Getting to Zhangjiajie is the first step when planning a trip to this famous scenic destination. Major attractions such as Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain, and Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon are located in different directions and can be quite far from each other. Without understanding the transportation options in advance, travelers may spend unnecessary time transferring between airports, railway stations, and scenic areas.
Arriving in Zhangjiajie by Plane
Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport is the only international airport in western Hunan, about 5 kilometers from the urban area and 8 kilometers from Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area. There are direct flights to Zhangjiajie from major domestic cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Xi’an, with a flight time of two to three hours. Those departing from abroad need to fly to hub cities such as Beijing and Shanghai first, and then transfer to Zhangjiajie. The airport terminal is equipped with large floor-to-ceiling windows; on clear days, you can overlook Tianmen Mountain and see the Tianmen Cave from some angles, a rare sight among domestic airports.
Transportation from the Airport to the Urban Area
- Taxi/Online Car-hailing: The drive from the airport to the urban area takes about 15 minutes, costing 20 to 30 CNY. Taxis queue up for passengers outside the terminal building and charge by the meter. You can call an online car-hailing via App, with a fast order acceptance speed.
- Airport Bus: The departure time is synchronized with flight dynamics, the ticket price is 10 CNY, and the terminal is Dayongqiao Park in the urban area. If your hotel is not in this area, you need to transfer for a second time, and the overall convenience is lower than that of a taxi.
- Bus: Bus No.4 operates from 05:50 to 19:20, with a frequency of about one bus every 13 minutes, which can reach the urban area directly, but there is no luggage storage area in the bus, making it inconvenient for those with large suitcases.
Ticket Purchase Suggestions
Air ticket prices rise sharply in peak seasons (the May Day Holiday, the National Day Holiday and summer vacation), and you can get a lower discount by booking two to three months in advance. Travel demand is relatively low on Tuesdays and Wednesdays of a week, and ticket prices are usually lower than those on weekends. The climate is pleasant in spring and autumn, with relatively stable ticket prices. The airport has a limited number of flights, and some small and medium-sized cities need to transfer. Pay attention to the transfer time when buying tickets, and it is recommended to leave more than two hours to avoid missing the flight.
Viewing Tianmen Mountain from Hehua Airport
Arriving in Zhangjiajie by Train
There are two railway stations in Zhangjiajie: Zhangjiajie West Station (High-speed Railway Station) and Zhangjiajie Station (Regular Railway Station), which are about 10 kilometers apart. You need to check the station name on the ticket before departure.
Zhangjiajie West Station (High-speed Railway Station)
Zhangjiajie West Station is a high-speed railway hub connected to the Zhangjiajie-Jishou-Huaihua High-speed Railway and the Shanghai-Kunming High-speed Railway, with direct high-speed rail to cities such as Changsha, Wuhan, Guangzhou and Chongqing. The drive from Changsha South to Zhangjiajie West takes about 1.8 hours, with a second-class seat ticket price of about 110 CNY; it takes about 3 hours from Guiyang North to Zhangjiajie West, with a ticket price of about 200 CNY; it takes about 2 hours from Chongqing West to Zhangjiajie West, with a ticket price of about 210 CNY. There are also direct high-speed rails to Zhangjiajie from Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Zhengzhou and other cities.
Transfer methods after exiting the station:
- Scenic Area Direct Bus: The High-speed Railway Bus Station is on the right side after exiting the station, where you can buy tickets to Wulingyuan and the Grand Canyon.
- Bus: The Bus Terminal is on the left side after exiting the station, with routes including No.4 (to the airport), No.6 (to the railway station), No.16 (to the East Bus Station) and No.17 (to the railway station). The ticket price is 2 CNY, and WeChat and Alipay are accepted for payment.
- Taxi: It is about 7 kilometers to the urban area, taking 15 minutes by car; it is about 9 kilometers to Tianmen Mountain, taking 18 minutes by car.
Zhangjiajie Station (Regular Railway Station)
Nine regular trains run from this station, covering directions such as Jishou, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Xiangyang. The direct regular train from Beijing West to Zhangjiajie takes about 22 hours, with a hard sleeper ticket price of about 350 CNY; it takes about 20 hours from Shanghai South to Zhangjiajie with a similar ticket price. The station is adjacent to the old urban area, and the transportation after exiting the station is as follows:
- Scenic Area Direct Bus: Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station is on the left side after exiting the station, where you can buy tickets to Wulingyuan and the Grand Canyon.
- Bus: The Bus Terminal is opposite the station, with routes such as No.1, No.5, No.10 and No.17.
- On Foot: It takes about 15 minutes to reach the lower station of Tianmen Mountain Cableway.
Ticket Purchase Reminders
High-speed rail tickets are in short supply on holidays, so it is recommended to buy tickets in advance on 12306 or travel platforms. If direct tickets are sold out, you can try to buy tickets for transfer to Changsha, where there are frequent trains to Zhangjiajie. Be sure to distinguish between Zhangjiajie West Station and Zhangjiajie Station to avoid missing the train.
Arriving in Zhangjiajie by Bus
There are direct intercity buses to Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station from surrounding cities such as Changsha, Fenghuang, Changde and Jingzhou.
Main Routes
- Changsha to Zhangjiajie: There are multiple buses every day from Changsha West Bus Station, taking about 4.5 hours with a ticket price of about 120 CNY, suitable for those with ample time.
