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Voykit pocket guide · China
Xuchang
Spend a half‑day on the main sights; add a night if you want to explore the pedestrian street or local bars.
Xuchang is a historic city in central Henan, 82 km from Zhengzhou. Its key attractions—Baling Bridge, Chunqiu Tower, Cao Wei Ancient City—are clustered near the centre and reachable by a short bus ride. One day covers the highlights; an extra night lets you see the night market and try local noodles.
- Country
- China
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, rainy)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥150–250 excl. bed · Mid ¥250–400 excl. bed · High ¥400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire 119 · Ambulance 120
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Huì Miàn (stewed noodles) | ¥15–25 |
| Hú Là Tāng (spicy soup) | ¥10–20 |
| Local soda (Kǒu lè) | ¥5–8 |
| Bus ride | ¥1 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CGO · Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport
- 50 km (31 mi) from Xuchang; direct airport bus runs to city centre31 mi (50 km) from Xuchang; direct airport bus runs to city centre
Typical fares
- Zhengzhou Airport → Xuchang (bus)
- about ¥30, 45 min (check)
- Local bus ride
- ¥1 per trip
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Local buses cost ¥1 per ride; most sights are within 2 km (1.2 mi) of the railway station and reachable by a single bus line.Local buses cost ¥1 per ride; most sights are within 1.2 mi (2 km) of the railway station and reachable by a single bus line.
See and do
Known for
- Baling Bridge
- Chunqiu Tower
- Cao Wei Ancient City
- Henan archaeological museums
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Zhengzhou | High‑speed train from Xuchang East, 20 min | ≈30 min total |
| Anyang | High‑speed train, about 1 h 30 min | ≈2 h |
Sleep
- Addo Hotel
- Near Xudu Road, convenient for city centre attractions
- Slow house Hotel
- In Yuzhou area, good for budget travellers
- The Sycamore
- Central Weidu district, easy bus access
- H Hotel
- Close to Xuchang Railway Station
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 对不起duìbuqǐ |
| Thank you | 谢谢xièxiè |
| How much is it? | 多少钱？duōshǎo qián? |
| Where is the bathroom? | 洗手间在哪里？xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Museum of Central Plains Farming Culture only opens on weekends; group visits need pre‑booking (check).
- Baling Bridge hours change seasonally; summer closes at 17:30 (check).
- High‑speed train from Zhengzhou to Xuchang is 20 min; tickets sell out early on holidays (check).
Xuchang is generally safe; petty theft is rare, but keep an eye on belongings in crowded markets and use official taxis.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Xuchang yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Baling Bridge
- Chunqiu Tower
- Cao Wei Ancient City
- Henan archaeological museums
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Xuchang: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12345
- Wikivoyage: Xuchang, revision 5205138 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5205138
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/xuchang). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.