Tianmen Mountain Tickets & Guide

Getting ready for your trip to Zhangjiajie? Tianmen Mountain is the star of the show in this corner of Hunan, and there’s good news: you can see the best of it in a single day. This guide covers everything you need to know about Tianmen Mountain, including where it is, ticket prices, the record-breaking cable car, climbing to Heaven’s Gate, the cliffside glass skywalk, and how to get there. 

What Is Tianmen Mountain?

Tianmen Mountain is a forest-park mountain located on the edge of Zhangjiajie, which sits in the north-west region of Hunan Province. The mountain itself rises to about 1,518m, making it the highest peak near the city. 

The mountain takes its name from Tianmen Cave, also known as Heaven’s Gate. You’ve probably seen pictures of the giant natural arch that punches clean through the cliffside at the top of a large set of stairs. Locals have long held that it leads straight to heaven, hence the nickname. 

Once you’ve climbed the 999 steps to the Tianmen Cave itself, several escalators bored into the rock carry you higher again to the plateau at the very top. From here, hiking trails branch out along the edge of the plateau, taking you to glass skywalks, across suspension bridges, and to the Tianmen Mountain Temple. 

Tianmen Mountain Tickets, Prices & Opening Hours

You need to pay for a ticket to visit Tianmen Mountain, and prices start from around AU $60. With that, you don’t only get entrance to the wider area, but also a round trip on the main cable car as well as including rides on the in-park shuttle buses.  

The park is open daily from 7:30 AM to 7:00 PM, with last admission accepted at 4:00 PM. 

What the base ticket usually does not cover:

• The summit chairlift (a short, open two-seater ride across the top)
• Some of the extra escalator routes, which cost a small fee
• Shoe covers for the glass skywalk, which are compulsory and cost a small fee on the spot

It’s important to remember your passport, as you’ll need it to redeem your booking and get through the gate. 

Understanding the Tianmen Mountain Routes: Routes A, B and C 

When it comes to buying a ticket for Tianmen Mountain, there are three different options. All three cover the same ground (the cable car, Tianmen Cave, the 999 steps and the summit) and cost the same. What changes is the order in which you will do them on the day, and whether you ride the long scenic cable car up, down, or skip it entirely.

Whatever you choose, note that ascending or descending the 999 steps is optional; there’s an escalator that makes the same journey for a small fee. You can also trade out your ride on the express cable car for a shuttle bus that tackles the famous Tongitan Avenue, or the "Avenue Toward Heaven". More on that below. 

Route A: Cable Car Up, Express Cable Car Down

This is the classic choice for most travelers. It starts with the long and scenic cable car to the mountain plateau where you’ll explore the summit before heading down the escalators towards Heaven’s Gate, arriving at the top of the 999 steps. You’ll then have to walk the steps downhill, and from there, you will take the express cable car back out. It gives you the whole experience. 

Route B: Express Cable Car Up, Cable Car Down 

Route B is the opposite of Route A: you’ll take the express cable car up, then climb the 999 steps upward to Heaven's Gate while your legs are fresh. From here, you’ll take the escalators up to the summit, and finish with the long scenic cable car down the mountain. I think this is the best option if the stairway climb is the thing you’re most interested in. 

Route C: Round Trip on the Express Cable Car 

Route C swaps a journey on the long cable car for the express at both ends. You’ll arrive at the bottom of Heaven’s Gate, climb the steps upward, and then take the escalators to the summit. The same route back down; escalators, stairs, then the express cable car. This is the best option if you’re afraid of heights, as the Tianmen Mountain cable car gets near-vertical in some stretches and might be a dealbreaker. More on that below. 

What to See and Do at Tianmen Mountain

From the cable car itself to the Mountain Temple and hiking, there’s plenty to keep you busy for an entire day on Tianmen Mountain. 

The Tianmen Mountain Cable Car

The landscapes all over Tianmen Mountain are spectacular, but the Tianmen Mountain cable car is one of the big highlights of a trip here. At 7,455 meters, it’s one of the longest passenger cable cars in the world. 

