Top of Shanghai Observatory (上海之巅观光厅)
Observation deck · Pudong New Area · Shanghai. China's highest observation deck: 546 m up on Shanghai Tower's 118th floor.
Source: https://chinafootnotes.com/places/top-of-shanghai-observatory · 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
- 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-07: 16:30–23:30: no motor vehicles on the roads inside the zone bounded by Lujiazui Ring Road (north and south), Baibu Street, Shibu Street and the river. The Ring Road itself is outside this ban; check on-site access. Shanghai Tower (east of the Ring Road) is outside the zone.
- 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-07: 16:30–23:30: no bicycles or e-bikes (incl. shared bikes) on Binjiang Avenue riverside promenade between Dongyuan Road and Lujiazui West Road.
- 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: From 16:00 until service ends, East Nanjing Road station (Lines 2/10) entrances close; passengers cannot board or alight.
- 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: From 16:00 until service ends, Line 14 Yuyuan Garden station entrances close and passengers cannot board or alight; Line 10 Yuyuan Garden stays open.
- 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: From 12:00 through the 18:30 final ferry time, the Dongjin ferry (东金线, Dongchang Road–Jinling Road East) is suspended. Do not expect it to resume later that evening.
- 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: 16:00–21:30: the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel between the Bund and Lujiazui is closed.
- 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-07: 16:30–23:30: cars in the Yan'an East Road Tunnel may only use the Fujian Road ramps to and from the Yan'an Elevated Road; taxis between Puxi and Lujiazui face detours and jams.
- 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-07: When crowded, Lujiazui station may hold passengers outside or divert them.
Why go
Shanghai Tower (上海中心大厦) is the tallest building in China, and its 118th-floor deck puts you 546 m above Lujiazui. From here the Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao and the World Financial Center sit below you, and on a clear day you can follow the Huangpu River toward the Yangtze. It is the highest of Shanghai's paid viewing decks.
What to do
- Ride the fast lift. Board at the B2 lift lobby. The lift climbs at about 18 m per second and reaches the 118th floor in roughly 55 seconds; a screen shows speed and height, and many riders feel their ears pop.
- Walk the 360° glass deck. The 118th floor is a full ring of floor-to-ceiling glass at 546 m. Find the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Bund on the river side, then walk round to look down on the tops of Jin Mao and the World Financial Center.
- See the 1,000-tonne damper. On floors 125–126 the tower's tuned mass damper (阻尼器), a 1,000-tonne pendulum that steadies the building in typhoons, is the stage for a light show, renewed in autumn 2026 as Tianwu (天舞). It needs a combo ticket.
- Start in the B1 exhibition. Before the lift, the B1 Top of Shanghai Exhibition Hall (上海之巅展示厅) tells how the Lujiazui skyline grew since 1840 and how this twisting tower was designed and built, with models and short films.
- Send a postcard from the top. The 118th floor has a sky post office where you can buy and post a postcard, plus a wishing tree and love-lock wall. There is a café on the 119th floor.
- Don't miss: Walk up from the 118th floor to the 119th; it is slightly higher and usually quieter than the main ring.
- Best time: Clear day; arrive 45 min before sunset
- Skip if: Skip it on a foggy or low-cloud day. At the top you mainly walk a glass ring and take photos, so if you have already been up another tall tower and mainly want a skyline photo, the Bund gives the classic view for free.
Practical details
- Hours: 08:30–22:00 daily · last entry 21:30
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun: 08:30–22:00, last entry 21:30
- Tickets are sold for time slots; when a slot sells out you can buy the next one.
- Closes during typhoons (e.g. Aug 2026); refunds go through the platform you bought from, and reopening is posted on WeChat 上海中心SHTower.
- In 2025 the operator extended hours to 23:00 for 30 Sep–7 Oct; no 2026 holiday extension was found.
- Dianping showed 11:00–20:00 on 2 Oct 2026; two 2026 visitor posts and Ctrip agree with 08:30–22:00.
- Admission: Ticketed · ¥180 adult (118F deck)
- Adult: ¥180 (Any day)
- Senior (60+): ¥120 (Any day)
- Student (22 and under): ¥120 (Any day)
- Child (over 1.0 m up to 1.4 m): ¥90 (Any day)
- Combo with 125–126F damper light show: price not found yet — The ¥268 adult combo belonged to the earlier damper show; the current Tianwu combo price is unconfirmed. See the dated admission note and evidence log.
- Deck + drink or coffee-and-cake packages: ¥218 — Listed regular prices: ¥218 with a drink, ¥258 with coffee and cake, ¥189.9 with a city map.
- Concession: Seniors 60+ ¥120 (Valid ID)
- Concession: Students aged 22 and under ¥120 (ID plus student card)
- Free: Children 1.0 m or shorter, or aged 3 or under, with an adult (Valid ID showing age)
- Tickets are valid only on the date bought; once scanned, no refund and no re-entry after you leave.
