How to choose lines A, B, and C of Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain? Understand the advantages and disadvantages of the three major routes in one article

1. The core differences of the three lines

The essential difference between Tianmen Mountain Lines A, B, and Clies in the different modes of transportation used to get up and down the mountain, which affects the sequence of tours, physical exertion, and viewing experience. All three lines include：

• Tianmen Mountain Cableway (large cableway, 7.5 kilometers, the longest in Asia)
• Tianmen Cave Express Trail (short cableway, connecting Shanmen and Tianmen Cave)
• Escalator through the mountain (a total of 12 sections, with a total length of 898 meters, leading to the top of the mountain)
• 999-level ladder (road to Heaven)

But the combination method is different, forming three routes.

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2. Line A: cableway up the mountain, highway down the mountain (recommended index: ★★★★★★)

Line A itinerary：

Urban area → Grand cableway up the mountain → Tour of the top of the mountain → Escalator down the mountain → Tianmen Cave → Walk/elevator down the 999-level ladder →Get off the expressway → Return to the city by environmentally friendly car

优点 Advantages：

1. The mostenergy-saving: The 999-level laddergoes from top to bottom, which puts less pressure on the knees and saves physical strength.
2. The cableway has the best viewingangle: take the big cableway up the mountain to overlook the 99 bends of Tongtian Avenue and the sea of clouds in the canyon, which is visually stunning.
3. Wrong peak travel: Most people choose Line B, and there are relatively few people in the mountains on Line A, and the queuing time is short.

❌ Disadvantages：

• When taking an environmentally friendly car down the mountain and passing through 99 bends, some tourists may feel motion sickness due to continuous turns.
• If you do not make an appointment in advance, the ticket source will be tight during the morning hours.
• Most tour groups take Line A, and there may be a very long queue

适合 Suitable for the crowd：

• Tourists who come to Tianmen Mountain for the first time
• Family travel, with the elderly or children
• Want to play easily and avoid high-intensity climbers

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3. Line B: Highway into the mountain, cableway down the mountain (recommended index: ★★★★☆)

Route B itinerary：

Urban area → Ferry → Shanmen→ Kuaisheng Road up the mountain → Tianmen Cave → Walk/elevator up the 999-level ladder → escalator up the mountain → Tour of the top of the mountain → Big cableway down the mountain →Return to the city

优点 Advantages：

1. Good experienceon the downhill cableway: The large cableway has a wide view down the mountain, suitable for taking pictures, and there is no psychological pressure when going up the mountain.
2. Avoid rush-hour traffic: in the morning, Line A tourists are concentrated, and Line B is relatively loose.
3. Strong sense of challenge: first climb the ladder and then reach the top, there is a more “sense of conquest”.

❌ Disadvantages：

• High physical strength requirements: you need to climb 999 steps up first, which is more difficult for the middle-aged and elderly or the weak.
• The process of going up the mountain lacks a high-altitude overlooking experience, and the sense of landscape layering is slightly weaker.

适合 Suitable for the crowd：

• Young tourists with good physical strength and who like hiking
• Travelers who want to experience the complete “mountaineering—climbing to the sky” process
• Photography enthusiasts who shoot large tracts of the cableway down the mountain

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4. Line C: Round-trip express lanes (recommended index: ★★☆☆☆)

C Itinerary：

City → Ferry → Shanmen → Kuaisheng Road up the mountain → Tianmen Cave → Escalator up the mountain → Mountain tour → Escalator down the mountain → Tianmen Cave → Kuaisheng Road down the mountain → Return to the city

Advantages：

• There is no need to walk long-distance mountain roads throughout the journey, which is suitable for people with reduced mobility.
• If you do not take the large cableway, it is suitable for tourists with severe fear of heights.

❌ Disadvantages：

1. Unable to experience the grand cableway: It is the biggest regret to miss the 7.5-kilometer aerial walk experience.
2. The route is repeated: the upper and lower mountains pass through Tianmen Cave, and the rhythm of the tour is monotonous.
3. Low costperformance: the fare is similar to that of the A/B line, but the core highlights are missing.

适合 Suitable for the crowd：

• Those who have a severe fear of heights and dare not take the big cableway
• Passers-by who have extremely limited time or just want to check in to Tianmen Cave

️️ Warm reminder: Unless there are special reasons,it is generally not recommended to choose the C line.

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5. Comprehensive suggestions: How to choose the most suitable route for you?

需求	推荐线路
I’m here for the first time, I want to play easily	线 A line
Good physical strength, want to challenge yourself	线 B line
Take the elderly and children, pay attention to comfort	线 A line
Afraid of heights, don’t want to take the big cableway	线C line (optional)
Want to make a cableway blockbuster	线Line A (going up the mountain) or Line B (going down the mountain)

🔔 Tips：

• Make an appointment for tickets on the official website or regular platform 3 days in advance. During the peak season (April to October), be sure to grab an early shift ticket (7:30-8:00 admission).
• There is a large temperature difference at the top of the mountain, so it is recommended to bring a thin coat.
• The glass plank road needs to rent a shoe cover (5 yuan), and you can bring your own environmentally friendly cloth bag instead.
• The 999-level ladder can be taken by elevator for a fee (32 yuan for one way), saving physical strength.

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The A, B, and C lines of Tianmen Mountain are not ”good or bad’, but are choices adapted to different needs. Line A is labor-saving and efficient, line B is full of challenges, and line C is a special alternative. Only by making reasonable choices based on one’s own physical strength, interests and time can one truly enjoy this journey of wonders where nature and humanity are intertwined.

Come to Zhangjiajie, don’t let the line selection bother you-set a clear goal and set off easily. Tianmen Mountain will respond to your rush with its magnificence.

If you want to continue to explore more attractive places, our team of professional travel consultants can serve you. The consultants are familiar with the attractions, terroir and popular routes in various regions of the mainland, and can tailor exclusive trips according to your preferences, budget and time, so that the journey is full of surprises.

Don’t hesitate, contact our travel consultant!