For tourists, taxi might be the most convenient way to get around. Most taxi cars in xian are green in color with bright head lights, which are easy to recognize. The taxi fee info is like the following:
- 6.00 or 8.00 for the first 2 kilometers based on different types of cars;
- after the first 2 kilos, 1.50 or 2.4 per kilo based on different types of cars;
- under certain circumstances like waiting in a traffic jam or for the lights to turn green, it is charged as 1 kilo per 5 minutes;
- from 11.00 pm to 6.00 am, it is charged as 7.00 or 9.00 for the first 2 kilos based on different types of cars and after the first 2 kilos, 1.80 or 2.7 per kilo;
- all the invoices should be printed according the actual distance instead of the former tickers with fix charges.
The buses in Xian are far from adequacy, which makes them crowded all the time especially during rush hours and weekends. Most buses do not have conductors, and you just need to input one yuan (or two for buses with air-conditionings, whose bus numbers are usually start with a letter K) into the box. You need to get changes ready first because drivers do not have changes to give you back if you have input a big note.
There are mini-buses with conductors, which are charged based on distance from 0.5 yuan to more than 3 yuan.
Tourist buses are available to all of the main sightseeing sites. The detailed information is as following:
All buses operate once only each day except You 5, which makes it difficult to get a seat. Our advice is that to arrive one hour before the bus departs.
Bus No. Route Stop-over Schedule Fare You 1 (Bus No. 1)
Railway station > Hua Mountain departs at 8.00 am; returns at 17.00 18.00 pp for one way You 2 (Bus No. 2) Railway station > TaiBai Mountain Famen Temple departs at 8.00 am, returns from TaiBai Mountain at 16.00; from Famen Temple at 15.00. 18.00 pp for one way You 3 (Bus No. 3) Railway station > Qianling Mausoleum departs at 8.00 am, returns at 16.00;
during holidays: departs at 7.00 am, returns at 17.00.12.00 pp for one way You 5 (Bus No. 5, also No. 306) Railway station > Hua Mountain Huaqing htspring departs: 7.00 am - 18.00; returns: 7.00 am - 18.00 5.00 pp for one way; 8.00 pp for a round trip
Inquiry No.: 84031313 (Not bilingual, please have someone speaking Chinese help you)
Notes:
1. The Bus You 5 departs in front of Jie Fang Fan Dian instead of the Xi Guang Chang (Western Square of the railway station), which is its parking place. You 5 is the state-operated bus which provides better services than many mini-buses, which are not operated by the state, though they claim to be. We do not suggest you take those mini-buses because their departure is based on its occupancy but not any certain schedule and the drivers and conductors probably would push you to do some shopping even without your approval.
2. During Labor's Day Holiday (May 1st to 7th), You 1, You 2, You 3 and You 4 will more buses for daily departures. You 5 will keep the same schedule as usual.
3. Bus You 2 has different bus to TaiBai Mountain and Famen Temple. Please make sure to get on the right one for your destination.
