Tips for Visiting the Glass Sightseeing Platform in Pinggu Beijing
Dear Travelers, We’d like to have the following quick guide to be always...
Aug 8, 2023Published
7 min readReading time
Beijing Attractions TipsGuide topic
Dear Travelers,
We’d like to have the following quick guide to be always updated for the benefit of new visitors coming to Glass Sightseeing Platform in Pinggu, Beijing. If you have any questions or anybody having used the piece finds necessary updates, please leave a message or feedback. Thanks!
Today we'd like to introduce to you the thrilling glass sightseeing platform, which is claimed to be the world's largest glass hanger of this kind, hanging 32.8 metres out from the cliff with a jaw-dropping scenic view.
How to get to the huge cliff glass hanger? How to combine your exciting trip with the surrounding attractions on the day excursion for your long stay vacation in Beijing? We are glad to offer you some useful travel tips in this regard.
Tips 1: ABC of the Glass Sightseeing Platform
The glass sightseeing platform, billed as “Flying Disk/UFO”, opened to the public on April 30, 2016. The glass platform hangs 32.8 metres out from the cliff, 11 meters longer than the Grand Canyon Skywalk inside the Grand Canyon National Park in the United States.
The glass platform hangs 32.8 metres out from the cliff,
It is claimed to be the largest sightseeing platform of this kind in the world.
The largest sightseeing platform of this kind in the world
The transparent sightseeing platform is 800 meters above sea level and 400 meters high from the bottom of the cliff, a thriller for visitors who want to experience the excitement walking in the sky.
400 meters high from the bottom of the cliff
Those who have acrophobia are not recommended to step on the transparent breathtaking glass floor.
Those who have acrophobia are not recommended
Statistics about the glass platform Weight: 320 tons; Maximum Load: 150 tons; Maximum theoretical Capacity : 1900 people （ in practice, maximum 200 on the platform for safety reason） Hanging Distance: 32 meters; Platform Diameter: 26 meters Taking an area of 415 square meters
Tip 2: Safety
The sightseeing platform is constructed with titanium alloys, which are widely utilized in aeronautical and space fields, but first time for daily life until today in China.
The sightseeing platform is constructed with titanium alloys
The purpose of using titanium alloys to build this platform is to ensure the safety of all the visitors on the platform.
In practice, maximum 200 people are allowed on the platform for safety reason.
Tip 3: Location
The glass sightseeing platform is hung out from the cliff on the highest peak inside Shilin Gorge (Shilinxia Scenic Area) in Pinggu District, Beijing.
Entrance to Shilinxia Scenic Area
The Shilinxia Scenic Area (石林峡) is a good destination out of Beijing city center to touch the unique stone and rock formations in a 6-km long valley or gorge. "Shilinxia" literally means "stone forest gorge".
Diaowo Village and Huangongyun Reservior seen from the glass platform
The gorge is located in Diaowo Village at Huangsongyu Township of Pinggu District, about 100km northeast of Beijing city proper.
Located about 100km northeast of Beijing city proper
Besides its official name as "Shilinxia Scenic Area", it also has several different names such as "Jingdong Stone Forest Gorge", "Pinggu Stone Forest Gorge" and "Jingdong Stone Canyon".
Address: No. 73 Diao Wo Village, Huangsong Yu Xiang, Pinggu District, Beijing 北京市平谷区黄松峪乡雕窝村73号 Tel: 010-60987678
Tip 4： Entry Fees
Entrance Fee for Shilinxia Scenic Area : 78 RMB Children under 1.2 meters are free of charge Entry fee for the glass sightseeing platform inside Shilinxia Scenic Area : 40 RMB Cable Car (one way): 100 RMB
Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 7:30-16:00 a.m Saturday and Sunday (holidays) : 7:00-16:30 a.m Note: closed in winter season
The Huge Glass UFO PLatform
Tip 5: How to get up on to the platform
When arriving at Shixialin Scenic Area, you have two ways to go up on to the glass platform - Walking up or taking the cable up.
Climb up or Cable up
It is over one and half hours' strenuous walk from the valley bottom up to the platform. But even if you choose to take cable up, you still need to scramble up for about 20 minutes from the upper cable station before you get to the platform.
Even you use cable car service, you still need to climb up for about 20 minutes before you reach the platform.
Even you use cable car service, you still need to climb up for about 20 minutes
Arriving at Pinggu District Bus Terminal, then you change for the local bus No.25 ( Bus Fare 5 yuan ) for the Pinggu Stone Forest Gorge or Valley. Bus 25 is quite frequent. Total journey is around 2-2.5hr from Dongzhimen Transport hub.
The bus 25 keeps going the same direction where you come from with bus 852. On the bus 25 you shouldn’t worry not to find the drop off 25. The bus takes a while to go there but at the end you will see when you have to get off. You can pay the bus and it costs 5 yuan each person. You just have to drop the money into the box next the bus driver.
On the way back, just take the same 25 bus where you get off. To get off the bus you just have to pay attention when you are back in the city. You will see that and it’s the point where almost everybody leaves the bus. But you will recognize also where you have to get off when You see the “Chinese lanterns” on the street light.
You may get off at stations no 7 and this is exactly where the bus hub is to take the bus no. 852. If you miss to get off at stop 7 from bus 25 you shouldn’t worry. Just take the next, or the next after. The bus stops really often on that big street. But than of course you have to stay on that street to take the bus 852.
Dongzhimen Transport Hub （东直门交通枢纽） – Pinggu Bus Terminal （平谷汽车站） Bus No.852 First Bus: 6:30 am; Last Bus: 7:30 pm Drive Time: 2 hours ( 19 stops ) Bus Fare: 16 yuan
Pinggu Bus Terminal （平谷汽车站）- Pinggu Shilixia Scenic Area ( Glass Sightseeing Platform) 石林峡 Bus No.25 First Bus: 6:30 am; Last Bus: 7:30 pm Drive Time: Half an hour ( 7 stops ) Bus Fare: 6 yuan
Check out Private Day Tour to Glass Sightseeing Platform.
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For self-drive, just drive along the Jingping Expressway and get off at Pinggu District and follow the road sign leading to the Shilingxia scenic Area.
Tip 7: Nearby Attractions in Pinggu District
As you know the gorge is located in Diaowo Village. The village itself is an interesting place to explore the suburban life in Beijing, having a bite of the local village food, drinking, barbecuing, fishing and more.
The Shilinxia Scenic Area is only 10km to the north of Jingdong Karst Cave, both of which are part of Pinggu Huangsongyu National Geopark. Many travelers would like to put the two attractions together on a day trip.
Tip 8： Hassle-Free Private Tour to Visit the Glass Sightseeing Platform
If you don’t want go the daunting do-it-yourself-route and prefer an organized hassle-free private tour to visit the glass sightseeing platform, no worry and we have the following options:
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