How to Get from Beijing to Zhangjiajie

Dear Travelers

We’d like to have the following travel guide to be always updated for the benefit of new visitors coming to Zhangjiajie from Beijing and other places. Anybody having used the piece finds necessary updates, or having any questions, please leave a message or feedback. Thanks!
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Plan your Zhangjiajie Tour? About 1,500 km southeast of Beijing, Zhangjiajie is a rising star with its picturesque and unique sandstone formations, empowered by the American film – Avatar, has attracted a consistent flow of tourists each year ever since.

If you’re already in Beijing,  you may wonder how to get from Beijing to Zhangjiajie?  By train or Flight? We are here ready to present you the multiple choices which you may use to match your specific travel request.

Before getting to know how to get from Beijing to Zhangjiajie, we’d like to remind you the fact that basically Zhangjiajie has two meanings – 1.  Zhangjaijie City proper 2. Zhangjiajie Scenic Area.

Zhangjiajie Scenic Area
Just 30 km north of Zhangjiajie City, Zhangjiajie Scenic Area mainly refers to Wulingyuan Scenic Area (Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve, Yuanjiajie Nature Reserve, Yangjiajie Nature Reserve including Zhangjiajie National Forest Park,Golden Whip Stream and Haungshi Fort and Suoxi Valley Natural Resource Reserve.

Now the newly added artificial thriller – Zhangjiajie Glass Bottom Bridge is situated 50km east of the core of Zhangjiajie Scenic Area. It spans 430 meters over a 300-meter-deep valley between two cliffs of Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon.

Zhangjiajie City ( Tianmen Mountain )
Named after the world-famous Zhangjiajie Scenic Area, Zhangjiajie City proper also boasts its own drawcard – Tianmen Mountain.

Its Cableway （just close to Zhangjiajie Railwaty Station) is claimed as one of the “longest passenger cableway of high mountains in the world”, with a total length of 7,455 meters and ascent of 1,279 meters. A 100-meter-long Glass Skywalk clings around a cliff on Tianmen Mountain, attracting lots of tourists who are looking for adventures.

So  talking about how to get from Beijing to Zhangjiajie,  we actually have to answer two questions – How to get from Beijing to Zhangjiajie City proper and then how to get from Zhangjiajie City proper to Zhangjiajie Scenic Area ( Wulinyuan and Zhangjiajie Glass Bottom Bridge). They are roughly 30 km  apart.

Now let’s first about the first question – How to get from Beijing to Zhangjiajie City proper?

How to get from Beijing to Zhangjiajie City proper ( Tianmen Mountain)

1.  Get from Beijing to Zhangjiajie directly by Train
There are 2 or 3 daily overnight trains leaving from Beijing Railway Station and arriving at Zhangjiajie Railway Station ( downtown), 23 – 26 hours ( Soft sleeper about 600 yuan; hard sleeper about 400 yuan).

If time allows, plus you are able to grab a ticket, it is an interesting experience to travel by train.  The cable car station for Tianmen Mountain and Glass Skywalk is just a breeze from the train station.

2. Get from Beijing to Zhangjiajie directly by Flight
There are also 2 or 3 daily flights taking off from Beijing Capital International Airport to Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport, about 5 km west of the city core. Basically like the overnight trains from Beijing to Zhangjiajie, the direct flight tickets are hard to get especially in tourist high season.

High demand makes little space for ticket discounts. Unless you are pressed for time, direct flight  is not a good choice due to the exorbitant prices.

3. Get from Beijing to Zhangjiajie via Changsha by Train
The over 10 daily high-speed trains from Beijing West Railway Station to Changsha South Railway Station whisk you from Beijing to Changsha in 4 or 5 hours.

Then you need to change for the local long-distance bus bringing you to your destination – Zhangjiajie since there is no railway line between the two cities. The bus takes about 5 hours ( approx. 90 yuan).

The tickets for the Highspeed train from Beijing West Station to Changsha South Station:
Second Class: 649 yuan
First Class: 1038 yuan
Business Class: 2050 yuan

4. Get from Beijing to Zhangjiajie via Changsha by flight  
Numerous daily flights take you from Beijing to Changsha usually at a very competitive price. Changsha is the capital city of Hunan Province, a perfect jump-off springboard for travelers will come to Zhangjiajie. Actually Changsha itself is worth your exploring for 1 or 2 days.

Changsha is well known for its sights related to Mao Zedong Mao ( Dec 26, 1893 – Sept 9, 1976), a Chinese Communist revolutionary and the founding father of the People’s Republic of China.  At Zhangjiajie Airport, you either choose to transit and fly for Zhangjiajie or connect a local long-distance bus for Zhangjiajie.

How to get from Zhangjiajie City proper to Zhangjiajie Scenic Area ( Wulinyuan and Zhangjiajie Glass Bottom Bridge)

No matter you arrive at Zhangjiajie City proper by flight or train,  directly from Beijing or via Changsha, the best way to go from Zhangjiajie City to Zhangjiajie Scenic Area (Wulingyuan or Zhangjiajie Glass Bottom Bridge ) is to take a local bus.

The bus station is known as Zhangjiajie Central Passenger Bus Station, just on the left side of the square in front of Zhangjiajie Railway Station. So if you arrive at Zhangjiajie by train or bus, you can easily walk to the bus station bound for Zhangjiajie Scenic Area: 20 yuan and 50 minutes.

If you are going to experience Glass Bottom Bridge, you need to hop on another bus at Zhangjiajie Scenic Area and leave for Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon: 15 yuan and 40 minutes.

There is no direct bus line connecting Zhangjiajie Airport and Zhangjiajie Scenic Area. Instead, you should take a cab or bus going from Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport to Zhangjiajie Central Passenger Station and then get on a bus for Zhangjiajie Scenic Area and Glass Bottom Bridge.

Tip:  Hassle-free Zhangjiajie Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for guided tours to Zhangjiajie:

Zhangjiajie 3 Day Tour   from US$320 P/P 
Zhangjiajie 4 Day Tour  from US$ 390 P/P
Zhangjiajie Fenghuang 5 Day Tour  from US$417 P/P
Glass Bridge & Yellow Dragon Bridge Day Tour  from US$ 105 P/P
 Beijing Zhangjiajie Fenghuang 8 Days Tour   from US$ 875 p/p
 Shanghai Zhangjiajie Highlight 4 Day Tour   from US$ 766 p/p
11 Days Beijing – Xian – Zhangjiajie – Shanghai   from US$2069 p/p

Further Readings

Best Time to Visit Zhangjiajie.
How to Get to Zhangjiajie.
Top 10 Attractions in Zhangjiajie.
Top 10 Attractions in Changsha.
Top 10 Attractions in Hunan.
Zhangjiajie Tour.
Zhangjiajie Trip

Any questions, just drop a line.