China's 288-Meter Glass Elevator Slashes School Commute from 3 Hours to 30 Minutes

In China's remote Yunnan province, a striking new 288-meter-tall glass elevator is transforming daily life for villagers. Dubbed Fuyao, the lift ascends a sheer cliff face, drastically cutting travel time for residents, particularly students of Nizhuhe village.

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The new panoramic cliffside elevator, named Fuyao, has been put into operation in the Nizhu Grand Canyon in China's Yunnan province.

Previously, the journey to school involved a grueling three-hour climb up steep mountain paths, consuming up to six hours of a student's day. The new system, which integrates the Fuyao elevator with the older Qingyun lift and a cable car, now completes the entire trip to the school area in approximately 30 minutes. The Fuyao elevator itself reaches the top in about 50 seconds.

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For children from Nizhuhe village, the journey to school was a serious daily challenge for years.

This ambitious infrastructure project, costing around 8.5 million euros, was not without its challenges. Construction was hampered by limited space, high humidity, and frequent fog. Engineers prioritized safety, equipping the elevator with redundant power supplies and backup safety systems, and subjecting it to independent security checks before operation.

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The new system now allows the entire journey from the village to school to take about 30 minutes.

Local residents and students benefit from priority and free access to the system, with a dedicated lane for school transport. The system can handle up to 1,200 passengers per hour, offering a vital link for a community previously isolated by difficult terrain.

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The Fuyao elevator alone costs about 68 million yuan, or approximately 8.5 million euros.