# Mount Hua, a day trip from Xi’an > Mount Hua (Huashan) is a sacred Taoist mountain of five peaks 120 km east of Xi’an, about 30 minutes by fast train to Huashan North. Entry is ¥160 (¥100 December–February); the cable cars cost ¥80 and ¥140 one way. The hiking gate never closes; cable cars run 7:00–19:00. Allow 5–7 hours on the mountain. Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/xian/mount-hua - City: [Xi’an](https://yesgo.io/china/xian), China - YesGo score: 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 4 h - Opening hours: Daily. Huashan Gate hiking entrance: 24 hours. March–November: cable cars 7:00–19:00, Visitor Center entry 7:00–16:00. December–February: cable cars 8:00–18:00, entry 8:00–16:00 - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry, March–November: ¥160; concession ¥80 - Entry, December–February: ¥100; concession ¥50 - West Peak cable car: ¥140 one way (¥120 in winter) - North Peak cable car: ¥80 one way, ¥150 return (¥45 one way in winter) - Shuttle bus to the cable cars: West: ¥40 one way; North: ¥20 one way, ¥40 return - Cable car hours: Mar–Nov 7:00–19:00; Dec–Feb 8:00–18:00 - Winter hours (Dec–Feb): Visitor Center 8:00–16:00, cable cars 8:00–18:00, Huashan Gate hiking entrance 24 hours - Changkong Plank Walk: Optional; harness rental ¥30 - Train Xi'an North – Huashan North: 28–41 min, second class about ¥55 - Booking: Online, real-name with your passport, timed entry - Coordinates: 34.48333, 110.08333 - Facts checked: 04.11.2026 ## Key facts - **2,154.9 m** — the South Peak, Mount Hua's highest summit (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **≈ 120 km** — east of Xi’an, next to the town of Huayin (source: English Wikipedia; travelchinaguide.com) - **≈ 30 min** — by high-speed train from Xi'an North to Huashan North (source: travelchinaguide.com; chinafortravelers.com; chinahighlights.com) - **5 peaks** — North, East, South, West and Central (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **West** — the western of China's Five Great Mountains, sacred in Taoism (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **¥160 / ¥100** — entry in peak season (March–November) and in winter (December–February) (source: Scenic area notice in Shaanxi Daily; chinafortravelers.com; chinatripedia.com) - **¥140 / ¥80** — one way on the West Peak and North Peak cable cars (source: chinafortravelers.com; wanderinchina.com; chinatripedia.com) - **≈ 1,615 m** — the North Peak, reached by the shortest cable car and the old hiking trail (source: English Wikipedia (1,614.9 m); Russian Wikipedia (1,614.7 m)) - **24 hours** — the Huashan Gate hiking entrance stays open — the start of the night climb (source: Scenic area notice in Shaanxi Daily; chinafortravelers.com) - **¥30** — harness rental for the Changkong Plank Walk on the South Peak (source: chinafortravelers.com; wanderinchina.com; Sohu) ## Mount Hua tickets and prices Entry costs **¥160** from 1 March to 30 November and **¥100** from 1 December to 28 February, with half price for students and other concession groups. Children under 6 or below 1.2 m reportedly go free. The winter figures come from the scenic area's own notice; the peak-season price is consistent across several sources. Cable cars and shuttles are extra. The **West Peak cable car** is ¥140 one way (¥120 in winter); the **North Peak cable car** is ¥80 one way or ¥150 return (¥45 one way in winter). The shuttle bus to the West cable car costs ¥40, to the North one ¥20. The classic day — up by the West, down by the North — comes to about ¥440 on the mountain in peak season, before the train. Book on **Trip.com**, which takes foreign Visa and Mastercard and sells to passport holders; the official WeChat mini-program is Chinese-only. On the mountain, pay with **Alipay or WeChat Pay** linked to a foreign card, and carry ¥300–500 in cash for the harness, water and taxis. > **Bring your actual passport** Entry is by online, real-name booking for a set time, and you need the original passport you booked with. Guides disagree on whether the turnstiles read foreign passports; if yours is refused, go to the special-ticket window at the Visitor Center, which reportedly closes at 16:00. Cable-car tickets sometimes have to be bought at the window. ## How to get to Mount Hua from Xi’an 1. From the Bell Tower (**Zhonglou** station, Metro Line 2), ride Line 2 north to the end of the line at **Beikezhan** — Xi'an North Railway Station (西安北). Allow about 30 minutes. 