Second 'aerial school bus' in Yunnan unlocks shortcut for education and prosperity

The Fuyao elevator, the second "aerial school bus" in the Nizhuhe Grand Canyon scenic area in Xuanwei, Yunnan province, began operations on Friday, improving access for local students while supporting the area's growing tourism industry.

Together with the Qingyun elevator, the country's first such transport system launched in 2022, it forms China's only dual-elevator "aerial school bus" system, easing capacity constraints as visitor numbers rise.

Since the Qingyun elevator opened, children from Nizhuhe village have been able to walk about one kilometer before taking the 268-meter cliffside elevator and an aerial cable car to travel between home and school. The journey has been cut from more than three hours to about 30 minutes, according to local authorities.

The new elevator continues the same public service policy as its predecessor. Students and residents of Nizhuhe village at the bottom of the canyon and Guanzhai village, where the school is located, can use the elevators free of charge. A dedicated priority lane has also been reserved for students during their daily commute.

With tourism expanding in recent years, the Qingyun elevator has struggled to accommodate visitors in addition to the locals. Construction on the second elevator began in October 2024 and was completed after about 18 months, becoming fully operational on July 31.

With a vertical height of 288 meters and an operating speed of 5 meters per second, the Fuyao elevator increases the system's combined capacity to 1,200 passengers per hour. According to local statistics, it raises the scenic area's daily visitor capacity from 4,000 to 15,000 people.

The growth in tourism has also created new income opportunities for locals. He Caihua, a 56-year-old resident of Guanzhai village, said her family earned nearly 40,000 yuan ($5,924) from their homestay business in July alone.

Jin Zhaoxiang contributed to the video.