Central Radio & TV Tower, Beijing

Central Radio & TV Tower tickets and opening hours

The official adult price is CNY 90. Children under 1.2 m go up free, children 1.2–1.4 m pay CNY 45, and seniors and visitors with disabilities pay CNY 50. The tower is open daily, 8:30–22:00, with entry and ticket sales until 21:30 — there is no weekly closing day.

Buy at the ticket office at the foot of the tower. Chinese platforms such as Ctrip and Qunar sell slightly cheaper tickets but need a Chinese phone number and Alipay or WeChat Pay; Trip.com and Klook take foreign cards (unofficial). At the counter, Alipay linked to a foreign card or cash yuan are the safe bets. Keep your passport on you.

Is the CCTV Tower worth it?

Yes, if you want one big panorama of Beijing, a sunset over the Western Hills or the city lights after dark. The open-air ring at 238 m is the real draw: no glass in front of you, just wind and a 360° view over Yuyuantan Park and the Third Ring Road.

Skip it if you are short on time and mainly want to see the Forbidden City from above — the hill in Jingshan Park does that better for CNY 2, right behind the palace. The tower is almost 8 km west of the centre, so it suits a late afternoon rather than squeezing it between palaces.

What to see at the top

• Open-air deck, 238 m — a full ring around the shaft. Yuyuantan Lake below, the Western Hills on a clear day.
• Sunset to the west — the sun drops behind the hills, then the Third Ring Road and Chang'an Avenue light up.
• Revolving restaurant, 221 m — the same view from a buffet table.
• Floor 19, 225 m — an indoor radio-and-TV hall and gift shop; one guide reports the hall is being renovated.
• The tower from below — the best photos are from the bridges and banks of Yuyuantan Park, especially during the spring cherry blossom.
• Aquarium at the base — sold with the deck as a combo ticket; handy with kids.

Revolving restaurant

The restaurant at 221 m serves a Chinese-and-Western buffet. The floor turns slowly — a full circle takes about an hour and a half (Visit Beijing says 80 minutes) — and deck access is included in the price.

Prices vary between guides: lunch roughly CNY 170–260, dinner around CNY 290 per adult. Lunch runs about 11:00–14:00 and dinner from 17:00; booking matters only on Chinese holidays. Come for the experience, not the food — the plain deck ticket gives you the same view for far less.

Best time to go

Arrive an hour before sunset: one ticket covers daylight, the sun dropping behind the Western Hills and the lights coming on. With tickets on sale until 21:30, there is time for an evening visit in any season.

Watch the air quality — on a hazy day there is little to see from 238 m. Pick a clear, breezy day, ideally after rain or a north wind. The open deck is very windy, so bring a jacket outside summer.

CCTV Tower vs Oriental Pearl and other viewpoints

First time in Beijing and only one viewpoint? Choose Jingshan — it shows the Forbidden City itself. The tower is for sunset, lights and a wide panorama. The Olympic Tower is closed for now; Shanghai's Oriental Pearl is taller and pricier, with a glass floor.

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How to do it right

• Arrive an hour before sunset — one ticket, three views: daylight, sunset and city lights.
• The deck is windy even in summer; bring a layer.
• Walking from Gongzhufen, follow the Third Ring Road north — the tower guides you.
• In spring, pair the tower with Yuyuantan Park across the road for the cherry blossom.
• For the Forbidden City from above, go to Jingshan Park — the tower is nearly 8 km from the palace.
• Book the restaurant for an occasion; for the view alone the deck ticket is enough.

Questions