Xi'an North Railway Station is only for high-speed trains. It is the city's main bullet train station, and since it is linked to the metro Line 2 that goes directly to the Bell Tower and other local highlights, you can use this station to fairly quickly and efficiently visit Xi'an's highlights from most major cities in China.
- Chinese: 西安北站 Xī'ānběi Zhàn /sshee-an bay jan/
- Address: Shangxin Road, Weiyang District, Xi'an 西安市未央区尚新路
- Location: 14 kilometers (9 miles) north of the Bell Tower, Xi'an's city center
- Station size: 18 platforms and 34 rail lines
Popular Trains to Other Cities
This bullet train station handles high speed lines eastwards to Beijing West Station, southwest to Wuhan, Changsha South, and Shanghai Station, and southwards to Guangzhou South Station and Shenzhen North Station. Here are popular bullet train travel routes from this station:
- To Beijing West Station: About 14 G trains run there from about 07:50 to 19:15 daily (around 6 hours, 78 USD second class). See Beijing, Luoyang, Xi'an Trains and Beijing to Xi'an bullet train travel tips
- To Pingyao Station for the Ancient City: 7 D trains from 09:05 to 19:05 (around 2h 45 mins., $23 2nd class).
- To Mount Hua: Huashan North Railway Station is served by 17 D trains daily (08:17–21:06, about 35 minutes, ￥55 ($9) 2nd class).
- To Shanghai Station: One D train leaves daily at 20:35 (11 hours 15 minutes, about ￥700 ($124) soft sleeper). Conventional trains offer more variety, are cheaper, and aren't much slower on this route. See below.
Alternative Trains
Conventional trains are available from Xi'an Station. They are cheaper, but they may take two or three times longer.
- Xi'an Station – Beijing West Station 北京西站: 10 trains daily (01:01–22:47), around 13 hours, 44 USD (hard bed)
- Xi'an Station – Shanghai Station 上海站: 13 trains daily (00:49–23:27), around 16 hours, 52 USD (hard bed)
Using the Station
Xi'an North opened in 2011, and in terms of number of platforms, it is one of China's largest bullet train stations. The modern design helps make travel easier. There are two squares (north and south), and the station building is between them.
The south square has the main access: subway station, public bus stops, taxi stands and parking lots for cars.
- 2F has a waiting hall, ticket office, and a commercial area (on the mezzanine) with a variety of food and beverage services and shops. Upon arrival, find the specific waiting area and check-in place according to your ticket.
- 1F has the platforms, ticket offices, exits/entrances.
- B1 is for passenger arrivals and goods handling. It has the arrival hall, subway entrances and exits, and ticket windows.
- B2 has Subway Line 2 access.
For luggage portage, go to the entrance of the first or second floor. The porters can bring the luggage to the train for you (5 RMB piece of luggage and 50 RMB per cart).
See more about How to Get On/Off a Train and 7 Things to Know Before Riding a Train.
Transportation - to/from Xi'an North Station
Buses
Street map of Xi'an North's location. Click to enlarge it.Taxis
General fares for going to Xianyang International Airport (30 minutes, 80 RMB); to the Bell Tower (central Xi'an) (23 minutes, 40 RMB); to Xi'an Railway Station (30 minutes, 38 RMB).
Subway
The Xi'an North Railway Station subway station is called Bei Ke Zhan 北客站 on Line 2. Trains run from 06:00 to 22:55. The system is small, but it can bring you to the downtown area (near the Bell Tower 钟楼). Ticket prices are 3 - 4 RMB.
If you are traveling with big luggage, this option is not recommended, especially when the trains are crowded during morning, noon, and evening rush hours.
To Xi'an Railway Station
- For Xi'an Railway Station: Take Line 2 to North Street Station (北大街, 9 stops) and Line 1 to Wulukou Station (五路口站, 1 stop), then walk 500m northwards to Xi'an Railway Station (西安火车站). Journey time: 1 hour.
- You could also take bus 266 there directly in 1 hour 20 minutes.
To Xi'an Xianyang International Airport
Xi'an Xianyang International Airport has no subway yet. Taxi or bus is the best option unless you want to go by private transport.
- Airport Shuttle Bus Line 6 goes directly there from 09:00 to 19:40 every 40 minutes. It takes about an hour and costs about 25 RMB.
To the Terracotta Warriors Museum
Terracotta Army in Xi'anThe Terracotta Warriors can be reached by riding the subway and bus:
- Take Line 2 to North Street Station (北大街) and change to Line 1 to Wulukou Station (五路口站) - take exit D and take Tourism Bus 5, 306, or 914 to the Terracotta Army.
Taxis are not recommended due to the many scams, but if you can find a reliable one the price should be about 300 yuan. A tour with private transport may be your best option. If you are looking for tour planning ideas, see below.
Booking Train Tickets
Ticket windows are on both sides of the entrance of 1F. They are open from 05:30 to 24:00. Ticket windows for ticket changes and refunds are located inside the office on the east side.
Booking By Yourself
The are four train stations in the city, so make sure your ticket is for the station you want to leave from. Check the name carefully.
You could book tickets in the station, at other train stations, or at many ticket windows in the city. You can also book online with our China train booking service. See How to Buy Tickets in China>>
Booking With Us
About 10,000 satisfied customers each year book tickets with our service.
- 24/7 service
- 3 easy steps: search trains, book tickets, pay
- The tickets are delivered by express mail to your appointed address
Tour Planning Ideas Using Xi'an North Station
See major tourist sights on the Beijing to Xi'an Train Travel Route. Or see our most popular tours below for inspiration:
- The Golden Triangle - our 8-day Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai Private Tour
- 3-day essence Xi'an tour takes you to major attractions around the city such as Shaanxi History Museum, the Terracotta Warriors, and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
You can use the bullet trains to quickly see highlights of China's top tourist areas, and our private transport and guide will let you see and do more in a relaxed and comfortable way. If you want to adjust an itinerary, we can tailor-make it for you.