Tianmen Mountain 2026: Tickets, Route C and the Cable Car Closure

Short answer: since 13 October 2026, Tianmen Mountain’s famous long cable car from Zhangjiajie city has stopped carrying passengers for reconstruction, and Routes A and B are suspended. The only way up is Route C: the Tianmen Cave Express Cableway from the park’s Mountain Gate, up and back. An adult Route C ticket costs around 285–290 yuan (the exact amount varies by seller). Ticket sales run 7:30–16:00, rides start at 8:00, and no reopening date has been announced.

Checked November 2026 against the park announcement of 10 October 2026. The park says changes will be announced separately, so check again before your trip.

Affiliate disclosure: this article contains affiliate links. If you book through one of them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The mountain itself hasn’t changed. Heaven’s Gate, the glass skywalks and the summit are all still there. What changed is the logistics: you now start at the park gate at the foot of the mountain, not in the city centre, and that affects where it makes sense to stay.

Tianmen Mountain right now: quick facts

What’s open	Route C only: the express cableway from the Mountain Gate to Heaven’s Gate, then escalators to the summit
Long city cable car	Closed since 13 October 2026; no reopening date announced
Adult Route C ticket	Around 285–290 yuan; check the exact price when you buy
Hours	Ticket sales 7:30–16:00; rides from 8:00
Not included	The escalator from the square up to Heaven’s Gate (the alternative to the 999 steps)
Time on the mountain	4–6 hours, not counting travel and queues

What exactly changed

The long cable car that started in the city, at the lower station, has stopped entirely. The park’s announcement gives the reason as «overall upgrade and renovation of the cableway». A notice on Qunar adds that a new lower-station complex is being built.

Route	How it worked	Status since 13 Oct 2026
A	Up on the long cable car from the city, down on the express cableway	Suspended
B	Up on the express cableway, down on the long cable car	Suspended
1 and 2 (one way)	Options using one cableway	Suspended
C	Express cableway from the Mountain Gate, up and back	Open: the only option

Will Routes A and B reopen soon?

Officially, nobody knows. The announcement says the reopening date «will be notified separately according to construction progress», and there’s no date on ticket sites or in local media. According to travel sites, the upper section of the long cable car already closed for repairs in November 2025, and now the lower section has stopped too. Don’t count on the long cable car in the coming months. Plan for Route C, and if it reopens, treat that as a bonus.

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Route C step by step

Route C goes up and down the same way. You miss the long cable car, but the route is shorter, and the park recommends it for people short on time or afraid of heights. Travellers’ reviews say the express cableway takes about 7–8 minutes to the square below Heaven’s Gate.

1. Mountain Gate (天门山山门). Ticket and ID check at the foot of the mountain in Shuangxia village, not at the city cable car station.
2. Tianmen Cave Express Cableway (天门洞快线索道) up to the square below Heaven’s Gate.
3. Heaven’s Gate (天门洞). From the square, the 999-step «Stairway to Heaven» (上天梯) leads to the arch. You can climb it for free or ride the paid escalator.
4. Seven escalators through the mountain (7级穿山自动扶梯) from Heaven’s Gate up to the summit.
5. The summit: cliffside paths, glass skywalks and Tianmen Temple.
6. Back the same way: escalators down to Heaven’s Gate, the express cableway down to the gate.

What the Route C ticket includes

Item	Included in Route C?
Park admission	Yes
Express cableway, round trip	Yes
Park eco-bus	Yes
The seven escalators from Heaven’s Gate to the summit and back	Yes
Summit paths, glass skywalks, the temple, Heaven’s Gate itself	Yes
Escalator from the square up to Heaven’s Gate (instead of the 999 steps)	No, paid separately
Shoe covers for the glass skywalk, food, the Fox Fairy show	No

The glass skywalks and the 999 steps can close

The park warns that the West and East glass skywalks, the Panlong Cliff glass skywalk and the 999-step stairway can close at any time because of weather, maintenance or events. If the stairs are closed, the paid escalator is the only way up to Heaven’s Gate. Keep Alipay or WeChat Pay ready. Setup is in Alipay for foreigners.

How to get to the Mountain Gate

This is the main trap of the new set-up. Many guides and navigation apps still send you to the city cable car’s lower station (天门山索道下站). Ticket desks and an information point still work there, but you can’t go up the mountain from there any more.

From the city: the shuttle. During the works, a shuttle bus runs between the lower cable car station in the city and the Mountain Gate, according to the park. The announcement doesn’t give a fare or timetable, so leave extra time if you want to be there at opening. You can reach the lower station from central Zhangjiajie by taxi, DiDi or city bus. Check bus numbers in Amap before you go.

