Xi'an Bell Tower and Drum Tower: Climb or Just Look?
The Bell Tower stands on a traffic island where Xi'an's four main avenues meet, in the centre of the walled city. The Drum Tower is a few minutes' walk to the west, at the entrance to the Muslim Quarter. You can climb either one: 30 yuan for one tower or 50 yuan for both, with summer hours running to 21:30. For most short trips, though, the free view from the street at dusk, followed by dinner in the Muslim Quarter, gives you most of what the towers offer. Climb if you want the view down the avenues or an indoor stop on a wet evening. Zhonglou (Bell Tower) station on metro Lines 2 and 6 is directly underneath.
The wider plan is in the Xi'an travel guide.
Tickets and hours
Figures from the Xi'an Bell and Drum Tower Museum and 2026 listings:
| Adult | Student or child | |
|---|---|---|
| One tower | 30 yuan | 15 yuan |
| Bell and Drum Tower combined | 50 yuan | 30 yuan |
- Peak season (1 April to 10 October): 08:30 to 21:30. Combined tickets stop selling at 20:00, single tickets at 21:00.
- Off season: 08:30 to 18:00, with sales ending at 17:30.
Holiday notices in 2026 required real-name online booking, with tickets released three days ahead and entry by time slot. Check the museum's notice (zglxa.com) or WeChat account for your date, and carry your passport.
Getting to the Bell Tower
The tower sits in the middle of a busy roundabout, and you don't cross the road to reach it. Access is through the pedestrian underpass, linked to the Zhonglou metro station exits. Follow the signs for the Bell Tower entrance underground. The same underpass network is the safest way to cross between the four corners of the junction for photos.
From the Bell Tower, walk west along West Street or across Bell and Drum Tower Square to the Drum Tower, about five minutes.
What you see from the top
The Bell Tower was completed in 1384, early in the Ming dynasty, and moved to its present spot during the Wanli reign in the late sixteenth century. Climbing it puts you on a timber gallery above the junction, looking straight down the North, South, East and West Streets towards the gates of the city wall. Inside are a few rooms of displays and a large bell.
The Drum Tower, older by a few years (1380), has a collection of drums along its galleries and looks back east to the Bell Tower across the square. Both towers have staged short traditional music performances on a posted schedule. Check the board at the entrance for times.
Neither view compares with a mountain lookout or a skyscraper deck. They're worth it for the architecture and the angle down the old avenues. On a short trip, choose one tower, or skip both.
Free views and photos
The towers are lit in the evening, and that is when they look their best. Good places to stand:
- Bell and Drum Tower Square, between the two towers, where you can fit both silhouettes into one frame.
- The corners of the junction, reached through the underpass, for the Bell Tower framed by the avenues and traffic.
- The start of North Street, looking south at the tower lit against the evening sky.
Do not step into the road for a better angle. Barriers and traffic make it unsafe, and the corners give the same shot.
Morning light is softer and the square is quieter, which suits architectural detail better than night photos.
Fitting the towers into a day
The towers are the centre of the old city and work best as a stop on the way to dinner:
- Afternoon: the city wall, by bike or on foot.
- Dusk: the Bell Tower and Drum Tower lit up, from the square or from the top.
- Evening: through the Drum Tower arch into the Muslim Quarter for food.
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda and its fountain are a different evening in the south of the city. After a full Lintong day at the Terracotta Army and Huaqing Palace, the towers are easy to see from the street on the way back to a central hotel.
Staying near the Bell Tower
"Near the Bell Tower" is the most common hotel location description in Xi'an, and for a short trip it is hard to beat: you can walk to the Muslim Quarter, take Line 2 to the South Gate or Xi'an North station, and reach Line 6 for other parts of the city. The trade-off is noise. The junction is busy late into the evening, so ask for a room away from the main roads, or stay in a quieter lane a few minutes away.
Things to confirm before you go
- Single or combined ticket, and the last sale time for each.
- Whether your date needs advance real-name booking, as on holidays.
- Performance times inside the towers, if you want to see one.
- Holiday crowds on the square and in the underpasses.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Xi'an Bell Tower worth climbing?
Worth it if you like Ming architecture or want the view down the four avenues. If time or energy is short, seeing it lit from the street is enough.
How much are the Bell Tower and Drum Tower tickets?
30 yuan for one tower or 50 yuan for both, with half-price tickets for students and children.
How do you get into the Bell Tower?
Through the pedestrian underpass from Zhonglou metro station (Lines 2 and 6). The tower stands on a traffic island, so you don't cross the road.
Bell Tower or Drum Tower first?
If you are heading to the Muslim Quarter for dinner, start at the Bell Tower and walk west to the Drum Tower, where the food streets begin.