Shanghai Tower
The world's second-tallest building offers the fastest elevator ride of your life — 118 floors in 55 seconds.
Why You'll Love It
On a clear day, the view from Shanghai Tower's 118th floor is the single best vantage point in the city. You can see the entire Bund skyline to the west, the Yangtze River to the north, and the sprawl of Shanghai stretching to the horizon in every direction. At 546 meters, you're higher than the observation deck on the Burj Khalifa — and the view is arguably better because Shanghai's density makes the cityscape more interesting than Dubai's desert sprawl.
The building itself is fascinating. The spiral twist — 120 degrees from base to top — isn't just for looks. It reduces wind loads by 24%, which is genuinely important in a city that gets typhoons. The elevators are the fastest in the world at 18 meters per second. Your ears will pop on the way up, and the whole ride takes under a minute. It's engineering as entertainment.
Here's the thing about Lujiazui: there are three observation decks, and Shanghai Tower is the right choice. The SWFC (the "bottle opener") has a glass floor on the 100th floor, but it's lower and more expensive. Jin Mao is the cheapest but also the lowest and oldest. Shanghai Tower is the highest, the newest, and the best overall experience. If you're only doing one, do this one.
About Shanghai Tower
The Shanghai Tower (上海中心大厦) is China's tallest building and one of the world's tallest at 632 meters. Its observation deck, located on the 118th floor at 546 meters, offers the highest public viewing platform in Shanghai with uninterrupted 360° panoramic views of the entire city.
The building's distinctive twisted form — rotating 120° from base to top — isn't just aesthetic. The spiral shape reduces wind loads by 24%, a crucial engineering feat for a building this tall in a typhoon-prone city. The tower houses offices, a hotel, retail spaces, and the observation deck, spread across 128 above-ground floors.
The elevator ride itself is an experience: traveling at 18 meters per second (about 65 km/h), it's among the world's fastest passenger elevators, reaching the observation deck in under 55 seconds. The ride is surprisingly smooth, though ear-popping is common.
Three skyscrapers in Lujiazui offer observation decks. Shanghai Tower is the highest and newest (opened 2017), with the best all-around views. The SWFC (492m) features the famous glass-floor walkway on the 100th floor. Jin Mao (421m) is the oldest and cheapest, with a view straight down through its open atrium. For first-time visitors, Shanghai Tower offers the most impressive single experience.
Practical Details
Getting There
Take Metro Line 2 to Lujiazui Station. Use Exit 6 and walk east through the IFC Mall — the Shanghai Tower entrance is clearly visible from the mall exit. The walk from the metro to the tower entrance takes about 5-7 minutes, mostly through air-conditioned corridors.
If you're coming from the Bund, take the ¥2 ferry from Jinling East Road pier (runs 7 AM – 10 PM) to the Pudong side, then walk 10 minutes north to the tower. The ferry is faster and more fun than the metro for this particular crossing — you get river views as a bonus.
What to Skip
If Shanghai Tower is available, skip the SWFC. The SWFC's observation deck is lower (492m vs 632m), more expensive, and the famous glass floor is underwhelming in practice — it's a small section and usually crowded. Shanghai Tower's deck is higher, newer, and the 360° views are genuinely better.
The same goes for Jin Mao Tower's observation deck. It's the cheapest option but also the lowest (421m), and the atrium view is more of a novelty than a real selling point. Unless you're on a tight budget and just want to say you've been to an observation deck, spring for Shanghai Tower. The extra cost is worth it for the experience.
Photography Tips
Arrive 30 minutes before sunset and you'll get three shoots in one: daylight cityscape, golden hour, and the full nighttime light show. The observation deck has floor-to-ceiling windows, but reflections are a problem — press your lens right against the glass or use a small lens hood to block reflections. The outdoor terrace (weather permitting) is the best spot — no glass, no reflections, just open air at 546 meters.
The deck has free binoculars scattered around — use them to frame close-up shots of specific buildings on the Bund or across the river. For night shots, the reflections in the Huangpu River from this height create interesting patterns. Bring a small tripod or use a bean bag on the window ledge for stability — the low light will cause blur on handheld shots.
Essential Information
Location
Want More Than Just the Observation Deck?
Skip the long lines. Book a guided architecture tour that includes neighborhood context, skyline stories, and priority access to the observation deck.
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