2. High-speed trains from Xi'an North to **Huashan North** (华山北) take 28–41 minutes; second class is about ¥55. There are more than 50 a day, the first at around 7:50. Tickets are real-name — book on 12306 or Trip.com with your passport, return included. Don't pick plain “Huashan” station: that's the slow line. 3. The **Visitor Center** (游客中心) is about 5 km from Huashan North. Across the road from the exit, free **Huayin bus 1 or 2** gets you there in 15–30 minutes; a taxi takes 10–15 minutes for ¥15–20. Ignore touts who say the free buses have stopped. 4. At the Visitor Center, take the shuttle to your cable car: West (Wengyu valley) — ¥40, 30–40 minutes; North (Huangfuyu valley) — ¥20, about 20 minutes. 5. Hiking up instead? A free shuttle runs from the Visitor Center to **Yuquan Temple** and Huashan Gate in about 10 minutes. 6. Prefer someone else to handle the booking and transfers? Take a guided day trip from Xi’an. ## North Peak or West Peak cable car? The **West Peak cable car** is the long, scenic one: about 20–25 minutes over cliffs and gorges, landing right below the high peaks. The **North Peak cable car** is shorter and cheaper, but drops you at the lowest summit, with a long climb up Blue Dragon Ridge before the main peaks begin. That's why most people ride the West up and the North down: you start high, walk the five peaks mostly downhill, and finish near the shuttle back. The catch is the queue — in peak season it can reach 2–4 hours at the West cable car, worst from 10:00 to 13:00. Arrive on an early train. ## The Changkong Plank Walk: what to expect The famous **Changkong Plank Walk** (长空栈道) is a narrow boardwalk bolted to a sheer cliff on the **South Peak**, reached beyond the South Heaven Gate (Nantianmen). You wear a full-body harness, rented for about ¥30, and clip two carabiners to a steel cable as you go. It's a dead end, so you come back the same way. It's entirely **optional** — not part of any route up. The walk itself takes 30–45 minutes, but the queue runs 2–4 hours on busy days, so plenty of visitors skip it. One guide reports a minimum age of 15 and a minimum height of 150 cm; ask at the gate. Nearby **Yaozi Fanshen** (鹞子翻身), a short descent on iron footholds, costs another ¥30 and usually has a shorter queue. ## Which route up Mount Hua? | | West up, North down | West up and back | Hike from Yuquan Temple | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Peaks | All five | West and South | North, then all five | | Cable cars | ¥140 + ¥80 | ¥280 | None | | Time on the mountain | 6–8 hours | 3–4 hours | 4–6 hours to North Peak alone | | Effort | Lots of steps, mostly downhill | Moderate | Hard: steep stairs all the way | | Best for | Most visitors with one day | Families, short on time | Fit hikers; at night for sunrise | Prices and times are unofficial, from travel guides (chinafortravelers.com, wanderinchina.com). We don't compare other Xi’an sights here — none of them is a mountain. ## How long does it take to hike Mount Hua? Plan a **full day**. The trip from central Xi’an takes about two hours each way, with the metro, train and shuttles. On the mountain, the West-up, North-down loop takes 6–8 hours; West up and back is 3–4 hours. Start down towards the North cable car by 15:00–15:30. Hiking from the bottom is a different story: 4–6 hours of steep stairs just to the North Peak, before the main summits. Most visitors who walk the whole way do it overnight. ## The night hike for sunrise The **Huashan Gate** hiking entrance by Yuquan Temple is open around the clock — the scenic area's notice says so. The tradition is to start around midnight and climb 6–8 hours to watch the sunrise from the **East Peak**. You'll need a headlamp, warm layers and water. It's tough: steep stairs in the dark, then the