Short answer: Tianzi Mountain is a high plateau inside Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, on the same ticket as Yuanjiajie. You go up by the Tianzi Mountain cable car (CNY 72 one way, about 6.5 minutes) or by the park shuttle bus, and one day is enough for both Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie.
Key facts
| Item | Figure | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance ticket | No separate ticket. Covered by the Forest Park ticket: CNY 165, valid 4 consecutive days; CNY 236 with the shuttle bus | 17 Aug 2026 |
| Tianzi Mountain cable car | CNY 72 one way; half-price ticket CNY 36 | 17 Aug 2026 |
| Ride time | About 6.5 minutes | 17 Aug 2026 |
| Return tickets | None. Only one-way tickets are sold | 17 Aug 2026 |
| Nearest gates | East Gate (Wujiayu), then the shuttle bus to the lower station. The North Gate is the Tianzishan ticket station | 17 Aug 2026 |
| Line A / Line B at the East Gate | A: up by the Tianzi cable car, down by the Bailong Elevator. B: the reverse | 26 Sep 2026 |
| Annual maintenance | Closed 5 to 16 January 2026, 12 days. The mountain stayed open | 2 Oct 2026 |
| Last cable car | No fixed time is published. We confirm it on the day | Confirmed daily |
| Kongzhong Tianyuan electric cart | CNY 64 return, about 20 minutes each way. Not covered by the park ticket or the shuttle bus | Visitor reports, Apr to Sep 2026 |
What Tianzi Mountain is
Tianzi Mountain is not a separate park. It is a plateau inside Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, and the park ticket covers it. On paper it is its own nature reserve within Wulingyuan; for visitors it is simply part of the park. At Yuanjiajie you walk right up to the Avatar pillars. At Tianzi Mountain you stand high and look down over a whole field of peaks. Local people call it a sea of peaks. Early in the morning, or after rain when the cloud sits low, the tops of the pillars show above the cloud.
Three ways up
- Cable car. Enter at the East Gate, take the shuttle bus to the lower station, and ride about 6.5 minutes to the top.
- Shuttle bus from Yuanjiajie. Go up the Bailong Elevator to Yuanjiajie. When you have finished there, take the shuttle bus across to Tianzi Mountain.
- North Gate. Enter at the Tianzishan ticket station and take the shuttle bus to He Long Park, the main stop on top.
What to see on top
The main stops are He Long Park, Imperial Writing Brush Peak, Fairies Presenting Flowers and the West Sea Stone Forest. Each is a short, flat walk from a shuttle stop, the platforms have railings, and most visitors can manage them.
Quieter viewpoints, if you have time
- Dianjiangtai and Shentangwan. About 3 minutes by shuttle bus from He Long Park, then about 8 minutes on foot downhill to a three-level platform with railings. The two are next to each other; allow about an hour for both. Far fewer people come here than to He Long Park. When you board, tell the driver you are getting off at Shentangwan.
- Tianzi Pavilion. A pavilion built in the traditional style. Imperial Writing Brush Peak is in the valley on its west side.
- Daguantai. Get off at Daguantai Junction, near Sancha Junction. It gives a good angle on the wall of peaks.
These can close at short notice. Ask at the gate on the day, or ask us if you are travelling with us.
Kongzhong Tianyuan, the “fields in the sky”: optional, and an extra fare
Kongzhong Tianyuan is a stretch of terraced fields on a cliff edge, with two viewing platforms beyond it. To get there, take the shuttle bus from Tianzi Mountain towards Yangjiajie and get off at Sancha Junction, which is marked on our English map of the park. From there an electric cart takes you in. A different company runs it, so neither the park ticket nor the shuttle bus ticket covers it. It costs CNY 64 return and takes about 20 minutes each way. There is also a walking route, but we have no measured distance for it, so ask us before you count on it. The fare comes from 2026 visitor reports; we confirm it before your trip.
The cart passes the fields on the way in. They look best when the rice is ripe. After the harvest they are bare earth. From the last cart stop, paths lead down to two viewing platforms, Shenbing Juhui and Yuebingtai, which face the Bailong Elevator and the Yuanjiajie pillars. Many visitors rate these two platforms above the fields themselves. Not counting the cart rides, allow at least an hour. On the way back, have your cart ticket checked before you join the queue.
