Tianmen Mountain switches to Line C on 13 October 2026

Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie will switch to a single visitor route on 13 October 2026, when the main cableway stops carrying passengers and Line C becomes the route to the summit. The change affects the mountain’s transport system, not the access to its main viewpoints and Tianmen Cave.

Tianmen Mountain changes routes from 13 October 2026

A notice from the company operating the scenic area says the lower section of the main cableway, between the city station and the middle station, will stop carrying passengers on 13 October 2026. The upper section, between the middle station and the summit, has already been closed for an upgrade since 6 November 2025.

Lines A and B will no longer be available from 13 October 2026. Visitors will instead enter at the Mountain Gate, take the Tianmen Cave express cableway to the square below the cave, continue to the summit by the escalators inside the mountain and return by the same route. The 99-bend road is not part of Line C. The announcement gives no reopening date for the main cableway. The 13 October route change was reported after an operator notice dated 29 September 2026.

The city cableway station will retain its ticket and customer-service counters, while a shuttle will continue to connect it with the Mountain Gate. Travellers who arrive by the old city-centre route therefore still have a transport link to the new starting point.

Tianmen Mountain links the route change to its summit landscape

The park is in Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, and its main peak reaches 1,518.6 metres (4,983 ft). The provincial culture and tourism department describes it as a national 5A tourist attraction and records the main cableway’s total length as 7,455 metres (24,459 ft).

Line C changes how visitors reach those features. Instead of beginning with the long ascent from the city, the route starts at the Mountain Gate and uses the express cableway towards Tianmen Cave. The summit section then depends on the mountain’s internal escalators, making the transport change directly relevant to the cave and the high-level walking areas. The provincial park profile also records the 999 stairs leading up to the cave.

Visiting Tianmen Mountain: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• From 13 October 2026, the main cableway will stop carrying passengers and Line C will be the available visitor route.
• Line C starts at the Mountain Gate, uses the Tianmen Cave express cableway, continues by the seven-section mountain escalator to the summit and returns the same way.
• The city cableway station remains relevant as the shuttle connection to the Mountain Gate, but the main cableway itself will not carry visitors from 13 October 2026.
• The approach to Tianmen Cave includes a 999-step staircase. The park also has glass-bottomed and cliffside walkways on the summit area.
• The official language is Mandarin Chinese and the national currency is the renminbi.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Tianmen Mountain

When does the Line C change take place at Tianmen Mountain?

Line C becomes the visitor route on 13 October 2026, when the main cableway stops carrying passengers.

What is Tianmen Mountain?

It is a national 5A scenic attraction in Zhangjiajie with a 1,518.6-metre peak, Tianmen Cave and a 999-step staircase.

Where is Tianmen Mountain and how do you get there?

The park is in Zhangjiajie City in Hunan Province. From 13 October 2026, visitors use the city station shuttle to reach the Mountain Gate before taking Line C.