<p>This paper reports the effect of titanium-based hard particle coatings with different thicknesses, prepared by plasma transferred arc welding (PTAW), on the surface properties of Ti–6Al–4V alloy. A sound metallurgical connection was established between the coating and the substrate. Meanwhile, most WC particles concentrated in the middle-to-bottom region of the deposited layer. Both <i>in-situ</i>-formed and undissolved TiC phases were uniformly dispersed throughout the titanium matrix, and a distinct metallurgical diffusion zone developed along the coating–substrate interface. X-ray diffraction confirmed <i>α</i>-Ti, WC and TiC phases and a slight shift of the <i>α</i>-Ti peak toward lower angles caused by W and C solid solution. The maximum surface microhardness of the coating reached 663.5 ± 26.3 HV, which is associated with the combined effects of solute enrichment, finely dispersed reinforcements, and refined microstructural features, compared with 335.0 HV for the uncoated Ti–6Al–4V substrate. Tensile tests showed that 2&#xa0;mm thick coating exhibited a better combination of strength and elongation. The coatings resulted in narrower and shallower wear tracks under reciprocating dry sliding against a Si₃N₄ ball, and the wear rate of the 3&#xa0;mm thick coating decreased by 22.0 pct compared with the substrate. These results indicate that PTAW-deposited WC + TiC reinforced coatings can significantly improve the tribological performance of Ti–6Al–4V alloy.</p>