Oriental Pearl Tower
Shanghai, China
Lujiazui, Shanghai
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Photo: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free — skywalk, elevated walkways, promenade and Central Green
- Hours
- Open 24/7 — streets, skywalk and promenade; lights in the evening, unofficially until about 22:00
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 45 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- When
- 24/7; skyline and Bund lights in the evening, off around 22:00
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Skywalk
- A ring above the junction by the Oriental Pearl Tower, reached by escalators from the street and Lujiazui station
- Metro
- Lujiazui, Lines 2 and 14; Exit 1 for the ring skywalk
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Ferry from the Bund
- Jinling East Rd – Dongchang Rd, ¥2; from the Bund 7:15–18:30, from Pudong 7:15–18:15
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Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Evening ferry
- Dongchang Rd – East Fuxing Rd, until 21:00
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Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Observation decks
- In the towers, paid — see the comparison below
- Time needed
- 45–90 minutes on foot; half a day with a tower
Key facts
Freethe skywalk, the walkways between towers and the riverside promenade
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Chinese WikipediaArchDailyFacing the Bundon a peninsula in a bend of the Huangpu, on the east bank
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English WikipediaTravel China Guide4 towersShanghai Tower, the SWFC, Jin Mao and the Oriental Pearl, all within a short walk
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English WikipediaTravel China Guide117.5 mdiameter of the Mingzhu ring skywalk; the deck is 9.7 m wide
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Chinese Wikipedia45 kmof continuous Huangpu waterfront on both banks, Yangpu Bridge to Xupu Bridge
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China DailyPudong district government≈ 2.5 kmlength of the Binjiang Avenue promenade in Lujiazui
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ArchDaily1990the year Pudong's development and opening-up was announced
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English WikipediaCape of the Lu familymeaning of 陆家嘴, after the Ming-era scholar-official Lu Shen
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English Wikipedia≈ 10 haLujiazui Central Green, a lawn-and-ponds park between the towers
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Travel China Guide31.78 km²area of the Lujiazui finance and trade zone
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English WikipediaIs Lujiazui worth visiting?
Yes — especially at dusk, and especially if you've already seen the skyline from the Bund. Lujiazui flips the view: from here you look back at the Bund's early-20th-century banks and hotels, with fewer people around you. Walking it costs nothing, and the skyscrapers are impressive even from street level.
It's less rewarding at midday in haze, when the towers fade into grey and the promenade has little shade. If you only have one evening in Shanghai, YesGo would spend it on the Bund itself; with two, give the second one to Lujiazui.
The Lujiazui skywalk
The skywalk is a steel ring over the big junction at the foot of the Oriental Pearl Tower, where Century Avenue meets the Lujiazui ring road. According to Chinese Wikipedia, this Mingzhu ring is 117.5 m across with a 9.7 m-wide deck and opened in 2010. Cars stay below; you stay above.
Elevated walkways branch off it to Super Brand Mall, to Shanghai IFC and the metro, and along Century Avenue past Jin Mao towards the SWFC, so you can cross the district without dealing with traffic. Escalators and stairs lead up from the pavements.
The ring itself is a viewpoint, not an attraction: it's where all four towers line up above you, and at night it glows in its own right. Give it 15–20 minutes, then head for the river.
Riverside promenade and the Bund view
The promenade along Binjiang Avenue is the best free view of the Bund. ArchDaily puts this stretch at about 2.5 km, and it's part of the 45 km of waterfront that has run unbroken along both banks of the Huangpu since January 2018. Walking, running and cycling lanes are kept separate.
The classic spot is the curve of the bank right in front of the Oriental Pearl: the whole Bund fits into one frame, from Waibaidu Bridge in the north to the piers in the south. Walk south towards Dongchang Road pier and you can frame the Bund with the towers behind you as well.
Things to do in Lujiazui
- Walk the ring skywalk — the best street-level angle on all four towers at once.
- Follow the Binjiang Avenue promenade — Bund panorama by day, both banks lit up after dark.
- Pick one tower to climb — Shanghai Tower, the Shanghai World Financial Center, Jin Mao Tower or the Oriental Pearl; free to admire from outside, ticketed to go up.
