If you’re travelling around China and want to visit both Chongqing and Zhangjiajie, getting between the two cities is actually much easier than you might expect.
The fastest option is the high-speed train from Chongqing East Railway Station to Zhangjiajie West Railway Station, with most journeys taking around 2–3 hours.
I travelled this route during my own trip through China and found it surprisingly straightforward. Chongqing East is a huge station, but compared to some of the other railway stations I used in China, it was also much calmer and less stressful to navigate.
In this guide, I’ll take you through how to book your train from Chongqing to Zhangjiajie, how to get to Chongqing East Railway Station, what to expect when taking a train in China and how to get from Zhangjiajie West Railway Station to the city afterwards.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Chongqing to Zhangjiajie: Quick Overview
The easiest way to travel from Chongqing to Zhangjiajie is by high-speed train.
You’ll want to search for:
Departure: Chongqing East
Arrival: Zhangjiajiexi
Journey time: Around 2–3 hours
Tickets: Around €26–€27 for second class when I checked
Where to book: Book your Chongqing to Zhangjiajie train on Trip.com
There are plenty of connections throughout the day. When I checked, there were around 20 trains departing from Chongqing East, with options from early in the morning until the evening.
The fastest journeys take just over two hours, while some of the slower connections take closer to three hours.
There are also trains to Zhangjiajie departing from other Chongqing railway stations, but I would specifically look for connections from Chongqing East. These tend to be faster, and when I checked, they were also cheaper than some of the alternatives that took around 3–4 hours.
As timetables and prices can change, I recommend checking your travel date on Trip.com rather than planning around a specific departure time.
How to Book the Train from Chongqing to Zhangjiajie
I booked all my Chinese train tickets through Trip.com, which is probably the easiest option if you’re travelling around China as a foreign tourist.
Search for Chongqing East to Zhangjiajiexi and choose the connection that works best for you.
You’ll need to enter your passport details when booking. Once your ticket has been confirmed, you don’t need to collect a physical ticket at the station.
Instead, your train ticket is linked directly to your passport.
I used Trip.com for my train journeys in China and found the whole process really easy. Your train number, departure time, carriage and seat number are all displayed in the app, so you have everything you need in one place.
Check Chongqing to Zhangjiajie train times and book your ticket here
When should you book your train?
I wouldn’t leave booking until you arrive at the station.
There are lots of trains between Chongqing and Zhangjiajie, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your preferred departure or seat type will still be available.
If you already know which day you’re travelling, I would check the available trains and book once tickets for your date become available.
How to Get to Chongqing East Railway Station
Chongqing has several large railway stations, so make sure you go to the station shown on your ticket.
For this route, I recommend departing from:
Chongqing East Railway Station (重庆东站 / Chongqingdong)
Chongqing East is one of the city’s newest railway stations and is located southeast of central Chongqing.
I was staying around Jiefangbei, which is also one of the areas I recommend basing yourself in if you’re visiting Chongqing for the first time.
READ: How to get from Chongqing Airport to Jiefangbei
I stayed at Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Chongqing Jiefangbei, and from there I walked for around 20 minutes to Xiaoshizi metro station.
Xiaoshizi to Chongqing East Railway Station
From Xiaoshizi metro station, you can take Line 6 towards Liujiaping.
At Liujiaping, transfer onto the Line 6 branch towards Chongqing East Railway Station. It is technically a separate section of Line 6, so don’t be confused if your navigation app makes it look slightly unusual.
From there, continue to the final stop at Chongqing East Railway Station.
Once you arrive, just follow the signs towards the railway station.
There is a short walk involved, and you’ll take some escalators up into the main station, but I found it really straightforward to navigate.
I would recommend having the essential apps for travelling in China downloaded before travelling. They make getting around China significantly easier, particularly for directions, public transport and ordering Didi taxis.
What Is Chongqing East Railway Station Like?
Chongqing East Railway Station is huge, but I actually found it much less overwhelming than some of China’s other major railway stations.
Despite the size, it didn’t feel particularly chaotic when I travelled through it.
There was plenty of seating available while I waited for my train, as well as some small convenience stores where you can pick up drinks and snacks.
After travelling through much busier stations elsewhere in China, I found the whole experience here surprisingly stress-free.
That being said, I would still aim to arrive at least one hour before your train departs.
You probably won’t need all of that time, but Chinese railway stations work more like airports than the train stations you might be used to in Europe. You’ll need to pass through security before entering the main departure area, find your gate and then wait for boarding to begin.
I’d much rather have some extra time inside the station than be running around Chongqing trying not to miss a train!
How Do Train Tickets Work in China?
One thing I really liked about travelling by train in China was that I didn’t need to keep track of physical tickets.
