# Yangtze River Cableway, Chongqing > Chongqing's 1987 aerial tramway carries you 1,166 m over the Yangtze between Xinhua Road in Yuzhong and Shangxin Street on the south bank. The ride takes about four minutes; with the queue, plan on 45–90. Tickets are ¥30 one way or ¥50 return (unofficial). Open daily 8:00–22:00, until 21:00 in winter. Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/yangtze-river-cableway - City: [Chongqing](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing), China - YesGo score: 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 45 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Ticket: ¥30 one way, ¥50 return - Children: Free with an adult under 1.2 m or 1.3 m — sources disagree - Hours, 1 Mar – 30 Nov: 8:00–22:00; public holidays 7:30–23:00 - Hours, Dec – Feb: 8:00–21:00; public holidays 7:30–22:30 - Closed: One day a month for maintenance — usually a Wednesday or Tuesday late in the month, announced a few days ahead - Booking: “长江索道” WeChat official account sells same-day tickets from 7:45 (7:15 on holidays); foreigners can use Trip.com or Klook with a passport - North station: 151 Xinhua Road, Yuzhong; Xiaoshizi metro (Lines 1 and 6), exit 5, 30 m - South station: 4 Shangxin Street, Nan'an; Shangxinjie metro (Line 6 and Loop Line), exit 2 - Payment: WeChat Pay or Alipay with a linked foreign card, or cash yuan - Time needed: 45–90 minutes including the queue; longer on holidays - Coordinates: 29.55752, 106.58566 - Facts checked: 04.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1,166 m** — length of the line across the Yangtze (source: Operator's official website; English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **≈ 4 minutes** — per crossing (Wikipedia gives 3.6 minutes) (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia; Dahepiao) - **1987** — opened on 24 October, after building began in spring 1986 (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **65 + 1** — people per cabin: 65 passengers and an attendant (source: Operator's official website) - **47 m** — height difference between the north and south stations (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **2009** — listed as a protected heritage structure of Chongqing (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **AAAA** — national tourist attraction grade, awarded in 2018 (source: Chinese Wikipedia; Cyclowiki) - **¥14.5 million** — the original construction cost in the 1980s (source: English and Chinese Wikipedia) - **Two banks** — north: Xinhua Road in Yuzhong; south: Shangxin Street by Longmenhao Old Street in Nan'an (source: Operator's official website; Wikipedia) - **One day a month** — the line shuts for scheduled maintenance (source: Operator's official website, travel notices) ## Yangtze River Cableway tickets: price and booking A ticket costs **¥30 one way or ¥50 return**, according to the Chongqing Bendibao city portal and recent English-language guides. The operator's website doesn't publish fares, so treat these as unofficial. Older guides and Wikipedia still quote ¥20 and ¥30 — that was before the increase. Locals buy through the operator's **“长江索道” WeChat official account**, which releases same-day tickets at 7:45 (7:15 on public holidays). Every ticket comes with a **queue number**, shown in the app and on the screen at the gate; you board when your number range is called. A ticket alone doesn't get you on a particular cabin. For foreign visitors the easier route is Trip.com, Klook or a similar platform: book with your passport details, then take a queue number from the machine at the station and carry your passport. There's also a ticket counter by the north station, but same-day tickets often sell out on weekend evenings (unofficial). Paying: Alipay and WeChat Pay both accept foreign Visa and Mastercard; cards issued in Russia won't link. Cash yuan should be accepted at the counter, though change can be short, so bring small notes. Children: some sources say kids under 1.2 m ride free with an adult, others say under 1.3 m, one child per adult. The operator's rules say children under 1.3 m must ride with a guardian. ## Opening hours and maintenance days The official timetable runs in two seasons. From **1 March to 30 November** the cableway is open **8:00–22:00**, and 7:30–23:00 on public holidays. From **1 December to the end of February** it's **8:00–21:00**, and 7:30–22:30 on holidays. Boarding usually stops 30–60 minutes before closing (unofficial). There's no weekly day off, but the line **closes for a whole day once a month** for maintenance. In the operator's recent notices that day was always the last Tuesday or Wednesday of the month, reopening at 8:00 the next morning. The notice goes up only one to five days ahead, so check the operator's site or WeChat account if you're visiting late in the month. Fog, thunderstorms and strong wind can halt the cabins without warning. During national holidays — above all the first week of October and the Spring Festival — waits can stretch to hours. > **Check for the monthly maintenance day** Once a month the cableway doesn't run at all. Recent official notices put it on the last Tuesday or Wednesday of the month and were published only a few days before. If you're in Chongqing at the end of a month, check the “出行提醒” notices on the operator's site or the “长江索道” WeChat account before heading over. ## How to get to the Yangtze River Cableway 1. From Jiefangbei, walk 10–15 minutes north-east and downhill to the north station on Xinhua Road. 2. By metro: Line 1 or Line 6 to Xiaoshizi, exit 5 — the entrance is about 30 m away. It's one stop from Jiaochangkou on Line 1. 