- Rest in Lujiazui Central Green — about 10 ha of lawn and ponds tucked between the skyscrapers.
- Find Chen Guichun's mansion — a shipping magnate's 1925 house among the towers; per Shanghai Daily it now holds the Wu Changshuo Memorial Hall.
- Take the ¥2 ferry from Dongchang Road pier for a few minutes on the water.
How to get to Lujiazui
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Oriental Pearl Tower is about 24 min away on foot.
- Jin Mao Tower is about 11 min away on foot.
- Shanghai Tower is about 9 min away on foot.
More tips
- From the Bund at Nanjing Road, walk back along pedestrian East Nanjing Road to East Nanjing Road station (Lines 2 and 10) — about 10 minutes.
- Take Line 2 towards Pudong for one stop under the river to Lujiazui.
- Leave by Exit 1 and ride the escalator up to the ring skywalk; for Shanghai Tower, Exit 6 is closer.
- From the ring, walk down past the Oriental Pearl to the river — the promenade starts right behind the tower, about 5 minutes away.
- By day you can cross by ferry instead: Jinling East Road pier on the Bund to Dongchang Road (¥2; last boat from the Bund 18:30), then walk about 1 km north along the river.
- Heading back after dark, take Line 2 to East Nanjing Road or the Dongchang Road – East Fuxing Road ferry until 21:00. The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel also connects both banks, but it's a paid ride with no river view.
Cost and paying for transport
The skywalk, walkways, promenade and Central Green are all free — no tickets, no gates. You only pay for getting there and for any observation deck. The metro hop from East Nanjing Road is a minimum fare, and the ferry is ¥2 per foot passenger at the official rate.
Payment: metro gates take contactless Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay cards issued abroad, as well as Alipay QR codes and transport cards; foreign cards can also be linked to Alipay or WeChat Pay. This is unofficial, so carry a little cash in yuan as a backup.
Which Lujiazui tower should you climb?
| Shanghai Toweryou are here | 632 m | Floor 118, 546 m | The highest view in Shanghai | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWFC | 492 m | Floors 94–100, up to 474 m | Glass floor, neighbouring towers up close | Seasonal — check first |
| Jin Mao | 420.5 m | Floor 88 | Shanghai Tower right next to you | See the tower's page |
| Oriental Pearl | 468 m with spire | 263 m, capsule at 351 m | The icon itself and its glass floor | Daily |
One deck is plenty — the views overlap. Shanghai Tower for height, the Oriental Pearl for the landmark itself. Prices, hours and passport rules are on each tower's page.
What is Lujiazui?
陆家嘴 means "Cape of the Lu family": a cape in the bend of the Huangpu, named after the family of Lu Shen, a Ming-dynasty scholar-official. Into the 20th century this was a riverside of wharves, warehouses and low houses.
Modern Lujiazui grew after 1990, when Pudong's development and opening-up was announced. The Oriental Pearl went up first, followed by Jin Mao, the SWFC and Shanghai Tower. Officially it's a 31.78 km² finance and trade zone; for a visitor, it's the handful of blocks between the metro and the river.
Before you go
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Shanghai after dark: compare and choose
Places in Shanghai worth an evening, as scored by YesGo. Tap a column header to sort.
| The Bund | 59 | 1 h | Free | 18 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Tower | 58 | 1 h 30 min | ¥180; students and 60+ ¥120 | 9 min walk |
| Shanghai World Financial Center | 50 | 1 h 15 min | CNY 180, seasonal | 10 min walk |
| Oriental Pearl Tower | 49 | 1 h 30 min | ¥199 — two spheres | 7 min walk |
| Lujiazuiyou are here | 48 | 45 min | Free | — |
| Jin Mao Tower | 48 | 1 h | ¥120; Skywalk from ¥288 | 8 min walk |
| Nanjing Road | 46 | 1 h | Free | 38 min walk |
| Xintiandi | 41 | 1 h | Free | 3.2 km |
| Bund Sightseeing Tunnel | 40 | 20 min | ≈ ¥50 one way, ¥70 return | 14 min walk |
| Huangpu River cruise | 39 | 1 h | ≈ ¥120–150; ferry ¥2 | 12 min walk |
| Tianzifang | 39 | 1 h | Free | 4.5 km |
| Former French Concession | 38 | 2 h | Free | 3.2 km |
| Shanghai Disneyland | 30 | 4 h | ¥475–799, priced by date | 18.5 km |
| Xitang | 16 | 4 h | ≈ ¥95 by day, free in the evening | 66.9 km |
The Bund and Lujiazui in one evening
The Bund in daylight, across to Pudong, the skywalk and promenade at sunset, one tower, then a cruise under the lights. YesGo works out the timing and walks.
