Short answer (updated 1 October 2026): from 13 October 2026 the main Tianmen Mountain cableway from the city stops carrying passengers; its upper section has already been closed since November 2025. From that date the one route up is Line C: the Tianmen Cave express cable car from the mountain gate, then the escalators through the mountain to the summit. You come down the same way.
The numbers
| Item | Status / figure | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Main cableway, upper section (mid-station to summit) | Closed for rebuilding since 6 November 2025 | 21 Sep 2026 |
| Main cableway, lower section (city station to mid-station) | Stops carrying passengers from 13 October 2026 | 30 Sep 2026 |
| Routes on sale | From 13 October 2026: Line C only; Line A and Line B packages withdrawn | 30 Sep 2026 |
| Time needed | About 4 to 6 hours including queuing | 30 Sep 2026 |
| Ticket | CNY 285 per adult plus CNY 3 insurance; unchanged | 30 Sep 2026 |
| City cableway station to mountain gate | Free shuttle bus, about 20 minutes | 30 Sep 2026 |
| Tianmen Cave square to the cave | 999 steps, or a 5-stage escalator for CNY 32 | 21 Sep 2026 |
| Reopening date | Not announced | 30 Sep 2026 |
What changed
Many guides still describe riding the world’s longest passenger cableway from downtown Zhangjiajie straight up to Tianmen Mountain. That cableway has two sections. The upper section closed for rebuilding in November 2025. From 13 October 2026 the lower section stops carrying passengers as well, and the Line A and Line B packages that used it are no longer sold.
So from 13 October 2026 you do not ride the main cableway, and you do not drive the 99-bend road. Everyone goes up by Line C. Until 12 October the lower section still runs and Lines A and B are still sold.
How to go up: Line C, step by step
- Get to the mountain gate. If you are staying in the city or arriving at Zhangjiajie West station, go to the city cableway station first. It keeps its ticket and service windows open, and a free shuttle bus runs from there to the mountain gate in about 20 minutes.
- Ride the Tianmen Cave express cable car from the gate up to Tianmen Cave square.
- Reach the cave itself. Either climb the 999 steps or pay CNY 32 for the five-stage escalator.
- Take the seven-stage escalator through the mountain from behind the cave to the summit.
- Walk the summit paths. The Panlong Cliff glass walkway, the west-line glass walkway and the Guigu plank road are open. All three glass walkways were open when we checked on 1 October 2026.
- Come down the same way: escalators back to the cave, express cable car back to the gate.
How long to allow
Allow about 4 to 6 hours including queuing. If you have an afternoon train, plan on the 6-hour figure: queue at 8 am, be back at the gate by 2 pm, and book a departure from Zhangjiajie West at 4 pm or later.
Tickets
CNY 285 per adult plus CNY 3 insurance. The price did not change when Lines A and B were withdrawn. Ages 14 to 17, students and ages 60 to 64 pay CNY 152, and ages 65 and over pay CNY 116, both including insurance; bring your passport, which the park accepts for these prices. There is no fast-track lane at Tianmen Mountain at present.
Weather
The mountain stays open in rain, fog and wind unless the park issues a special notice. In ice, heavy fog or heavy rain the park already routes everyone via Line C, so the current arrangement is the bad-weather routine anyway.
Checking the day’s status
The park posts operating notices at the mountain gate and in its own mini-program. For our guests, the local team confirms the status the day before departure. We update this page whenever the arrangement changes, and the date at the top tells you when we last did.
Going to Tianmen Mountain after 13 October? Tell us your date and who is coming, and we will plan the Line C day with the timings written down.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Tianmen Mountain cable car open?
From 13 October 2026 the main cableway is not. The Tianmen Cave express cable car is, and that is how Line C goes up.
Can I still ride the bus up the 99-bend road?
Not as a way up the mountain. From 13 October 2026 the Line A and Line B packages that used the road are withdrawn.
Is it manageable for older visitors?
The ascent is cable car plus escalators. At the cave you can pay CNY 32 to skip the 999 steps. The summit paths have some ups and downs, and a slow pace works fine. See also our Zhangjiajie tour for seniors.
Sources and data notes
- Lower-section closure and withdrawal of Lines A and B: notice from the Tianmen Mountain operating company dated 29 September 2026; we obtained the original on 30 September 2026.
- Upper-section closure: the park’s on-site notice on route adjustments during the upper-section shutdown, in force since 6 November 2025.
- Time needed, ticket price and shuttle bus: confirmed with the park by our team on 30 September 2026. We have not found the CNY 285 bundled price on any public web page. The gate-ticket part (CNY 72) is set in the Hunan Development and Reform Commission’s pricing notice No. 517 of 2025, in force from 1 August 2025. Checked 4 October 2026.
- Glass walkway status and reduced prices: confirmed with the park by our team on 1 October 2026.
- No reopening date has been published. This page is updated when that changes.
See also: Zhangjiajie tour for seniors · Tianmen Mountain guide · Tianmen Mountain map · on-the-ground FAQ.