The train station in Xi’an is situated in the northeast of the town and is just outside the city walls. This is a major stop for trains heading either west or east and the line actually splits here. Some trains head north to Beijing and others east to Shanghai. There are direct trains from Xi’an to Beijing (16 hours), Shanghai, Guangzhou (27 hours), Chengdu (17 hours), Hefei, Qingdao and Urumuqi. There is a foreigners ticket office on the second level of the train station which is open from 8.30 -11.30 and 2.30 -5.30. Make sure you bring your passport with you as you need this document to register. You can also buy hard seats at an office on Lianhua Lu and most of the major hotels will book train tickets for you, although they will charge for this service.