The ride starts from a station in the middle of Zhangjiajie, right next to the railway and bus stations (very convenient). From here, it climbs more than 1,200 meters up to the top of the mountain. Each car can hold eight people, and the ride takes roughly 28 minutes, first whisking you over the rooftops of the city into the surrounding farmland, before heading up a sheer cliff face. 

It’s generally considered more scenic to go up the mountain on the cable car. But if you’re anything like me and afraid of heights, beware the final stretch. The sheer vertical climb provides amazing views but can be very scary. 

Heaven's Gate and the Stairway to Heaven

Heaven’s Gate, also called TIanmen Cave, is the main image that sells a visit to Zhangjiajie. The vast natural arch in the cliff face is incredible to behold, especially when the sun is glancing through the opening. It’s made even more impressive with the 999 steps leading up to it; nine is a lucky number in Chinese culture, and 999 is meant to signal something close to forever. 

If climbing that many stairs gives you pause, don’t worry. An escalator runs up through the inside of the mountain to the cave, delivering you to the top without breaking a sweat. It makes the whole trip doable for less mobile travellers and anyone travelling with kids or grandparents. 

The Tongitan Avenue Shuttle Bus

There is another way up the mountain, and it’s via one of the most scenic roads in the world. The Tongitan Avenue, the "Avenue Toward Heaven", is a route that switchbacks through 99 hairpin bends to the foot of the cave (not recommended if you’re prone to motion sickness). Private cars aren’t allowed; instead, you’re shuffled onto a bus that corkscrews itself to the tip in about 25 to 30 minutes. 

The ride is included in whatever ticket option you go with, and acts as a replacement for the express cable car, if you like. 

Hiking the Summit: The East and West Lines

Once you’ve arrived at the top, you’ll be getting around on foot. The summit is laid out as one big loop split into two halves: the East Line and the West Line, which meet at the Mountain Temple at the far end of the plateau. 

The East Line is more dramatic, with most of the glass skywalks and paths bolted straight into the rockface, with big drops on one side and wide views over the surrounding mountains. It’s longer, and busier.

The West Line is quieter, with more forest, and a more gentle path that’s not quite as scary in parts. 

On both routes, you’ll find glass skywalks, jutting out from the cliff’s edge with nothing but air and a very long drop beneath the glass under your feet. Shoe covers are compulsory, and cost a small extra fee. The glass skywalks aren’t necessary to do to complete the hiking routes. 

Tianmen Mountain Temple

Where the East and West Lines meet is the Tianmen Mountain Temple, the spiritual heart of the mountain. Originally built during the Tang dynasty, it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times across its thousand-year-history. It’s a Buddhist centre and said to be one of only a handful of temples that hold genuine relics of the Buddha, which is a big part of why pilgrims have been making the journey up the mountain for centuries. 

It’s free to enter, and after the glass skywalks, it’s a nice place to slow down. There’s incense in the air, bells tolling through the surrounding trees, and great views. Near the temple there’s also a small cave, and there’s even a small spot to grab some food. 

How to Get to Tianmen Mountain

Getting to Tianmen Mountain is refreshingly simple once you're in Zhangjiajie, because the cable car leaves from the middle of the city rather than out at the mountain. From most of the hotels in the city centre, it’s a short taxi or a walk to the station. 

Getting to Zhangjiajie itself is the longer leg. The regional airport is Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport (DYG), about 5 to 10 km from the city centre, with airport buses running in to the cable car area.

Tianmen Mountain from Shanghai

If you want to visit from Shanghai, flying to Zhangjiajie is the easiest way. There are several flights a day between Shanghai Pudong and Zhangjiajie, and the flight time is two and a half hours. 

There are also one or two direct high-speed trains, but it’s a much longer journey. There’s also no direct overnight train on this route. 

Where to Stay Near Tianmen Mountain