The Oriental Pearl Tower is Shanghai’s most recognizable landmark, a 468-meter broadcast tower in the Pudong skyline with two big pink-purple spheres and observation decks you can ride to the top of. A standard "Two-Sphere" ticket costs ¥199 in 2026 and gets you to the 263-meter deck plus the 259-meter glass floor. It sits right on the Huangpu River across from the historic Bund.
Most first-time visitors ask the same two things: is it worth the money, and how do I avoid the crowds. The honest answer is that the view is genuinely spectacular, but the ticketing is confusing and the queues can eat an hour if you show up at the wrong time.
Meet Daniel, a first-time visitor from Manchester who booked online the night before, walked in through the fast-track gate, and was standing on the glass floor 40 minutes later while the couple ahead of him in the paper-ticket line were still shuffling forward. This guide shows you how to be Daniel.
Key Takeaways
- The Two-Sphere ticket is ¥199 (263m deck + 259m glass floor); the Three-Sphere adds the 351m Space Module for ¥220.
- The tower opens around 8:30–9:00 AM and closes 21:00–21:30; last entry is roughly one hour before close. Confirm same-day.
- Nearest metro is Lujiazui Station (Lines 2 and 14), Exit 1 or 2, about a 5-minute walk.
- Best plan: arrive mid-afternoon (around 3–4 PM) so you catch daylight, sunset, and the night lights in one visit.
- Book online in advance to skip the physical ticket window; passport needed to enter.
What is the Oriental Pearl Tower?
The full official name is the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Radio and Television Tower. Locals just call it the "Pearl." It topped out in 1994 and opened to the public in 1995, and for years it was the tallest structure in China.
The design is a chain of spheres threaded onto three giant columns. The two largest spheres hold the visitor levels, and the idea, according to the designers, was "twin dragons playing with pearls" over the river.
At 468 meters it is no longer the tallest thing in the skyline. The nearby Shanghai Tower now dwarfs it at 632 meters. But the Pearl is the tower everyone photographs, because its shape is unlike anything else on Earth.
If you only have time for one skyscraper view in Shanghai, the Pearl gives you the most iconic silhouette to stand inside, and the best straight-on view of the Bund’s 1920s waterfront.
Oriental Pearl Tower tickets and prices in 2026
Ticketing is the part that confuses people. The tower sells tickets by how many spheres you want to reach, plus optional add-ons. Here are the 2026 prices.
| Ticket type | Price (¥) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Two-Sphere | 199 | 263m main deck, 259m glass floor, 90m lower gallery, multimedia show |
| Three-Sphere | 220 | Everything above, plus the 351m Space Module (the top sphere) |
| Shanghai History Museum only | ~35 | Base-level museum, no tower decks |
| Revolving restaurant (buffet) | 368+ (lunch) / 428+ (dinner) | Buffet at 267m plus VIP fast-track entry |
Children under 1 meter enter free. Kids between 1 and 1.4 meters, and seniors 65 and over with ID, get roughly 50% off. Prices can shift for holidays, so treat these as your 2026 baseline and confirm at booking.
The Two-Sphere ticket is the sweet spot for most travelers. The extra ¥21 for the Space Module buys you a higher but smaller viewing sphere, and on a hazy day the difference is marginal.
Some sellers bundle the tower with a Huangpu River cruise for around ¥255–¥318. That combo is a good deal if you want the tower and the river in one afternoon, but book the cruise for a different time slot so you are not rushing between the two.
One warning: the buffet-restaurant ticket looks expensive at ¥368 and up, but it includes a genuine fast-track entrance. On a busy weekend that alone can save you an hour, so run the math if you are visiting during a holiday.
Sofia, a photographer from Lisbon, paid for the Three-Sphere ticket and later admitted the 263-meter deck had the better composition anyway, because it sits level with the other towers instead of looking down on them.
The glass floor, the decks, and the Space Module
The star attraction is the 259-meter transparent glass floor. You put on shoe covers and walk out over a see-through ring with the city 259 meters straight below your feet. It is genuinely nerve-testing and the best photo on the whole visit.
The 263-meter main deck is the enclosed, air-conditioned level just above it. This is where you get the full 360-degree sweep, with binoculars and touchscreens that name the buildings you are looking at.
The 351-meter Space Module is the top sphere, reachable only on the Three-Sphere ticket. It is higher but noticeably smaller and more crowded, so manage expectations.
Down at the 90-meter level you get an outdoor gallery and a "Space City" area. Some levels also host a small VR ride and a mini roller coaster for an extra fee, which are easy to skip if you are short on time.
A practical tip on comfort: the enclosed decks are heavily air-conditioned year-round, so bring a light layer even in summer. The glass floor requires the provided shoe covers, and heels or slick soles are a bad idea. If you are visiting with young kids, note the glass floor can be genuinely frightening for some children, so the enclosed 263-meter deck is the safer bet for nervous little ones.
