Maglev planned for Hallelujah Mountain visitors

Zhangjiajie, one of China’s most picturesque tourist areas and home to “Avatar Hallelujah Mountain”, is planning to build a maglev railway for sightseers.

The proposed project will run through scenic spots such as Yongding and Wulingyuan, a UNESCO World Heritage site that includes Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the inspiration for the floating mountains in Avatar.

A maglev train in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, would help reduce pollution, solve transportation bottlenecks and raise the area’s profile, Guo Zhenggui, the city’s Party chief, told Xiaoxiang Morning News.

The project has been submitted for approval, according to the report, although it was unclear to which authority.

Peng Jianguo, director of the Hunan Institute of Communications Planning, Survey and Design, said the planned railway stretches 30.1 km and has seven stations.

If approved, the line will link major scenic areas with the high-speed railway station and Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport, he told Xiaoxiang Morning News.

The train will travel at a top speed of 120 km/h, while carriages will be comfortable and feature large windows to allow tourists to enjoy the stunning views, he added.

The paper reported that Hunan is planning eight maglev lines, with a total length of more than 1,000 km.