This seven-day route links Chongqing and Zhangjiajie on one fast train line. You spend two nights in central Chongqing, two nights near the forest park gates in Wulingyuan, and two nights in Zhangjiajie city before heading home.

Chongqing East Railway Station重庆东站
Zhangjiajie West Railway Station张家界西站
Wulingyuan East Gate (Wujiayu)武陵源东门（吴家峪票站）
Tianmen Mountain Lower Cable Car Station天门山索道下站
Map · Transport

Seven days and six nights: the route

Spend two nights in Chongqing, two in Wulingyuan and two in Zhangjiajie city. This gives you one full Chongqing day plus your arrival evening, two full forest park days and one Tianmen day. Choose eight days if you want two full days in Chongqing.

Day Plan Overnight
1 Arrive in Chongqing; Jiefangbei and Hongya Cave evening Chongqing
2 Liziba, Eling, Shibati and hotpot Chongqing
3 Train to Zhangjiajie West; transfer to Wulingyuan Wulingyuan
4 Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain Wulingyuan
5 Golden Whip Stream and Ten-Mile Gallery; move to the city Zhangjiajie city
6 Tianmen Mountain Zhangjiajie city
7 Depart from Zhangjiajie None

Day 1: arrive and see Hongya Cave

Hongya Cave and the red Qiansimen Bridge beside the Jialing River at night.
Photo by Jay Huang

Stay near Jiefangbei (解放碑) or Xiaoshizi (小什字), close to the central evening sights. After checking in, eat nearby and walk to Hongya Cave (洪崖洞). See the lit wooden buildings from Jiabin Road (嘉滨路), below the upper entrance on Cangbai Road (沧白路). Qiansimen Bridge (千厮门大桥) gives a wider view across the facade.

If you arrive late, keep Hongya Cave for tomorrow evening.

Day 2: Liziba, hillside streets and hotpot

Take Metro Line 2 to Liziba (李子坝). Ride through the residential building, then use the street viewing area to watch passing trains. Next, take a taxi uphill to Eling Park (鹅岭公园) for river views, or nearby Second Factory (鹅岭二厂) for cafes in former factory buildings.

Return to central Yuzhong for (十八梯), where stairs connect restored lanes below the modern city. Finish with hotpot. A split pot (鸳鸯锅) gives your table spicy and clear broth. The Chongqing three-day itinerary gives longer city walks and meal ideas.

Day 3: train to Wulingyuan

Choose a direct train from Chongqing East (重庆东) to Zhangjiajie West (张家界西). The fastest services take about two hours; many take 2.5–3 hours. A morning or late-morning departure leaves the afternoon for settling into Wulingyuan.

Allow half a day from your Chongqing hotel to your next hotel. Use the Chongqing East station guide for the departure trip. From Zhangjiajie West, go directly to Wulingyuan by coach, taxi or ride-hailing car. The road journey takes about 30–40 minutes.

Have dinner in Wulingyuan and prepare for an early park start. The Chongqing to Zhangjiajie transport guide covers train choices and arrival transfers.

Day 4: Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain

Enter through Wulingyuan's East Gate, 吴家峪门票站. Take the park shuttle to Bailong Elevator (百龙天梯) and ride up to Yuanjiajie (袁家界). Walk between viewpoints above the sandstone pillars, then continue by park shuttle to Tianzi Mountain (天子山). Descend by Tianzi cableway and return through the East Gate.

This is the main high-viewpoint day. Reserve your forest park admission for the two-day visit. The Zhangjiajie three-day itinerary explains how to connect the park sections.

Day 5: valley walks, then move to the city

Spend a second full day inside the forest park. From the East Gate, take a shuttle to Shuiraosimen (水绕四门). Follow Golden Whip Stream (金鞭溪) for a shorter out-and-back walk beneath the pillars. Use shuttles to combine this with Ten-Mile Gallery (十里画廊) on foot, then return to the East Gate. The small sightseeing train is an optional extra.

After the visit, collect your bags in Wulingyuan and travel to Zhangjiajie city. Allow about 40–50 minutes by road. Stay near the Tianmen city service area for the next morning's mountain trip.

