Arriving at and Entering The Song of Everlasting Sorrow: Driving, Parking, Ticket Checks and the Ride Back

For anyone leading a group for the first time, or driving to Huaqing Palace for a show for the first time, things usually go wrong not at the ticket desk but on the route after arrival: where to park, which gate to enter, when ticket checks start, how to get out afterwards. This article walks through it in time order — check it once before you leave and there will be fewer problems on the day.

Before Departure: Settle a Few Things

Every later step depends on these four things:

• The showtime → decides what time you need to arrive (arriving at the scenic area 40 minutes before the start is recommended);
• The headcount and the type of document each person holds → decides whether you need to collect paper tickets first;
• Whether you will tour Mount Li → changes where you park and how much energy you budget;
• How you will get back → the last show lets out around 23:30, so the last train time must be checked in advance.

Route One: Metro (The Least Fuss)

Metro Line 9, “Huaqingchi Station” — the exit is right at the Huaqing Palace scenic area gate, about a 5-minute walk.

• No watching the traffic, no fighting for a parking space;
• Services back to the city still run after the last show;
• The drawback is that large luggage is awkward to carry.

Route Two: Bus

From Xi’an North Railway Station and the railway station you can take buses bound for Lintong (Route 915, Route 306 and others) straight to Huaqing Palace. For anyone who does not want to drive but finds luggage on the metro a hassle, this is easier.

Route Three: Driving

Come off the Lianhuo Expressway at the Lintong exit and you are there.

Parking:

Car park	Location	Notes
Huaqing Palace scenic area car park	Outside the south gate of the scenic area, by the Mount Li gate	Charged at the posted rate; easily full on public holidays, so arriving 1 hour early is recommended
Mount Li scenic area car park	Outside the Mount Li gate	Shuttle buses and the cable car also run here; allow 2 hours if you plan to tour Mount Li

Advice: try not to drive on the day of the performance. At weekends and on public holidays the scenic area parking is extremely tight, and when the last show lets out the car park entrances and exits clog up and the cars simply cannot move — on that night the metro is actually faster.

The Entry Route (Follow It in Order, Do Not Reverse It)

1. Scenic area ticket gate: scenic tickets checked for entry (if you are only seeing the show, this step is simply taking the performance route with your performance ticket);
2. Leave your luggage: the visitor centre has left luggage, and travelling light for a day feels quite different;
3. Walk to the audience zone: it is an outdoor theatre, so allow time for the walk from the scenic area gate;
4. Performance ticket gate:
   • ID card → swipe it directly;
   • Passports and other non-ID documents → go to the ticket office on the day of the performance first and collect a paper ticket with the original document;
5. Sit in your zone and wait for the start.

Ticket checks begin about 40 minutes before the start, and no entry is arranged once the show has begun.

Leaving and the Ride Back

• The performance runs 70 minutes: the first show at 18:30 ends around 19:40, and the last at 22:45 ends around 23:55 — adding the walk out, you actually leave the park later still;
• Those 30 minutes after the show are the most congested stretch of the whole trip; do not linger at the exit or on the walkways, simply go with the crowd;
• After the last show Metro Line 9 still runs, though there is a queue because of the numbers;
• Driving after the last show is strongly not recommended — the car park entrances and exits clog up easily;
• Group coaches: set the meeting point in the open area outside the exit of the scenic area, not directly in front of the exit.

Special Notes for Elders and Children

• The audience zone is an outdoor hillside site with plenty of steps and low-lying water; everyone should wear flat shoes;
• The performance is outdoors and the wind is strong in autumn and winter and at night, so do not forget a jacket;
• Viewers with limited mobility are advised to arrive early and ask the on-site staff for assistance;
• Children are measured against 1.3 metres: at or under 1.3 metres free without a seat (one per adult), above that a ticket is required.

The Rain Plan

An outdoor performance may be adjusted or cancelled in rain — that is the nature of a real-scene show and cannot be changed. Check the weather once before leaving and confirm the showtime arrangement again on arrival. If you need to refund or change, remember that a full refund is possible up to 12:00 on the day before the performance, and no refund or change after that — for anyone whose plans might shift, deciding early pays better than toughing it out.