Bailong Elevator

Have you ever seen an elevator built on the edge of cliffs? For tourists visiting Zhangjiajie, Bailong Elevator is undoubtedly a spectacle that cannot be missed, as both a signtseeing facility and a means of transportation in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.

Ranked in the Guinness World Records by its height, Bailong Elevator has been very popular since its operation. During peak seasons, long queues can always be seen at its entrance.

Bailong Elevator on Yuanjiajie Cliff

 

It is a sightseeing elevator built on the cliff of Yuanjiajie, the essence part of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The lower station is located at the foot of the mountain, close to Golden Whip Stream, another core area. On the central observation deck outside the entrance of the elevator, people can gaze up at the standing sandstone pillars to get a first impression of Zhangjiajie’s landform. The upper station at the mountaintop leads to highlight spots of Yuanjiajie.

The main track of the elevator consists of two parts: a 154-meter (505.3-feet) shaft hidden deep in the rocks, and a 172-meter (564.3-feet) steel derrick embedded in the mountain and standing in the open air. From a distance, it looks like a towering pillar hanging from the cliff.

Three double-decker cabins, whose three walls are made of transparent glass, run in parallel and in both directions, providing a broad view of magical quartz sandstone peak forests outside during up and down trips.
 

With a vertical height of 335 meters (1,100 feet) and a running height of 326 meters (1,070 feet), equivalent to a 100-story high-rise building. 

Moreover, it is the fastest outdoor sightseeing elevator, with an average speed of 5.25 m/s (17.2 ft/s). The moment the start button is pressed, you can get a genuine feeling: Before one second, you’re looking up at the mountains, while next second, you’re level with their peaks—or even looking down at them.

Bailong Elevator also has the largest capacity. Three cabins operate daily side by side, each capable of carrying 64 passengers, with a total capacity of 6,000 passengers per hour.
 The ride of Bailong Elevator feels like time travel: As the elevator rushes out of the shaft in rocks, 48 quartz sandstone pillars present in front of visitors like a “soldier formation”, taking people to the world of Avatar in a moment. The scenery outside constantly changes with the increase in altitude; in rainy season, rolling sea of clouds is scattered by the running elevator, revealing the landscape of Sky Garden, the legendary abode of immortals.
 Bailong Elevator greatly saves travel time and energy of tourists who want to directly tour Yuanjiajie, where Floating Mountain in Avatar is located, with high efficiency. It finishes a height of 326 meters within only 88 seconds. Without its operation, visitors need to spend 2 hours hiking along a 2.5 km-long (1.6 mi-long) footpath in the mountain, or make a detour in Tianzi Mountain or Yangjiajie, both of which are energy-consuming.

Bailong Elevator from the Distance

 Among the 5 gates of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, East Gate is the closest to Bailong Elevator and enjoys facilitated transportation internally and externally. Therefore, it’s the best choice to reach the elevator quickly.
 Take the tourist bus from Zhangjiajie West Railway Station or Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station to reach the East Gate of the park. Duration: 40 - 50 minutes; Cost: CNY 12 - 13
 Choose Tourist Line B to enter the park.

Then, hop on the eco-bus heading towards the lower station of Bailong Elevator. It takes around 25 minutes on board. 

The eco-bus line has Ten Miles Gallery and Streams Flowing Through Four Gates as stops midway. Do not get off there.

Note: Although South Gate is also commonly used to enter the park, it’s not advised to get to Bailong Elevator from this entrance, unless you have sufficient time. You need to walk 1 km (0.6 mi) first to Big Oxygen Bar Square before crossing Golden Whip Stream, a 5.7 km-long valley for hiking, and then take the eco-bus to reach the lower station of the elevator.
 1. Go through the security check after getting off the eco-bus.
2. Buy a ticket at the ticket center if you don’t book one in advance.
3. Climb up over 100 stairs in 3 – 5 minutes to reach a central observation deck.
4. Checking your ticket at the entrance.
5. Waiting in line inside the tunnel to get on the elevator.
6. Get to the mountaintop of Yuanjiajie in 88 seconds.
7. Ride the eco-buses heading to the core spot of Yuanjiajie at the eco-bus station after a 5-minute walk.

 More information: How to visit Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
 You can choose from one-day, two-day, and Avatar-themed tours based on your schedule and preference: Recommended routes of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.
 Yes. In fact, the physical sensation is not much different from taking a regular elevator. Unlike the high-altitude glass bridge, the cabin of Bailong Elevator is fully enclosed, with a non-transparent solid floor that does not make people feel like standing in the air. Moreover, it starts and runs smoothly, not bringing discomfort of weightlessness. Only those with a severe fear of heights are not recommended to ride.
 Yes, it operates in both directions. After a sightseeing at the mountaintop area, take an eco-bus to the upper station of Bailong Elevator, where the descending elevator is available. It runs from an open outdoor space to a dark mountainous area, meaning that only the first third of the ride allows you to see the scenery outside. So, seize the opportunity to take photos.

More people choose the rising ride, actually, because it feels more stunning for them to go straight to the sky from the ground.
 The elevator gains so much popularity that queuing for 1 – 2 hours is very common in high season from April to October. Tourists are advised to:
1. Avoid peak times during May Day holiday from May 1 to 5, National Day holiday from October 1 to 7, summer vacation in July – August, and winter vacation around Chinese New Year in January or February.
2. Depart early. It’s best to rush to the entrance as soon as it opens, when the crowds have not arrived yet. Peak hours for the up elevator: 9 am – 11 am; Peak hours for the down elevator: 4 pm – 6 pm
3. Book a ticket in advance. Buying tickets on site means queuing another time.
4. Reduce photo-taking time at the central observation deck outside the entrance. By the way, there are a lot of wild monkeys. Don’t take plastic bags in your hand to avoid being robbed. 
5. Skip long queues through VIP passage, which costs an extra CNY 100. To note that it sells out quickly in high season, and unavailable on peak days.
 1. Choose sunny days for clear vision.
2. Seize the position against the glass walls; otherwise, you will be blocked from the view by people in front and can only see their backs. Meanwhile, stand in the center or on the right side of the cabin, considering possible obstruction by the mountain body on the left side, especially for the leftmost Elevator No. 3.
3. Open the video recorder as soon as you enter the cabin, in case of missing the most shocking moment during fast elevation. Stick the lens against the glass to avoid reflection.

 Further Reading: Top FAQs about Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
 Extreme sports enthusiasts visiting Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in July - September can experience thrilling “air ballet” in the high-altitude swinging-rope challenge. 

In this activity, the challenger is connected to a fixed aerial cord spanning the canyon between Sky Garden of Tianzi Mountain and the upper station of Bailong Elevator by a rope, and then leaps from a platform as high as Bailong Elevator. It’s so exciting to fly between the valley along the huge arc pulled by the swinging rope.

The dates of the event vary every year. You can follow this page to get timely information.