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China’s ‘sky school bus’ lifts pupils to mountain-top classrooms and a brighter future

Pupils previously had to trek 3.5 hours up the mountain to get to school.

Published: 7:57pm, 4 Sep 2026Updated: 8:00pm, 4 Sep 2026

Massive lifts that ascend from a canyon floor in China’s Yunnan province have cut the commuting time for pupils from more than three hours to just 30 minutes. The pair of elevators replaced a punishing mountain trek with a rapid vertical journey.

China’s ‘sky school bus’ lifts pupils to mountain-top classrooms and a brighter future

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Pupils previously had to trek 3.5 hours up the mountain to get to school.

Pupils previously had to trek 3.5 hours up the mountain to get to school.