Zhangjiajie to Beijing Tour Plans - How to Travel from Zhangjiajie to Beijing

1. More and More Convenient Transfer from Zhangjiajie to Beijing

Currently, there are two ways to get to Beijing from Zhangjiajie: by flight and by normal train. Considering the long distance of 1600km (994mi), the 2-hour flight is more recommended. If you have a not-so-tight schedule, you can also take the overnight normal train.

2. Appreciate Natural and Man-made Wonders in Zhangjiajie and Beijing

The mountains in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park are really a natural wonder that one must see in a lifetime. Unlike other rolling mountains, the ones in Zhangjiajie are like giant pillars rising abruptly from the ground all the way to the clouds. No wonder it provides inspiration for the Hallelujah Mountain in Avatar. Beijing is a place full of historic figures and cultural heritages, all of which can not be done without the diligence and wisdom of ancient Chinese people. Here you can see many man-made wonders such as the splendid Forbidden City, solemn Temple of Heaven, and one of the seven wonders the Great Wall.

3. Try Different Chinese Cuisines in the South and North

Zhangjiajie food combines the characteristics of Hunan cuisine (also known as Xiang cuisine, one of the eight cuisines of China) and Tujia minority dishes, featuring in spicy and sour flavor. Dishes like hot and spicy chicken (ma la ji ding), Smoked pork with dried long green beans (gan dou jiao zheng la rou), red-roasted fish fins (hong wei yu chi), steamed hams (la wei he zheng), Sanxiaguo (a kind of Tujia ethnic hotpot) are all worth a try. While in Beijing, apart from the local food like the roasted Duck, Cooked Beef or Sheep Tripe (bao du), Fried Liver (chao gan), Lǘdagunr, Yellow Pea Cake (wan dou huang), other cuisines such as Japanese sushi, Korean barbecue, Vietnam salad roll, etc. are also available.

Location: Hehua Village, Yongding District, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province (湖南省张家界市永定区荷花村)

Being able to see Tianmen Mountain and the famous Karst Tianmen Cave in the distance, Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport is considers as one of the most beautiful airports in China. Unlike the airports in other cities built in the suburb, Zhangjiajie Airport is only 5km away from downtown, where you can get to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park conveniently. As of April 2019, Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport serves 42 domestic and foreign routes linking 42 destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xi’an, Shenzhen in China, Busan in South Korea, Bangkok in Thailand, etc.

From downtown: only 5km away, 15 minutes’ drive

From Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: about 32km, 1 hour’s drive

Location: West Airport Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China (北京市朝阳区机场西路)

Built in 1958, the largest airport in China offers international flights to major cities in all continents (except sub-Saharan Africa and sub-USA American), and domestic flights to every provincial capital and major cities in China. It is China's air portal and an important window for foreign exchanges. Nearly 1700 flights per day from over 90 Airlines link Beijing closely with 244 cities and regions in 54 countries around the world. Since December 28th, 2017, Beijing Capital International Airport is available for the 144-Hour Visa-free Transit policy, which makes it more convenient for foreign visitors coming to Beijing.

To Tian’anmen Square (downtown): about 30km, 1 hour’s drive

To Temple of Heaven: about 35km, 70 minutes’ drive

Zhangjiajie Railway Station is located in the downtown area with convenient transfer to the attractions and the airport. At present, there are about 30 trains running to or passing through Zhangjiajie from many tourist cities in China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Changsha, Shenzhen, Kunming, etc. All of the trains are K (up to 120 km/h) or T (up to 140 km/h) trains. High speed rail and railway station are under construction and are planned to be put into use in 2021.

From Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: about 30km, I hour’s drive

From Tianmen Mountain: about 7km, 20 minutes’ drive, but it is only 1km away from the Tianmen Mountain cable car station.

From Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport: about 6km, 15 minutes’ drive

Having a history of more than 100 years, Beijing Railway Station started its service in the Qing Daynasty, around A.D. 1901. As one of the three main train stations of Beijing, Beijing Railway Station departs about 159 trains to Northern China, most of which are normal trains (Z, T, K trains) on Beijing Shanghai Railway, Beijing Harbin Railway and Beijing Chengde Railway. Meanwhile, it runs 48 daily bullet trains to cities in Northeastern China, such as Harbin, Dalian, Shenyang, Qiqihar, Shenyang and Tangshan.

To downtown (Tian’anmen Square): about 4.5km, 15 minutes’ drive

To Beijing Capital International Airport: about 35km, 1 hour’s drive

Location: #118, East Lianhuachi Road, Fengtai District, Beijing (北京市丰台区莲花池东路118号)

Beijing West Railway Station is one of the main train stations of Beijing, which runs both high speed trains and normal trains. Besides, it is the starting point of Beijing Guangzhou (High Speed) Railway and Beijing Kowloon (Hong Kong) Railway. If you want to take a Tibet train, you need to go to Beijing West Railway Station. Every day, it delivers 273 daily trains to other cities, and about 200 of them are high speed trains (G trains) to Xian, Chengdu, Chongqing, Taiyuan, Kunming, Lanzhou, Wuhan, Zhengzhou, Changsha and couples of D trains to Shenzhen.

To downtown (Tian’anmen Square): about 8km, 30 minutes’ drive

To Beijing Capital International Airport: about 40km, 1.5 hours’ drive

>>Read More About Beijing Train Stations

The main highlights of Zhangjiajie are Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain and the Glass Bridge. Generally speaking, it needs at least 3 days to explore Zhangjiajie. If you have a tight schedule, then you can try this 3 Days Zhangjiajie Natural Beauty Tour. It is a classic route that covers the famous Golden Whip Brook, Avatar-inspiring Yuanjiajie, and the stunning Tianzi Mountain. If you want to see Tianmen Mountain as well, the 4 Days Zhangjiajie Tour adds an extra day for you to fully explore both scenic areas. At Tianmen Mountain, you can experience the longest cableway in Asia with a length of 7200 meters and visit the natural mountain-penetrating Karst cave - Tianmen Cave. If you feel like walking on the largest and highest glass bridge hanging above the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, the 4 Days Zhangjiajie Exciting Adventure with Glass Bridge will take you not only to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain, but also the Glass Bridge.

Generally speak, 2 - 4 days are sufficient to explore the best highlights of Beijing. You can visit Tiananmen Square, now the largest city plaza in the world, Forbidden City, one of the world’s five most important palaces, and Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China on the first day. Then spend another day hiking the famous Mutianyu Great Wall and having a walk at the Sacred Way on your way back to central Beijing. On the third day, you can have some leisure time at the Temple of Heaven and hop on a rickshaw to experience the typical Beijing Hutongs. If you have more days, you can go for an in-depth Great Wall hiking or photography tour, and explore more hidden attractions in Beijing city.

>>3 Days Beijing Essential Short Stay Tour

>>4 Days Classic Beijing Tour Package