The mountainous city of Chongqing, in the southwest of , has put into operation a unique infrastructure in the world: the Wushan Goddess Escalator, a gigantic urban transportation system that allows you to overcome an equivalent difference in altitude. that of an 80-story building.
Inaugurated on February 17 in the Wushan district, the facility reaches 905 meters in length and exceeds 242 meters in height. Its main objective is to facilitate the daily movement of the inhabitants of the area, who until now had to travel on foot along steep mountain trails. to access the neighborhoods located in the upper part of the city.
A 20-minute drive up the mountainside
The structure is not a single one, but a complex pedestrian transportation system that meanders along the rocky slope following the natural layout of the mountain.
In total, the tour includes:
- 21 escalators
- 8 elevators
- 4 moving walkways, several bridges and pedestrian walkways
Completing the entire journey takes about 20 minutesa time much shorter than the walk that residents previously took, which could exceed an hour. The price of the trip is symbolic: approximately 40 cents (about 0.35 – 0.38 euros)
A new urban transport axis
The new infrastructure is designed to withstand steep slopes, intense rains and high pedestrian traffic. In addition, it connects residential areas, work areas and commercial spaces located at different heights of the city.
In addition to its practical function, the project was integrated into the urban landscape with the intention of not obstructing the views of the famous Three Gorges, one of the best-known natural environments in the region.
A city that grows upwards
Vertical development is a characteristic of Chongqing. The urban core exceeds 8.5 million inhabitants, while the metropolitan area reaches around 25 million, in a territory marked by cliffs and mountains that force the creation of unconventional mobility solutions.
Before this new infrastructure, the city already had one of the longest escalators on the continent: the Crown Grand Escalator, 112 meters long and 53 meters high, which connects Caiyuanba District Railway Station to Lianglukou Monorail Station.
The rise of “giant stairs” in China
The Asian country has also developed similar projects for tourism purposes. An example is the call “Stairway to the Clouds”, a 1,236-meter open-air escalator system built in Jiangxi province to facilitate access to Mount Lingshan, more than 2,300 meters above sea level.
Unlike the new Wushan project, this facility is intended for visitors. Inaugurated in 2025 and with an investment of close to 20 million euros, it allows you to reach the top of the mountain in about 10 minutes, replacing a hiking route that previously required approximately two hours.
