The 288m high Fu Dieo Elevator in Yunnan province is likened to a "sky bus", shortening children's school trip time from 6 hours to 30 minutes.
Interesting Engineering reported on August 17 that children living in the area deep in the large canyon of the Nezhou River in Tuyen Uy city, Khuc Tinh municipality, Yunnan province, China, can now go to school more easily after the 288 m high glass elevator began operating. The Phu Dieu elevator runs along the canyon wall, helping to significantly shorten the school journey of children from Ne Chau river village located more than 500 meters below the edge of the canyon to Quan Trai village primary school at an altitude of 1,650 meters above sea level.
Previously, about 20 students from neighboring communities took more than 6 hours to travel from home to school and from school to home through dangerous and steep trails. The new lift helps change that journey by connecting the upper and lower parts of the canyon. The Phu Dieu elevator operates in conjunction with the 268 meter high Thanh Van elevator opening in 2022. The two elevators form a pair of glass and steel shafts attached to the canyon wall.
According to New Atlas, a group of students from 6 to 15 years old start the school week by taking a shuttle bus that runs the short distance to the foot of the elevator. The ladder is likened to an "air bus" that takes students to a platform near the top of the mountain in just a few minutes. After that, it takes about 5 minutes for the children to take the cable car to get to school.
The Phu Dieu elevator moves at a speed of 5 m/s, the travel time between the upper and lower floors takes about 50 seconds. The cabin can carry up to 81 passengers, nearly three times the capacity of the previous elevator. Both elevators can transport approximately 1,200 passengers per hour. Their transparent walls also allow riders to observe the canyon without obstructing their view.
According to Yunnan Net, the second elevator is 20 meters higher than the first elevator. The combined capacity of the two elevators increases the daily passenger capacity in the area from 4,000 to 15,000 people, effectively solving the problem of congestion and inconvenience caused by the first elevator. Loi Tan, a local student who was the first to use the Phu Dieu elevator, shared that the new elevator is faster and more spacious than the Thanh Van elevator.
Ningbo Hongda Elevator Company developed the Fuyao elevator for the Nezhou River Grand Canyon tourism project since 2017. The construction process in the remote canyon encountered many difficulties, including limited working space, dense humidity and fog, and the need for regular inspection of the steel structure. The system uses backup power sources and equipment to ensure safety. Independent inspections are also completed before the elevators open to passengers. According to Gadget Review, the Phu Dieu elevator cost about 10 million USD to build.
China still holds the Guinness world record for the tallest outdoor elevator. The 326m high Bach Long Elevator moves up and down the steep cliffs in Zhangjiajie in about 1.5 minutes.
