China Guide
The Yellow River
Arrival
Xi'an's airport, 40km northwest of the city, is connected to town by regular airport buses (6am–8pm; ¥25), which drop passengers off at the Melody Hotel, just west of the Bell Tower. A taxi costs ¥100.
The busy train station, in the northeast corner of town, just outside the city walls, is a major stop on routes from Zhengzhou, Beijing, Chengdu and Lanzhou. City buses leave from the tangled north end of Jiefang Lu, just south of the station – buses #206, #205, #201 and #610 (aka tourist bus #8) will get you to the Bell and Drum tower area.
The main bus station faces the train station at the top of Jiefang Lu (same buses into town as for the train station). Other major depots include the east bus station, 2km outside the walls, on Changle Lu (catch bus #13 to the main bus station or a taxi to accommodation); the Shichang depot, just outside the southwestern corner of the walls (bus #15 to the Drum Tower); and the Chengnan depot, about 3km south of the walls on Zhuque Dajie (taxi is your best bet).