Chinese students commute to school via cable cars, elevators

Nine students from Nizhuhe Village, perched 1,100 meters above sea level, attend Guanzhai Primary School, located at 1,650 meters. The commute involves a combination of shuttle buses, cable cars, and elevators, People's Daily Online reported.

Before these modern conveniences, the arduous trip required villagers to climb steep paths using their hands and feet, a journey that took three hours. Local resident Zhao Suzhen said the new method has cut down travel time to only half an hour.

Guanzhai Primary School, situated in the Nizhu River Canyon area, is a boarding school for 51 students from first to fifth grade. The challenging terrain of Nizhuhe Village, characterized by sheer cliffs, made access to education a formidable task.

Efforts to improve safety began in 2015, with the construction of footholds, chains and pathways. An elevator project was launched in late 2018, supported by increased investments in the region.

By 2022, the Nizhu River Canyon scenic area was equipped with sightseeing elevators and cable cars, drastically cutting the travel time from three hours to just three minutes for local villagers and students.