Oriental Pearl Tower (东方明珠)

Observation deck · Pudong New Area · Shanghai. A Lujiazui tower for 263 m views, a glass corridor and Shanghai history.

Source: https://chinafootnotes.com/places/oriental-pearl-tower · Data checked 2026-10-02 · Rendered for 2026-10-03 (Asia/Shanghai). Facts carry their status; "not found yet" means we searched and found no reliable source.

Notices in effect

• 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: 2026 National Day operator hours unconfirmed. Dianping lists 08:30–21:30 without effective dates; regular 09:00 opening may not apply.
• 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-07: Lujiazui motor-vehicle control 16:30–23:30 daily; ordinary taxis and ride-hail cannot enter the enclosed zone.
• 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: Dongjin ferry suspended 12:00–18:30 daily.
• 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-07: Bund sightseeing tunnel closed 30 Sep 20:00–21:30 and 1–7 Oct 16:00–21:30.
• 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-07: Non-motor vehicles are barred on Binjiang Avenue between Dongyuan Road and Lujiazui West Road during daily 16:30–23:30 controls.
• 2026-09-30 to 2026-11-01: A separately ticketed Pop Land carnival runs at Oriental Pearl Tower City Plaza; its ticket does not establish observation-deck admission or hours.
• 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-07: Huangpu core riverfront lighting, including the tower-facing Lujiazui area, is scheduled 18:00–23:00.

Why go

At the Oriental Pearl Tower (东方明珠), you can look down on the bends of the Huangpu River and compare the historic Bund with modern Lujiazui. The tower itself is also one of Shanghai's most recognisable shapes. Decide whether you want the view from inside it or a photograph of the tower in the skyline before buying a ticket.

What to do

• See the river bend. Take the lift to the 263 m sightseeing level (263米主观光层) for a full-circle view of the Huangpu River (黄浦江), the Bund (外滩) and Lujiazui (陆家嘴).
• Try the glass walkway. Walk onto the transparent floor at the 259 m glass corridor (259米悬空观光廊) if your ticket includes it; look for 悬空观光廊 signs after the main view.
• Keep time for city history. At the tower base, look for Shanghai City History Development Museum (上海城市历史发展陈列馆) and confirm that your selected package includes it.

• Don't miss: The 259 m glass corridor is a separate stop from the 263 m main sightseeing level.

• Best time: Clear day for distance; dusk for lights
• Skip if: If your priority is to photograph the tower itself in the skyline, stay on a riverbank viewpoint or choose another deck.

Practical details

• Hours: Usually 09:00–21:00 daily
• Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun: 09:00–21:00, last entry 20:30
• Three independent Sep 2026 posts give 09:00–21:00 and last entry 20:30 for the usual visit. The undated city directory says 08:00–22:00; Dianping on 2 Oct says 08:30–21:30 with no effective period.
• Admission: Ticketed · ¥199 adult (2 spheres)
• Regular two-sphere adult: ¥199 (Two-sphere sightseeing; adult)
• Regular two-sphere child: ¥99 (Two-sphere sightseeing; child)
• Regular two-sphere senior: ¥119 (Two-sphere sightseeing; senior)
• ¥199 / ¥99 / ¥119 were May 2026 listed original prices, not a live 2 Oct holiday selling price.
• Booking: Buy a real-name ticket; no advance booking
• Oriental Pearl (东方明珠) — WeChat → search the official account 东方明珠 → inspect its current ticket entry before paying
• Gate 1 self-service ticket machine (东方明珠1号门门口终端售票机) — At tower Gate 1, look for 终端售票机 / ticket machine and ask staff whether it is operating today.
• Passport accepted: unknown — Government describes real-name purchase; passport and foreign-number path not established.
• The government lists real-name ticket purchase separately from advance reservation. Bring the original document used to purchase the ticket.
• Onsite sales and walk-in stock are visitor-reported. The exact WeChat menu and passport checkout have not been tested.
• The city tourism notice documents a Gate 1 ticket machine in 2020, but current operation is not confirmed.
• The account purchase reference dates to a 2022 COVID-era reopening notice; its appointment pass, identity rules and menu labels are not current instructions.
• Last admission: Usually last entry 20:30
• Time to allow: 2–3 hr; queues can add more
• Getting there: Lines 2 / 14 · Lujiazui
• Metro Line 2/14 to Lujiazui (陆家嘴), Exit 1, about 5 min walk
• Show a taxi driver: 东方明珠广播电视塔，浦东新区世纪大道1号
• Map: Apple Maps · Amap 高德
• The municipal restaurant listing confirms station and tower address, not the sightseeing entrance or exit.
• Exit 1 and 310 m are from Dianping; 5 min is calculated walking time, not operator signage.
• Address: 1 Century Avenue, Pudong New Area (世纪大道1号).
• Foreign visitors: Passport ticket checkout details pending

Not found yet

• booking.passport.accepted: Operator has not confirmed this passport purchase or entry workflow. (searched: municipal real-name guidance, Xiaohongshu individual posts, Ctrip ticket listing)
• booking.channels[0].searchPath: Official account name is sourced, but the live 2026 menu and foreign-passport checkout are not verified. (searched: operator 2022 announcement, web search current menu)
• booking.channels[1].onsiteAvailability: Gate 1 machine is documented in 2020, not confirmed for October 2026. (searched: municipal tourism historical notice, web search current ticket office)
• hours.exceptions[0].operatorHours: No dated 2026 National Day observation-deck timetable from the tower operator was found; third-party listings disagree or omit effective dates. (searched: operator / government web, third-party platform)

