Xi'an Metro Guide for Tourists (2026): Lines, Fares & Tips

Xi’an’s metro is the fastest way around the old city and out to the new sights — and it’s QR-code easy for tourists. This guide covers paying, the lines you’ll actually use, fares and the practical details, from the security check at the entrance to scanning out at the Bell Tower.

How to pay

• Alipay QR code (easiest): get the ‘Xi’an metro code’ inside Alipay and scan at the gates — the fare is deducted automatically. Set up Alipay with an international card before you arrive.
• Xi’an Metro app: also fine, linked to Alipay or WeChat.
• Single-journey tickets: at the ticket machines, if you’d rather not use your phone.
• All stations and gates on every line accept QR codes, so you won’t be caught out anywhere on the network. The same code also works for the airport line and the buses, if you add them.

Fares & passes

• Fares are by distance: ¥2 for the first 6km, then ¥3, ¥4 and up. Most sight-to-sight rides run ¥2–8.
• Day pass ¥15 and three-day pass ¥40 (unlimited rides) are great value if you’re hopping around — worth it if you plan three or more rides in a day.
• Transfers inside the paid area are included in a single fare, so a cross-town trip with a line change costs the same as a direct ride of the same length. Most visitors pay as they go, since the per-ride fares are low.

The lines you’ll actually use

• Bell Tower → Big Wild Goose Pagoda: Line 2 to Xiaozhai, change to Line 3 — about 20 minutes, ~¥6.
• To the airport: Line 14 from Xianyang Airport, then Line 2 to the center — about 1 hour.

Step by step: from the entrance to the exit

1. Enter and pass security. Every station screens your bags before the fare gates. Put backpacks and shopping through the X-ray machine and walk through the metal detector; staff may ask to check a liquid. It’s quick, though the queue grows at rush hour.
2. Scan in. Open your Xi’an metro code in Alipay and hold it to the reader at the entrance gate, or insert a single-journey ticket. A green light and the gate opening means you’re through.
3. Ride. Check the line number and direction on the platform signs, then board. Let passengers off first, hold a handrail, and keep bags clear of the doors — eating and drinking are not allowed on the train.
4. Transfer. Follow the bilingual transfer (换乘) signs to change lines. You stay inside the paid area, so the whole journey is one fare, and there’s no need to scan out and back in.
5. Scan out. At your destination, scan your QR or insert your ticket at the exit gate — the fare is deducted then. Use the exit letter (A, B, C, D) your map app recommends, especially at the Bell Tower’s multi-exit station, to come out on the right corner of the square.

Practical tips

• Hours: about 6am–11pm (to 11:30pm on some lines), extended on holidays.
• Avoid peak: 7–9am and 5–7pm are crowded at the Bell Tower and Xiaozhai.
• Luggage: bags go through security scanning at the station entrance.
• Short hops: within the old town, walking or a shared bike often beats the metro.
• Terracotta day trip: start early — the Line 9 ride to Lintong plus the 游5 bus takes the best part of a morning each way, so leave after breakfast.
• Payment and data: set up Alipay and an eSIM before you arrive, since your transit code needs data at the gates.
• Navigation: use Amap or Baidu Maps rather than Google Maps, download offline packs, and screenshot your route before heading underground.

English signage

Xi’an is a major tourist city, so the metro leans English-friendly. Station names appear in Chinese with pinyin underneath, and next-stop announcements are bilingual on the core lines. The ticket machines have an English option. It’s still smart to save the Chinese name of your station in a translation app as a backup, in case of a platform change or a crowded sign. The core lines announce stops in both languages, so following along is easy.

Getting to and from the airport

Xianyang Airport connects to the city on Line 14, then Line 2 to the center — about an hour all in. It’s far cheaper than a taxi, and the transfer is signed inside the station. If you land late, check the last-train time, since taxis and ride-hailing are the fallback after the metro winds down. For the high-speed rail, Xi’an North is on Lines 2 and 4, reaching the Bell Tower in about 30 minutes for roughly ¥4. Allow extra time on arrival: security checks and the walk between platforms can eat 10–20 minutes when you’re rushing a train.

Etiquette and common mistakes

• Let passengers off before boarding, and stand on the right of escalators to leave the left free.
• Give up the priority seats near the doors to the elderly, parents with children and pregnant travellers.
• Don’t eat or drink on the train, and keep your voice down on phone calls.
• Have your QR code ready before the gate — fumbling for Alipay while a queue forms behind you is the classic first-ride slip.
• Don’t ride with big luggage at peak — a suitcase in the 7–9am rush at the Bell Tower is misery for everyone. Take a taxi or ride outside the rush.
• Check the last train if you’re out late; most lines stop around 11pm.

If something goes wrong

If your QR code fails to scan or your ticket gets stuck, head to the staff booth near the gates — station staff are used to helping visitors and the gates won’t trap you. Lost your exit ticket? You can usually pay the maximum fare for your line and leave. If you take the wrong direction, ride to the next stop, cross the platform and come back — the fare adjusts at exit, not at the gate, so a wrong turn costs you nothing extra.

Getting around the city

Xi’an’s sights are well served by Lines 2, 3 and 4 — the city guide maps them out. Line 2 is the north–south spine through the old city, while Lines 3 and 4 fan out to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Daming Palace, so most of the old town is one or two stops apart. For the Terracotta Army, the dedicated guide covers the trip in detail, and our China metro guide explains the system-wide basics.

Where this fits

Xi’an is the second stop on the 7-day, 10-day and two-week routes, and the eastern gateway to the Silk Road. For the city and its hotels, see the Xi’an guide and where to stay.

Fares and hours as of August 2026 — confirm current schedules in a maps app before you travel.