Short answer
Book through the museum's official site or its WeChat channel with your passport, a few days ahead in peak season. Real-name booking applies to every visitor including foreign passport holders, and the passport you booked with is what you show at the gate. The site is outside Xi'an, so allow most of a day.
Booking with a passport
- Real-name booking — enter the passport you will carry
- Peak-season entry is around 120 CNY; off-season is lower
- Book a few days ahead for holidays and summer
- Bring the passport itself, not a screenshot
Getting there from Xi'an
The museum sits east of the city. Tourist buses run from the railway station area, and a car saves about an hour each way. Most visitors combine it with the city wall or the Muslim Quarter on the same day.
How long to allow
Two to three hours on site is comfortable. Pit 1 is the largest; the bronze chariots in the exhibition hall are the part people skip and then regret.
Related guides
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Where these matter
Official sources
- Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Museum — visitor guide: real-name booking for all visitors including foreign passport holders, via the official website or the WeChat account; the passport or other valid ID is checked at the gate (bmy.com.cn)
- Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Museum — season definitions used on the official site: peak season 16 March – 15 November, off-season 16 November – 15 March (bmy.com.cn)
Policies and booking channels change — check the official channel before you rely on it.