Short answer
- Booking is compulsory. The official ticketing page says all visitors, including Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and foreign visitors, must reserve through the official website or the official WeChat accounts “秦始皇帝陵博物院” / “兵马俑票务在线”.
- No WeChat? Use the museum website (bmy.com.cn accepts a passport) or Trip.com’s ticket for non-mainland residents.
- Bring the same passport. Person, ticket and ID must match at the North Gate.
- Capacity: 65,000 a day; when it is reached, sales stop.
Booking without WeChat: 3 channels
Pick one channel and book with the passport you will carry. Prices and stock below were seen 6–13 Oct 2026.
| Channel | Needs | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Official website bmy.com.cn | Passport details; the site is mainly in Chinese | The museum’s own channel. Order lookup on the website uses your phone number or ID number. |
| Trip.com “Ticket (Including Lishan Garden)” → Adult (Non-Mainland Chinese Residents) | Passport, email, foreign card | English. About US$17.90 on 6 Oct 2026. Each ID can buy 1 ticket within 8 days of the chosen date. Pick the non-mainland ticket, not a guided or bus bundle. |
| WeChat official accounts 秦始皇帝陵博物院 / 兵马俑票务在线 | WeChat account | Domestic official route; useful if you already use WeChat. |
Same day, or “sold out”?
Official position: no walk-in sales; book online first. The museum also asks visitors to finish online booking before travelling to Lintong, to avoid traffic jams.
What travellers report: in 2026 some foreigners said they bought at a counter by the entrance; others were told to book online. Treat a counter as luck, not a plan, and never count on it on Chinese holidays (Golden Week 1–7 October, early May, summer).
The practical same-day move: book online on your phone before you leave Xi’an. Near dates, including today, can show “limited tickets left” on Trip.com, so check stock first, then call your DiDi. If one channel shows nothing, check the other.
“Sold out”: the daily cap is large (65,000), so “sold out” usually means a holiday, a sold-out time slot, or the 8-day per-ID limit on Trip.com (you already hold a ticket on that passport). Try another slot or the official website.
At the gate
- North Gate only. All visitors enter from the North Gate.
- Timed slots. Tickets are allocated by time slot; the museum asks you to queue 30 minutes before your slot.
- Check-in hours: 08:30–17:00 from 16 March to 15 November (closes 18:30); 08:30–16:30 from 16 November to 15 March (closes 18:00). Holiday hours follow the latest notice.
- One ticket, two sites: the Terracotta Army museum and Lishan Garden (the mausoleum park). About 1.5 hours each, linked by a free shuttle; the ticket is valid that day and is checked three times.
- Bring the original passport. Photos or copies are not the ID the gates check.
Price and who is free
- Adult CNY 120, same price all year.
- Half price (CNY 60) is for Chinese full-time students (undergraduate and below) with a student card, per the official wording.
- Free entry for under-16s, 65+ and other groups is listed for Chinese nationals on the official page. On Trip.com’s non-mainland ticket we saw children under 140 cm free (6 Oct 2026); check your listing.
- Refunds: cancel before you check in; money returns to the original account within 3–5 working days.
Sources: Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum ticketing instructions and visitor guide on bmy.com.cn (real-name online booking for all, accepted IDs, 65,000 cap, North Gate, time slots, hours, CNY 120/60, free-entry groups, refunds), read 13 Oct 2026; Trip.com non-mainland listing walkthrough, 6 Oct 2026; overseas ticket platform reported by Global Times and english.gov.cn (April 2024); r/travelchina traveller reports, 2026.
Full Terracotta Army booking guide with screenshots →
FAQ
Can I buy Terracotta Army tickets without WeChat?
Yes. The museum’s official website accepts passport details, and Trip.com sells a ticket for non-mainland residents booked with a passport. WeChat is only one of the official channels.
Can I buy Terracotta Army tickets at the gate?
Officially no: all visitors must book online under a real name. Some travellers in 2026 reported buying at a counter, others were sent online. Book on your phone before you go.
Are foreign children and seniors free at the Terracotta Army?
The official free-entry rules for under-16s and over-65s are listed for Chinese nationals. Trip.com’s non-mainland ticket showed children under 140 cm free in October 2026. Check the listing you book on.
Which gate do I use?
The North Gate. It is the only entrance, and the ID you show must match the ticket.