Straight to the gate: taxi or DiDi. If you’re staying at the foot of the mountain or don’t want to change, order a car directly to the gate. In the app, search for the park gate, not the cable car.

Where	What to type in Amap / DiDi	Why
Park gate, start of Route C	天门山国家森林公园山门	Entrance, express cableway
City cable car lower station	天门山索道下站	Shuttle to the gate, ticket desks
Express cableway	天门洞快线索道	Landmark inside the gate
Fox Fairy theatre	天门狐仙剧场	Next to the gate

Tickets: price, booking and passport

• Price. An adult Route C ticket costs around 285–290 yuan. Sellers differ slightly, partly depending on whether insurance is included. The park has discounts for children, teenagers, students and seniors, but sellers describe the conditions and documents differently. If you’re counting on a discount, check the rules for your passport before paying.
• Timed, named booking. Entry is by time slot, and the ticket is issued to a specific person. The ticket site advises booking at least 3 days ahead.
• Passport. The ticket page mentions a Chinese ID card. The park’s rules on Qunar say you can also enter with another document such as a passport, which is checked manually together with the e-ticket. Bring the passport you booked with.
• Refunds. Terms vary by seller, so read them when you buy. If the park itself closes the mountain, for example for bad weather, the ticket page promises a full refund.

On Trip.com, check that the product title says Route C before you pay.

Find Tianmen Mountain tickets on Trip.com →

Where to stay for Route C

The route now starts at the gate in Shuangxia village, so the closest base is at the foot of the mountain, where there are many guesthouses with views of Tianmen Mountain. The city is handier if you need the train station, but then you’ll take the shuttle or a taxi to the gate.

See hotels in Zhangjiajie on Trip.com →

Zhangjiajie in November: weather and fog

November is past the rainy season. Most rain falls from April to July. In November the city averages about 96 mm, roughly a third of June’s rainfall, with daytime highs around 14–15 °C and nights around 8 °C (Climate-Data.org averages, 1991–2021). The ticket site says the summit (1,518 m) is 5–8 °C colder than the city, so expect around 7–10 °C by day and close to freezing early in the morning.

Clouds and fog are common on Tianmen Mountain in any season. According to the ticket site, seas of clouds are most likely from March to May and September to November, early in the morning, especially after rain followed by a clear morning.

• Leave a spare day. A sensible plan is 2 nights near Tianmen Mountain and 2–3 days for Zhangjiajie overall if you also want Wulingyuan and the Avatar Mountains. Then fog means moving the mountain, not losing it.
• Check the forecast the evening before and swap days around the weather.
• Dress in layers: a fleece, a windbreaker or light down jacket, waterproof shoes. It’s windy at the top, so a rain poncho beats an umbrella.
• Closer to winter, the park may close some paths in frost and ice. Check announcements carefully in late November.

How to plan your Tianmen Mountain day

1. The day before: buy a Route C ticket for a morning slot, check the forecast and the park announcement, put your passport in your bag.
2. Be at the gate by 8:00. With only one route open, everyone goes through the same cableway. Mornings are calmer, and you have a better chance of the view before the clouds rise.
3. Heaven’s Gate by the stairs or the escalator, depending on your energy and the weather.
4. The summit: 2–3 hours for the paths and glass sections, if they’re open.
5. Back to the gate and your hotel at the foot of the mountain. The Fox Fairy show theatre is next to the gate. Tickets are sold separately, so check the schedule in advance.

FAQ

Is the Tianmen Mountain cable car closed?

The long cable car from the city has been closed since 13 October 2026 for reconstruction. The Tianmen Cave Express Cableway from the park gate is running, and Route C uses it.

Is only Route C open at Tianmen Mountain?

Yes. Routes A and B and one-way Routes 1 and 2 are suspended. The park says it will announce the reopening date according to construction progress.

How much is the Tianmen Mountain Route C ticket?

Around 285–290 yuan for an adult. Check the exact price when you buy. The escalator from the square up to Heaven’s Gate is paid separately.

What time does Tianmen Mountain open?

Ticket sales run 7:30–16:00, and the cableway starts carrying passengers at 8:00.

How do I get to the start of Route C?

The route starts at the park’s Mountain Gate (天门山国家森林公园山门) in Shuangxia village. A shuttle runs from the city cable car lower station (天门山索道下站), or take a taxi or DiDi straight to the gate.

Can foreigners enter Tianmen Mountain with a passport?

Yes. The park’s rules on Qunar say another document such as a passport is checked manually together with your e-ticket. Book with your passport details and carry the same passport.

What is the weather like at Tianmen Mountain in November?

Cool and mostly dry: about 14–15 °C by day in the city, 5–8 °C colder at the summit, and often foggy in the morning. Leave a spare day.