How to get to Furong Town from Zhangjiajie
Trains from Zhangjiajie to Furong Town leave only from Zhangjiajie West Station: about 10–12 a day, 23 minutes, second class about CNY 40. Zhangjiajie Railway Station, the older station in the city, has no trains to Furong Town. For the waterfall lit at night on a day trip, the last trains back leave between 9:30 and 10 pm. Stay overnight and note that on most days there is no morning train back; the first leaves after midday.
Furong Town (Furong Ancient Town, also called Hibiscus Town, the old town built above a waterfall) is the natural stop between Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang. This page is only about how to get there and whether to make it a day trip or an overnight stay. What to see in Furong itself is on our Zhangjiajie, Furong Town and Fenghuang itinerary.
1. Two ways from Zhangjiajie to Furong Town
By high-speed train: Zhangjiajie West to Furong Town Station, roughly 10–12 trains a day, 23–24 minutes, second class about CNY 40. By car: about 2 hours from Zhangjiajie city or Tianmen Mountain, 1.5–2 hours from Wulingyuan. The train is fast but has a transfer at each end; the car is slower but door to door, and your luggage never leaves the vehicle.
- Zhangjiajie West is about 25 km from Wulingyuan (30–40 minutes’ drive) and a little over 20 minutes’ drive from the city and the Tianmen Mountain cableway. If you are staying in Wulingyuan, add that drive to the 23-minute train ride.
- Furong Town Station is about 2.5 km from the old town, with a shuttle run by the scenic area. On our tours our car meets you at the station door.
- Allow extra time at the station entrance with a foreign passport; see our China high-speed train guide for buying tickets.
- Tickets go on sale 14 days before departure. On weekends and public holidays the evening trains back run short of seats, so book the return with the outbound. A timetable change starts on 9 October 2026, and we re-check trains for your dates.
- Long-distance buses exist, but we have not verified current schedules, so we do not list them.
2. Are there trains to Furong Town from Zhangjiajie Railway Station in the city?
No. When we searched 12306 on 27 September 2026 from “Zhangjiajie” station, every result departed from Zhangjiajie West; the older city station had none. If you are staying near the city station, take a taxi to Zhangjiajie West (a little over 20 minutes) and catch the train there.
This is a question people ask in travel forums (“I’m next to the city railway station, why can’t I book a train to Furong?”). The answer is not that tickets are sold out; there is no train. The same trap applies to trains towards Hong Kong, which also leave only from Zhangjiajie West.
3. Is a day trip enough? How to plan it
A day trip is enough to see Furong Town, but if you want the night lights you will be back late. If you go in the morning and return before evening, trains are plentiful. To see the waterfall and the old town lit after dark, the only trains back leave between 9:30 and 10 pm, arriving at Zhangjiajie West around 10 pm (9:55–10:25); if your hotel is in Wulingyuan, you are back around 11 pm.
Two plans, based on the 4 October 2026 timetable. Trains change by season, so we re-check for your date.
| Plan | Out from Zhangjiajie West | Back from Furong Town | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daytime | Around 9:40 or 10:00 am | Around 6:10 or 6:40 pm | Happy to skip the night lights; early start into the park next morning |
| Afternoon and night lights | Around 12:40 or 2:45 pm | Around 9:30, 9:40, 9:55 or 10:00 pm | Want the lights; fine with a late return |
- The last train back is around 10 pm. The lights come on after dark and the time varies by season; we confirm it for your date.
- A private car for the day means 3–4 hours of driving in total, but no train to catch: you stay as late as you like.
4. Is staying overnight worth it?
If you are continuing to Fenghuang, an overnight stay is on the way. Furong Town sits between Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang: the next morning the train from Furong Town to Fenghuang Ancient Town Station takes 27–40 minutes, or it is about 2 hours by car. Staying means you watch the lights without racing for the last train and see the waterfall again in daylight.
If you plan to return to Zhangjiajie after the night, be careful. On most days there is no morning train from Furong Town to Zhangjiajie West: across the 11 days we checked (28 September to 8 October 2026), 10 had nothing before midday, and the first train was around 12:20 or 1:20 pm. (One day had a single 10:12 am departure; do not count on it.) To be back in Wulingyuan for a morning in the park, you would go by car, about 1.5–2 hours.
- This is another forum question: “I want to stay one night and return in the morning, why is there no morning train?” It is not that tickets are not released yet; on most days the timetable simply has none.
- Our rule of thumb: Zhangjiajie → Furong (overnight) → Fenghuang is a straight line. Zhangjiajie → Furong (overnight) → back to Zhangjiajie is a there-and-back; either hire a car or keep the next morning free in Furong.
5. With older travellers: how are the steps?
Older travellers can visit Furong Town, but there is a difference between walking around the old town and staying inside it. The old streets are flagstones worn into deep grooves. We plan on the basis that there is no lift and no porter service; we could not verify the “sightseeing elevator” you may read about online. Senior ticket concessions follow the scenic area’s rules on the day, and we confirm them when we book.