3. Show your ticket or QR code at the gate, then watch the screen for your queue number. 4. To start from the south side: Line 6 one stop from Xiaoshizi to Shangxinjie, exit 2, then 5–8 minutes on foot. The Loop Line also stops at Shangxinjie. 5. Buses: 153, 262, 401 or 476 to Xinhualu or Xiaoshizi for the north station; 304, 318 or 320 to Longmenhao for the south station, three minutes' walk. 6. Taxi or DiDi: enter “长江索道(新华路站)” for the north station or “长江索道(上新街站)” for the south. ## What is the Yangtze River Cableway? It started life as **public transport, not a tourist ride**. The line opened on 24 October 1987 as a river crossing between the two banks, and it still works like one — ticket office, gates and a timetable rather than theme-park trimmings. Two large cabins shuttle in opposite directions along 1,166 m of cable, from Xinhua Road on the Yuzhong peninsula to Shangxin Street in Nan'an. Each carries 65 passengers plus an attendant, all standing by big windows. Below you is the wide, brown Yangtze with its barges and river boats; behind you, the wall of Yuzhong's towers; ahead, the south-bank slope with its older streets. The cabin skims past apartment blocks and over rooftops — Chongqing in miniature, a city stacked on hills. The line was listed as a protected heritage structure in 2009 and given a national AAAA grade in 2018. The same operator runs the long Lianglukou escalator and the Kaixuan Road lift — more everyday transport that turned into sights. ## What you see on the ride - **The Yuzhong skyline** — the peninsula's towers from the water; heading south, stand at the rear window. - **The Yangtze** — barges and river boats right below as you cross mid-stream. - **Dongshuimen Bridge** — not far from the line, carrying metro Line 6 across the river. - **Longmenhao Old Street** — stone houses and stairways of an old riverside quarter by the south station. - **The passing cabin** — the two cabins cross mid-river, the shot everyone waits for. - **Night lights** — after dark the Yuzhong waterfront is lit, and the crossing turns into a four-minute night tour. ## North or south station, one way or return? **The north station** at Xiaoshizi is in the thick of things, close to Jiefangbei, Hongyadong and Luohan Temple, so its queue is longer. **The south station** at Shangxinjie is calmer, and you can walk straight into Longmenhao Old Street. A return ticket saves ¥10, but you still queue again for the way back. It's usually smarter to ride one way and return by metro: Line 6 links Shangxinjie and Xiaoshizi in one stop across the river. A good first-day plan: metro to the south side, a wander through Longmenhao, the cableway north at sunset, then a walk to Hongyadong lit up at night. ## Is the Yangtze River Cableway worth it? Yes on a first visit: in four minutes you see how Chongqing sits on hills between rivers, and it's cheap. Go at dusk if you can, when the towers light up. Skip it if you won't queue an hour or more for a short ride — that's normal at weekends and holidays. A weekday morning is your best chance of walking straight on. The operator advises against riding for people with a fear of heights or heart conditions. Manage expectations: the river is often hazy and the cabin is packed. It's more about the thrill of crossing than the best panorama in town — for that, head up to [Eling Park](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/eling-park). ## Cableway, Eling Park and Liziba station | | Yangtze River Cableway | Eling Park | Liziba station | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Aerial tramway across the Yangtze, 1987 | 1909 garden on the ridge | Monorail station inside an apartment block | | The draw | A four-minute flight over the river | Two-river view from the tower | A train running through a building | | Entry | Paid, queue number | Free | Viewing platform free | | When | Daily except the maintenance day | Daily | When Line 2 runs | | Metro | Lines 1 and 6, Xiaoshizi | Line 1, Eling | Line 2, Liziba | All three show Chongqing's hills and rivers: the cableway from the water, Eling from above, Liziba from inside. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Checked it isn't the monthly maintenance day - [ ] Ticket via WeChat or a booking platform, passport with me - [ ] Queue number from the app or the station machine - [ ] Decided: one way or return - [ ] Metro QR code in Alipay or cash for a token - [ ] Going on a weekday morning or at sunset, not on a holiday ## Chongqing viewpoints compared Every Chongqing viewpoint rated by YesGo. - [Hongyadong](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/hongyadong) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Shibati](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/shibati) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Liziba Station](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/liziba-station) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free; metro ride ≈ ¥2 - [Yangtze River Cableway](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/yangtze-river-cableway) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥30 one way, ¥50 return - [Eling Park](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/eling-park) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free; tower ¥0–10 - [Wulong Karst: Three Natural Bridges](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/wulong-karst) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ¥125–155 incl. shuttle and lift ## Central Chongqing into the night Shibati's stairways, Jiefangbei square, the cableway at sunset and Hongyadong's lights. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Shibati](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/shibati) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 2. [Jiefangbei](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/jiefangbei) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, open 24 hours 3. [Yangtze River Cableway](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/yangtze-river-cableway) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥30 one way, ¥50 return 4. [Hongyadong](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/hongyadong) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free > **Fly one way, come back by metro** Buy a one-way ticket and return on Line 6: Shangxinjie to Xiaoshizi is one stop over Dongshuimen Bridge. You queue only once and still have time for Longmenhao Old Street on the south bank. ## Good to know Chongqing once had a second cableway over the Jialing River; it no longer runs, so the Yangtze line is the only one in the centre. The new Lijia cable car in the north of the city is a different line from the same operator. Guides call the stations Xinhua Road (north) and Shangxin Street or Longmenhao (south); the line is also sold as the Yangtze River Ropeway. ## Tips - The shortest queues are on weekday mornings right after opening; weekend evenings are the longest. - Grab a window on the Yuzhong side — the skyline from the water is the view you came for. - Take your queue number early and go for a walk: the screen shows which numbers are boarding. - [Luohan Temple](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/luohan-temple) and [Jiefangbei](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/jiefangbei) are close to the north station; [Hongyadong](https://yesgo.io/china/chongqing/hongyadong) is about 15 minutes' walk. - Longmenhao Old Street starts right by the south station and is free to wander. - Hard with a pushchair: the queue is cramped and the south side has steps. - During national holiday weeks, skip it — the wait can eat half a day. ## Questions ### How much is the Yangtze River Cableway? ¥30 one way and ¥50 return, according to unofficial but recent sources. The operator doesn't publish fares; the ¥20/¥30 in older guides is out of date. ### What are the Yangtze River Cableway opening hours? 1 March to 30 November: 8:00–22:00. December to February: 8:00–21:00. On public holidays it opens at 7:30 and runs later. ### Do I need to book Yangtze River Cableway tickets in advance? Same-day tickets go on sale at 7:45 in the operator's WeChat account and can sell out on busy days. Foreign visitors can book on Trip.com or Klook with a passport. ### How long is the queue? Minutes on a weekday morning; from half an hour to 1–2 hours on evenings and weekends, longer on public holidays (unofficial). ### How do I get to the Yangtze River Cableway? Metro Line 1 or 6 to Xiaoshizi, exit 5 — the north station is 30 m away. From Jiefangbei it's a 10–15-minute walk. For the south station, take Line 6 to Shangxinjie, exit 2. ### Which station should I start from? The south station at Shangxinjie is usually calmer. Ride north towards the skyline, then walk on to Hongyadong. ### Is the cableway ever closed? Yes — one full day a month for maintenance, recently the last Tuesday or Wednesday of the month, announced a few days ahead. Fog or storms can also stop it. ### How long is the ride? About four minutes each way over 1,166 m. With the queue, allow 45–90 minutes. ### Is it better to buy a return ticket? Usually not: you queue again for the return. Ride one way and come back on Line 6 — one stop between Shangxinjie and Xiaoshizi. ### Is the Yangtze River Cableway worth it? On a first visit, yes — it's cheap and shows the city's hills and rivers in four minutes. If the wait is over an hour, a viewpoint like Eling Park is the better use of time. ## How we checked Seasonal hours, WeChat sales times, metro exits and buses come from the operator's official website. The monthly closure pattern is our reading of the operator's recent notices: each one fell on the last Tuesday or Wednesday of the month. The operator doesn't publish fares: ¥30/¥50 is from Chongqing Bendibao and English-language guides; the ¥20/¥30 on Wikipedia is out of date. Sources disagree on the free-ride height for children (1.2 or 1.3 m). Cabin capacity is 65 plus an attendant on the official site and 81 on Wikipedia; we show the official figure. Ride time is 3.6 minutes on Wikipedia and about four in guides. Payment notes follow our general China notes. ## Sources - Operator's official website: seasonal hours, monthly maintenance notices, WeChat ticket sales, transport, passenger rules - English and Chinese Wikipedia: Yangtze River Cableway / 长江索道; Wikidata Q21051796 - English Wikipedia: Line 6 (Chongqing Rail Transit) - Chongqing Bendibao: fares, ticket counter, queue numbers - Cyclowiki: Yangtze River cableway - Pelago, Klook, Trip.com: ticket rules for foreign visitors - China Tripedia, Offpeaktrip: Longmenhao Old Street and the south station --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.