# Shanghai Tower, Lujiazui > Shanghai Tower is China's tallest building — 632 m of twisting glass in Lujiazui, Pudong. The Top of Shanghai deck is on floor 118, at 546 m. Adult tickets are ¥180; unofficially it's open daily 8:30–22:00 with last entry at 21:30. Allow about 90 minutes and bring your passport. Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-tower - City: [Shanghai](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai), China - YesGo score: 58/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Entry: ¥180; students and 60+ ¥120 - With kids: Fine with kids - Adult ticket: ¥180 — floor 118 deck and the B1 exhibition - Students and 60+: ¥120 with student card or passport - Children: 1–1.4 m tall ¥90; under 1 m free (some sellers say under 1.2 m) - Hours: Daily 8:30–22:00, last entry 21:30 — unofficial; one seller lists 21:30 close and 20:30 last entry - Where to buy: Official online channels: Trip.com (Ctrip), LY.com, Lvmama, Meituan, Dianping; or the ticket office - ID: Passport required — checked at entry - Entrance: Basement levels B1/B2, on the Lujiazui metro side - Address: 501 Yincheng Middle Road, Lujiazui, Pudong - Metro: Lujiazui — Line 2 Exit 6, Line 14 Exit 9A - Time needed: ≈ 90 minutes including queues and the exhibition - Coordinates: 31.23550, 121.50100 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **632 m** — China's tallest building and the world's third tallest (source: Shanghai Tower official website; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Floor 118** — Top of Shanghai Observatory, 546 m above the ground (source: Shanghai Tower official website; Russian Wikipedia) - **≈ 20 m/s** — high-speed lifts — under a minute to the deck (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **127 floors** — above ground plus 5 below (Wikipedia counts 128 above) (source: Shanghai Tower official website; English Wikipedia) - **≈ 1,000 t** — pendulum damper near the top (floor 125 or 126 by source) that steadies the sway (source: Russian Wikipedia; Chinese news sites (163.com, QQ News)) - **2008** — ground broken on 29 November (source: Shanghai Tower official website; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **2017** — the observation deck opened to the public in April (source: Pudong Release (Pudong district government); Russian Wikipedia) - **Gensler** — the US firm behind the design, team led by Jun Xia (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **≈ 140,000 m²** — of curved glass curtain wall; the outer skin twists as it rises (source: Shanghai Tower official website; English Wikipedia) - **Floor 52** — Duoyun Books, a bookshop 239 m up (source: Shanghai Tower official website; wanderinchina.com) ## Shanghai Tower tickets and opening hours A standard adult ticket to the Top of Shanghai Observatory costs **¥180** and covers the floor 118 deck plus the B1 exhibition. Students and over-60s pay ¥120, children 1–1.4 m tall ¥90, and under 1 m go free. Three travel guides agree on these prices, but the official website doesn't publish them, so treat them as unofficial. Unofficially the deck is open **daily 8:30–22:00, last entry 21:30**. One reseller lists an earlier close (21:30, last entry 20:30), so aim to be at the lifts by 20:00. The official site names Trip.com (Ctrip), LY.com, Lvmama, Meituan and Dianping as its online channels; you can also buy at the tower. Tickets are timed and tied to your passport. **Paying as a foreigner:** booking online with a Visa or Mastercard on Trip.com is easiest. On site, expect Alipay or WeChat Pay (both accept linked foreign cards) or cash yuan — unofficial; card terminals may not take foreign cards. Upgrades exist — a damper show on floors 125–126, café packages on floor 119 — but sellers list different contents and prices, so check what's included when you buy. > **Check the sky — and pack your passport** At 546 m, fog or smog turns the windows into a white wall, and timed tickets are often non-refundable. If the top of the tower is in cloud, wait for another day. Bring your **physical passport**: the name on the ticket must match it, and it's checked before you go up. ## Is Shanghai Tower worth it? Yes, on a clear day — it's the highest view in Shanghai, and from up here you look down on the roofs of the Jin Mao Tower and the "bottle opener" next door, with the river's bend and the Bund beyond. If you'll do just one deck in the city, YesGo's pick is this one. It's not worth it in fog, heavy rain or thick haze: you'll pay full price to see cloud. And if you want the classic skyline photo with this tower in it, you need to be somewhere else — the [Bund](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/the-bund) at night or the [Jin Mao Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/jin-mao-tower) next door. ## How to get to Shanghai Tower 1. From the Bund at East Nanjing Road, walk back along pedestrian Nanjing Road to East Nanjing Road metro station — about 10 minutes. 