01

Getting there from KL: flights and KLIA terminals

At the time of writing only AirAsia X flies non-stop between Kuala Lumpur and Xi'an: flight D7346 from KLIA Terminal 2, usually on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, taking about five and a quarter hours. From 25 October 2026 it leaves at 18:00 and lands at 23:15; on the summer timetable it departs at 19:05 and lands at 00:30 the next day. The return, D7347, leaves Xi'an after midnight and reaches KLIA Terminal 2 early in the morning. There is no time difference.

China Eastern Airlines sells a daily KL to Xi'an service from KLIA Terminal 1, but it stops in Kunming, so allow around eight hours.

At the time of writing, Amaboxly's fare scan (21 September 2026 update) puts the cheapest one-way seat at about RM 528 on the AirAsia X non-stop, with a median near RM 690. One-stop fares started from around RM 539 on Shenzhen Airlines via Shenzhen, RM 630 on China Southern via Guangzhou and RM 679 on Scoot via Singapore.

02

Xianyang Airport to the city

Xianyang International Airport (XIY) sits about 25 km northwest of central Xi'an, close to the neighbouring city of Xianyang. International flights use Terminal 5, a Tang-style hall that opened in February 2025. Costs are indicative, at about RM 0.61 per yuan (CNY).

• Metro Line 14: from the Airport (T5) station, about 40 minutes to Xi'an North Railway Station, then Line 2 south to the Bell Tower. Fares are CNY 2 to CNY 9, so under RM 6. Trains run from about 06:00 to roughly 23:30, so the late AirAsia X arrival usually misses them.
• Airport shuttle bus: about CNY 25 (RM 15) and 60 to 90 minutes, on several lines including a non-stop service to the Bell Tower area. Buses run from about 04:00 until around 01:00; ask at the counter which lines still operate after a late landing.
• Taxi: CNY 100 to CNY 200 (RM 60 to RM 120) to the centre, 30 to 60 minutes. Use the rank at the Ground Transportation Centre on level 1 and make sure the meter is running.
• DiDi: works here, with an English interface.

After midnight with kids and luggage, a taxi or hotel pickup is simplest.

03

Where to stay in Xi'an

Nearly everything worth seeing lies inside the 13.7 km Ming wall or just south of it, so stay close to a metro stop.

• Bell Tower and Drum Tower: the most convenient base and the natural pick for Muslim travellers, with the Muslim Quarter, the Great Mosque and halal food on the doorstep. Metro Lines 2 and 6 cross here.
• South Gate (Yongning Gate): where most people start cycling the wall, beside Shuyuanmen, a lane of calligraphy and art shops. Still walkable to the Muslim Quarter.
• Qujiang, around the Big Wild Goose Pagoda: newer and greener, near the Shaanxi History Museum and the evening lights of the Grand Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City. Halal dinners mean a metro ride north.
• Xi'an North Railway Station: plain but practical, on Line 14 to the airport and with fast trains to Mount Hua. Handy for a first night after the late flight.

Room rates climb sharply for October's Golden Week and around Chinese New Year.

04

Things to do in Xi'an

• Terracotta Army: clay soldiers guarding the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor. See the last section for tickets and transport.
• City Wall: rent a bike on the 13.7 km Ming rampart for CNY 45 (about RM 27) for three hours, on top of the CNY 54 entry. A loop takes two to three hours.
• Muslim Quarter: about ten streets and alleys north of the Drum Tower, with Beiyuanmen as the busy spine. Mid-morning is calmer.
• Great Mosque, Huajue Lane: a Ming-era mosque built like a Chinese temple around four courtyards. Muslims enter free; others pay CNY 25 (CNY 15 in winter).
• Big Wild Goose Pagoda: a UNESCO-listed Tang pagoda. CNY 10 for the temple grounds and CNY 25 more to climb for city views.
• Grand Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City: a free, lantern-lit avenue south of the pagoda with costumed shows after dark, and very crowded.
• Shaanxi History Museum: free, but tickets drop five days ahead on a Chinese-language WeChat account and vanish fast. The newer Qin and Han branch is easier.
• Mount Hua: a sheer granite mountain some 120 km east, by high-speed train to Huashan North, with cable cars and cliff paths. A long day.

05

What to eat in Xi'an

Northwest Chinese food is about wheat, not rice: noodles, flatbread and buns, with lamb and beef everywhere. Many signature dishes come from the Hui Muslim kitchen, though some also exist in pork versions elsewhere in town, so read the halal section before ordering outside the Muslim Quarter.

• Yangrou paomo: flatbread you tear into crumbs, drowned in lamb broth.
• Roujiamo: the so-called Chinese burger. Shaanxi's classic filling is braised pork, but Muslim Quarter stalls stuff it with beef seasoned with cumin and pepper.
• Biangbiang noodles: broad, hand-pulled ribbons with chilli oil, named after a character so complex that few people can write it.
• Liangpi: cold, chewy noodles in a sour, spicy sauce, ideal on hot days.
• Persimmon cakes: little fried cakes with sweet fillings, eaten hot.
• Jinggao: steamed sticky rice with dates, a morning cart snack.
• Lamb skewers: charcoal-grilled with cumin and chilli after sunset.

Beiyuanmen is the loudest and most touristy lane, while Beiguangji Street and Dapiyuan feel quieter and more local.

06

Halal food and prayer spaces

Few Chinese cities are as easy for Muslim visitors. Xi'an's Hui Muslims, Chinese-speaking descendants of Silk Road traders, number in the tens of thousands, and the old quarter has several historic mosques.