- OTA sites often sell the adult ticket below ¥180; the ¥180 figure is the operator's listed price.
- The current Tianwu combo price after the 30 Sep 2026 relaunch has not been confirmed; ¥268 was an earlier-show price, while a Sep 2026 blog listed ¥220.
- Booking: Timed tickets; buy online or at B1 hall
- B1 ticket hall, Shanghai Tower (上海中心大厦B1 上海之巅售票厅) · passport: yes
- Ctrip / Trip.com (携程) — Trip.com app → search Top of Shanghai Observatory → choose date and time slot — https://www.trip.com/travel-guide/attraction/shanghai/top-of-shanghai-observatory-30745956/ · passport: yes
- Meituan / Dianping / LY.com / Lvmama (美团／大众点评／同程／驴妈妈) — Search 上海之巅观光厅 in the app
- Passport accepted: yes — The operator asks visitors to carry an ID card or passport; foreign visitors may buy with a passport.
- Real-name ticketing: each ticket is bought with the visitor's own ID or passport; bring the same document.
- The operator lists Ctrip, LY.com, Meituan and Dianping as its official online channels.
- Last admission: 21:30
- Time to allow: 1–2 hr
- Getting there: Line 14 Exit 9A · Line 2 Exit 6 (via IFC LG2)
- Metro Line 14 to Lujiazui (陆家嘴), Exit 9A, about 5 min walk
- Metro Line 2 to Lujiazui (陆家嘴), Exit 6, about 10 min walk
- Show a taxi driver: 请送我到上海中心大厦（浦东银城中路501号），上海之巅观光厅B1售票厅
- Map: Apple Maps · Amap 高德
- Operator website: Line 2 Exit 6 then through IFC Mall level LG2; Line 14 Exit 9A, the tower is right by the exit.
- Exit 8 is also used: Dianping gives Line 14 Exit 8, 330 m, and a Feb 2026 post by an account named 上海中心大厦 says Lines 2/14 Exit 8.
- Walking minutes are map estimates.
- Address: 479 Lujiazui Ring Road, Pudong New Area (陆家嘴环路479号).
- Foreign visitors: Passport accepted for tickets and entry
Not found yet
- hours.exceptions: 2025年运营方国庆期间延时至23:00（22:00停售）；2026年国庆是否延时未找到运营方公告。 (searched: WeChat/Exa, Exa web, government, OTA)
- admission.paidExtras[0].amount: 9/30《天舞》焕新后的现行联票价未获运营方确认；¥268 属旧秀，¥220 属焕新前博客。 (searched: operator notice, OTA, news)
Traveler tips
- Enter on B1, not the ground floor. The visitor entrance and ticket hall for Top of Shanghai are underground on B1 of Shanghai Tower (上海中心大厦, 501 Yincheng Middle Road), not in the street-level lobby. From Lujiazui (陆家嘴) take Line 14 Exit 9A, or Line 2 Exit 6 and walk through IFC Mall level LG2. After security and the QR-code scan you go down to the B2 lift lobby. Caveat: Exit 8 is another option some visitors use. A June 2026 visitor lost time searching the ground floor first. source
- Book a time slot for weekends. Tickets are sold for set entry time slots. On Saturdays, Sundays and Chinese public holidays the popular evening slots can sell out; if your slot is gone you can buy the next one. Book a day or more ahead on Trip.com or another listed platform, choose the slot, and keep the QR code. On quiet weekdays you can usually buy at the B1 desk. Caveat: The Trip.com post is from a platform influencer promoting Trip.com booking. source
- Bring the passport you booked with. Top of Shanghai uses real-name ticketing: each ticket is bought with one person's ID, and foreign visitors use their passport. Carry the original passport whether you buy at the B1 desk or online. Visitors who booked on Trip.com report showing the passport and scanning the QR code at entry, with no paper ticket to collect. Caveat: A different September 2026 guide says Trip.com bookings must be swapped for a paper ticket at a B1 window; ask at B1 if the scanner rejects your code. source
- Pick a slot just before sunset. To see the city in daylight, at dusk and lit up on one ticket, choose an entry slot 30–60 minutes before sunset; in early October the sun sets around 17:40, so aim for 16:30–17:00. The Lujiazui towers usually light up around 19:00. You can stay as long as you like inside until closing. Caveat: Two 2026 visitors recommend this timing. The 17:40 sunset is for early October; it gets earlier through the autumn. source
- Check for fog before you buy. The deck is 546 m up, so low cloud or haze can leave you looking at white windows. Several visitors say the visit is only worth it on a clear day. Look at the forecast a day before, choose a refundable ticket if your platform offers one, and consider visiting the day after rain for clearer air. Caveat: One June 2026 visitor still enjoyed a partly foggy view. source
- Climb to 119F for a quieter view. From the main 118th-floor ring you can walk up one level to the 119th floor, which is slightly higher and often less crowded. The 119th floor also has Café 上海之巅 if you want to sit by the window with a drink. Many visitors leave from 118F without noticing the stairs; tickets with a drink voucher are redeemed on 119F, which also has seats. (3 travelers) source