Getting there and the best time to visit
The tower stands at 1 Century Avenue (Shiji Dadao) in Lujiazui, the financial district in Pudong. Getting there is simple on the metro, which is by far the easiest way to move around the city. If you plan to combine this with day trips, our guide to trains and the Shanghai metro covers the basics.
Take Metro Line 2 or Line 14 to Lujiazui Station, use Exit 1 or 2, and walk about 5 minutes. You can also arrive by the Bund sightseeing tunnel or a Huangpu ferry, both of which are more fun than the metro if you have time.
Opening hours are typically 8:30 or 9:00 AM to 9:00 or 9:30 PM, with last entry about an hour before closing. Hours drift, so check the day you go.
The smartest arrival window is mid-afternoon, around 3 to 4 PM. You get daylight over the city, then sunset, then the neon skyline light-up, all on one ¥199 ticket. Weekday afternoons are far calmer than weekend mornings.
How to skip the line and pay for tickets
Two things trip up foreign visitors: the queue and the payment. Both are easy to solve if you plan ahead.
Buy your ticket online before you arrive so you can use the pre-booked or fast-track entrance instead of the paper-ticket window, which is where the long lines form. You will scan a QR code and show your passport at the gate.
For payment, set up mobile pay before your trip. Cash is accepted at the physical window, but almost everything else in China runs on scan-to-pay. Our Alipay setup guide for foreigners walks through linking a foreign card, and the wider paying in China hub covers the rest.
Bring your passport. It is required for entry and for many bookings, and it is the same document that gets you into the country under the 240-hour visa-free transit rules that make a short Shanghai stopover so easy in 2026.
What else to see nearby
The base of the tower hides an underrated stop: the Shanghai History Museum. It walks you through 180 years of the city with detailed models and recreated old streets, and it is often the calmest, coolest part of a hot afternoon.
Right outside, Lujiazui is packed with the towers you photographed from across the river, plus riverside walkways and malls. Ryan and Priya, a couple from Toronto, spent an hour on the promenade after the tower and said the free waterfront view of the Bund was the highlight of their whole day.
For the classic postcard shot of the Pearl itself, cross to the Bund on the Puxi side at dusk. The skyline light show runs on the hour in the evening, and the tower looks best lit up from a distance rather than from inside it.
Book a nearby hotel so you can walk back after the night lights instead of fighting for a taxi. See our Shanghai hotel options and the wider attractions guide for what to pair it with.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Oriental Pearl Tower tickets in 2026?
The Two-Sphere ticket is ¥199 and covers the 263m main deck, the 259m glass floor, and the base museum. The Three-Sphere ticket is ¥220 and adds the 351m Space Module. Children and seniors get discounts. Book online to skip the physical ticket line.
Is the Oriental Pearl Tower worth visiting?
Yes, for most first-timers. It gives you the most iconic Shanghai skyline shape to stand inside, a nerve-testing glass floor, and the best straight-on view of the Bund. If you want a taller, quieter deck, the Shanghai Tower next door is the alternative.
What are the opening hours?
The tower generally opens between 8:30 and 9:00 AM and closes between 9:00 and 9:30 PM, with last entry about an hour before closing. Hours shift with the season and holidays, so confirm the exact times on the day you plan to go.
How do I get to the Oriental Pearl Tower by metro?
Take Metro Line 2 or Line 14 to Lujiazui Station, then use Exit 1 or 2. The tower is a 5-minute walk. The metro is cheap, fast, and runs late enough to get you home after the evening light show.
How long should I spend there?
Plan for 2 to 3 hours. That covers the decks, the glass floor, the base museum, and time to wait for the night lights if you arrive mid-afternoon. Add the revolving restaurant buffet and it becomes a half-day.
Do I need my passport?
Yes. You need your passport to enter the tower and to collect or scan many pre-booked tickets. It is also your key document for visa-free entry, so carry it whenever you sightsee in China.
Before you go: your action list
Do these five things and your visit will run smoothly.
- Book your Two-Sphere ticket online the day before to use the fast-track gate.
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly so you can scan-to-pay anywhere.
- Aim to arrive around 3–4 PM for daylight, sunset, and night lights in one ticket.
- Carry your passport and wear soft-soled shoes for the glass floor.
- Save an hour afterward to walk the Lujiazui riverfront and shoot the tower from the Bund.
Getting to Shanghai and moving on to your next city is the part worth locking in early. If you are pairing the Pearl with Beijing, Suzhou, or Hangzhou, a high-speed train is the fastest, most comfortable option, and our team can handle the booking for you. Read how to book China high-speed train tickets, then get a free train ticket quote and let us sort the rest so you can focus on the view.
Sources: Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower official listing, TravelChinaGuide; Shanghai municipal tourism, Meet in Shanghai; China National Immigration Administration, visa-free transit.
Featured image: “Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower-20150516-RM-123453.jpg” by Ermell, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
