The fastest high-speed train from Beijing to Xi’an takes 4 hours 10 minutes, and most express trains take 4 hours 10 to 4 hours 25 minutes. The fastest trains run from Beijing West to Xi’an North. Second class costs from about CNY 525 (about US$78), and fares vary by train and date. Book on 12306 with your passport.
- Stations: Beijing West to Xi’an North for the fastest trains
- Fastest: 4 h 10 min (G351 and G365, as of November 2026)
- Fares: second class from about CNY 525, first class from about CNY 840, business class from about CNY 1,837
- Booking: 12306 website or app, with your passport; sales open 15 days ahead
- Boarding: bring the passport you booked with; arrive 45–60 minutes early
Why take the train to Xi’an
Xi’an is where the Terracotta Warriors stand in their pits, row after row, each face a little different from the next. On our sample date, G351 left Beijing West at 07:55 and pulled into Xi’an North at 12:05, so you watch the plains of northern China go by all morning and still sit down to lunch in Xi’an. There’s no airport check-in and no wait at a baggage belt, because your bags travel in the carriage with you.
Times, classes and fares
These figures come from the 12306 timetable and fare query for a sample travel date, Thursday 12 November 2026. Fares are dynamic in China, so use them as a guide and check 12306 for your own date.
| Item | Beijing to Xi’an |
|---|---|
| From / to | Beijing West to Xi’an North |
| Fastest trains | 4 h 10 min (G351, 07:55–12:05; G365, 09:55–14:05) |
| Most express trains | 4 h 10 min to 4 h 25 min |
| Slower trains | 5 h 13 min to 5 h 50 min |
| Beijing West to Xi’an North trains | 17 on the sample date |
| Second class | about CNY 525–618 (about US$78–92) |
| First class | about CNY 840–988 (about US$125–147) |
| Business class | about CNY 1,837–1,945 (about US$274–290) |
Second class is a comfortable choice for a four-hour ride, and it’s the class included on our multi-city tour. First class, from about CNY 840 (about US$125), buys a roomier seat, and business class, from about CNY 1,837 (about US$274), has the most space on the train. Children aged 6 to 14 pay a child fare, anyone over 14 pays the full fare, and each adult may bring one child under 6 free without a seat of their own.
How to book
Book on China Railway’s 12306 English website, 12306.cn/en, or in the 12306 app. Tickets are issued in your name: the English site accepts only valid foreign passports, and your identity is verified automatically, by uploading your passport photo page, or at a station ticket window. Payment works online with a Chinese or foreign bank card or a mobile payment app, and at station windows by bank card, cash in yuan or mobile payment.
- When sales open: 15 days before departure, counting the travel day.
- Sales hours: 5:00 to 1:00 the next morning (5:00 to 23:30 on Tuesdays).
- Changes: free if made more than 48 hours before departure, subject to the rules.
With 17 trains from Beijing West to Xi’an North on our sample date, choice is limited, so book as soon as sales open for the departure time you want. Our Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai tour already includes second-class tickets from Beijing to Xi’an and on to Shanghai, and we book them for you.
Tell us your dates, group size and what you would like to see. We reply with a day-by-day plan and a written quote.
Which station, and how to get there
The fastest direct high-speed trains to Xi’an North leave from Beijing West railway station. On the sample date there were 42 trains between all Beijing and Xi’an stations, and the table above covers the 17 from Beijing West to Xi’an North. Other trains use other stations, so check the departure station on your booking.
Beijing West is on subway Lines 7 and 9. If you come by subway, the station has a joint security system, so one check covers both the subway and the railway station. With large suitcases, a taxi or private car to the station door is the simpler choice. If you are coming straight from Daxing Airport, the Beijing–Xiong’an intercity train runs from the airport’s railway station to Beijing West in 28 minutes.
Boarding with a foreign passport
There is no paper ticket. Your e-ticket is linked to the passport you used to book, and that original passport takes you into the station and through the ticket gate.
- Arrive 45–60 minutes early. That’s our advice, not a rule. Beijing West is a big station, and you need time for security and the walk to your gate.
- Pass security at the entrance. All passengers and bags are screened. Power banks must be clearly labeled and no more than 100 Wh (27,000 mAh) each.
- Use the staffed channel. Foreign passports usually go through the manual gate, where staff check your passport against the booking.
- Be at the gate in good time. Ticket checks stop a few minutes before departure, commonly 3–5 minutes (5 minutes is common at big stations), with no exceptions. If you miss your train, 12306 customer service has said you can change to another train that day from the same station if seats are free.
Luggage
Each adult may carry 20 kg of luggage free, and each child 10 kg. There is no checked baggage on board: you carry your own bags onto the train and use the overhead racks or the space at the end of the carriage. A normal large suitcase is fine. One manageable case per person makes the step onto the train and the lift onto the rack much easier.
Arriving in Xi’an and going on to Shanghai
The two 4 h 10 min trains on our sample date left at 07:55 and 09:55, which leaves the afternoon free in Xi’an for the city wall or the Muslim Quarter. If you’d rather spend a full last day in Beijing, G369 left Beijing West at 19:00 on the same date and reached Xi’an North at 23:11. There are also overnight D trains with sleeper berths, such as D39, which left Beijing West at 18:30 and reached Xi’an station, not Xi’an North, at 06:24 the next morning. Many travelers then continue to Shanghai; see our guide to the Beijing to Shanghai train for that route’s details.
Our guide to how many days in Beijing helps you decide when to leave the capital, and getting around Beijing covers the subway to Beijing West on Lines 7 and 9. Ideas for the days before you go are in things to do in Beijing.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the train from Beijing to Xi'an?
The fastest trains, G351 and G365, took 4 hours 10 minutes on our sample date in November 2026. Most express trains take 4 hours 10 to 4 hours 25 minutes, and slower ones take 5 hours 13 minutes to 5 hours 50 minutes.
How much is the Beijing to Xi'an train ticket?
Fares are dynamic and vary by train and date. On a sample date in November 2026, second class cost from about CNY 525 (about US$78), first class from about CNY 840 and business class from about CNY 1,837. Check 12306 for your date.
Which Beijing station has trains to Xi'an?
The fastest direct trains to Xi'an North leave from Beijing West, which is on subway Lines 7 and 9. On our sample date, 17 of the 42 trains between Beijing and Xi'an ran from Beijing West to Xi'an North, so check the station names on your booking.
How do I book Beijing to Xi'an train tickets as a foreigner?
Use China Railway's 12306 English website or app with a valid foreign passport, and pay with a Chinese or foreign bank card or a mobile payment app. Sales open 15 days ahead. On our Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai tour, second-class tickets are included and we book them for you.
What do I need to board the train?
The original passport you booked with. It is linked to your e-ticket and gets you into the station and through the ticket gate. Foreign passports usually go through the staffed channel, so allow time and arrive 45–60 minutes early.
How much luggage can I bring on the Beijing to Xi'an train?
Adults may carry 20 kg free and children 10 kg. There is no checked baggage on the train; you keep your bags with you on the overhead rack or in the space at the end of the carriage. A normal large suitcase is fine.
Can I go straight from Daxing Airport to the Xi'an train?
You can. Daxing Airport has its own railway station, and intercity trains reach Beijing West in 28 minutes. Book that leg on 12306 with your passport too, and leave plenty of time between landing and the Xi'an departure.
Facts checked: 5 November 2026. Ticket prices, opening hours and entry rules can change; we re-check before every booking.