose buses to take a Xian side trip to visit Mount Hua, Luoyang, Hukou Waterfall, etc. There are 7 bus stations in Xian: Xian Bus Station, East Bus Station, West Bus Station, Sanfuwan Bus Station, Shaanxi Bus Station, North Bus Station and Mingdemen Bus Station. From each bus station, you can take bus to the near cities and travel site.

Getting to Museum of Terracotta Warriors

From Xi’an Railway Station: It is about 40 km from Xi’an Railway Station to Museum of Terracotta Warriors. Public bus No. 5, 306, 915 and 914 are available to bring you there directly. The whole journey may cost about one and a half hours.>>Xian Train Stations to Terracotta Warriors

From Xianyang Xian Airport: The distance from airport to Museum of Terracotta Warriors is a bit longer. You need to take one airport bus, and then transfer to metro Line 1 and then public bus No. 5 or 307 to get there.>>Xian Airport to Terracotta Warriors

>>Get to Terracotta Warriors from Xian

>>Get to Terracotta Warriors from Beijing

>>Get to Terracotta Warriors from Shanghai

Xian Metro

Xian Taxi

Xian Bus

How to Plan a Xian Tour

As the ancient capital city of China for 13 dynasties, ruled by 73 emperors, Xian has left massive cultural heritages and relics for you to explore. Within about two days, you can finish visiting the main sites, which include the incredible man-made wonder, the Terracotta Warriors, the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Muslim Quarter where you can get to try the local cuisines. Besides, biking around the Ancient City Wall and tracing back the history at Shaanxi History Museum and watching the Tang Dynasty Show, all of these activities are definitely unmissable for your stay in Xian. Now, it is available to have 144 hours Visa-Free Transit in Xian, and you can go for a history and culture tour or photography tour to explore all the stunning attractions in the city even without applying for a visa.

If you have more time, you can head to Luoyang, Hukou Waterfall, and the famous Mt. Huashan, which is about 120km away from the city area. Besides, you can start your silk road trip from the terminal Xian and travel along the route Marco Polo has visited, or you can regard Xian as your midway in China and start your trip from Beijing, Shanghai and even Lhasa to the west of Xian. China Discovery has designed many classic China tour packages including Xian for you. Let us customize one for you.>>Contact Us Now

★ Top-Recommended Xian Tour

>>2 Days Xian City Break

>>4 Days Xian Highlights Tour with Mount Huashan Hiking

>>5 Days Beijing Xian Highlights Tour by High Speed Train

Xian Attractions

Travel Xian with China Discovery

Want to travel in and around Xian and don't know how to arrange your day by day itinerary? Travel Xian with us, and all of your problems will be solved. In every city, our professional local guide and driver will escort you from your hotel, train station, airport to all attractions with comfortable private car with speed and convenience and let you catch the highlights of every site and city, so you can get really relaxed on the way and focus on what you are interested. The tour can be tailor made according to your plan, time and interests and demands. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us and tell us your needs, and we will customize a memorable tour for you!

We have helped many global travelers enjoy their memorable trips to Xian for the past few years. Among them, a special team of over 50 VIPKID teachers from North America traveled with us to see their dear studends in China with amazing experience in Xian and shared us their special travel story! Travel with China Discovery to create your wonderful Xian trip memories!

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Recommended Xian Tours

Top 3 Xian tours chosen by most customers to explore Xian in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.

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Questions & Discussions

Following are latest questions and answers from our webusers and customers. You can learn many useful information from the discussion and cases. You can also join in the discussions or ask your own question. Our experts will help you ASAP.

AMY

How long does it take to get to Guangzhou from Xi\'an?

How long does it take to fly from Xian City to Guangzhou? And how long does it take to get to Guangzhou by bullet-train / high-speed train?

2016-09-14 05:12

Hi Amy,

Thanks for your message. It takes about 2.5~3 hours to get to Guangzhou from Xian by flights. There are usually more than 15 flights available each day (earliest at 07:25am and latest at 10:00pm).

The high speed trains (bullet trains) run about 8~9 hours to get to Guangzhou from Xian. Currently there are 7 bullet trains for passengers to transfer to Guangzhou (earliest at 09:42 and latest at 01:12pm).

Best regards,

Louis 2016-09-18 03:09

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