descent and a train after a sleepless night. The gentler option is to climb by day and sleep in the guesthouse on the East Peak; dorm beds reportedly cost ¥300–600, and sunrise weekends book up 2–4 weeks ahead. ## What to see on Mount Hua - **West Peak** (Lianhua, 西峰) — sheer walls and wide views; the West cable car lands here. - **South Peak** (Luoyan, 南峰) — the highest point, and the start of the Plank Walk. - **East Peak** (Zhaoyang, 东峰) — the sunrise terrace, with a guesthouse on top. - **Central Peak** (中峰) — the quiet summit between the East and West peaks. - **North Peak** (Yuntai, 北峰) — where the North cable car and the old trail from below arrive. - **Blue Dragon Ridge** (苍龙岭) — a knife-edge stone stairway from the North Peak up to the high summits. - **Yuquan Temple** (玉泉院) at the foot — a Taoist temple in a garden, where the hiking trail starts. ## Is Mount Hua worth it? Yes, if you like mountains and don't mind stairs: the granite ridges are among the most dramatic scenery you can reach in a day from any Chinese city, and the YesGo score puts it near the top of Xi’an's day trips. Go early on a weekday and it's an unforgettable outing. It's less rewarding in fog — common in July and August — or on Chinese public holidays (1–5 May, 1–7 October), when cable-car queues stretch for hours. If history matters more than hiking and you only have one day, see the [Terracotta Army](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/terracotta-army) instead. ## Guided tour or on your own? Going independently is straightforward: metro, a half-hour train and a free bus. The fiddly parts are the passport booking, weekend train tickets and knowing which queue to join. A tour with a driver handles the booking and transfers, and the guide times your descent to the ride home. It makes sense if you have one day, it's your first trip to China, or you're travelling with children. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Entry booked with your passport - [ ] Train tickets Xi'an North – Huashan North both ways - [ ] The original passport you booked with - [ ] Alipay or WeChat Pay with a card linked, plus cash yuan - [ ] Shoes with good grip and cheap gloves for the chains - [ ] A warm jacket — it's cold and windy on top - [ ] Water and snacks — everything costs more up there - [ ] Decided: Plank Walk, yes or no ## Xi’an's best views compared Places in Xi’an with the best views, rated by YesGo. - [Giant Wild Goose Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/giant-wild-goose-pagoda) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥10; pagoda climb ≈ ¥25 extra - [Bell and Drum Towers](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-bell-and-drum-towers) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥30 per tower, ¥50 for both - [Xi’an City Wall](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-city-wall) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ¥54, bike ¥45 / 3 hours - [Mount Hua](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/mount-hua) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ¥160; cable cars ¥80–140 extra ## The mountain by day, old Xi’an by night Back in town, Metro Line 2 runs from Xi'an North straight to the Bell Tower; have dinner in the Muslim Quarter. 1. [Mount Hua](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/mount-hua) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ¥160; cable cars ¥80–140 extra 2. [Bell and Drum Towers](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-bell-and-drum-towers) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥30 per tower, ¥50 for both 3. [Muslim Quarter](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-muslim-quarter) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free, open 24 hours ## Good to know Xiyue Temple (西岳庙) in Huayin is a separate site with its own ticket, about 5 km from the mountain. “Huashan” and “Huashan North” are different stations — fast trains from Xi’an use Huashan North. The Huashan sect of martial-arts novels and dramas is fiction. ## Tips - Take an early train: the West cable-car queue builds from about 10:00 to 13:00. - Ride