Book your Terracotta Army ticket through a channel you trust, carry the passport you booked with, and aim for the morning. Passports or ID cards are needed to buy tickets and enter the museum[1], so the name on the ticket should match your passport.
If you worry that a Chinese booking page will not accept a Malaysian phone number or card, that is a common first-timer worry and it has practical answers.
What do you need to get in?
Your passport, and a ticket in the same name. Keep the original passport in your day bag, because a photo on your phone is a poor backup.
Before you leave Xi’an, check the booking in your phone and take a screenshot. Mobile signal at big sights can be slow when crowds arrive.
How much does it cost and when is it open?
Published prices differ between sources. The Shaanxi government page lists admission at 120 yuan, while other sources list 150 yuan from March to November and 120 yuan from December to February[2]. Treat both as guides and confirm on the day you book.
Opening hours change with the season. The museum opens 08:30 to 18:00 from 16 March to 15 November, and 08:30 to 17:30 from 16 November to 15 March[3]. Plan to arrive near opening, when queues are shortest.
Is there timed entry?
Some big Chinese sights sell tickets by date and time slot. Jiuzhaigou, for example, uses timed tickets with a daily limit of 41,000 visitors[4]. When you open the Terracotta booking page, check whether it asks you to choose a slot, and choose the earliest one you can manage.
What if the booking page rejects your phone or card?
Try these in order:
- Another channel that accepts a passport and an overseas phone number.
- A Chinese-speaking friend or relative to book for you, using your passport details.
- Your hotel front desk, which can help.
- A licensed agency, if you prefer a guide and transfer arranged.
Read our guide on how to check advance booking for the general method.
What will you see?
The site has three main pits, with Pit 1 the largest and Pit 3 the smallest[5]. Pit 1 is believed to hold about 6,000 warriors and horses, of which about 2,000 are on display[6]. Farmers drilling a well in Lintong District near Xi’an found the army in 1974[7].
Our Terracotta Army visit guide covers the route inside and how to get there.
Seniors and children
Allow slow walking and seat breaks. Ask the ticket office whether your parents or children qualify for any reduction, using our discount and ID guide.
What to do next
Fix your Xi’an dates first, then book the Terracotta ticket. Compare the effort of a Xi’an stay with Beijing in our Beijing versus Xi’an guide, and browse the prep topic hub for the rest of your checklist.