Chongqing TripsFOR TRAVELLERS

Transport experiences

Yangtze River Cableway

长江索道

Also known as Yangtze River Ropeway, Changjiang Suodao

A cable car across the Yangtze that was built as commuter infrastructure and is now mostly a sightseeing ride, with the city opening up beneath you.

Walking difficulty: EasySome stairsJiefangbei
By Chongqing Trips teamLast updated 3 Oct 2026
Planning guidance
A cream-coloured Yangtze River cable car above the river

Why visit

It is the only way to cross the Yangtze here that gives you the river, the bridges and the skyline in one four-minute window. It is also a working piece of the city rather than a theme-park ride.

Terrain warning

Boarding the cabin is level, but reaching the station building involves steps or a ramp depending on which side you approach from.

What to expect

Boarding uses a queue-number system; tickets do not guarantee immediate entry. Check the current queue and maintenance notice before committing to a crossing.

Boarding the cabin is level, but reaching the station building involves steps or a ramp depending on which side you approach from.

The wider Jiefangbei area behaves like this: The pedestrian core and riverside are different levels. Ask for the route between the vehicle entrance, reception and your room; straight-line distance can be misleading.

Best time to visit

  • Afternoon
  • Sunset

Boarding uses a queue-number system; tickets do not guarantee immediate entry. Check the current queue and maintenance notice before committing to a crossing.

How long to allow

Between 1 hr and 2 hr, depending on how much you stop. The planner uses 1 hr as a minimum.

How to get there

Nearest metro

Xiaoshizi小什字(Line 1, Line 6)· Exit 5B

The municipal visitor page lists exit 5B for the north terminal on Xinhua Road. Check the official 长江索道 account for operation and queue-number instructions.

Walking the last stretch

Boarding the cabin is level, but reaching the station building involves steps or a ramp depending on which side you approach from.

Why this matters in Chongqing

Show this to a taxi driver

长江索道

重庆市渝中区新华路 长江索道站

Yangtze River Cableway

What to combine with this

Compare the route and entrance level before combining nearby places. Doing them together is the difference between a day of travel and a day of sightseeing.

  • The Yangtze River and south-bank waterfront in misty daylight
    South-bank waterfront · area view

    Street

    Longmenhao Old Street

    龙门浩老街

    A restored hillside street on the south bank, stepped up from the river with the north-bank skyline directly opposite.

    Best time
    Afternoon, Sunset
    Allow
    1 hr 30 min
    ModerateMany stairsConfirm practical details
  • Nanbin Road, riverside buildings and a clock tower above the Yangtze

    Food Area

    Nanbin Road Promenade

    南滨路

    A long riverside promenade on the south bank, lined with restaurants and looking directly back at the north-bank skyline.

    Best time
    Sunset, Evening
    Allow
    3 hr
    EasyConfirm practical details
  • Illuminated timber buildings at Hongya Cave, Chongqing

    Attraction

    Hongya Cave

    洪崖洞

    Hongya Cave is a cliffside dining and shopping complex beside the Jialing River. Its upper entrance is on Cangbai Road; the riverside is a different level. Plan the approach and outside view before joining the crowd.

    Best time
    Sunset, Evening
    Allow
    1 hr 30 min
    HardMany stairsConfirm practical details

Suggested next stop

  1. Longmenhao Old StreetAfternoon
  2. Nanbin Road PromenadeSunset
  3. Hongya CaveSunset

Practical information

Operational details

Luggage friendly
No — leave bags at your hotel
Chinese address
重庆市渝中区新华路 长江索道站

Opening hours, ticket prices and reservation rules for this place have not been verified by our editors, so they are not shown. That is deliberate — a confident wrong opening time costs you a wasted morning. Check the official listing before you go, and treat the timing advice above as a sequence rather than a schedule.

Nearby

On these itineraries

Read more

  • Chongqing in the Rain

    It rains here, sometimes hard and often for a whole day. What to do instead, which outdoor plans survive, and why the wet version of this city is better than you would expect.

Useful sources

Last checked:
3 Oct 2026

Primary source

About this information

Terrain, timing and sequencing for this place have been reviewed editorially. Operational detail has not.

  • Yangtze River Cableway visitor information: Published 26 August 2026; supports north-terminal access from Xiaoshizi exit 5B.
  • Operator ticketing and maintenance notice: Published 17 August 2026; supports ticketing channels and queue numbers. Its maintenance dates are historical.
Plan