Shanghai Tower: Travel Guide to China’s Tallest Skyscraper

Written by Natalia | Updated September 22,2025

Almost all tourists will take a picture of Shanghai Tower, Jin MAO Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center, the three high-rise buildings in Lujiazui, during their Shanghai tour, because they are the most famous city landmarks. And among them, the highest one is the Shanghai Tower. With a height of 632 meters, it is the highest building in China and the third highest building in the world. Its unique spiral ascending shape is highly visually striking. At the observatory on floors 118 and 119, tourists can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. So it is not only an architectural wonder but also offers an unprecedented sightseeing experience. Now, follow us to learn more about it.

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• Quick Shanghai Tower Facts
• Observation Decks
• World’s Fastest Elevators
• Stunning Interior Design of Shanghai Tower
• Nighttime Light Show
• Other Facilities
• Location of Shanghai Tower & How to Get There
• FAQs about Shanghai Tower
• Plan a Shanghai Tower tour with China Xian Tour

Quick Shanghai Tower Facts

• Chinese Name: 上海中心大厦
• Location: No. 126, Dongtai Road, Pudong New District, in the core area of Lujiazui finance and trade zone
• Height: 632 meters
• Floors: 133, with 128 floors on the ground and 5 floors underground
• Architect: Gensler
• Completion: Finished in 2014 and opened to the public in 2016.
• Ticket prices: CNY 180
• Recommended Visiting Time: 2 – 3 hours
• Best time to visit:Arrive at dusk on a sunny day to appreciate the landscapes of both daytime and nighttime.
• Best for: Photographers, families

Observation Decks

Floor 118: Main observation deck

Floor 118 is a part of the “Top of Shanghai Observatory”, which is the main observation deck of Shanghai Tower. At a height of 546 meters, it offers the best 360° views of the city. The observatory is in a triangular circular layout and is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling large transparent glass curtain walls. Here, you can watch the Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin MAO Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center closely, overlook the winding Huangpu River and have a distant view of the Expo Site, City God Temple and Hongqiao Airport.

You can also buy some gifts in the souvenir store, take part in the floor screen interaction project to have a thrilling experience of “treading through the sky” or take stunning photos with the help of the professional equipment and virtual scenes in Skyscraper Photography.

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Floor 119: Café with skyline vistas.

Floor 119 is the other important part of the “Top of Shanghai Observatory” and its height is 552 meters. So you can enjoy the same view of Shanghai skyline as floor 118. The main difference is the café and restaurant here, which provide British afternoon tea, including savory pastries, scones, Western pastry platters, and several kinds of coffee, tea drinks and special drinks. You can also have dinner here to taste steak, halibut and other Western dishes. It is definitely a special experience to savor delicious food meanwhile enjoying a panoramic view of the city.

Besides, the world’s highest post office is located here, and it is meaningful to send a postcard with the postmark of the Top of Shanghai Observatory. Also, there is a “Wish Tree”, you can write down a wish card and hang it on the tree.

Floor 121: VIP lounge (highest public floor)

Different from floor 118 and floor 119, floor 121 of Shanghai Tower, called Sky Cube, offers a more immersive experience. At a height of 561 meters, it has been the highest viewing point opened to the public in Shanghai. It is a suspended, semi-transparent glass viewing space. Surrounded on three sides by large floor-to-ceiling glass curtain walls, it is visually very transparent, as if it were a “transparent box held up by the sky”. To ensure the privacy and exclusivity of the environment, only 4 – 6 guests are treated each time. And the dining options include the seafood platters, desserts and champagne, etc.

World’s Fastest Elevators

As a Guinness World Record, the world’s fastest elevators are unmissable experiences during the tour of Shanghai Tower. There are a total of 3 elevators here. The maximum running speed is up to 20.5 m/s (73.8 km/h), and tourists can reach floors 118 and 119 from B2 in only 53 – 55 seconds. Though at such a fast speed, the elevator is still very stable, even the coin can stand upright during the operation. So you will not feel the obvious shaking or discomfort in the ears when taking the elevator. You can experience it as long as you have bought the ticket of “Top of Shanghai Observatory”.

Stunning Interior Design of Shanghai Tower

Twisted glass façade

The unique appearance of the Shanghai Tower, which spirals upwards and twists 120 degrees, is not just for visual shock. Its primary purpose is to deal with the challenge of high-altitude wind. This design can reduce the wind load effectively, especially the lateral wind load, which is reduced by about 24% to 28%, lessening the impact of strong winds. It is also helpful in slowing down or even preventing the formation of vortex shedding. Besides, it can avoid the resonance of Shanghai Tower with the wind.

The building also adopts an unprecedented double-layer curtain wall system. A good temperature buffer zone is formed between the inner and outer curtain walls. Compared with single-layer curtain walls, it reduces the energy consumption for heating and cooling by about half.

Atrium gardens

To provide people working or living in Shanghai Tower with a relaxing sharing space to breathe fresh air and enjoy sunshine, an atrium garden facing the external urban landscape is set up approximately every 12 – 15 floors and there is a total of 21 gardens in the building. All the gardens are tall and transparent, offering an open visual experience. Equipped with chairs and green landscapes, the gardens have been comfortable areas for relaxation and socializing. The spirit of these gardens is from Shanghai lane culture. And each garden has its own unique theme, such as the “Ocean and Beach” themed garden in floor 8, the “Rainforest” themed garden in floor 22 and the “Desert Oasis” themed garden in floor 37, all of which are decorated with characteristic plants.

