Zhangjiajie Airport, Railway Stations and Bus Stations Explained

For many first-time foreign visitors, the hardest part is not the mountains. It is important to know which airport, train station, or bus station to use. If I were guiding you in person, I would divide the transport system into four parts: the airport, the high-speed rail station, the old railway station, and the bus stations.

The short answer is simple: fly into Hehua International Airport, take the high-speed rail to West Railway Station, stay downtown for Tianmen Mountain, and stay in Wulingyuan for the national forest park.

Main Transport Hubs

Hub	Best For	Main Use
Hehua International Airport, DYG	Flight arrivals	Domestic and some international routes
West Railway Station	High-speed rail	Changsha, Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan, Huaihua
Old Railway Station	Conventional rail and downtown stays	Close to the Tianmen Cableway area
Central Bus Station	Local and regional buses	Wulingyuan, Fenghuang, Furong Town
Wulingyuan Bus Station	Scenic-area stays	Forest park access and local transfers

Hehua International Airport

Hehua International Airport uses the code DYG. It is close to the downtown area and much closer to Tianmen Mountain than to Wulingyuan. According to Hunan Airport’s official information, it is an important tourism airport in northwest Hunan and the region's key air gateway.

Flights are available from cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Xi’an. But as your local guide, I would always remind you to check your exact date. Tourism airports often have seasonal schedules.

From the Airport	Typical Driving Time
Downtown / Tianmen cableway area	About 10-20 minutes
West Railway Station	About 15-25 minutes
Wulingyuan hotel area	About 45-60 minutes

If you arrive late, downtown is the easiest place to sleep. If your first full day is the Forest Park, a pre-booked transfer to Wulingyuan can save energy.

West Railway Station

West Railway Station is the main high-speed rail gateway. It connects important rail lines to Changsha, Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan, Huaihua, and western Hunan.

This station is not inside Wulingyuan. Upon arrival, you will still need a taxi, private transfer, or local transport to reach your hotel or the entrance to the scenic area.

My guide's advice: high-speed rail is usually comfortable and easy for foreign travellers, but check the station name carefully. West Railway Station and the old railway station are two different places.

Old Railway Station

The old railway station is closer to downtown, the Central Bus Station, and the Tianmen Mountain cableway area. It is useful if you arrive by conventional train or stay downtown before visiting Tianmen Mountain.

However, many modern rail routes use West Railway Station, so do not assume every train arrives downtown. When booking, read the full station name, not only the city name.

Central Bus Station

The Central Bus Station is near the old railway station. It is useful for buses to Wulingyuan, Fenghuang Ancient Town, Furong Town and nearby areas. Wulingyuan tourism information notes that the downtown-to-Wulingyuan bus route is about 35 km and takes around 50 minutes.

Useful Chinese names to show staff:

Destination	Chinese
Wulingyuan Bus Station	武陵源汽车站
National Forest Park entrance	张家界国家森林公园门票站
Tianmen Cableway Lower Station	天门山索道下站
Fenghuang Ancient Town	凤凰古城
Furong Town	芙蓉镇

If you have heavy luggage or arrive at night, I would choose a taxi or hotel transfer. During the day, buses are a good option for budget travellers.

Wulingyuan Bus Station

Wulingyuan Bus Station is the most useful local hub if you stay near the national forest park. It is close to the main hotel and restaurant area around the Sign Gate.

From here, travellers can access downtown and some forest park entrances. Local routes, times, and prices can change, so check at your hotel or the station on the day.

Which Hub Should You Choose?

Your Plan	Best Arrival Choice
Visit Tianmen Mountain first	Airport, old railway station, or West Station, then downtown hotel
Visit the national forest park first	West Station or airport, then transfer to Wulingyuan
Arrive from Changsha, Chongqing or Wuhan	High-speed rail to West Station
Arrive from Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou	Compare flight and rail
Continue to Fenghuang or Furong Town	Rail plus bus/private transfer

My Local Guide Summary

If I were guiding you, I would match your hotel with your next morning’s attraction. Stay downtown for Tianmen Mountain. Stay in Wulingyuan for the national forest park. This one decision makes the whole trip feel calmer.

The mountains are already dramatic enough. Your transport plan should be simple.