- Decide on the damper show before booking. The basic ¥180 ticket covers the 118th-floor deck. The 1,000-tonne damper and its light show on floors 125–126 need a separately priced combo ticket. A new show, Tianwu (天舞), opened at the end of September 2026, so reviews of the old show may not apply. Caveat: Two 2026 visitors found the add-on disappointing: on calm days the damper does not visibly move and the show is short, with no explanation. The ¥268 price and both opinions predate the 30 Sep 2026 relaunch. (3 travelers) source
- Expect two queues on busy evenings. There are two lines: the B1 ticket and security line, then the line for the lift to floor 118. A timed ticket fixes your entry window, not your place in the lift line. At Spring Festival 2026 two visitors waited about 1.5 hours for the lift even with a timed 16:00–18:00 ticket, and on a busy festival-discount evening in late September 2026 a visitor reached the deck around 21:00 after joining at 19:50. Caveat: Times come from individual 2026 posts and older 2025 Reddit reports. (5 travelers) source
- Try the 52F bookshop view instead. If you want a high view without the deck ticket, Duoyun Books (朵云书院) on the 52nd floor of the same tower has its own window area. Around Spring Festival 2026 entry required a minimum spend of ¥88 per person and it was standing room only; a September 2026 visitor queued about 20 minutes to get in. The Guanfu Museum on floor 37 is a separate paid private museum. Caveat: Minimum spend from a Feb 2026 post and may change by season. A 2025 reviewer also mentions a WeChat reservation and a staffed lift. (4 travelers) source
- National Day evenings: plan the river crossing. From 1 to 7 October 2026 the usual links to the Bund are cut in the evening: East Nanjing Road station (Lines 2/10) and Line 14 Yuyuan Garden station close from 16:00, the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel closes 16:00–21:30 and the Dongjin ferry stops at 12:00 through its 18:30 final ferry time, with no later return that evening. Shanghai Tower is outside the 16:30–23:30 car-free zone, so the tower is outside that motor-vehicle ban, but check on-site taxi access and expect jams; shared bikes are banned on the Binjiang Avenue promenade. Lujiazui station may hold passengers outside when crowded. Caveat: Clauses ND-04, 06–11 of the shared 2026 National Day controls table; police may extend or shrink the controls. source
- Skip the paid photo at the lift line. While you wait for the lift, staff photograph every group. Buying is optional: you see the print upstairs, and larger sets cost more. Say no if you do not want it. Caveat: A parent who paid ¥200 for six composited photos with a fake background regretted it; the price is from one post (2026-09-10). (3 travelers) source
- Beat window reflections at night. After dark the 118th-floor windows reflect the lit interior. Press your phone lens flat against the glass, turn your screen brightness down and wear dark clothes so you do not appear in the shot. The best windows get crowded, so take turns. (2 travelers) source
Sources
- Shanghai Municipal Government
- Shanghai Tower
- Shanghai Tower
- Shanghai Tower
- Shanghai Tower
- Shanghai Tower
- Shanghai Tower
- biwuke.com office-leasing site reposting the operator notice (published 2025-09-12)
- biwuke.com office-leasing site reposting the operator notice (published 2025-07-31)
- biwuke.com office-leasing site reposting the operator post (published 2025-09-24)
- Ctrip
- Shanghai Municipal People's Government (published 2026-09-11)
- Kankanews (published 2026-08-09)
- China News Service (published 2026-10-01)
- NetEase (account article) (published 2026-03-02)
- The Hidden China (Futing) (published 2026-09-11)
- Shanghai Public Security Bureau (published 2026-09-30)
- Shanghai Release (published 2026-09-28)
- Fireopal82 (Trip.com Moments) (published 2026-06-26)
- Poppy Patcharapol (Trip.com influencer) (published 2026-04-27)
- ANH. Elf 2457 (Trip.com Moments) (published 2026-07-16)
- Reddit r/chinatravel (published 2026-06-18)
- Reddit r/chinatravel (published 2026-06-17)
- Reddit r/travelchina (published 2026-04-15)
- Reddit r/shanghai (published 2025-06-28)
- Reddit r/shanghai (published 2025-05-08)
- Reddit r/shanghai (published 2025-05-05)
- Reddit r/shanghai (published 2025-05-05)
- Tripadvisor (published 2025-07-09)
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