- Most guesthouses inside the old town cannot be reached by car. From the drop-off point you carry your bags along stone steps for a stretch. If that is a problem, we book a hotel on flat ground outside the old town and drive you in and out for the evening lights.
- If mobility matters, see how we plan on our Zhangjiajie tours for seniors.
6. Furong Town to Fenghuang
The train is quick. Furong Town to Fenghuang Ancient Town Station: about 10 trains a day, 27–40 minutes, second class about CNY 53. The other direction, Fenghuang to Furong Town: about 9 a day, and on most days nothing in the morning, with the first around 11:40 am. By car it is about 2 hours, with the option to stop at the Aizhai Bridge and Dehang Miao village near Jishou on the way.
- A trap to know: many trains from Zhangjiajie West to Fenghuang do not stop at Furong Town. On the 4 October 2026 timetable, 21 trains are scheduled from Zhangjiajie West to Fenghuang Ancient Town, about 10 of which skip Furong Town. When you search Zhangjiajie West to Furong Town, only the trains that stop there appear, which is normal.
- Zhangjiajie West direct to Fenghuang Ancient Town: 51–66 minutes, second class about CNY 93. See our Fenghuang Ancient Town guide.
- Furong Town to Jishou East: 20–28 minutes, second class about CNY 39. Jishou East has direct trains to Chengdu.
7. So which should you choose? A local’s view
| Your situation | Our suggestion |
|---|---|
| Three nights in Zhangjiajie, staying in Wulingyuan, not going to Fenghuang | Day trip. Go in the afternoon, see the lights, take a late train back, or hire a car |
| Continuing to Fenghuang, Jishou or further south | Stay overnight. Half an hour by train to Fenghuang the next day, or a car with a stop at Aizhai Bridge |
| Staying the night but going back into the Zhangjiajie park afterwards | Either a car back early in the morning, or keep the morning free in Furong and travel after midday |
| Older travellers or a lot of luggage | A hotel on flat ground outside the old town, or a daytime visit without staying |
| Only want the waterfall, not the night view | Daytime day trip: morning out, afternoon back |
The hard part is not the 23-minute train
It is the two ends: no trains from the city station, no morning train back on most days, late trains running short of seats, and the steps inside the old town. On a private tour we link Zhangjiajie, Furong Town and Fenghuang in one car; your luggage stays on board, you stay in Furong as late as you like, and we book the entrance tickets.
Zhangjiajie, Furong Town and Fenghuang in one trip? Tell us your dates and we will decide between a day trip and an overnight stay for you, check the trains and put it all in one car.
See the 7-Day Zhangjiajie & Fenghuang TourAsk us on WhatsApp
FAQ
Are there trains to Furong Town from Zhangjiajie Railway Station in the city?
No. On 12306 (27 September 2026) every train from Zhangjiajie to Furong Town departs from Zhangjiajie West; the older city station has none. Take a taxi to Zhangjiajie West, a little over 20 minutes, and catch the train there. Trains towards Hong Kong also leave only from Zhangjiajie West.
How long is the train from Zhangjiajie to Furong Town?
23–24 minutes from Zhangjiajie West Station to Furong Town Station, roughly 10–12 trains a day, second class about CNY 40 (12306, September 2026). Furong Town Station is about 2.5 km from the old town; a scenic-area shuttle covers the last stretch, or our car meets you at the station door.
Can I see the Furong Town night lights on a day trip?
Yes, but you return late. The last trains back to Zhangjiajie West leave between 9:30 and 10 pm, arriving around 10 pm (9:55–10:25), so a Wulingyuan hotel means getting in around 11 pm. Book the evening train in advance; seats run short on weekends and holidays.
If I stay overnight in Furong Town, is there a morning train back to Zhangjiajie?
On most days, no. In the 11 days we checked in September and October 2026, 10 had no train to Zhangjiajie West before midday; the first usually leaves around 12:20 or 1:20 pm. To be back in Zhangjiajie in the morning, go by car, about 1.5–2 hours.
How do I get from Furong Town to Fenghuang?
By train in 27–40 minutes, about 10 a day, second class about CNY 53; or about 2 hours by car, with the option to stop at Aizhai Bridge and Dehang Miao village. Note that many Zhangjiajie West to Fenghuang trains do not stop at Furong Town.
Sources and data notes
All train frequencies, durations and fares were checked live on China Railway’s official 12306 system on 27 September 2026 for travel on 28 September, 4 October and 8 October 2026 (morning-train gaps checked across 28 September to 8 October). Fares are full second-class fares and vary slightly by train. Driving times are from our own operations. The timetable change starting 9 October 2026 may add trains on this line; we re-check for your dates. Distance from Furong Town Station to the old town: Hunan media report (Rednet) on the opening of the Zhangjiajie–Jishou–Huaihua railway, December 2021.