Terracotta Army ticket prices at a glance
The adult ticket costs CNY 120, and the price is the same in summer and winter. The ticket covers Pits 1, 2 and 3, the exhibition of relics and the Lishan Garden. A free shuttle connects the museum areas. Two optional vehicles cost extra: CNY 5 inside the museum area and CNY 15 in Lishan Garden. They are not the same as the free shuttle.
Foreign visitors also book in advance, with a real name. Use your original passport for the booking, and bring the same passport to the gate. The person, the ticket and the document must match, and you enter in the time window you booked.
Our picks: Terracotta Army tickets
Our take: all three cover the museum entry. Take the ticket with a family lunch option if you may want a guided day later, and the passport ticket if you only need the entry.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Terracotta Army entry ticket
- Museum entry
- All pits of the museum
A simple ticket if you travel to Lintong on your own.
Check availability โTerracotta Army ticket on your passport
- Terracotta Army entry
- Passport as ticket
The booking is linked to your passport, which you show at the gate.
Check availability โ
Terracotta Army ticket or tour with family lunch
- Terracotta Army entry
- Hotel transfer with the tour
- Family lunch with the tour
The tour option adds hotel transfer, a guide and lunch with a local family; the ticket option is entry only.
Check availability โTerracotta Army tickets and guided tours
Tours with a transfer and a guide, with live prices and availability. Check whether the entry ticket is part of the offer or has to be bought separately.
Who pays what
Prices as of 2026. Rules for reduced and free entry are written for Chinese citizens.
| Visitor | Price | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | CNY 120 | Same in both seasons |
| Student | CNY 60 | Written for full-time students in Chinese education up to bachelor level |
| Chinese minor under 16 with an adult | Free | Up to 3 children per adult |
| Chinese senior from 65 | Free | Written for Chinese citizens |
| Foreign children and seniors | โ | Do not plan on free entry; ask when you book |
| Optional vehicle in the museum area | CNY 5 | Not the free shuttle |
| Optional vehicle in Lishan Garden | CNY 15 | Not the free shuttle |
Do not count on the student rate with a foreign student card, and plan with the adult price. For most visitors, the adult ticket at CNY 120 is the one to budget for.
How booking with a passport works
The museum sells tickets by real name. That includes foreign visitors and anyone who would enter free. You reserve for a date and time window, enter your passport data and bring the same original passport to the entrance.
- Museum channels: the museum's own website and two WeChat accounts, ็งฆๅง็ๅธ้ตๅ็ฉ้ข and ๅ ต้ฉฌไฟ็ฅจๅกๅจ็บฟ. The website mentions passport data explicitly.
- Third-party sites: other sites sell tickets or tours as well. A site that links to a reseller is not the museum administration, and any ticket still needs your real name and passport data.
- Payment: Alipay and WeChat Pay can be set up with a foreign phone number and an international card. That does not guarantee that every card works for every booking, so keep a second way to pay.
- Gate: there is a security check. Dangerous items, pets, drones and bicycles are not allowed in.
Do not count on buying a ticket at the gate. Reserve first, and check the current booking steps and time windows on the day you book. Skip-the-line offers do not remove the security check or the passport check.
What the ticket covers
Two areas, one entry.
Pits 1, 2 and 3
The halls over the excavation pits with the warriors, horses and chariot remains. Pit 1 is the largest and the first stop for most visitors.
The three pits โExhibition of relics
Finds from the tomb complex, shown in the museum area alongside the pits.
Lishan Garden
The archaeological park of the mausoleum, with the grave mound and the museum with the bronze chariots.
The mausoleum โTime on site
The two areas take about 1.5 hours each. Add the walk, the queue at the security check and the trip from Xi'an.
Getting there โFake sellers and detours
Some drivers and guides near the Qinlingxi stop offer rides or tours. A few of them lead visitors to private, simulated tomb chambers that are advertised as official. These are not the museum and not the real tomb. Not every driver or bus is a scam, but you can protect yourself:
- Book your ticket before you travel and keep the booking on your phone.
- Take the public Metro and bus, a taxi from a rank or a ride-hailing app, or a tour that names its meeting point.
- Decline any offer of a private "tomb chamber" or a package whose price you cannot see.
- Ask what extra costs are voluntary before you agree to a package.
A guided tour can handle the transfer for you. Compare the options on the tours page.
Opening hours and busy days
From 16 March to 15 November, the ticket check runs from 08:30 to 17:00 and the museum closes at 18:30. From 16 November to 15 March, the check ends at 16:30 and closing is at 18:00. A later closing time or last check is possible, so plan around the earlier time.
The busiest holiday weeks are Spring Festival in February, Labour Day in early May, Mid-Autumn in September or October and National Day from 1 to 7 October. Expect long queues in such weeks. For weather and the quietest months, see best time to visit.
Terracotta Army tickets: frequently asked questions
How much is a Terracotta Army ticket in 2026?
CNY 120 for adults, the same in both seasons. The student rate of CNY 60 is written for students in Chinese education. Optional vehicles cost CNY 5 in the museum area and CNY 15 in Lishan Garden.
Do I need my passport to book?
Yes. Tickets are sold by real name, and foreign visitors use their original passport for the booking and at the gate.
Can I buy a ticket at the entrance?
Do not count on it. Reserve first. The booking steps and time windows can change, so check them when you book.
Do children and seniors enter free?
The free-entry rules are written for Chinese citizens: minors under 16 with an adult and seniors from 65. Do not plan on free entry for foreign children or seniors, and ask when you book.
Does the ticket include the Lishan Garden?
Yes. The ticket covers Pits 1 to 3, the exhibition of relics and the Lishan Garden. A free shuttle runs between the museum areas.
Is this the official ticket website?
No. This is an independent travel guide with no link to the museum, any Chinese authority or any seller. It explains how tickets work. You book through the museum's own channels or a seller of your choice.