Chongqing, Zhangjiajie, Furong and Fenghuang in one trip

Nine days and eight nights connect Chongqing, Zhangjiajie, Furong and Fenghuang by rail. Split your Zhangjiajie stay between Wulingyuan and the city, then spend one night in each ancient town.

Choose the order before booking hotels

From Chongqing, travel south in this order: Zhangjiajie → Furong Town → Fenghuang Ancient Town. This puts the mountain hiking days first, then follows the railway south through western Hunan. Reverse it if your trip starts near Huaihua or Changsha and ends in Chongqing.

From Fenghuang, continue by train to your next destination. The nine-day plan below finishes at Fenghuang Gucheng railway station. If you fly home out of Chongqing, add a return travel day and an extra night.

Pick a trip length you can enjoy

Nine days and eight nights fits all four destinations comfortably. It gives you two full forest park days, a separate Tianmen Mountain day, and overnight stays in both ancient towns. Two nights in Chongqing allow for one full city day; add a third night for extra sightseeing using our three-day Chongqing itinerary.

These counts include arrival and departure days. If you arrive late on Day 1, treat it as a sleep-only night. For a more relaxed mountain trip, add an extra night in Wulingyuan rather than adding another distant attraction.

A nine-day route with eight hotel nights

On Day 3, use the afternoon to check into your hotel and take an easy walk. Two hours on a train plus local transfers will not leave enough daylight for a full park hike. On Day 5, store your bags at the Wulingyuan front desk in the morning and pick them up before moving to the city. Staying two nights at the city hotel on Days 5 and 6 prevents a frantic rush for trains after visiting Tianmen Mountain.

Zhangjiajie has two useful hotel bases

Wulingyuan: the forest-park days

Wulingyuan (武陵源) is the best base for the towering sandstone pillars known as the Avatar mountains. Book a hotel near the Wulingyuan east entrance, also called the Wujiayu ticket station (吴家峪门票站), for quick access on both park mornings. Yuanjiajie (袁家界), Tianzi Mountain (天子山), and Golden Whip Stream (金鞭溪) are all inside this park.

Plan two full days here: one for high-elevation viewpoints and one for valley trails. Park shuttle buses, cable cars, and outdoor elevators link the different areas. Having two days also lets you visit the higher peaks on whichever day has clearer weather.

Zhangjiajie city: Tianmen Mountain

Zhangjiajie city (张家界市) is the base for Tianmen Mountain (天门山) and its natural rock arch, Tianmen Cave (天门洞). This mountain is separate from the forest park. Tianzi Mountain and Tianmen Mountain are different places with separate entrances and tickets.

Move into a city hotel after your second forest park day and stay for two nights. This lets you explore Tianmen Mountain carrying only a day pack, then catch the Furong train the next morning. From 13 October 2026, the long city cableway closes for renovation, leaving only Route C open with express cable car service in both directions. The city terminal (天门山索道下站) continues handling tickets and shuttle buses to the mountain gate. Pick your hotel based on the departure point listed on your booking. If you wish to visit the Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, add an extra day or swap out one of the mountain days.

The train legs and the station transfers

Chongqing → Zhangjiajie West (张家界西站): direct high-speed trains use the rail link opened in June 2025. Travel time takes about 2 to 3 hours from Chongqing East (重庆东站). One checked service takes 2 hours 6 minutes, with a second-class ticket at CNY 222 (≈ USD 33 ). Departures from Chongqing North (重庆北站) and Chongqing West (重庆西站) also operate, taking roughly 3.5 to 4.25 hours. Compare the journey from your hotel to each departure station as well as the train time. Ensure your arrival ticket is specifically for Zhangjiajie West.

Zhangjiajie West sits outside both the downtown core and the national park gate. Allow 40 to 60 minutes by taxi or shuttle bus to Wulingyuan, or 20 to 30 minutes by taxi to the Tianmen city station. Take a bus or taxi directly to your hotel. You will arrive at Zhangjiajie West on Day 3 and depart from it on Day 7.