the West cable car up and the North one down, so most of the stairs are downhill. - Start heading for the North cable car by 15:00–15:30. - Cheap gloves help on the chains and handrails — bring a pair from town. - Avoid Chinese public holidays (1–5 May, 1–7 October): cable-car queues last for hours. - April–May and September–October are the best months; July–August bring fog and heat. ## Questions ### How much does it cost to visit Mount Hua? Entry is ¥160 from March to November and ¥100 in winter. Add ¥140 one way for the West Peak cable car or ¥80 for the North Peak, plus ¥20–40 for the shuttle bus — about ¥440 for the classic day. ### Which cable car should I take? Most people ride the West Peak cable car up and the North Peak one down. The West is longer and lands near the high peaks; the North is cheaper but leaves a long climb. ### How do I get from Xi’an to Mount Hua? Metro Line 2 to Xi'an North, then a high-speed train to Huashan North — about 30 minutes, around ¥55. Free Huayin bus 1 or 2 runs to the Visitor Center, where shuttles leave for the cable cars. ### Is the Plank Walk included in the ticket? No. It's an optional extra on the South Peak: harness rental is about ¥30, paid on the spot. Expect a queue of 2–4 hours on busy days; the walk itself takes 30–45 minutes. ### Is the Plank Walk safe? You're clipped to a steel cable with a full-body harness the whole time, after a briefing at the entrance. One guide reports a minimum age of 15 and height of 150 cm. If heights bother you, skip it — the rest of the mountain doesn't require it. ### What are Mount Hua's opening hours? The Huashan Gate hiking entrance is open 24 hours. Cable cars run 7:00–19:00 from March to November and 8:00–18:00 from December to February; Visitor Center entry closes at 16:00. ### How long does it take to hike Mount Hua? With the West-up, North-down cable cars, 6–8 hours on the mountain. Hiking from Yuquan Temple takes 4–6 hours to the North Peak alone; the overnight climb to the East Peak takes 6–8 hours. ### Can you climb Mount Hua at night? Yes. The Huashan Gate is open around the clock, and many people start around midnight to reach the East Peak for sunrise. It's only for fit hikers; the alternative is a night in the East Peak guesthouse. ### How high is Mount Hua? The South Peak is 2,154.9 m. The East Peak is about 2,096 m, the West 2,082 m, the Central 2,042 m and the North about 1,615 m. ## How we checked Winter prices and hours, and the 24-hour hiking entrance, come from the scenic area's notice published by Shaanxi Daily, so they're marked official. The ¥160 peak-season price is reported by several outlets citing a Huayin government notice we didn't open, so it's marked “verifying”. Cable cars, shuttles, the harness fee, trains and the Plank Walk age and height limits are unofficial, cross-checked against at least two travel guides where possible. Where sources disagree: one gives Visitor Center entry in peak season as 7:00–16:00, others list only the 7:00–19:00 cable-car hours; guides differ on whether turnstiles read foreign passports; train times range from 28 to 41 minutes. English Wikipedia gives the East Peak as 2,096 m, Russian Wikipedia as 2,099 m. The age and height limits come from a single guide. Payment notes are unofficial, from travel guides. ## Sources - Mount Hua scenic area winter notice, published by Shaanxi Daily (on Guangming Online): December–February prices and hours, 24-hour hiking entrance - English and Russian Wikipedia: Mount Hua; Wikidata Q112568 - chinafortravelers.com: seasonal cable-car and shuttle prices, hours, trains, passport booking, Plank Walk, night hike - wanderinchina.com: prices, routes and timing, harness, queues - chinatripedia.com: seasonal prices, cable cars, night climbing, Plank Walk description - travelchinaguide.com: Xi'an North – Huashan North trains, free buses, Yuquan Temple - chinahighlights.com: train fare - Sohu: entry, cable-car, shuttle and Plank Walk fees, citing the Huayin government website - Shaanxi Government English portal: free buses 1 and 2 from the station --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.