Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower: 468m Observation Decks & Glass Skywalk

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Duration1h–2h

Mobile ticketAccepted

Walk on Glass 259 Meters Above Shanghai's Skyline

You get admission to Shanghai's most iconic tower with access to the 259-meter glass-floored Transparent Skywalk, the 63-meter main viewing floor, and the Shanghai City Historical Development Exhibition Hall. The experience is self-guided, and your e-ticket is sent by email the day before your visit — just show it on your phone at the gate on Century Avenue in Pudong.

1h–2h

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower

Arrive at Oriental Pearl Tower
Explore main viewing floor at 63 meters
Walk the Suspended Viewing Corridor at 259 meters
Enjoy panoramic views of Shanghai skyline
Visit Shanghai City Historical Development Exhibition Hall
Experience VR roller coaster ride

The Experience

"Can you actually feel the city moving beneath your feet?" That's what people ask before stepping onto the Transparent Skywalk at the Oriental Pearl Tower. The answer is yes — and it's the reason this 468-meter structure, completed in 1994, has become Shanghai's most recognizable landmark. The tower sits in Lujiazui, Pudong's financial heart, and the glass-floored walkway at 259 meters is the thing that separates a standard observation deck visit from something you'll think about for years.

Your admission ticket gets you into multiple levels. The main viewing floor at 63 meters gives you the first real perspective on how vast Shanghai actually is — the Huangpu River bends below, the older neighborhoods cluster on the west bank, and the newer towers stretch toward the horizon. But the Transparent Skywalk is where the experience shifts. Architect Jiang Huan Chen designed the tower's distinctive shape — eleven spheres of varying sizes — inspired by a classical Chinese poem about pearls dropping onto jade. Standing on that glass, you're literally inside one of those spheres, looking straight down through your own feet. It's disorienting and oddly calm at the same time. The views work both day and night; the city transforms completely once the lights come on.

The tower also includes the Shanghai City Historical Development Exhibition Hall, which walks you through how the city evolved from a trading post into what it is now. There's a VR roller coaster ride inside too, if you want something more intense than just standing and looking. The whole visit is self-paced — you move through the levels at your own speed, no guide narration, no group timing. Your e-ticket arrives by email the day before; you show it from your phone at the gate. You'll need a valid photo ID or passport at the entrance. Public transportation stops nearby, so getting there without a car is straightforward.

What’s included

Your admission includes access to the main viewing floor at 63 meters, the Transparent Skywalk at 259 meters with its glass-floored walkway, the Shanghai City Historical Development Exhibition Hall, and the VR roller coaster ride.
E-tickets are sent by email the day before your visit and are valid for your selected date and time.
You'll need to bring a valid photo ID or passport to display at the entrance.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Royal Smart Tourism

Is this one for you?This ticket works well if you want to see Shanghai's skyline from multiple heights without arranging separate transportation or timing — the self-paced format means you move through the levels on your own schedule, and the glass skywalk is the main draw that makes the visit memorable rather than routine.