Shanghai · Visitor Guide
Shanghai Tower (上海中心大厦, Shànghǎi Zhōngxīn Dàshà)
Shanghai Tower is a 128-story megatall skyscraper in Lujiazui, Pudong, completed in 2015. At 632 meters it is the third-tallest building in the world (after Burj Khalifa and Merdeka 118) and the tallest in China. Its twisted, tapering form reduces wind loads by 24% and makes it one of the most energy-efficient supertalls ever built. The observation deck on the 118th floor (562 m) is the highest in the world — higher than Burj Khalifa's observation deck (555 m).
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Quick Answer
Is Shanghai Tower worth visiting?
632 meters — the world's third-tallest building with the highest observation deck in the world at 562 meters. 360-degree views from the 118th floor. ¥180.
Quick facts
| Ticket | ¥180 (adult, as of June 2026). ¥120 for students and seniors (60+). Children under 1m free. Book online for ¥160 via Dianping or official WeChat. |
|---|---|
| Hours | 8:30–22:00 (last entry 21:00). |
| Recommended duration | 1–1.5 hours. |
| Best time to visit | 5:00 PM — arrive in daylight, watch the sunset, stay for the city lights. Clear winter days (Nov–Feb) offer the best visibility (20+ km). Avoid rainy days and summer haze. |
| How to get there | Metro Line 2 to Lujiazui station (陆家嘴), Exit 6. Walk 5 minutes east. The tower is unmistakable — the tallest of the three Lujiazui supertalls. |
| English signage | yes |
| Wheelchair accessible | yes |
| Height | 632 m (2,073 ft) |
| Floors | 128 above ground, 5 below |
| Observation deck | 562 m (118th floor) — world's highest |
| Elevator speed | 20.5 m/s — 55 seconds to the 118th floor |
| Completed | 2015 (8 years construction) |
What to expect
Shanghai Tower was designed by Gensler as a "vertical city" — nine cylindrical zones stacked atop each other, each with its own sky lobby, gardens, and mechanical floors. The double-glass facade creates atriums that act as thermal buffers, reducing heating and cooling needs by 21%. The building twists 120 degrees from base to tip, a shape that emerged from wind-tunnel testing — it cuts wind loads by nearly a quarter compared to a rectangular tower of the same height.
The elevator ride is an attraction in itself — at 20.5 meters per second, it is among the fastest in the world. The 118th-floor observation deck is a ring-shaped platform with floor-to-ceiling glass. On a clear day you can see the East China Sea to the east, the entire Huangpu River bend, the Bund's colonial facades to the west, and — if visibility is exceptional — the Yangtze River mouth 60 km north.
I went up at 4:30 PM on a clear December day. By 5:15 PM, the sun was setting over the Bund, and the Pudong skyline below began to light up. By 6:00 PM, the view was pure Blade Runner. The contrast with the Shanghai World Financial Center next door (the "bottle opener," 492 m) makes you appreciate just how much taller 632 m really is.
How to get there
Metro Line 2 to Lujiazui station (陆家嘴), Exit 6. Walk east toward the tallest building — you cannot miss it. The observation deck entrance is on the B1 level, well-signed in English. Buy tickets at the counter or scan the QR code at the entrance if you booked online.
Best photo spots
- South-facing windows for the Huangpu River bend and the Bund — the definitive shot
- East-facing windows for Pudong's sprawling skyline and, on clear days, the East China Sea
- The atrium between the inner and outer glass layers (visible from the elevator lobbies)
- The base plaza looking up — best for capturing the twist and scale
Tips
- Check the weather before buying — if visibility is below 5 km, skip it
- Book online (Dianping or WeChat) to save ¥20 — scan the QR code at entry
- Avoid weekends 1:00–3:00 PM — this is peak domestic tour group time
- Bring a polarizing filter for your camera to cut through the glass reflections
- Combine with the Bund evening walk — head to the riverfront after descending
Scams to avoid
- Touts at Lujiazui metro exit selling "discount combo tickets" for Shanghai Tower + Jin Mao + SWFC — these are fake, buy only from the official counters
- "Photographers" inside the observation deck who offer "professional photos" for ¥100 — they use the same phone cameras as everyone else and the quality is worse than self-serve
Frequently asked questions
Is the Shanghai Tower observation deck worth ¥180?
Yes on a clear day — the 360-degree view from 562 meters is the highest accessible viewpoint in the world and the Shanghai skyline is extraordinary. No on a hazy or rainy day — visibility drops to under 1 km and you see only gray. Check the weather forecast (visibility, not just rain) before going.
How does Shanghai Tower compare to the other Lujiazui observation decks?
Shanghai Tower (118F, 562 m, ¥180) — highest, newest, best views. Shanghai World Financial Center / SWFC (100F, 474 m, ¥150) — the glass-floored walkway is the unique feature. Jin Mao Tower (88F, 340 m, ¥120) — the oldest, has an atrium bar, less crowded. Shanghai Tower is the best overall if you only do one.
When is the best time to visit Shanghai Tower?
Arrive at 4:30–5:00 PM — you get daylight views, sunset, and the city lights. Clear winter days (November–February) have the best visibility. Avoid rainy days in June–July (plum rain season) and the afternoon haze in August.