• Muslim Quarter: behind the Drum Tower, lane after lane of Hui-run eateries, and no pork is sold. Most display the 清真 (qingzhen, meaning halal) sign.
• What the sign means: it shows the restaurant presents itself as halal under local custom. It is not a JAKIM certificate, so treat these places like Muslim-owned restaurants overseas and ask when unsure.
• Elsewhere: look for the same sign. Lanzhou beef noodle shops, found all over China, grew out of Hui Muslim cooking and make a good standby.
• Mosques: the Great Mosque on Huajue Lane is a working mosque that admits Muslims free; non-Muslims pay and may not enter the prayer hall. Its western twin, the Daxuexi Alley Mosque, lies a short walk away off West Street. Dress modestly, sleeves included.
• Airport: we could not confirm a public prayer room at Xianyang Airport, so pack a travel mat and plan prayers around the mosques in town.
• Apps: download Muslim Pro or a similar app for prayer times and qibla before you fly.

07

Getting around Xi'an

The metro, with a dozen or so lines and signs in both English and Chinese, is the quickest way around. Fares start at CNY 2 for the first 6 km, and most trips in town cost CNY 2 to CNY 5 (about RM 1.20 to RM 3).

• Paying: single tickets from station machines, the Xi'an Metro app, or a transit QR code in Alipay. A rechargeable transport card gives a small discount, and day passes exist too.
• Stations to know: Bell Tower (Lines 2 and 6) for the Muslim Quarter, Yongning Gate (Line 2) for the wall's South Gate, Dayanta (Lines 3 and 4) for the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Xiaozhai (Lines 2 and 3) for the history museum, and Huaqingchi (Line 9) towards the Terracotta Army.
• Ride-hailing: Grab does not operate in China, so use DiDi, which has an English interface and real-time chat translation with drivers.
• Taxis: metered and common. Save your hotel's name and address in Chinese characters to show drivers.
• Walking: the walled centre is flat, with the Bell Tower, Drum Tower and Muslim Quarter minutes apart.

08

Sample itinerary: four days in Xi'an

This plan assumes the late AirAsia X arrival and keeps halal meals close.

• Day 1: Stroll from the Bell Tower to the Drum Tower and into the Muslim Quarter for a late breakfast of yangrou paomo. See the Great Mosque, then cycle the City Wall from the South Gate in the late afternoon.
• Day 2: Early start for the Terracotta Army with your booked ticket and passport. Take in the three pits and the mausoleum site. Evening: lamb skewers and persimmon cakes.
• Day 3: Shaanxi History Museum in the morning (booked five days ahead) and the nearby Big Wild Goose Pagoda after lunch. Stay south for the lights of the Grand Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City, then take the metro back north for dinner.
• Day 4: Either a full day on Mount Hua by high-speed train, or an easy day of souvenir and snack shopping around Shuyuanmen and the Muslim Quarter. The flight home leaves after midnight, so allow about an hour for the ride plus check-in time.

09

Money, SIM and practical tips

• Currency: the yuan (CNY, or RMB). As of late September 2026, one ringgit gets you about CNY 1.65, so CNY 100 is around RM 61.
• Paying: phones do almost everything. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay at home and link your Malaysian Visa or Mastercard. At the time of writing Alipay charges 3 percent on payments above CNY 200. Touch 'n Go eWallet also works at many Alipay merchants via Alipay+, but China is not one of PayNet's DuitNow QR cross-border countries. Carry a little cash for small stalls; the airport has bank ATMs.
• Internet: Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube are blocked on Chinese networks. A Malaysian roaming plan or travel eSIM may still reach them, since foreign SIMs are treated differently, but it is not guaranteed.
• Maps: Google Maps may not load on Chinese networks, so install a backup map app.
• Power: 230V sockets that accept Type A and Type I plugs, so pack an adapter for Malaysian three-pin (Type G) plugs.
• Tipping: not expected.
• Scams: Xi'an is safe overall; use the official taxi rank rather than ride offers inside the terminal, and buy tickets through official channels.
• ID: carry your passport daily, since the Terracotta Army, museums and trains check it.

10

Terracotta Warriors: tickets and transport

The site is in Lintong, east of the city, beside the burial mound of Qin Shi Huang.

• Tickets: CNY 120 (about RM 73) for adults, covering the museum pits and the mausoleum site. Booking is by real name on the official website or WeChat account, and travel guides advise reserving about a week ahead. Bring that passport; it is checked at security. Buses inside cost CNY 5 to CNY 15.
• Hours: 8:30 to 18:30 from 16 March to 15 November (last entry 17:00), and 8:30 to 18:00 in winter (last entry 16:30).
• City bus 306: from Fangzhicheng Bus Station, about CNY 5 and 1.5 hours.
• Tourist bus: CNY 30 (about RM 18) one-way from stops near the Bell Tower and Dayanta station, departing 8:00 to 14:00.
• Metro plus bus: Line 9 to Huaqingchi, then bus 602 or 613, about 1.5 hours and CNY 15 altogether.
• Taxi or DiDi: about 40 minutes and CNY 120 to CNY 150 (RM 73 to RM 90) each way, good for groups.
• Time: two and a half to three hours for the main route, up to six hours for everything.

Skip Chinese school and public holidays if you can. On ordinary weekdays crowds thin after about 15:00, though that leaves only two hours before summer last entry.