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The largest external escalator in the world cost 23 million dollars took four years to complete and overcomes a height difference of 244 meters with 21 individual escalators 8 elevators 4 conveyor belts and walkways in a system that solves a transportation problem that authorities have been debating for decades
China inaugurated the largest external escalator in the world in Wushan County, a mountainous region where the altitude variation makes transportation a daily challenge. The system is nearly 914 meters long, overcomes a height difference of 244 meters, and consists of 21 individual escalators, 8 elevators, 4 conveyor belts, and various walkways for pedestrians. Traversing the entire route takes about 21 minutes, and approximately 9,000 people already use the structure daily.
According to information from the portal Adventures in History, the project, known as the “Goddess” escalator, was manufactured by the Swiss company Schindler, took four years to build, and cost 23 million dollars. The lead engineer, Huang Wei, stated that there are no similar projects in the entire country, either under construction or in planning. The largest external escalator in the world solves a public transportation problem that the authorities in Wushan have been debating for decades: how to move people in a region where trains pass through residential buildings and subway stations are deeper than bunkers.
Why did China build the largest external escalator in the world on a mountain
Wushan is located in an area of extreme terrain, where the topography imposes severe limits on conventional transportation. For decades, local authorities debated alternatives to connect areas at different altitudes; trains and cable cars were considered but ultimately discarded.
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The choice for the largest external escalator in the world stemmed from practical logic: China already had experience with the equipment. The Crown escalator in Chongqing, built in the 1990s, is over 107 meters long and is one of the longest in Asia.
This prior experience gave engineers the confidence to scale the concept to an unprecedented level.
The terrain in Wushan has an average slope of 35%, with some sections reaching nearly 60%—an engineering challenge that required a modular design with glass panels so that the structure would not appear excessively bulky in the landscape.
In addition to its transportation function, three observation platforms were added along the route, overlooking the Yangtze River, transforming the largest external escalator in the world into a tourist attraction as well.
The numbers that explain the scale of the largest external escalator in the world
The project data impress from every angle. Nearly 914 meters long, equivalent to more than nine football fields lined up. A height difference of 244 meters, higher than many skyscrapers. 21 individual escalators connected in sequence, complemented by 8 elevators and 4 conveyor belts that create an integrated vertical mobility system.
The travel time of about 21 minutes transforms what would be a steep and exhausting climb into a comfortable journey.
The current cost to use the largest external escalator in the world is 3 yuan, about 40 cents, but the structure is still in the testing phase. The authorities are analyzing user flow before determining the final fare.
With 9,000 daily passengers already in the first days of operation, the demand confirms that the mobility problem was real and that the solution found works in practice—something that is not always guaranteed in infrastructure projects of this magnitude.
The largest external escalator in the world within the context of China’s mega projects
Wushan is not an isolated case. China has a recent tradition of infrastructure projects that break world records.
Last year, the Huajian Grand Canyon Bridge was inaugurated in Guizhou, at about 625 meters above the Beipan River, the highest bridge in the world. Dan Wang, head of the Eurasia Group team in China, stated that investment in infrastructure continues to be the main driver of domestic investment in the country.
But ambition comes at a cost. In August 2024, 12 workers died in the collapse of a bridge in Qinghai province, a reminder that the speed and scale of Chinese projects are not always accompanied by proportional safety.
The largest external escalator in the world in Wushan was completed without reported incidents, but the broader context shows that the race for infrastructure records in China carries risks that cannot be ignored.
The balance between ambition and safety remains a point of attention for every new mega project that the country inaugurates.
Would you use the largest external escalator in the world? Do you think this type of project should exist in mountainous cities in Brazil?
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