Xi'an Travel Forum

Dear Travel Community,

Within our travel plans for China, definitely we want to visit Xian. A few questions:

1) I read somewhere that in Xian there are direct buses directly to the Terracota Warriors. Is this true? How much time does it take to get there?


2) Is it possible to visit the Terracota Warriors without a personal guide? I mean, does the museum have guidance in English (e.g. headphone guidance or explanation boards in English)?

2) We want to visit the Hua Shan Mountain. Are there direct buses from Xian to the mountain?

Thanks a lot for helping us out.

Kind regards,
NicBBB

We didn't have a personal guide and didn't feel the lack. There are explanation signs in English.

I don't know about any bus. We arranged a taxi for the whole day, cost 250RMB. At the terracotta site you pay your money and in you go. Plenty to read. It's a big site, you could easily spend the whole day there. On the way back we went to a place whose name I always forget, dedicated to Emperor Qin's beautiful wife. Also where various members of the General Staff made a Remonstrance to Chiang Kai-Shek. The warriors are about an hour from Xi'an centre.

Huashan is a lot further, in fact I don't think it's still in Sha'anxi province. There is a cable car up, there might be a queue for it. We went on National Day (October 1st) = humongous queue! We joined a tour for that. I think the journey was over two hours each way.

There appears to be a bus as this question has cropped up previously in the Xi'an Forum in terms of whre does it leave from and so on. So, I suggest that if you obtain no definite response, that you go to the Forum and check there.

you can take bus 306 from the city direct to the Tarracota Warriors site. See my 'to do' tips for more details on bus location, etc.

Terracota Warriors : You can visit by your own . We decided to take a a tour in a hostel , of six persons and the advantage is that yopu make some more visits as the thermal springs , an old paleolitic site and of course a silk factory and "warriors" factory. You do not neeed to buy , but it is interesting
Hua Shan : it is in Shaanxi . There are direct buses , that leave from the main bus station , just outside the wall ( we did in the oposite way as we came from Hua Shan)
For details you may see our pages

1) Yes, true. Read http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/1d57/f3840/9/?o=2 for more details.
2) Yes to both questions.
3) Yes.

Can't comment on bus transport.

My host insisted on hiring an english speaking guide for me, available on the spot at the Terra Cotta warriors... but I think it was unnecessary; there were good signs and explanations in English.

The museum store sells a book in many languages including English with great photos and history. When I was there (2005) one of the farm workers who first discovered the warriors was there and autographed it. I was told he visits five days a week. Check it out!

Great place to visit.