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What Was Once a Tiring Walk on Narrow, Steep Paths Now Becomes a 20-Minute Journey Thanks to a 905-Meter Escalator Designed to Follow the Contours of the Mountain
In Wushan County, China, the daily routine of many has always been marked by difficult climbs, narrow paths, and constant physical wear to accomplish simple everyday tasks.
This started to change with the opening of the Wushan Goddess, a structure that has made it easier for residents and visitors to navigate an area with rugged terrain. In practice, what used to take one hour can now be done in 20 minutes.
The Inauguration Changed Mobility in a Mountainous Area
The official opening took place on February 17, 2026, in the mountainous county of Wushan, Chongqing, during the Chinese New Year celebrations, featuring red lanterns and dragon dances.
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The most direct impact is seen in local routines. Commuting to work, visiting family, or buying groceries no longer requires long walks up hills and winding paths, which increases access and reduces daily wear.
The System Was Designed to Follow the Mountain
The project’s differentiator lies in its shape. Instead of cutting through the landscape in a straight line, the structure follows the natural contours of the mountain with a combination of elevators, walkways, and escalators.
This design helps preserve the view of the Wu Gorge and the Three Gorges, while creating a continuous movement corridor in an area known for its challenging geography and strong verticality.
The Structure Includes 21 Escalators, 8 Elevators, and 4 Moving Walkways
Built along the vertical axis of Goddess Avenue, the system extends 905 meters and overcomes a height difference of 242.14 meters, comparable to that of a very tall building.
The network includes 21 escalators, 8 elevators, 4 moving walkways, and pedestrian bridges. Everything is designed to withstand the steep terrain, the harsh climate of Chongqing, and the intense flow of people.
The New Link Reinforces the Urban Role of a City Marked by Verticality
Chongqing is known as the Mountain City due to its extreme topography. Urban development does not spread horizontally, but ascends and descends between slopes, cliffs, and elevated areas.
According to China News Service/YouTube, the channel that released images and information about the project, the Goddess Escalator surpassed the Crown Escalator and is now recognized as the longest outdoor escalator system of its kind.
The Route Connects Roads, Schools, Hospitals, and Other Essential Services
More than just a transportation project, the structure serves as a backbone for vertical movement. It connects roads near the river to public facilities such as museums, hospitals, and schools.
This type of integration changes the relationship between neighborhoods that were previously separated by the terrain. For residents of the Gaotong area, this means less exposure to dangerous paths and less dependence on tiring routes to accomplish basic tasks.
The Testing Phase Has Also Shown the Value of Access
During the testing period, the use of the structure was charged at 3 yuan, which is equivalent to about 40 cents, while authorities monitor the system’s performance before setting a permanent fare.
This monitoring is intended to adjust operations and measure the structure’s capacity regarding daily flow. Meanwhile, the population is already experiencing the main change, which is the ability to move more easily in one of the region’s most challenging urban terrains.
The new escalator concretely alters daily life in Wushan. The benefit is not only in the reduction of time but in creating a safer, more continuous, and practical connection between points previously separated by the mountain.
By transforming a long ascent into an accessible route, the project repositions local mobility and shows how geography can cease to be a barrier when infrastructure works in favor of the landscape.
Very innovative unique &
creative technological marvel, wchich company designed it and provided the solution?