Xian is only a short flight or around 12 hours by train from Beijing. Most people visiting China include Xian in their itinerary with Beijing and Shanghai. The main attraction in Xian is the Army of Terracotta Warriors. It is about an hour away from Xian by bus.

Tours can be booked through your hotel or you can travel there by yourself on public transport. Bus 306 leaves frequently from Xian train station to the warriors and costs just 7RMB. It also makes a stop at Huaqing Hot Springs. Most organized tours include these two destinations along with the Tomb of Qin Shi Huang.

You can also pay for a guide at the warrior site. Worth visiting is the 360 degree cinema which has a short film explaining the background and history of the warriors. It could be a good idea to visit this first, but if you are like me you will probably rush to see the warriors.

It is an extremely popular place with domestic and foreign visitors which can be a bit frustrating. Fortunately tour groups move fairly quickly so if you are patient you will eventually get to the front.