How to Get Around Shannxi

Getting in: Xian’s airport is a major domestic hub with some international flights. High-speed rail reaches Beijing in four and a half hours, Chengdu in three and Shanghai in six, and the station is well connected to the metro.

Xian’s metro is extensive, cheap and reaches the airport, the railway stations and most of the city.

To the Terracotta Army: public bus 5 (306) from the railway station takes about an hour and is straightforward; taxis and tours are the alternative. Beware of unofficial buses at the station that take you to a different, minor site with a similar name — this is a long-running scam.

To Huashan: high-speed rail to Huashan North in about half an hour, then a shuttle.

To the north: trains and buses to Yanan, or the high-speed line.

Practical: a Chinese payment app is close to essential.