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Zhangjiajie Transportation

Zhangjiajie, as a popular tourist city, boasts a well-developed transportation network internally and externally. Domestic and international flights facilitate long-distance travel of visitors from all over the world, while high speed rails linked to major domestic cities in China offer more flexible options.

Upon arrival, visitors can easily access core attractions across distinctive districts via convenient tourist buses and city buses; taxis and ride-hailing services are also readily available. The only drawback is the absence of a subway system.

In a word, everyone can fully enjoy their trip to Zhangjiajie without worrying about transportation.

How to Get to Zhangjiajie?

By Air

If your city is connected with Zhangjiajie by air, taking a plane is undoubtedly the most time-saving and labor-saving choice.

International flights to Zhangjiajie

From	Frequency	Time Needed
HK	1 flight every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday	2 hours
Seoul	1 – 2 flights daily	3 – 3.5 hours
Busan	1 – 2 flights every Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday	3.5 hours
Cheongju	1 flight every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday	3.5 hours
Daegu	1 flight every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday	3.5 hours
Singapore	1 flight every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday	5 hours

Note: The operating time of the above flights is adjusted according to tourist volume; for example, Singapore - Zhangjiajie flights are suspended during the off-season from November to March.

In fact, Zhangjiajie has also launched direct flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Hanoi, Penang, and Don Mueang, but specific flight information is currently unavailable. They may resume at any time based on passenger demand. You can call the airport at 0744-22336660 to confirm before making a plan.

Domestic flights
Without convenient direct flights, tourists might consider making a transfer at major ports or popular tourist destinations in China.

From	Frequency	Time Required
Beijing	2 – 3 flights daily	2.5 hours
Shanghai	4 flights daily	2.5 hours
Xi’an	2 – 3 flights daily	1.5 hours
Chengdu	1 flight every day	1.5 hours
Kunming	1 flight every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday	1.5 hours
Hangzhou	1 flight every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday	2 hours
Nanning	1 flight every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday	2 hours
Guangzhou	1 flight every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday	2 hours
Wuhan	1 flight every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday	1 hour
Zhuhai	1 flight every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday	1.5 hours
Shenzhen	1 flight every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday	2 hours
Haikou	1 flight every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday	2 hours
Tianjin	1 flight every day	2.5 hours
Nanjing	1 flight every day	2 hours

In addition, there are direct flights to Zhangjiajie from Ningbo, Dalian, Jinan, Fuzhou, Shenyang, Tianjin, Yangzhou, Shijiazhuang, Nantong, Taiyuan, Yancheng, Jieyang, Huizhou, Xuzhou, and Wuxi in service.

All flights land at Hehua Airport, the only airport in Zhangjiajie, which is located in Yongding District, around 6 km (4 mi) from the downtown area, 40 km (25 mi) from Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, 5 km (3 mi) from Tianmen Mountain (Heaven’s Gate), and 55 km (35mi) from Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon.

Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport

Upon arriving at the airport, tourists need to go to the center of the city before transferring to various tourist attractions. Taxi or car-hailing, with a duration of around 20 minutes, is the preferred choice of most people. City bus is available, heading towards the lower station of Tianmen Mountain Cableway and Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station downtown; however, it takes a long 1 hour on board. In addition, there are free buses to Zhangjiajie International Hotel in a busy area; all passengers can take them without any charge.

By High Speed Train

When the flight schedule doesn’t meet your needs, the most flexible plan is to take a high speed train that frequently travels from major cities in China to Zhangjiajie.

Major high speed rail lines between Zhangjiajie and:

Major Cities	Daily Departures	Duration
HK	1	6.5 h
Beijing	1	12 h
Chongqing	27	2.5 - 4.5 h
Shanghai	4	7 – 9 h
Xian	1	9.5 h
Changsha	54	2 – 3.5 h
Guangzhou	13	5.5 – 6.5 h
Chengdu	7	4 – 5.5 h
Guilin	4	7 – 7.5 h
Hangzhou	4	6.5 – 8 h
Furong Ancient Town	12	23 – 24 min
Fenghuang Ancient Town	18	1 h
Shenzhen	4	6 – 7.5 h
Nanning	3	9.5 – 10.5 h
Wuhan	2	5 – 5.5 h
Huaihua	27	1 – 1.5 h
Jishou	28	39 – 54 min

See more: Zhangjiajie Train Schedule

Notes:
1. Tourists traveling to Zhangjiajie during peak season are advised to cast your eyes over Changsha, the nearest capital city to Zhangjiajie, as a transit destination, if bullet train tickets to Zhangjiajie sell out. Changsha train schedule
2. In addition to high speed trains, 2 normal speed trains head towards Zhangjiajie from Beijing and Changsha with a duration of 18 and 3 hours, respectively, suitable for tourists with ample time but extremely sensitive to price.
3. For cities far from Zhangjiajie, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an, airfare is often lower than high speed trains. If you are on a tight budget, place an order after careful comparison.

Arrive in Zhangjiajie by Bullet Train

All bullet trains, and 2 normal ones bringing passengers to Zhangjiajie stop at Zhangjiajie West Railway Station, where a tourist distribution center is set, operating tourist buses to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and the Grand Canyon. It is also connected to the urban Central Bus Station, airport, Tianmen Mountain cableway, and the 72 Strange Buildings via city bus routes. Zhangjiajie Railway Station, another railway station in the city, only operates two normal trains to/from Jishou and Huaihua at present.