- The Bund1 h · Free
- 18 min walk from the previous stopLujiazuiyou are here45 min · Free
- 7 min walk from the previous stopOriental Pearl Tower1 h 30 min · ¥199 — two spheres
- 16 min walk from the previous stopShanghai Tower1 h 30 min · ¥180; students and 60+ ¥120
- 20 min walk from the previous stopHuangpu River cruise1 h · ≈ ¥120–150; ferry ¥2
5 places · about 6 h 46 min with walks · 61 min on foot in total
Nearby and on your route
Jin Mao Tower
Shanghai, China
Shanghai Tower
Shanghai, China
Shanghai World Financial Center
Shanghai, China
How to do it right
- The best free shot of the Bund is from the bend of the promenade right in front of the Oriental Pearl.
- For all four towers in one upward frame, stand on the ring skywalk near Super Brand Mall.
- In daytime the ¥2 Jinling–Dongchang ferry gives you most of a cruise's river view.
- Need a break? Central Green's lawns are a few minutes from the ring.
- Don't stack two observation decks — the views overlap; spend the time on the promenade instead.
- Late at night, head back by metro: the daytime ferry has stopped by then.
Questions
Is Lujiazui free to visit?
Yes. The skywalk, walkways, riverside promenade and Central Green are free. Only the tower observation decks charge admission.
What is the Lujiazui skywalk?
A circular pedestrian bridge over the junction beside the Oriental Pearl Tower, linked to walkways between the towers. Chinese Wikipedia gives it a 117.5 m diameter.
How do I get to Lujiazui from the Bund?
Metro Line 2 from East Nanjing Road, one stop to Lujiazui, Exit 1. By day, the Jinling East Road – Dongchang Road ferry costs ¥2; the last boat from the Bund leaves at 18:30.
What's the best time to visit Lujiazui?
About an hour before sunset, so you see the Bund in daylight, the sunset and the lights. Unofficially, the lights go off around 22:00.
Where's the best view of the Bund from Pudong?
The curve of the Binjiang Avenue promenade in front of the Oriental Pearl Tower, where the whole Bund fits in one frame.
How long do you need in Lujiazui?
45–90 minutes for the skywalk and promenade; 2.5–3 hours if you add one observation deck.
Which observation deck in Lujiazui is best?
Shanghai Tower for the highest view, the SWFC for its glass floor when it's open, the Oriental Pearl for the landmark itself. One is enough.
Can you walk across the river from Lujiazui?
No. The skywalk only crosses roads. To reach the Bund, use the metro, a ferry or the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel.
Is Lujiazui good with kids or a stroller?
Yes: the promenade is flat and car-free. Escalators lead up to the skywalk, but with a stroller it's easier to reach the river at street level.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Lujiazui — name, history, area, ferries, metro; Wikidata Q1074628
- Chinese Wikipedia: 陆家嘴中心区二层步行连廊 — Mingzhu ring, dimensions, opening year, walkways
- Shanghai Municipal Government (english.shanghai.gov.cn): Exploring Shanghai by boat — ferries, piers, hours, fares
- China Daily, 23.02.2018; Pudong district government, 17.01.2018 — the 45 km Huangpu waterfront
- ArchDaily, 26.03.2021 — Binjiang Avenue
- Travel China Guide — Lujiazui, Central Green, transport
- tour-beijing.com — metro exit for the skywalk, ferry; amusingplanet.com, 2012 — the skywalk
- Shanghai Daily (via Meet-in-Shanghai) — Chen Guichun's mansion
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