Shanghai Tower observation deck

Observation deck on the 118th floor of the second-tallest building in the world (632m). The fastest elevators on Earth at the time of construction.

The Shanghai Tower completed construction in 2015 and stands 632 metres tall — the second-tallest building in the world at the time of its opening, after the Burj Khalifa. It is the tallest building in China and in the Lujiazui cluster on the Pudong bank of the Huangpu River, where it stands alongside the Shanghai World Financial Center (492m) and the Jin Mao Tower (420m) in a grouping that has become the defining image of modern Chinese urban development. The building's spiralling form — it rotates 120 degrees from base to tip — is an engineering response to typhoon loads; the twist reduces wind pressure by about 24% compared with a rectangular form of equivalent height.

The observation deck, marketed as Top of Shanghai, occupies the 118th floor at 562 metres above street level. A second, higher VIP observation point exists at the 124th floor. The elevators from the basement to the 118th floor travel at 18 metres per second, covering the ascent in approximately 55 seconds — at the time of the building's opening, the fastest passenger elevators in the world. The 360-degree view on clear days reaches across central Shanghai and on very clear autumn days into the outer suburbs and surrounding provinces.

Practically: tickets should be booked online in advance to avoid queues. The standard ticket covers the 118th floor; the higher VIP deck costs more. An hour before sunset gives the day-to-night transition view across both banks of the Huangpu. On hazy days (common in summer), the view is limited. The nearby Shanghai World Financial Center also has an observation deck at 474m if you want a comparison or the Shanghai Tower is sold out.