By Long-distance Coach

It runs between Zhangjiajie and Changsha, Yichang, and Changde, serving as an alternative for tourists visiting nearby cities. All buses terminate at the Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station.

From	Daily Departure Time	Departure Station	Duration
Changsha	2 departures at 10:00 and 14:00	Changzhutan Bus Station, Changsha West Bus Station	4 h
Yichang	2 departures at 9:30 and 14:00	Yichang Central Bus Station	6 h
Changde	2 departures at 11:10 and 13:20	Changde Bus Terminal	2.5 h

How to get around within Zhangjiajie?

The transportation hubs are all located in downtown Yongding District, while the scenic spots are scattered in Wulingyuan District, Cili County, and other areas outside of Yongding. Tourists choose different modes of transportation based on their location and destination.

Tourist Bus

It’s the first choice to get to attractions far from the city center of Zhangjiajie. Four routes are in service from Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station, via 72 Qilou, Zhangjiajie West Railway Station, etc., to the entrances of major scenic areas conveniently.

From Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station to	Operation Time	Ticket Fare (CNY)	Duration for Single Ride
Wulingyuan Bus Station	7:00-17:30 with an interval of 5-10 min	13	50 min
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park South Gate	7:00-17:00 every 30 min	12	40 min
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon/ Glass Bridge	7:00-17:30 every 40 min	22	1h20min
Yellow Dragon Cave/ Baofeng Lake	7:00-17:30 every 1 hour	18	1 h

Passengers who reach Zhangjiajie by bullet train can get on board at the distribution center of high speed train station directly without detouring at the central bus station.

From Zhangjiajie West Railway Station to	Operation Time	Ticket Fare (CNY)	Duration for Single Ride
Wulingyuan Bus Station	7:00-17:20 about every 40 min	13	40 min
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park South Gate	7:00-16:50 with an interval of 40 min	12	30 min
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon	7:00-16:50 about every 1 h	26	1 h

If you stay in Wulingyuan, Wulingyuan Bus Station can be your first choice to get around by tourist bus.

From Wulingyuan Bus Station to	Operation Time	Ticket Fare (CNY)	Duration for Single Ride
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon	7:20–15:30 every 40 min	12	30 min

Tourists can get a ticket at the ticket window of the three bus stations, and then get on the bus; or look for a bus board along its route, for example, the lower station of Tianmen Mountain Cableway, and wave to take. It’s feasible to ask the driver for the price and pay online after boarding, as the online booking mini program doesn’t have an English version.

Tourist Bus to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

City Bus

Unlike tourist buses shuttling between districts, it serves the city center and Wulingyuan District, respectively.

Ticket Fare: CNY 2 per ride
How to pay: e-payment by WeChat or Alipay, cash

City Bus Stop	Bus No.
Zhangjiajie Airport	4
Zhangjiajie West Railway Station	4, 6, 16, 17
Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station	17, 102, 8, 4
Lower Station of Tianmen Mountain Cableway	101, 102, 13, 17, 1, 203, 4
72 Strange Buildings	16, 17, 7
Wulingyuan Bus Station	Wulingyuan 1, 2, 3
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park East Gate	Wulingyuan 1, 2
Yellow Dragon Cave	Wulingyuan 1
Baofeng Lake	Wulingyuan 2

Notes:
1. The three buses in Wulingyuan depart with an interval of 20 min - 1 h, which requires much patience and time.
2. As the Grand Canyon is far away from the urban area, no city bus serves there.

City Bus Running in City Center

Taxi at Wulingyuan

Taxi & Online Car-hailing

It is easy to take a taxi in Zhangjiajie. Around the railway station and Hehua Airport, let alone attractions, there are specialized sites for you to hail one. Also, it doesn’t cost much in the relatively small downtown. Online car-hailing services like Didi are in operation in Zhangjiajie, too.

From	To	Duration	Taxi Fare (CNY)
Zhangjiajie Airport	Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station	15 min	16
	Zhangjiajie West Railway Station	15 min	25
	Lower Station of Tianmen Mountain Cableway	15 min	15
	Zhangjiajie National Forest Park East Gate	45 min	90
	Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon	70 min	190
	Yellow Dragon Cave	50 min	120
Zhangjiajie West Railway Station	Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station	20 min	25
	Lower Station of Tianmen Mountain Cableway	20 min	25
	Zhangjiajie National Forest Park East Gate	30 min	80
	Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon	60 min	160
	Yellow Dragon Cave	40 min	100
Lower Station of Tianmen Mountain Cableway	72 Strange Buildings	15 min	15
	Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon	70 min	190
	Zhangjiajie National Forest Park East Gate	40 min	100
	Yellow Dragon Cave	50 min	120
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park East Gate	Zhangjiajie National Forest Park South Gate	40 min	70
	Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon	40 min	85
	Yellow Dragon Cave	15 min	25
	Baofeng Lake	10 min	10

Tip:
It is strongly recommended to negotiate a flat rate with the car driver before getting on board, as some don’t charge by the meter, or their unit price is higher than the official one.

Shared Electric Bikes

Those bikes mainly serve the city center and Wulingyuan, suitable for short trips, for example, when you want to return to your hotel not far away from the scenic area after sightseeing. Because there are many uphill and downhill roads, no shared normal bicycles are available.