Basis for the price adjustment: Xiang Fa Gai Jia Fei [2024] No. 977
According to the Notice on Matters Concerning the Ticket Price of the Wulingyuan Core Scenic Area (Xiang Fa Gai Jia Fei [2024] No. 977) issued by the Hunan Provincial Development and Reform Commission, from January 1, 2025, the ticket price of the Wulingyuan Core Scenic Area is adjusted, and the full ticket price is unified at 165 yuan per person for both low and peak seasons, with the ticket valid for 4 days.
This means the previous practice of setting separate prices for the low season and the peak season has ended, and visitors pay the same ticket price no matter which month they enter the mountains.
Pricing process: a hearing held in line with the rules
In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Measures of Hunan Province for Price Hearings Set by the Government, the Hunan Provincial Development and Reform Commission entrusted the Zhangjiajie Municipal Development and Reform Commission with organizing a pricing hearing on the ticket price of the Wulingyuan Core Scenic Area. On November 29, 2024, the Zhangjiajie Municipal Development and Reform Commission chaired a hearing at the Qinghe Jinjiang International Hotel in Wulingyuan District (Meeting Room No. 1, Second Floor) on the pricing plan for the ticket price of the Wulingyuan Core Scenic Area: "cancel the low-season and peak-season prices, implement a unified price, with the ticket priced at 165 yuan per person and valid for 4 consecutive days."
The number of consumer representatives actually present exceeded two-fifths of the total number of hearing participants, and the number of hearing participants actually present exceeded two-thirds of the total number of hearing participants, which complies with the provisions of the Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Measures of Hunan Province for Price Hearings Set by the Government. The hearing participants unanimously agreed with the proposed pricing plan for the ticket price of the Wulingyuan Core Scenic Area, and the Hunan Provincial Development and Reform Commission adopted it.
Why a single ticket price applies all year
It is understood that this ticket price adjustment and the policy of a single ticket price throughout the year help promote a more balanced seasonal distribution of visitor flow, accord with tourism development trends, ensure a unified price across the four seasons, ensure fair treatment of visitors, help stimulate and boost the tourism market economy, and ensure a visitor-first approach with joint contribution and shared benefits.
For visitors, the most direct change is that they no longer need to adjust their itineraries because of "cheaper in the low season, more expensive in the peak season," and the four-day validity rule also makes multi-day slow travel more relaxed.
New prices and scope of discounts (valid for 5 years)
From January 1, 2025, the adjusted new ticket prices are valid for 5 years:
1. Government-guided ticket price
The government-guided price of the Wulingyuan Core Scenic Area ticket (not including eco-buses and other means of transport) is set at: 165 yuan per person, with the ticket valid for 4 consecutive days.
2. Discounts for specific groups
The scenic area offers free-ticket admission upon presentation of valid documents to children under 14 years of age (not including 14), seniors aged 65 and above (including 65), people with disabilities, active-duty military personnel, family members of active-duty military personnel, "three categories of dependents" (surviving dependents of martyrs, of military personnel who died in the line of duty, and of military personnel who died of illness), disabled military personnel, and retired military cadres; veterans are encouraged to receive reduced or waived ticket prices upon presentation of valid documents. Religious clergy and staff belonging to religious activity sites within the scenic area, and religious clergy of the same religion as that of the religious activity sites within the scenic area, are exempt from tickets when entering the scenic area to go to the religious activity sites upon presentation of valid documents. Minors aged 14 (including 14) to 18 (not including 18), seniors aged 60 (including 60) to 65 (not including 65), and full-time undergraduate students and students at lower levels of education receive a half-price discount upon presentation of valid documents. Where laws and regulations provide otherwise on ticket price discount policies, those provisions shall prevail. The scenic area is encouraged to expand the scope of ticket price discounts.
Please note that the 165 yuan refers to the ticket itself and does not include in-park transport such as eco-buses, cableways and elevators, which must be purchased separately.
Practical tips
- The scenic area implements real-name reservations by time slot and by station; for each entry within the four-day period, visitors must reserve a time slot and ticket station in advance and verify entry with their own ID card.
- For a first visit, or when bringing elderly people or children, the East Gate (Wulingyuan Landmark Gate) is recommended, as it has complete facilities; to hike Jinbian Stream, the South Gate is an option; to avoid crowds, the West Gate is an option.
- Try to plan routes as "elevator up, cableway down": take the Bailong Elevator up to Yuanjiajie, transfer by eco-bus to Tianzi Mountain, then take the Tianzi Mountain Cableway down, avoiding backtracking.
- It is 5–8°C cooler on the mountain than at the foot; bring a jacket. Sea of clouds is most likely on clear early mornings after rain, so enter the park early to secure a viewing spot.
- Private cars cannot be driven into the scenic area and must be parked in the parking lot outside the ticket station, where visitors transfer to the scenic area eco-buses to enter.
Current standards in effect
From January 1, 2025, the Wulingyuan Core Scenic Area has canceled the low-season and peak-season difference, with a unified ticket price of 165 yuan per person, valid for 4 consecutive days. In-scenic-area transport (eco-buses, etc.) is 71 yuan, and personal accident insurance is 3 yuan, totaling 239 yuan for the three items. This site treats the 3 yuan insurance as complimentary, so visitors actually pay 236 yuan. It should be explained that: 165 yuan is only the price of the ticket itself and does not include scenic area transport and insurance, so there is no need to be puzzled when seeing the three figures 165, 236 and 239 — they refer to different scopes.