Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai: Tickets, Decks and Timing
The Oriental Pearl Tower is the 468-metre TV tower with pink spheres in Lujiazui, right by Lujiazui station on metro Line 2. For most visitors the standard two-sphere ticket, listed at 199 yuan, is the one to buy. It covers the 263-metre main observation deck and the 259-metre glass-floored walkway. The top-tier ticket adds the small 351-metre "space capsule" and costs much more. The tower is open 09:00 to 21:00, and the best visit starts on a clear late afternoon, so you can watch the Bund across the river light up after sunset. On a hazy or rainy day it isn't worth the money.
Back across the river, the Bund is the free view of the same skyline. The Shanghai travel guide shows how the two fit into a short trip.
Which ticket to buy
Ticket names and bundles change, and online agencies sell their own combinations, so match the decks listed on your ticket against this table rather than relying on the name. Prices are from 2025–2026 listings.
| Ticket | What it includes | Listed price |
|---|---|---|
| Two-sphere sightseeing | 263 m main deck, 259 m glass walkway, usually the Shanghai History Museum at the base | 199 yuan |
| Three-sphere (with space capsule) | All of the above plus the 351 m space capsule | Listed up to about 399 yuan; lower off-season and promotional prices have been reported |
The two-sphere ticket is enough for nearly everyone. The view from the main deck and the glass floor at 259 metres is the experience people come for. The capsule is higher, smaller and more crowded, and from that height the Bund is further away and flatter. Buy it if you want the highest point in the tower.
Discounts show up at times. During the Shanghai Tourism Festival in September, half-price ascent days have been announced in some years. Check the tower's official channel before buying from an agency.
When to go up
Pick the weather first and the time second.
- Clear days only. Summer haze and low cloud can flatten the view from the upper sphere. If you can't see the Bund clearly from the street, you won't see it from 263 metres either.
- Late afternoon into dusk. Go up about an hour before sunset, watch the light change over the river, then stay for the building lights on the Bund, usually switched on around 19:00.
- Sunset varies by about two hours across the year, from around 17:00 in December to around 19:00 in late June.
The tower is open daily 09:00 to 21:00, with last entry around 20:30. Hours are sometimes extended on weekends and holidays. On holidays the lift queue is the slow part, so arrive earlier than you think you need to.
Inside the tower
263 m main deck. An enclosed 360-degree deck in the upper sphere. The side facing west over the Huangpu is the one with the Bund view.
259 m glass walkway. Added in 2009, an outdoor ring with a transparent floor just below the main deck. People queue to photograph themselves standing on it. It can close in strong wind or rain.
Revolving restaurant at 267 m. Sold separately and booked ahead. You pay mostly for the view.
351 m space capsule. The small top sphere, included only in the higher ticket.
Shanghai History Museum. In the base of the tower, with models, dioramas and wax figures showing the city's growth from a riverside town to a treaty port. It is usually included in the main tickets (check at the counter) and worth half an hour on the way out. It is the one place in Lujiazui that explains what stood here before the towers.
Background
Construction began in July 1991 and the tower opened on 1 May 1995. At 468 metres it was the tallest structure in mainland China until the Shanghai World Financial Center passed it in 2007. The design, with spheres strung on three angled columns, is often linked to a line by the Tang poet Bai Juyi about pearls, large and small, falling on a jade plate. The tower is rated a national 5A scenic area.
Getting there and nearby
Lujiazui station on Line 2 is a short walk from the tower. From the Bund, take the public ferry from the southern end of the promenade (cheap and scenic) or Line 2 one stop from East Nanjing Road. The sightseeing tunnel under the river is a paid ride with light effects. It is fun once, but slower than the metro.
The raised pedestrian walkway around Lujiazui links the tower to the surrounding towers and the riverside. The Lujiazui riverside promenade, a few minutes' walk from the tower, is free and has the best ground-level view of the Bund.
Planning the day around it
The tower works best at the end of a day: the Shanghai Museum East Hall in Pudong in the morning (closed Tuesdays), lunch, then the tower before sunset and a ferry back to the Bund for the evening. On a Huangpu-side day, do Yu Garden and the Bund in daylight, then cross to Pudong after dark. If you only have one evening, choose between the tower and the Bund walk, because both are at their best at the same time of day.
Who can skip it
Skip it if the weather is poor, if you are short of time, or if you plan to go up a taller building nearby. The Shanghai Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center both have higher observation decks, but the Pearl is the one with the closest, most direct view of the Bund. Skip it too if a free view from the Lujiazui riverside is enough for you. Go up if you want to look down on the Huangpu bend and the Bund from above at dusk.
Things to confirm before you go
- Which decks your ticket covers, especially if you buy from an agency.
- Sunset time for your date.
- The weather and visibility forecast.
- Whether the glass walkway is open (it can close in bad weather).
- Holiday hours and lift queues.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Oriental Pearl Tower ticket?
The standard two-sphere ticket, with the 263 m deck and the 259 m glass walkway, is listed at 199 yuan. Tickets that include the 351 m space capsule cost considerably more.
Is the Oriental Pearl Tower worth it?
On a clear late afternoon, yes, for the close view of the Bund and the river. On a hazy day or with limited time, the free riverside walks on both banks are better value.
What are the Oriental Pearl Tower opening hours?
Usually 09:00 to 21:00 every day, with last entry around 20:30. Hours may be extended on weekends and holidays.