- Fenghuang to Zhangjiajie: Buses depart from Fenghuang Bus Station, taking about 4 hours with a ticket price of about 80 CNY. The road is mostly mountainous, so those prone to motion sickness are advised to prepare medicine.
- Self-driving: It takes about 3.5 hours from Changsha to Zhangjiajie via the Changsha-Zhangjiajie Expressway; it takes about 6.5 hours from Chongqing to Zhangjiajie via the Baotou-Maoming Expressway and then the Zhangjiajie-Huayuan Expressway. Vehicles can be parked in hotel parking lots or the peripheral parking lots of scenic spots, charging 20 to 30 CNY per day. Private cars are not allowed to enter the scenic spots, and you need to transfer to shuttle buses.
Laowuchang Peak Forest in Yuanjiajie
Internal Transportation in Zhangjiajie
After arriving in the urban area, the transportation to various scenic spots needs to be planned separately. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park has five ticket gates, and the internal transportation of the scenic spot is mainly based on shuttle buses, cableways and the Bailong Elevator.
Scenic Area Shuttle Buses
Shuttle buses can be taken for free after ticket purchase and can be transferred between various scenic spots. For example, the drive from Tianzi Mountain to Yuanjiajie takes about 30 minutes. Shuttle buses operate on fixed routes, and you can ask the driver about the time of subsequent trains before getting off.
Cableways and the Bailong Elevator
- Bailong Elevator: With a vertical height difference of 335 meters and an operating height of 326 meters, it consists of an underground shaft in the mountain and a steel structure attached to the mountain. It was included in the Guinness World Record for the “tallest outdoor elevator” in 2015. The one-way ticket price is 72 CNY.
- Tianzi Mountain Cableway and Huangshizhai Cableway: The one-way ticket price is about 65 CNY respectively. Taking cableways or the elevator can save hiking time; if you are in good physical condition, you can choose the hiking trails, but the daily walking distance may exceed 20,000 steps.
Transportation from the Urban Area to Scenic Spots
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: Take a minibus at the Central Bus Station, it takes 45 minutes to reach the Forest Park Ticket Gate with a ticket price of 12 CNY; it takes 60 minutes to reach the Wulingyuan Ticket Gate with the same ticket price. Both gates are entrances to the park, and you can choose according to the location of your accommodation.
- Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area: The lower station of the cableway is located in the urban area, about 10 minutes’ walk from the railway station and the bus station.
- Grand Canyon: It is far from the urban area, and you need to take a bus from the bus station to Jiangya Town and then transfer, or take a scenic area direct bus, which takes 60 minutes with a ticket price of 25 CNY.
Chartered Cars and Carpooling
Those traveling in a group or with large luggage can charter a car, with a one-way fare of about 150 CNY from the urban area to the Forest Park. The per capita cost of carpooling is 30 to 40 CNY, which can be booked through hotels or travel agencies. China Dragon Travel provides such car services with transparent prices.
Practical Transportation Matters
Ticket Purchase
The ticket for Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is about 228 CNY, valid for four days and allowing multiple entries and exits. The ticket for Tianmen Mountain is 278 CNY (including cableway and shuttle bus), with time-scheduled entry and advance booking required. The ticket gate for the first entry will bind the information, and you need to confirm the rules when entering from other gates later. It is recommended to buy tickets in advance through official platforms or regular travel agencies to avoid queuing on site.
Cableway and Elevator Tickets
The queuing time for the Bailong Elevator and cableways may exceed 1 hour in peak seasons. If the queue is too long, you can adjust the route: take a shuttle bus from the East Gate to the lower station of Tianzi Mountain Cableway, visit Tianzi Mountain first, then go to Yuanjiajie, and finally take the Bailong Elevator down the mountain. Cableway tickets can be bought in advance on the official mini-program.
Tips for Avoiding Traps at Stations and the Airport
- Zhangjiajie West Station and Zhangjiajie Station are far apart, so be sure to check the station names carefully.
- There is no direct bus from the West Station to the Forest Park, and you need to transfer via the bus station.
- Unlicensed solicitors at the station exit often promote with the names of “discounted carpooling” and “free consultation”, so it is recommended to directly choose buses, taxis or online car-hailing.
- Free maps can be collected at the scenic spot visitor center, which helps with travel planning.
Other Reminders
Accommodation and tickets are in short supply in peak seasons, and you can entrust travel agencies to make unified arrangements to save queuing time. The weather in mountainous areas changes a lot, a raincoat is more practical than an umbrella, and it is recommended to wear non-slip shoes. The catering prices in the scenic spots are relatively high, so you can bring your own dry food and water.
Plan Transportation in Advance for a Smoother Zhangjiajie Trip
Because the main scenic areas around Zhangjiajie are spread across different locations, travelers usually need to arrange additional transportation after arriving in the city. Understanding how to travel from the airport or railway stations to the major attractions can help avoid unnecessary transfers and confusion. With proper planning, visitors can spend more time exploring the unique sandstone peaks and natural landscapes instead of dealing with transportation issues.
If you prefer to arrange transportation, tickets, and accommodation before your trip, China Dragon Travel can provide professional assistance. Our team is familiar with transportation routes and travel logistics in Zhangjiajie, helping travelers reach the main attractions efficiently and enjoy a smooth and well-organized journey.
