Xi'an North Railway Station

Station name and what to look for

Match the Chinese characters on your ticket to the characters above. English translations of Chinese station names vary between booking sites, but the Chinese name is the same everywhere.

About the station

Xi’an North is one of the largest stations in Asia and the hub for the high-speed lines to Zhengzhou, Beijing, Lanzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing. Almost all long-distance high-speed travel to and from Xi’an goes through here.

The station is a long way north of the old city wall and the Terracotta Army side of town, which surprises people who expect the station to be central. The metro ride in takes a while.

Xi’an also has the older Xi’an station inside the city wall, which handles conventional services. The two are not close.

Getting to and from Xi'an

Metro Line 2 runs from the station south through the city centre to the Xiaozhai area; Line 4 also serves it. The ride to the old city takes around half an hour.

For the Terracotta Army, the practical route is metro to the city then a dedicated bus, or a taxi from town rather than from the station.

What catches travellers out here

• Xi'an North (西安北) and Xi'an (西安) are different stations. North is high-speed; the central one is conventional.
• The station is far from the centre. Do not book a hotel near the old city and expect a quick taxi hop to the station at rush hour.

Before you travel

Tickets are issued against your passport and there is no paper ticket to collect for most domestic services. Read the booking guide if this is your first Chinese train, or the seat class guide if you are choosing between a hard sleeper and a soft sleeper. For the station itself, the general station guide explains how gates and boarding work at any Chinese station.

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