Day 6: Tianmen Mountain

Heaven’s Gate arch and the cliffside road on Tianmen Mountain
Photo by Lianguanlun

Give most of the day to Tianmen Mountain (天门山), including its natural arch, upper cliff paths and summit views. Since 13 October 2026, Route C uses the express cableway up and down, with upper escalators between the cave and summit. The long cableway from the city is closed for rebuilding. A shuttle connects the city lower station with the mountain gate.

Book Tianmen Mountain tickets once your visit date is set. Return to your city hotel for the sixth night.

Day 7: depart from Zhangjiajie

Fly out from Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport or catch a train from Zhangjiajie West. This route finishes neatly in Zhangjiajie without backtracking. Heading back to Chongqing requires another train ride, so budget extra transit time if you have a return flight from Jiangbei Airport.

Choose your hotel bases

Wulingyuan (武陵源) is the town beside the forest park. Zhangjiajie city is the separate urban base for Tianmen and the airport. Two nights near the park's East Gate shorten both forest mornings; moving once afterwards puts you closer to Tianmen and departure transport.

Four nights in Zhangjiajie city suit travelers who prefer one hotel, with a 40–50-minute road trip each way for both forest days. Compare the areas in the Zhangjiajie accommodation guide.

Start in Zhangjiajie instead

Choose the direction that fits your arrival and onward journey. Starting in Chongqing puts the city evening first. Starting in Zhangjiajie finishes with Chongqing's restaurants and river lights.

For the reverse route, arrive in Zhangjiajie city on Day 1 and visit Tianmen on Day 2. On Day 3, transfer to Wulingyuan early, leave your bags at the hotel and spend the day in the forest park. Use Day 4 for the second park day. On Day 5, go directly from Wulingyuan to West Station and take the train to Chongqing. Spend Day 6 exploring Chongqing and depart on Day 7.

The reverse split is two city nights, two Wulingyuan nights and two Chongqing nights.

Six, eight or nine days

Six days, five nights: drop Tianmen. Keep two Chongqing nights, then three Wulingyuan nights. Days 4 and 5 remain full forest days; depart on Day 6 via Zhangjiajie West.

Eight days, seven nights: add one Chongqing day and night before the train. Explore Longmenhao (龙门浩), (下浩里) and Nanbin Road (南滨路), or combine museum time with the south bank. Your split becomes three Chongqing nights, two Wulingyuan nights and two city nights.

Nine days, eight nights: add that Chongqing day and another Wulingyuan day. Use the extra mountain day for slower valley walks, weather flexibility, or a separate Grand Canyon and glass bridge visit.

For Furong and Fenghuang, use the four-stop Chongqing, Zhangjiajie and ancient-town itinerary to plan the longer journey.

Budget for one adult

Allow CNY 2,300–3,600 (≈ USD 344–539 ) per person, with two adults sharing a room for six nights. These are spending allowances; the forest park row uses current published tariffs.

Item Per adult
Six hotel nights, sharing CNY 600–1,200 (≈ USD 90–180 )
Seven days of meals CNY 560–840 (≈ USD 84–126 )
One intercity train CNY 190–240 (≈ USD 28–36 )
Local transport across both cities CNY 200–350 (≈ USD 30–52 )
Forest park, shuttles, Bailong up and Tianzi down CNY 373 (≈ USD 56 )
Tianmen ticket allowance CNY 300 (≈ USD 45 )
Chongqing paid sights and small extras CNY 100–200 (≈ USD 15–30 )

The forest total combines entry and shuttles at CNY 236 (≈ USD 35 ), Bailong at CNY 65 (≈ USD 9.7 ) and Tianzi cableway at CNY 72 (≈ USD 11 ). Travel to the first city, travel from the last city, private guides, shopping and ancient-town extensions are additional.

Booking and bags

Train tickets go on sale 15 days ahead, counting the travel day. Use your passport when buying through China Railway 12306, and bring the same original document for boarding. Allow 60 minutes at the departure station for checks and the walk to your platform.

Fix your rail dates, then reserve forest park gates and entry slots and your Tianmen date. Forest admission covers four consecutive calendar days; reserve the gate and time slot for repeat visits too. Leave your main bags at the Wulingyuan hotel on Day 5, then collect them before moving to the city.

Sources & updates