Day trip to Xi’An (from Beijing)

You have a spare day while you are in Beijing. You are in the mood for an excursion that is a bit adventurous. Think Xi’An, the city that is a couple of thousand years older than Beijing, home to the Terra-cotta Warriors, and famous for its lamb noodles.

You’re game? This is how to do it.

Check out of your hotel the day before your planned trip and book the over-night sleeper train to Xi’An. You embark from Beijing West station (北京西站). The fare is around RMB400 (per person, about US$60) for the “soft bed cabin” which take 4 people. If you like a bit more pampering, there is a “deluxe cabin” that is not listed for sale. It is a 2-bed cabin, with attached private bathroom, that is nearly twice the price. The train arrives in Xi’An early the next morning, around 8am.

Someone should arrange a tour guide and a car/driver there for you beforehand. Since this is a tourist city, they are quite reasonable. The tour guide costs about RMB400 and the car/driver about RMB800. So this is about US$200.

To come back, there are two options: the same sleeper train takes about 12 hours. You would embark around 7pm and arrive Beijing around 7am. Or you can take one of the high-speed trains which takes about 6 hours. They depart hourly from 4pm and cost about RMB800 (US$120).

This itinerary requires no luggage other than light toiletries, and is quite affordable. For two people, including the tour-guide, it costs between US$400 and US$600, plus foods, drinks, and souvenirs.

All that for a whole day in one of the oldest cities in the world.

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