Traveler tips

• Choose the exact package. Before buying an Oriental Pearl Tower (东方明珠) ticket, compare the Chinese package name and included levels. The 2026 government notice uses 'two-sphere sightseeing' (二球观光) at an original adult price of ¥199, while other products bundle cruises, museums or a higher deck. Confirm the visit date, included floors and any extra charge in the seller's current checkout. source
• Use Lujiazui as the station. Take Metro Line 2 or 14 to Lujiazui (陆家嘴站), then follow signs for Oriental Pearl Tower (东方明珠). Dianping places it about 310 m from Exit 1, around five minutes on foot; the city listing confirms 1 Century Avenue (世纪大道1号). Caveat: Exit and distance come from a third-party listing. source
• Bring the original travel document. Oriental Pearl Tower (东方明珠) uses real-name ticket purchases. Bring the original travel document used for your ticket and keep its number consistent at the gate; advance reservation is a separate question. Caveat: A 2026 Klook-promoting visitor describes using a passport after a QR entry failure; that commercial first-hand report is not an independent non-commercial confirmation. A separate 2024 pre-trip guide gave general advice but did not test entry. source
• Check for a voucher exchange step. A January 2026 buyer says their Meituan (美团) order did not grant direct entry and had to be exchanged at a counter near the entrance. Another September note from someone escorting a foreign guest advises choosing a ticket explicitly labelled no on-site exchange and QR-code entry. Read the checkout conditions, bring the booking code and document used to buy, and allow time for the counter if your voucher requires it. Caveat: Counter exchange and direct QR entry are package-specific visitor reports; check your selected ticket terms. (2 travelers) source
• Check your ticket before going early. An August 2026 visitor arrived at the Oriental Pearl Tower (东方明珠) around 08:20 and reported little queue after the doors opened; April and July visitors describe waits of more than an hour at busier times. Check the current operator opening time and your ticket slot first, then ask at Gate 1 (一号门) or Gate 2 (二号门) which line serves your package. Caveat: The August early opening and queue reports do not establish a daily opening time or predictable wait. (3 travelers) source
• Ask how the passport ticket is issued. A September 2026 escort of a foreign client reports entering passport details in the Oriental Pearl (东方明珠) official WeChat account when buying a ticket, and warns that some third-party packages require a counter exchange. Before payment, confirm that the chosen channel accepts the passport number, that you can receive any verification message, and whether the QR code or a paper ticket is scanned at entry. Caveat: This is one visitor account, not a checkout test by this project. source
• Treat ticketed levels as separate queues. An April 2026 visitor says the two-sphere (二球) and three-sphere (三球) packages had different entry lines during their holiday visit, while another July visitor waited over an hour for the two-sphere lift. At the ticket office, point to your Chinese package name and ask where its security check, lift and return queue begin before joining a line. Caveat: Package queue reports are from individual 2026 visits; a higher ticket tier does not establish a shorter wait. (2 travelers) source
• Buy through the named official account. In WeChat, search for the verified 东方明珠 official account (Oriental Pearl Tower). Open its current ticket entry and compare the Chinese sightseeing-package names, visit date, included levels and document fields before paying. At Gate 1 (一号门), ask staff whether the self-service ticket machine (终端售票机) is operating if you want to buy onsite. Caveat: The operator source naming this account is a 31 May 2022 COVID-era reopening notice. It does not establish a current menu label or checkout path. The Gate 1 machine was documented in 2020; current operation needs confirmation. source
• Follow the 263 m and 259 m route. At Oriental Pearl Tower (东方明珠), take the lift to the 263 m sightseeing level (263米主观光层), then follow signs to the 259 m glass corridor (259米悬空观光廊). Check your ticket for both levels before joining their separate queues. (2 travelers) source
• Cross the river around holiday closures. From 1–7 October 2026, the Dongjin ferry (东金线) stops 12:00–18:30 and Bund sightseeing tunnel (外滩观光隧道) closes 16:00–21:30. When travelling from the Bund (外滩) to Oriental Pearl Tower (东方明珠), use an operating Metro route; cars are barred from the Lujiazui control zone 16:30–23:30. source

Sources

• Shanghai Municipal Government
• Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism
• Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism
• Shanghai Municipal Government (published 2026-05-13)
• Shanghai Municipal Government (published 2024-06-11)
• Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism
• Huangpu District People's Government (published 2026-05-13)
• Shanghai Municipal People's Government (published 2024-06-11)
• Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism
• Shanghai Municipal People's Government
• 汀兰向暖 (published 2026-01-27)
• abyss！ (published 2026-09-30)
• 豆腐 (published 2026-08-02)
• 小红薯69DA0028 (published 2026-04-25)
• 夏狸 (published 2026-07-18)
• 潘玲 (published 2026-09-24)
• miki姜姜 (published 2026-09-19)
• 大众点评
• Oriental Pearl Group (published 2022-05-31)
• Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau (published 2026-09-30)
• Shanghai Municipal Government (published 2026-09-30)
• Shanghai Municipal Greening and City Appearance Administration (published 2026-09-29)
• Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism
• Naver Blog (published 2026-05-29)
• Tistory (published 2024-05-23)