Where to Stay in Xi'an

Why it works

• Position: Metro Line 2 stops at Bell Tower, which is the crossing of the two main axes. The wall, the drum tower and the Muslim Quarter are all on foot.
• Food: the quarter behind the drum tower is the best eating in the city, and it runs late. This is the reason to stay here rather than the sights.
• Range: the densest hotel stock inside the walls, from budget chains to converted courtyard properties.

Why it works

• Position: Metro Line 2 stops at Yongningmen, one stop south of the Bell Tower, with the wall and its moat park immediately outside.
• Atmosphere: the lanes here are residential and the evenings are quiet, which the Bell Tower area never is.
• Access: the wall is climbable from the South Gate, and the evening light on it is the best photograph in the city.

Why it works

• Sights: the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, the Tang Paradise gardens and the Great Tang All Day Mall are all within this district, and the evening illuminations are the draw.
• Transport: Metro Lines 3 and 4 both serve Dayanta, and Line 4 reaches the Tang Paradise and the North Station directly.
• Space: newer hotels with larger rooms than the walled city's older stock, which suits families.

Why it works

• Rail: the largest high-speed station in north-west China, with direct services to Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Zhengzhou.
• Airport: Metro Line 14 links the station to the airport, which makes a rail-to-air connection possible without a taxi.
• Value: the cheapest rooms in the city, built for business travellers passing through.

Why it works

• Hotels: international-standard rooms at rates below the walled city, with the space and quiet that come with a new district.
• Transport: Metro Lines 3 and 6 connect the zone to Dayanta and the centre without a change.
• Life: a working district with real restaurants and coffee, rather than a visitor strip.

Inside the wall or outside it

Xi'an's Ming wall is a rectangle about 14 km around, and almost every first-visit sight sits inside it or just south of it. Staying inside means walking to the Bell Tower, the Muslim Quarter and the wall itself. Staying outside means a metro ride before anything starts.

• Inside the walls: Bell Tower and South Gate. Walkable, atmospheric, and the streets are narrow enough that taxis are optional.
• South of the wall: Dayanta and Qujiang. The Tang sights and evening shows, with newer and larger rooms than the walled city offers.
• North: Xi'an North Station. A rail hub with nothing else to recommend it beyond an early departure.

From Xianyang airport

Xianyang International (XIY) sits about 30 km north-west of the Bell Tower, outside the city. Metro Line 14 connects the terminals to Xi'an North Station, where Lines 2 and 4 take you on.

• By metro: Line 14 from the airport to Xi'an North Station, about 30-40 minutes and eight stops, around ¥7. Change to Line 2 for the Bell Tower, which brings the total to roughly an hour and ¥8.
• By airport bus: the Bell Tower line runs to the Bell Tower hotel strip, ¥25, about 1-1.5 hours. The Dayanta and Qujiang stops have been suspended since February 2025, so the bus no longer serves the south of the city.
• By taxi: ¥120-150 to the centre, 40-60 minutes. Line 14 stops running in the evening, so a late arrival means bus or taxi.

Check the property accepts foreign passports

Almost all licensed hotels register international guests without issue, and no separate permit is required in order to take foreign guests. A minority of small guesthouses and courtyard conversions inside the walls still turn foreign visitors away, which is not permitted. Confirm in the booking notes before you pay. At check-in you show your passport and the hotel registers it with the police, which is routine.

When prices move

• Peak weeks: National Day (1-7 October), Labour Day and Chinese New Year. Xi'an is one of the most visited cities in the country and the wall gets crowded in a way that is hard to describe.
• Spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November): the best weather and the highest weekend rates.
• Winter (December-February): cold and clear, and the low season. Rates drop sharply and the sights are almost empty on weekdays.

Book smart

• Compare Booking.com, Agoda, Trip.com and the hotel's own site; booking direct sometimes beats the platforms.
• The Terracotta Army sits about 40 km east of the city and takes most of a day. Do not book it around a same-day flight.
• Ask reception to hold your bags after check-out, which covers a late train north. Confirm at booking whether there is a charge.

• Getting in from the airport: Airport to City Transport - metro, bus and taxi prices for Xianyang.
• Reaching Xi'an from elsewhere: China City Transit Matrix - rail against flying, priced door to door.
• What to do once you are here: What to Do in China - fourteen experiences worth planning a trip around.

What is the best area to stay in Xi'an for tourists?

Inside the city walls, between the Bell Tower and the South Gate. Both sit on Metro Line 2, put the Muslim Quarter and the wall within walking distance, and cover every price level. Dayanta and Qujiang, south of the wall, suit anyone building the trip around the Tang-dynasty sights and the evening shows.

How do I get from Xianyang airport to the city?

Metro Line 14 runs from the airport to Xi'an North Station in about 30-40 minutes for roughly 7 yuan, where you change to Line 2 for the Bell Tower: about an hour and 8 yuan in total. The airport bus reaches the Bell Tower in 1-1.5 hours for 25 yuan; the Dayanta and Qujiang stops have been suspended since February 2025. A taxi is 120-150 yuan and takes 40-60 minutes.

Should I stay inside or outside the city walls?

Inside, for a first visit. The Bell Tower, the Muslim Quarter and the wall itself are all a walk away, and the walled city is compact enough that a taxi is optional. Stay outside only if you are building the trip around Dayanta, or if you have an early train from Xi'an North Station.

Is it better to stay near the Bell Tower or the South Gate?

The Bell Tower for food and transport, the South Gate for quiet. They are one metro stop apart. The Bell Tower is the crossing of the two main axes and the Muslim Quarter is on its doorstep; the South Gate has the wall outside the window and almost no night noise, at the cost of a ten-minute walk for dinner.

Can foreigners stay anywhere in Xi'an?

Nearly all licensed hotels register international guests without issue. Small guesthouses and courtyard conversions inside the walls sometimes turn foreign visitors away, though the practice is not permitted. Confirm the property accepts foreign passports before booking.