2. Take Line 2 towards Pudong for one stop under the river to **Lujiazui**. 3. Leave by **Exit 6** and follow signs through the lower level of the Shanghai IFC Mall — about 10 minutes to the tower. From Line 14, use Exit 9A. 4. Deck visitors enter on the tower's basement levels (B1/B2) at 501 Yincheng Middle Road: security, passport and QR check, then the lift. 5. Alternatives: a Huangpu ferry to Dongchang Road pier, then bus 339 to South Pudong Road — or the [Bund Sightseeing Tunnel](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/bund-sightseeing-tunnel) under the river. 6. From Pudong Airport, ride the Maglev to Longyang Road and change to Line 2 for Lujiazui; from Hongqiao, Line 2 runs direct. ## What to see inside - **B1 exhibition** — how the tower was built on Shanghai's soft ground; 10–15 minutes. - **The lift** — around 20 m/s, under a minute to floor 118. - **Floor 118** — panoramic windows all the way round: the Jin Mao and World Financial Center rooftops below, the spheres of the [Oriental Pearl Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/oriental-pearl-tower) and the curve of the Huangpu. - **The damper on floors 125–126** — a 1,000-tonne pendulum that steadies the tower, shown on an upgrade ticket. - **Duoyun Books, floor 52** — a bookshop 239 m up; unofficially free, with a WeChat reservation. - **After dark** — the Bund and every Lujiazui tower lit up below you. ## How tall is Shanghai Tower? Shanghai Tower is **632 metres** tall — China's tallest building and the third tallest in the world. Officially it has 127 floors above ground and 5 below; Wikipedia counts 128 above. The observatory on floor 118 is 546 m up. Next door, the Jin Mao Tower is 420.5 m and the Shanghai World Financial Center 492 m; the Oriental Pearl TV tower reaches 468 m with its spire. Dubai's Burj Khalifa, at 828 m, is nearly 200 m taller. Its lifts were the world's fastest at 20.5 m/s until 2017, when Guangzhou's CTF Finance Centre reached 21 m/s. ## Shanghai Tower vs Jin Mao vs Oriental Pearl | | Shanghai Tower | Jin Mao Tower | Oriental Pearl | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Skyscraper, China's tallest | Pagoda-style skyscraper | TV tower with spheres | | Height | 632 m | 420.5 m | 468 m with spire | | Deck | Floor 118, 546 m | Floor 88 | Top level 351 m | | Best for | The highest view over the whole city | A close view of Shanghai Tower | The tower itself and glass floors | For the highest view, Shanghai Tower. For a photo with Shanghai Tower in it, Jin Mao. For the retro landmark everyone recognises, the Oriental Pearl. ## How the tower was built Ground was broken on 29 November 2008, the structure was finished at the end of 2014, the building opened in 2015 and the observation deck in April 2017. The design is by the US firm Gensler, with a team led by architect Jun Xia. The official site lists the engineering records: a building of over 850,000 tonnes on soft delta soil, a foundation slab poured in one go with 60,000 m³ of concrete, and around 140,000 m² of curved glass. The outer glass skin twists as it rises, and a 1,000-tonne damper near the top steadies the sway. > **Go an hour before sunset** Book a slot about an hour before sunset and you get daylight, sunset and the lit-up city in one visit. Check the weather and the air-quality index before you book: on smoggy days the far districts disappear. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Clear sky, tower top not in cloud - [ ] Physical passport — name matches the ticket - [ ] Ticket booked online, or Alipay / WeChat Pay or cash ready - [ ] Reaching the lifts by 20:00 - [ ] About 90 minutes set aside - [ ] Student card, if I have one ## Shanghai's viewpoints compared Every Shanghai viewpoint rated by YesGo. - [The Bund](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/the-bund) — YesGo score 59/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free - [Shanghai Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-tower) — YesGo score 58/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ¥180; students and 60+ ¥120 - [Shanghai World Financial Center](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-world-financial-center) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 15 min · CNY 180, seasonal - [Oriental Pearl Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/oriental-pearl-tower) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ¥199 — two spheres - [Lujiazui](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/lujiazui) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [Jin Mao Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/jin-mao-tower) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥120; Skywalk from ¥288 - [Shanghai Maglev](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-maglev) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ¥50, ¥40 with a same-day flight - [Huangpu River cruise](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/huangpu-river-cruise) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥120–150; ferry ¥2 ## The Bund and Pudong in half a day The Bund, the metro under the river, Shanghai Tower and its neighbours, then an evening on the Huangpu. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [The Bund](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/the-bund) — YesGo score 59/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free 2. [Shanghai Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-tower) — YesGo score 58/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ¥180; students and 60+ ¥120 3. [Jin Mao Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/jin-mao-tower) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥120; Skywalk from ¥288 4. [Oriental Pearl Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/oriental-pearl-tower) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ¥199 — two spheres 5. [Huangpu River cruise](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/huangpu-river-cruise) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥120–150; ferry ¥2 ## Don't mix them up Shanghai Tower is the tallest of Lujiazui's three supertall towers and the one that twists. The TV tower with the spheres is the Oriental Pearl; the tower with the "bottle opener" hole at the top is the [Shanghai World Financial Center](https://yesgo.io/china/shanghai/shanghai-world-financial-center). ## Tips - Book the slot an hour before sunset for day, dusk and night views in one ticket. - Pop next door to the Jin Mao Tower afterwards — it's where Shanghai Tower fits in the frame. - The best shot of the tower itself is from the Bund after the lights come on. - Press your lens to the glass and cup your hand around it to kill reflections. - Don't go up in fog or rain — move it to another day if you can. - Get the metro exit right: Exit 6 at Lujiazui on Line 2. ## Questions ### How much is the Shanghai Tower ticket? ¥180 for adults, ¥120 for students and over-60s, ¥90 for children 1–1.4 m, free under 1 m. These come from travel guides; the official site doesn't publish prices. ### What are Shanghai Tower opening hours? Unofficially daily 8:30–22:00, last entry 21:30. Be at the lifts by 20:00 to be safe. ### Is Shanghai Tower worth visiting? On a clear day, yes — it's the highest view in Shanghai. In fog or heavy haze, skip it and go another day. ### How do I get to Shanghai Tower? Metro Line 2 to Lujiazui, Exit 6, then about 10 minutes on foot through the IFC Mall; from Line 14 use Exit 9A. ### How tall is Shanghai Tower? 632 metres, with the observation deck at 546 m on floor 118. ### How many floors does Shanghai Tower have? 127 above ground and 5 below according to the official site; Wikipedia counts 128 above ground. ### Do I need my passport? Yes. Tickets are real-name, and your physical passport is checked before you go up. ### Which is better: Shanghai Tower or the Oriental Pearl? Shanghai Tower for the highest view; the Oriental Pearl for the landmark itself and its glass floors. Most people need only one deck. ### How fast is the Shanghai Tower lift? About 20 m/s — under a minute to floor 118. It held the world speed record until 2017. ### Is there a hotel in Shanghai Tower? Yes, the J Hotel opened in the upper part of the tower in 2021. ## How we checked The English core comes from search results and related searches. Height, floors, deck height, transport and sales channels are from the official Shanghai Tower website, which doesn't publish prices or hours: ¥180/120/90 match across three guides and 8:30–22:00 across three sources, but one reseller gives 21:30 close and 20:30 last entry, so all of these are marked checking. The free-entry height for children differs (1 m or 1.2 m); we show the stricter one. Floors: official site 127, Wikipedia 128. The damper is on floor 125 or 126 depending on the source. English Wikipedia puts the deck on floor 121; we follow the official site (118). On-site payment methods are unofficial. ## Sources - Shanghai Tower official website — project overview, Top of Shanghai Observatory, Sky Lobby, public transport - Pudong Release (Pudong district government) via The Paper, 11.02.2026 — deck opened in 2017 - English and Russian Wikipedia: Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao Tower, Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center; Wikidata Q18547 - chinatravel.com, dahepiao.com, wanderinchina.com, Pelago — prices, ticket categories, hours - sh.bendibao.com — hours and address - 163.com and QQ News — the tower's damper --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.