Nighttime Light Show

The nighttime light show of Shanghai Tower is a visual feast of architecture, technology and art. And it looks like that the building is dressed in a magnificent coat. The twisted outlook itself is like a dragon, offering the best stage for the lights. The light show uses over 100,000 LED lights. Through precise control, the lights display dynamic colors and patterns. To achieve a stunning visual effect, 49 ultra-bright beam lights are installed on the top of the tower and 300 intelligent lights are arranged in specific orders on the main body. The passionate red, mysterious purple, serene blue or vibrant green colors alternate and shine in the night sky, as if it is talking with the architectures standing on the opposite the Bund and tells the past and future of Shanghai. So it has been a highlight for most travelers during their Shanghai travel.

To view the spectacular light show, it is usually recommended to arrive there at dusk. The advantage of this period is that you can enjoy three different urban scenes of Shanghai at once: daytime, afterglow at sunset, and the brilliant night view. Especially between 19:30 and 21:30, when the lights in Lujiazui are all on, the night landscapes are quite charming. The most important is to choose a sunny day. Because rainy days, foggy days and cloudy days affect the viewing experience seriously, you may not see anything clearly. The best viewing spots include Lujiazui Circular Overpass and the nearby area, the Bund and Pudong Riverside Avenue.

Related reading: Top Things to Do in Shanghai at Night

Other Facilities

The Shanghai Tower itself is a “vertical city” with abundant functions, integrating offices, business, hotel, sightseeing and culture.

• Offices: The office area is mainly on floors 8 to 81. And most are designed as column-free spaces and floor-to-ceiling windows. Most enterprises are high-end financial service industries such as banks, insurance, securities, and funds, or regional headquarters of multinational companies, and modern service enterprises.
• Shopping malls: The shopping mall is located in the annex building, covering 2 underground floors and 4 floors above ground. To meet the various business and living needs within the building, it encompasses brand retail, car exhibitions, future banks, dining, cafe, cultural and creative products, etc. There are also some unique artistic spaces and stores, such as the Shanghai Gift store on the Floor B2 and 118 and Duoyun Academy bookstore on the floor 52.
• Hotels: Inside Shanghai Tower, there is one J Hotel, occupying the floors 86 – 98. It was opened in 2021 and has 165 guestrooms of various sizes, including 34 suites. The design of the hotel integrates several styles, such as neo-Chinese style and French style, with luxurious decorations. And there are a total of seven restaurants and bars, all of which are in unique design styles and artistic decorations. Guests can taste Jiangnan cuisines, Cantonese cuisines, Japanese cuisines, and Western cuisines, etc. Besides, the swimming pool and gym are also equipped. To ensure a comfortable experience, 24-hour customized private butler service is offered for all guests.

Location of Shanghai Tower & How to Get There

Shanghai Tower is in the core area of Lujiazui finance and trade zone in Pudong New District. The transportation around is very convenient, the metro and bus are available. Besides, you can also experience the ferry. The detailed information is listed below.

• Metro: Take metro line 2 or 14 to Lujiazui Station and leave from exit 9A. Then walk southward for about 5 minutes to arrive.
• Bus: You can take bus line 807, 961 and 985 to Lujiazui Ring Road Dongtai Road stop, or bus line 583 and 939 to Huayuan Shiqiao Road Dongtai Road stop. After getting off, you will see the Shanghai Tower standing in front of you.
• Ferry: If you want to experience a ferry, take the Dongjin Line or the Dongfu Line at Jinling East Road port or Fixing East Road port to Dongchang Road port, then walk north for about 7 minutes to get to the tower.

Related reading: Shanghai Transportation: Getting to & around

How to get to Shanghai Tower from airports and train stations:

• From Shanghai Pudong International Airport: tourists can take metro line 2 from the airport to Lujiazui station directly, then walk to the airport.
• From Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and Hongqiao Railway Station: Metro line 2 also connects the Hongqiao airport with Lujiazui station.
• From Shanghai Railway Station: Take metro line 1 to People’s Square station first, then transfer to line 2 to Lujiazui station.
• From Shanghai South Railway Station: Take metro line 1 to Huangpi South Road station and transfer to line 14 to Lujiazui station.

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FAQs about Shanghai Tower

Is it worth going to the top of Shanghai Tower?

For most travelers, it is worth a visit, because it is the highest building in China and offers a quite different view to appreciate the skyscrapers and city landscapes. The special experience of dining in the cloud is also rare and unforgettable. But if you are fear of height, not very interested in modern city landscapes or have a tight budget, it is also a nice choice to view the building from a distance.

What is the best time to see Shanghai Tower?

The best time to see Shanghai Tower is from dusk to evening on sunny days, when the lights in Lujiazui are all on, the night landscapes are the most stunning.

How fast does the Shanghai Tower elevator go?

Its operation speed is 20.5 m/s, and the total journey takes only 53 – 55 seconds.

What is the purpose of the Shanghai Tower’s twisted design?

In brief, it is for safety and beauty. This design can not only reduce the wind load by about 24% to 28%, but also slow down or prevent the formation of vortex shedding. So the safety of the building can be ensured. Its appearance is also inspired by the Chinese loong, which symbolizes ascent.

What other attractions are near the Shanghai Tower?

The most famous attractions near Shanghai Tower include Jin MAO Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center and Oriental Pearl Tower. You can also wander along the riverside avenue to enjoy a panoramic view of these skyscrapers and enjoy the scenery of the Huangpu River.

Plan a Shanghai Tower tour with China Xian Tour

As the highest building in Shanghai, Shanghai Tower offers a distinctive view of the city and skyscrapers. So it has been a popular travel destination in Shanghai. If you want to go sightseeing during your China tour, we are glad to offer help. Our travel agency is good at tailoring an itinerary based on travelers’ demands and preferences. Also, we can plan a Shanghai tour with Shanghai Tower. Just contact China Xian Tour to talk about your plan now!