How fast is the elevator?
20.5 meters per second — the ride from B1 to the 118th floor takes 55 seconds. Your ears will pop. The elevator has a digital display showing your ascent in real time.
Can I eat at Shanghai Tower?
Yes — there is a cafe on the 119th floor (light food, coffee, ¥50–80 range) and several restaurants in the lower levels and the adjacent Shanghai Tower B1–F5 shopping mall. For a splurge, the Jin Mao Tower's Grand Hyatt has restaurants on the 87th floor with comparable views.
Is Shanghai Tower wheelchair accessible?
Yes — the observation deck, elevators, and bathrooms are fully accessible. The tower was built to modern accessibility standards.
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Other things to do in Shanghai
The Bund
1.5 km waterfront promenade facing Pudong's skyscrapers. Best at sunset. Free, 24/7.
Yu Garden
A 2-hectare Ming Dynasty garden hidden inside old Shanghai — 30+ pavilions, rockeries, dragon walls, and koi ponds. Surrounded by the Yu Bazaar market. 1.5 hours. ¥40.
Zhujiajiao Water Town
A 1,700-year-old canal town 45 minutes from Shanghai — stone bridges, boat rides, and lane food. Free entry (attractions cost extra). Half day.
French Concession
Tree-lined streets, 1920s lane houses, and Shanghai's best cafes and boutiques in the city's most walkable neighborhood. Free. Half day wandering.
Nanjing Road
5.5 km shopping street from the Bund to People's Square. Pedestrianized east section. Free. Best at night with neon lights. Historic Shanghai department stores line the route.
Shanghai French Concession
Shanghai's most atmospheric neighborhood — tree-lined streets, 1920s Art Deco buildings, boutiques, and cafés. Free walking area. Best explored on foot or by bike. Half day.
Shanghai Disneyland
The first Disney park on mainland China, open since June 2016 in Pudong, with the tallest Disney castle anywhere (~60 m) and rides you can't get elsewhere like TRON and the redesigned Pirates. Budget a full 10-12 hours; weekday adult tickets start at ¥475 (as of 2026).
Jade Buddha Temple
A working Buddhist monastery in Shanghai's Putuo District, built 1918-1928 around two white-jade Buddhas a monk carried home from Burma in 1882 — the seated one 1.9 m tall and nearly a tonne. Entry is free, allow 1-2 hours, and the ¥30 vegetarian noodles are the real reason locals keep coming back.
Oriental Pearl TV Tower
A 468-meter TV tower of stacked spheres with a glass-bottom corridor at 259m; budget 2-3 hours and arrive before sunset to catch both day and night views of the Pudong skyline.
Xintiandi
A car-free block of restored 1920s shikumen lane houses turned into Shanghai's priciest cafe-and-bar district. Budget 2-3 hours; entry is free but a coffee costs more than your metro ride there.
Museums in Shanghai
Shanghai Museum
China's premier museum of ancient Chinese art — bronze, ceramics, calligraphy, jade, and numismatics. Free entry at People's Square. The bronze collection is among the finest in the world.
China Art Museum
Modern and contemporary Chinese art in the striking former China Pavilion from Expo 2010. Free entry. Home of the animated digital "Along the River During the Qingming Festival."
Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
A family-oriented science museum with robot musicians, a walk-through animal world, and Shanghai's best hands-on physics exhibits — budget a full afternoon.
Shanghai Natural History Museum
10,000+ specimens in a striking biomimetic building. Dinosaur skeletons, a 140-million-year-old Mamenchisaurus, and immersive ecosystems. ¥30. Shanghai's best family museum.
Shanghai History Museum
Shanghai's journey from fishing village to 1930s "Paris of the East" — told through artifacts, photographs, and immersive street scenes. Below the Oriental Pearl Tower. Free.
China Maritime Museum
Maritime Silk Road, Zheng He's treasure ships, and a full-size Ming Dynasty junk replica inside a sail-shaped building near Dishui Lake. China's national maritime museum. ¥50.
Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre
Private collection of Mao-era propaganda posters in a basement gallery. ¥20. One of Shanghai's most distinctive small museums. A window into 20th-century Chinese political art.
Rockbund Art Museum
Contemporary art in a stunning 1933 Art Deco building on the Bund. ¥50. Rotating exhibitions by Chinese and international artists. The building rivals the art.
Long Museum West Bund
Billionaire collector Liu Yiqian's private museum on the West Bund. ¥200. Ancient to contemporary Chinese art in a stunning concrete-and-vaulted industrial building.
Power Station of Art
China's first state-run contemporary art museum, set inside a converted 1897 British-built coal-fired power plant on the Huangpu River — admission is free and 2-3 hours covers the main halls.
Long Museum (Pudong)
Two million RMB and eight years of collecting went into this private art museum in the Pudong riverfront — set aside about 2 hours and arrive before noon.
HOW Art Museum
A private contemporary art museum in Pudong with about 3,000 sqm of exhibition space, walkable in 90 minutes if you skip the gift-shop vortex.
M50 Art District
A converted 1930s wool-spinning mill on Moganshan Road now hosting 130+ artist studios and galleries; plan 2–3 hours for a real walk-through, not a quick photo stop.