Xi'an Terracotta warriors - Tips / Ideas?

[RooFlyer]

Anyone visited recently?

Am contemplating a side trip to Xian from HKG, flying Dragonair.

I'd be grateful for any tips re length of time needed to visit the Terracotta warriors museum etc; good standard hotels convenient to the museum; tour operators (private or small group); anything else to see or do in the area (day trip from Xian).

 

[albatross710]

Re: Xi'an Terracotta warriors

When we went to the Warriors it was a half day visit at the site. It is well worth the visit.

The visit was a great experience, once which has stayed with our family ever since.

Unfortunately I don't have any recent intel, other than it is a definite visit.

Alby

 

[PaulST]

Re: Xi'an Terracotta warriors

I won't be that helpful as I was staying at a backpackers in Xi'an and caught public buses to the site (I was a poor uni student at the time) but I can provide a few thoughts re: the warriors.

There's two main attractions - the warriors themselves (which are amazing). There's several buildings and a museum (which includes english explanations IIRC) where you could spend an hour or two. Then there's buses (included in the ticket) that ferry you the 5min trip to Emperor Qin's grave pyramid/hill. You'll need to be a keen walker for this part (I believe that there were electric vehicles which you could hire), and if so, you can walk around the artificial hill which should take 2-3hrs. I enjoyed it, but it's probably not that interesting unless you're a history buff and in which case I'd probably just stick to the warriors.

 

[smeacs]

Re: Xi'an Terracotta warriors

My Girlfriend was there last month and said this ! She can read/speak Mandarin.

Worth visiting and doing a day trip from Xi'an.
entry I caught the public bus from Xi'an, they were cheap (8 yuan one way from memory) and took an hour. Tour guides will insist that you need someone to take you around and tell you about the history, but we managed fine without one and important information about the warriors is in English. Could probably do some extra reading beforehand about the history if very interested! We spent about 2-3 hours there, there are places to eat outside the ticket gates and a buffet restaurant inside for about 70 Yuan
*Entry is about 180 Yuan, depending on peak or non peak season. I think if the traveller is confident to take public transport (remembering that English is not exactly widely spoken in Xi'an), it's the more cost-effective way to go and pretty convenient. Otherwise, there are plenty of tour guides that swamp you near the ticket gates. Make sure to get the official tour guides hired by the park - not sure about prices though!

 

[RooFlyer]

Re: Xi'an Terracotta warriors

Thanks to all here.

So, it looks if I am staying in a downtown hotel, I could get a bus or a taxi to the museum site (less than an hour in a taxi). Just line up and buy a ticket, go past those wanting to 'guide' you (pressure, but NOT compulsory ... is that correct?) and just wander around the several museum buildings for, say, half a day; have lunch inside or outside the ticketed area; optional trip to the burial mound. Ten, presumably catch a taxi or a bus back to town?

That sound about right?

 

[ksthommo]

Re: Xi'an Terracotta warriors

We picked up a driver at Xi'an train station, haven't got his details on me as I'm away from home.
Worked out good value. Yes we purchased our tickets at the site and wandered around on our own.
Walked around the city wall of Xi'an also or you can rent pushbikes. Stayed at Grand Mercure Xi'an
Renmin Square, nice stay.

 

[albatross710]

Re: Xi'an Terracotta warriors

We picked up a driver at Xi'an train station, haven't got his details on me as I'm away from home.
Worked out good value. Yes we purchased our tickets at the site and wandered around on our own.
Walked around the city wall of Xi'an also or you can rent pushbikes. Stayed at Grand Mercure Xi'an
Renmin Square, nice stay.

Oh you are so right about that, we hired bikes on the top of the wall and had great fun. That would be a must as well. Probably a ripoff price wise, but good fun.

 

[PaulST]

Re: Xi'an Terracotta warriors

Thanks to all here.

So, it looks if I am staying in a downtown hotel, I could get a bus or a taxi to the museum site (less than an hour in a taxi). Just line up and buy a ticket, go past those wanting to 'guide' you (pressure, but NOT compulsory ... is that correct?) and just wander around the several museum buildings for, say, half a day; have lunch inside or outside the ticketed area; optional trip to the burial mound. Ten, presumably catch a taxi or a bus back to town?

That sound about right?

I'd probably take private transport (taxi or similar) for the trip from Xi'an to the museum. I took buses myself, but that was with the help of the hostel and trip advisor. Often there'll be times where no one speaks english and you can't rely on hand signals. I'd save the worry and just pay extra for your own car.
I didn't get a guide myself. Up to you. I watched a doco on youtube the night beforehand so had a rough idea of what everything was.
By half a day, do you mean maybe 2-3hrs? You'd struggle to fill more than that IMO. Yeah the burial mound is certainly less of an attraction, but possibly worth it if you'll never go back again and it's a fairly significant place (the first emperor of China was buried there).

 

[gojun]

Re: Xi'an Terracotta warriors

I was there two years ago and used a private tour guide, Brian. If you're interested, I can pass you his contact details. He picked myself and my friends up from the Airport and did a 2.5 day tour around Xi'an, including Terracotta Warriors, the Tombs and other items. It's fairly country side, so I do not recommend eating street food there. My friend and I got a stomach bug, it lasted 10 days for me, I had to go to to hospital for salts, etc.

I stayed for a total of 3 days in winter, it was freezing < 5 degrees. I flew there via Air China from Beijing.