The Xi’an City Wall encloses the old center of Xi’an in a near-rectangle 13.74 km around. It was built between 1370 and 1378 under the Ming dynasty, on the line of earlier Tang walls. It stands about 12 m high and is 12–14 m wide on top, so you can walk or cycle along it side by side.
A moat and a narrow park run along the outside, and a ring road, Shuncheng Xiang, follows the inside foot of the wall, lined with cafes and small restaurants. There are 18 gates in all. The four main ones face the compass points: Yongning (South), Changle (East), Anding (West) and Anyuan (North).
Gates and how to get up
Yongning Gate (永宁门, the South Gate) is the best place to start. It is the most complete of the old gates, it stays open latest, and it has the largest bike rental point. Metro Line 2 stops at Yongningmen, right outside.
Other useful entrances are Hanguang Gate, on the southwest side, which has a step-free route for wheelchairs, and the West and North Gates. Recent listings show Yongning, Wenchang, Wumu, Zhongshan and Jianguo Gates open 8:00–22:00, while Anyuan, Changle, Anding, Hanguang and Shangde Gates close at 20:00. Because hours vary by gate and season, check the sign at the gate before you climb up, especially if you plan to come down somewhere else late in the day.
Cycling on top
Bike hire is the easiest way to see the whole wall. A single bike costs ¥45 and a tandem ¥90 for 3 hours, with a ¥100 deposit. Keep the deposit slip; you need it to get the money back. Extra time costs ¥5 per 10 minutes for a single and ¥10 for a tandem.
There are nine rental points, near the main gates and corners. You can return a bike at any of them. Rentals run until about 21:00, and the last hour is for returns only, handled at the South Gate. Personal bikes are not allowed on the wall.
A full loop takes about 2 hours at an easy pace with photo stops. The surface is old stone and fairly bumpy, so a tandem is harder to steer than it looks. Riding clockwise from the South Gate, you pass the West, North and East Gates in turn and finish where you started.
Walking
Walking the full loop takes about 3–4 hours. Most visitors walk one side instead. The south side, around the South Gate, gives views over the moat park and the gate towers. Electric sightseeing carts also run on top for an extra charge.
When to go
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable. Mornings soon after opening are usually quieter than evenings. In summer the wall has almost no shade, so go after about 17:00. The gate towers and lanterns are lit after dark, which makes an evening walk from the South Gate worthwhile.
From January into March the wall hosts a lantern festival, when the ticket price goes up (¥100 in 2026) and the evenings are crowded. Sections close for the Xi’an Marathon and other events, announced in advance by the wall’s management.
Tips
- Bring your passport; it is the ID foreign visitors use for tickets.
- Wear flat shoes with good grip. The paving is uneven and can be slippery after rain.
- Wheelchair users should enter at Hanguang Gate, which has step-free access.
- Bring water and sunscreen; there is little shade on top.
- Combine the wall with the Muslim Quarter: come down at the South Gate and walk or take the metro to the Bell Tower for dinner.
Checked on 29 October 2026. Opening times and ticket rules change; confirm on the official site before you go.