Your reservation is connected to the passport you used when booking. If you’ve booked through Trip.com (which i most people do), then this is handled automatically.
You’ll use your passport to enter the station and again when boarding your train, and you don’t need any other form of ticket.
Going through security
When you first enter Chongqing East Railway Station, you’ll need to go through a security check.
Your passport essentially acts as your train ticket, so keep it somewhere easily accessible rather than buried at the bottom of your bag.
After security, you can head into the main departure hall and find the boarding gate shown for your train.
Boarding your train
Boarding usually begins shortly before departure, and you’ll probably notice people starting to queue at the gate around 15–20 minutes beforehand.
This part is slightly different for foreign passport holders.
Most of the automatic gates are designed for Chinese ID cards. If you’re travelling with a foreign passport, look for the gate with an actual member of staff who can check your passport.
This was usually towards one side of the gates when I travelled.
And if you see one noticeably longer queue containing lots of foreign tourists, there’s a good chance you’ve found the right one!
Once your passport has been checked, you can head down to the platform.
Your carriage and seat number are already displayed in Trip.com, so check those before boarding and make your way to the correct carriage.
What Is the Train from Chongqing to Zhangjiajie Like?
The journey itself is incredibly easy.
Most high-speed trains from Chongqing East to Zhangjiajie West take roughly 2–3 hours, so you can comfortably travel between the cities without losing an entire day.
Depending on the service you choose, there may only be a small number of stops along the way.
This is one of the reasons I would choose Chongqing East rather than one of the other Chongqing stations. Some alternative connections take considerably longer, while the quickest Chongqing East services get you to Zhangjiajie in just over two hours.
Check the fastest trains from Chongqing to Zhangjiajie on Trip.com
Arriving at Zhangjiajie West Railway Station
Your high-speed train will arrive at Zhangjiajie West Railway Station.
This is outside the main tourist area, so you’ll most likely need another form of transport to reach your accommodation.
I stayed close to the Tianmen Mountain Cableway in central Zhangjiajie, which worked really well for me.
After leaving Zhangjiajie West Railway Station, I followed the signs towards the Didi/taxi pick-up area. The pick-up point was downstairs in an underground area beneath the station.
I ordered my Didi through Alipay, and from Zhangjiajie West Railway Station to my hotel, the journey was around 10.2 kilometres and took approximately 19 minutes.
I paid 18 RMB, which is only around €2–€2.50.
Where to Stay in Zhangjiajie
I stayed at Thousand Hotel in Zhangjiajie and would recommend it if you’re planning to visit Tianmen Mountain.
The main reason I liked staying here was the location. It was very close to the Tianmen Mountain Cableway, which made getting there in the morning incredibly convenient.
Check prices and availability for Thousand Hotel Zhangjiajie
And also check out my full guide on where to stay in Zhangjiajie!
Don’t Forget to Book Your Zhangjiajie National Park Tickets
If you’re travelling all the way from Chongqing to Zhangjiajie, you’ll probably be visiting at least one of its two major attractions: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Tianmen Mountain.
These require separate tickets and are located quite far apart from each other.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
If you’re planning to see the famous Avatar Mountains, I would book your Zhangjiajie National Forest Park ticket before your visit.
When booking, pay attention to the entrance and route included with your ticket. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is enormous, so this isn’t somewhere where I’d recommend arriving without having any idea which route you want to take.
Tianmen Mountain
You’ll also need a separate Tianmen Mountain ticket if you want to take the famous cable car up the mountain.
This was particularly easy for me because I deliberately stayed close to the cableway station in Zhangjiajie.
And if you have another evening in the city, you can also visit 72 Wonder Tower. It’s one of Zhangjiajie’s most recognisable buildings, especially when it’s illuminated at night.
Final Tips for Taking the Train from Chongqing to Zhangjiajie
Overall, getting from Chongqing to Zhangjiajie by train was much easier than I expected. The journey only takes around 2–3 hours; there are plenty of departures throughout the day, and Chongqing East Railway Station was surprisingly easy to navigate.
I would aim to arrive at the station around an hour before departure, keep your passport somewhere easily accessible and double-check that you are booking Chongqing East → Zhangjiajie
Once you arrive, you can easily order a Didi from Zhangjiajie West Railway Station to your hotel and start exploring from there.
CHECK CHONGQING → ZHANGJIAJIE TRAINS & BOOK ON TRIP.COM
Also, if you’re spending a few days in Chongqing before travelling onwards, you can check out my best things to do in Chongqing. I also have separate guides to Chongqing 1949 Theatre and the rather unusual Firefly Cat Sanctuary.
And if you are planning to travel to Chongqing alone, then also check out my guide on solo female travel in Chongqing!
Let me know if you have any questions
