White Horse Temple: tickets, hours and how to visit
The first Buddhist temple in China, founded AD 68. Quiet courtyards, two hours.
White Horse Temple at a glance
The first Buddhist temple in China, founded AD 68. Quiet courtyards, two hours. Plan on 1.5–2 hours here, plus half an hour either side for entry, security and parking.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tickets | CNY 35. |
| Opening hours | 07:30–17:30 (summer to 18:00). |
| Time needed | 1.5–2 hours; the international halls at the back add 30 minutes. |
| City | Luoyang, China |
What to see
Three things carry this sight. If you are short on time, do them in this order.
- The founding courtyardAD 68, the first Buddhist temple in China
- Qiyun Pagoda13th century, 25 m, and you can walk right up to it
- The international hallsThai, Indian and Burmese temples built in the 1990s
Tickets and booking
How the ticket works, and what foreigners usually get wrong.
Before you buy
- Price. CNY 35.
- Booking. Most people see the main halls and leave, missing the international section 300 m east — Thai, Indian and Burmese temples, each built by its home country, with almost no visitors. It is the strangest and most interesting part of the site.
- Payment. Most Chinese sights take WeChat Pay or Alipay only. Cash works at staffed windows but not at self-service machines; a licensed guide can pay on your behalf and settle with you at the end of the day.
Getting there and when to go
12 km east of Luoyang city, 30 minutes by car. Bus 58 goes from the railway station in about an hour; a car is far simpler and pairs with Longmen on the same day.
07:30–17:30 (summer to 18:00).. The first hour after opening is the quietest — tour groups arrive around 09:30. Late afternoon gives better light but the main viewpoints start clearing people out, so shoot early if that is your priority.
Public transport reaches White Horse Temple, but connections and waiting times add up. With luggage, older travellers, or two sights in one day, a car and driver removes the guesswork.
The one thing that goes wrong
Luoyang local note
- Most people see the main halls and leave, missing the international section 300 m east — Thai, Indian and Burmese temples, each built by its home country, with almost no visitors. It is the strangest and most interesting part of the site.
Pairing White Horse Temple with
These are usually on the same day or the same trip.
White Horse Temple: questions travellers ask
Is it worth it after Longmen?
What is the international section?
How booking works — three steps, itinerary before price
No deposit to get a plan, and nothing is locked in before you agree.
Send the brief
Dates, party size, how you arrive and what you want to see around White Horse Temple.
Get a route and a price
We order the stops by location and traffic, then quote per car per day with fuel, tolls and the driver included.
Confirm and travel
Only after you accept the route and the price do we assign the car and guide.