Zhangjiajie West → Furongzhen (芙蓉镇站): the high-speed train ride takes about 30 minutes. One checked second-class ticket is CNY 40 (≈ USD 6.0 ). From Furongzhen station, take a 15-minute taxi to the town gate or arrange a pickup through your hotel, then drop off your luggage before exploring.

Furongzhen → Fenghuanggucheng (凤凰古城站): the train ride south takes 30 to 40 minutes; one checked second-class ticket is CNY 53 (≈ USD 7.9 ). Book Fenghuanggucheng station rather than Jishou (吉首). The railway station is outside the historic core, so you will need a quick transfer into town.

From Fenghuanggucheng station, public shuttle buses cost CNY 7 (≈ USD 1.0 ) and drop off at Nanhuali (南华里) or Qifeng Square (奇峰广场). The drive takes 20 to 30 minutes, followed by a short walk to your hotel. A local taxi can drop you closer to your guesthouse entrance. You can also ride the tourist maglev from Fenghuang Gucheng Station (凤凰古城站) to Fenghuang Lansheng Station (凤凰揽胜站) for CNY 28 (≈ USD 4.2 ), which connects directly to an elevator and walking bridge into the old town.

Check our intercity train guide for booking tips, station navigation, and passport ID rules.

Furong: stay for the waterfall after dark

Furong Town (芙蓉镇) is an ancient settlement built over a roaring waterfall in Yongshun County, Hunan. Note that Furong Cave (芙蓉洞) is a different limestone cave near Chongqing, best visited on a Wulong day trip.

Staying one night lets you wander the stone lanes by day, watch the illuminated falls after dark, and enjoy a quiet morning walk. Rooms with waterfall views offer great scenery, though they often require walking down stone stairs with your bags and will have ambient waterfall sound. If you have heavy luggage, pick a guesthouse near an upper vehicle drop-off point and walk down to the falls.

Visiting Furong as a brief daytime stop between trains is possible, but managing luggage storage and station transfers takes time. If you only have eight days, it is better to skip Furong and spend that night in Fenghuang.

Fenghuang: a riverside night or a slower finish

Fenghuang Ancient Town (凤凰古城) features traditional wooden stilt houses along the Tuojiang River (沱江) and stone bridges connecting both banks. Arriving in the afternoon lets you catch the sunset, see the red lanterns light up the water at night, and wander the peaceful streets early the next morning.

One night gives you the evening river walk and a quiet morning in town. Staying two nights lets you unpack once and spend a full day exploring back alleys or taking a riverboat ride. Riverside rooms place you right in the evening atmosphere, while hotels along the outer ring roads offer quieter rooms and easier taxi drop-offs.

For your onward journey, search trains from Fenghuanggucheng (凤凰古城站). Huaihua South (怀化南站) and Changsha (长沙) are convenient hubs for continuing east or south. If returning to Chongqing, direct trains to Chongqing East (重庆东站) take about 3.75 to 4.25 hours.

Book tickets and handle your bags

1. Confirm your start city, end city, and number of nights, then book your high-speed train tickets.
2. Reserve your Zhangjiajie National Forest Park tickets and Tianmen Mountain tickets for separate days. Note the exact route and entry time slot on your Tianmen reservation.
3. Book two nights in Wulingyuan followed by two nights in Zhangjiajie city. Save the Chinese name and address of each hotel on your phone to show drivers.
4. For guesthouses in Furong and Fenghuang, message your host in advance to confirm the closest vehicle drop-off point, as cars cannot drive onto stone bridges or pedestrian alleys.

Keep your large bags at your hotel while hiking the mountains. On Day 5, check out of your Wulingyuan hotel, leave your luggage at the front desk for the day, and pick it up on your way to Zhangjiajie city. For digital payments and navigation on the road, refer to our payment guide and useful travel apps guide.