One day with Yuanjiajie
You do not have to choose between the two.
The route we use most: enter at the East Gate, go up the Bailong Elevator, walk Yuanjiajie, add Yangjiajie if time and crowds allow, take the shuttle bus to Tianzi Mountain, ride the Tianzi cable car down, and take the shuttle bus out; the Ten-Mile Gallery mini-train can be added at the end. At the East Gate this route is sold as Line B. The reverse, up by the Tianzi cable car and down by the Bailong Elevator, is Line A. You pick the line when you book. If you book the wrong one it often cannot be changed at the gate, so change it online beforehand.
If you want Golden Whip Stream as well: take the Tianzi cable car up, see Tianzi Mountain, then Yuanjiajie, and ride the Bailong Elevator down to Shuiraosimen, where Golden Whip Stream ends. Walk a stretch of the stream from that end, come back the same way, and take the shuttle bus out.
Cable car tickets
Only one-way tickets are sold, at CNY 72 a ride. There is a half-price ticket at CNY 36. Who qualifies depends on age; tell us the ages in your group and we will work it out. If you will ride the cable cars or the Bailong Elevator three times or more, the combined ticket may be cheaper; see our tickets and costs page.
When to come down
Do not leave your descent until late afternoon. When the park is busy, both the cable car and the Bailong Elevator have queues. We book your gate and time slot in advance and change the order of the day to suit the crowds.
Walking down
It can be done, but only by strong walkers. Two trails down are open at present. The one via Wolong Ridge to the Ten-Mile Gallery takes about 2 to 3 hours downhill, all on steps. Trails can close for repairs or bad weather, so we confirm again before your trip. There is more in our Zhangjiajie hiking guide.
Weather and maintenance
The cable car runs in rain, fog and wind unless the park issues a notice.
It closes once a year for maintenance. In 2026 that was 5 to 16 January, 12 days. The operator also announced other stoppages in September and December 2025 and in March 2026. During a closure Tianzi Mountain stays open: go up by the Bailong Elevator or the Yangjiajie cable car and take the shuttle bus across. If you are coming in winter, ask us and we will look up the current notice.
Planning Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie in one day? Tell us your dates and who is coming, and we will book the right gate, line and time slot.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate ticket for Tianzi Mountain?
No. It is covered by the Forest Park ticket. The cable car is extra, at CNY 72 one way.
Tianzi Mountain or Yuanjiajie?
Both. One day is enough for the two.
How long is the cable car ride?
About 6.5 minutes. Only one-way tickets are sold.
What time is the last cable car?
No fixed time is published. Our local team confirms it each day. Do not plan your way down around a time you found online.
Does Kongzhong Tianyuan need another ticket?
No extra entrance ticket, but the electric cart ride in costs extra: CNY 64 return. There is also a walking route.
Does the cable car ever close?
Yes. It closes once a year for maintenance, 5 to 16 January in 2026, and the operator announces other stoppages from time to time. During a closure, go up by the Bailong Elevator or the Yangjiajie cable car and take the shuttle bus.
Sources and data notes
- Cable car price (CNY 72 one way; half-price ticket CNY 36): the Wulingyuan District tourism bureau ticket page, checked 4 October 2026. Ride time: the cable car operator, checked 17 August 2026.
- Forest Park entry (CNY 165, valid 4 consecutive days) and the combined ticket with the shuttle bus (CNY 236): the Wulingyuan District tourism bureau ticket page, which cites Hunan pricing document No. 977 of 2024, in force from 1 January 2025. The CNY 165 price went to a public hearing that the Zhangjiajie Development and Reform Commission announced on 12 November 2024. Both checked 4 October 2026.
- Maintenance closure: the operator’s notice on the Wulingyuan News site (notices page), checked 2 October 2026.
- Gate names and shuttle routes: the park website and the 2026 route board. Line A and Line B: our call to the park office on 26 September 2026.
- Viewpoints: the Wulingyuan News site’s attraction pages and the park’s own signboards. Trails: checked 28 September 2026.
- The Kongzhong Tianyuan cart fare and the walk to Dianjiangtai: visitor reports from April to September 2026.
See also: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park guide · which gate to use · shuttle bus · free English map of the park · Bailong Elevator guide · Tianmen Mountain or the Forest Park? · tickets and costs · 3-day Zhangjiajie private tour.