Shanghai World Financial Center - Pudong's Iconic Skyscraper

Shanghai Icon – The Bottle Opener Building. Have you wondered why the Shanghai World Financial[...]

Shanghai Icon – The Bottle Opener Building. Have you wondered why the Shanghai World Financial Center, this bottle opener building, is famous? Well, its exteriors and the top of the tower resemble a bottle-opener and it stands in the heart of Pudong’s financial hub. It forms part of the famous trio of skyscrapers in Lujiazui along with the taller 2016 Shanghai Tower and the shorter 88-floored Jin Mao Tower.

What is the Shanghai World Financial Center used for? The Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC) is a global finance magnet. It features exhibition halls, a ground floor mall with the renowned Hyatt Regency hotel, monetary agencies, conference rooms, offices, and three amazing observation decks with breathtaking views. As you ascend in the elevators, it’s important to know the main floor areas. The shopping mall and restaurants are on floors B2 and B3. Offices, conference rooms, and business areas are on floors 3 to 5 and 7 to 77. From the 79th to 93rd floors, you’ll find the Park Hyatt Hotel and its excellent facilities. The top floors from the 94th to 100th are dedicated to sightseeing and tourist facilities.

Travel Information about the SWFC:

1. Where to Find the Entrance?

2. What is the Cost of the Tickets?

3. What are the Operational Hours for SWFC Tower deck?

4. Seasonal event 2019

5. Dining options in SWFC

How long did it take to build the Shanghai World Financial Center?

Views from SWFC 3 Observation Decks for Shanghai Skyline:

a. Perfect View of Shanghai on 94th Floor

b. Take Pictures on the 97th Floor

c. A Skywalk with Bird’s Eye View on 100th Floor

Famous Buildings Near Shanghai World Financial Centre

Tips For Saving money in SWFC:

How do you get to Shanghai World Financial Center?

If you use the ferry

If You Take the Bus

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The Shanghai World Financial Center has a height of 492m and is located at 100 Century Avenue, Pudong, Shanghai, China. It has 101 floors and 3 underground floors. The construction period was from 1997 to 2008.

Travel Information about the Shanghai World Financial Center:

1. Where to Find the Entrance?

When exploring the Shanghai World Financial Center, don’t get lost in the maze of elevators and entrances. If you want to go to the observation skywalks and deck areas, use the basement-1 elevator opposite the Jin Mao Tower or on the west side of the building. The Park Hyatt floors can be accessed from the south-side elevators. At the top of the Basement-1 elevators are the ticket counters. It takes an amazing 66 seconds of high-speed travel in the elevator to reach the 94th floor.

2. What is the Cost of the Tickets?

For adults, a ticket to only the 94th floor costs CNY120. For the physically handicapped and kids with heights between 3.3 and 4.6 feet, it costs CNY60. A combined ticket for the 94th, 97th, and 100th floors costs CNY180 for adults and CNY90 for the disabled and kids within 1 to 1.4m. Those under 1m can travel for free. A ticket to just the 100th floor costs CNY150. There is also a private theme day tour available. Promotion: Shanghai World Financial Center Observation Deck [E-Voucher].

3. What are the Operational Hours for the SWFC Tower deck?

The Tower decks close at 11 pm.

4. Seasonal event 2019

From Dec 2, 2019 to Feb 8, 2020, the Winter Illumination will bring a beautiful winter scene on B1. Winter decoration is also available in the lounge of Floor 1 from Dec 2 to Dec 31, 2019.

5. Dining options in SWFC

The building has multiple restaurants and cafes. You can enjoy local food or have a snack during your visit. ChaoTang Restaurant on 3F serves decent Chaoshan Cuisine like seafood porridge. DIN TAI FUNG on 3F is a famous chain restaurant that serves Shanghai local dim sum like Xiaolongbao. Bluefrog bar & grill on B1 offers burgers and steaks at a fair price and good quality.

How long did it take to build the Shanghai World Financial Center?

Started in 1997, it was initially planned as a 101-story 460m building with 94 floors. After facing a funds challenge due to the Asian market crisis, the height was increased to 492m and the number of floors to 104 in 2003 while using the same foundations and reinforcing the structure. In August 2007, a fire broke out on the 40th floor, probably due to a welding spark, which temporarily halted the work.
The Shanghai World Financial Center is the second tallest skyscraper in Shanghai Pudong. Its building top was initially designed as a circular ring but due to resemblance to the rising sun symbol of Japan, architects redesigned it to a trapezoid shape, earning it the nickname ‘bottle-opener’. Final finishes were added in 2007 and it opened to visitors in August 2008, almost 11 years later. Metal building replicas that can be used as bottle openers are sold in the tower’s gift shop.

The trapezoid-shaped aperture atop the Shanghai World Financial Center integrates reinforced concrete and structural steel. The building’s moving and dead loads are innovatively transferred to the frame which is diagonally braced with suitable outer-rigging trusses, reducing the core’s outer shear walls and weight transferred to the perimeter walls effectively.

Views from the SWFC are spectacular, especially at dusk when the night lights and fading rays of the setting sun create a glint like Chinese jewels on the necklace-like horizon. However, it can get crowded and you may have to wait an hour or so for those exclusive views. Also, fog and rain can dampen or wash out the view.

Whether you want a bird’s eye view or a professional photo against Shanghai’s skyline, the SWFC won’t disappoint.

There are three observation decks for the Shanghai skyline. From its observation deck, you can get astonishing views of the Shanghai skyline, an aerial view of Pudong district and the banks of the Huangpu River. You can also view the 88-floored Jin Mao tower on its western side. Located at the center of Pudong New District’s Lujiazui, it is the financial hub of Shanghai and was designed by the Architects Mori Building Corporation of Japan and the Kohn Pedersen Fox architectural firm.

a. The observation deck on the 94th floor, at 1,388 feet, offers a great view too. The deck consists of a hall of about 897 sq yards or 750 sq m. It can be used for exhibitions and provides an enviable view of the Huangpu River and its banks along with the Shanghai skyline. Take snapshots while browsing for artifacts or souvenirs or grab a snack and drink from the café bar at the observation hall. Ticket: Shanghai World Financial Center Ticket.

b. The view on the 97th floor, at 1,440 feet height, offers a different perspective of the Shanghai skyline. Perfect for selfies and photo-shoots. Look upwards and admire the tremendous ingenuity in the skylight.

Discover the impressive heights of the Shanghai World Financial Center, the second tallest skyscraper in Shanghai Pudong. The building features retractable structures that act as an aerial overpass into the sky during fine weather.

Visit the SWFC’s Park Hyatt Hotel on the 87th floor for a unique experience. Enjoy the lobby with a spectacular view and indulge in their cocktail bar while you take in the bird’s-eye panorama of Shanghai and Pudong areas for free.

For an unforgettable experience, head to the Skywalk on the 100th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center. At 474 meters high, the 60-yard long gallery offers a reinforced glass floor, allowing you to feel as if you’re walking atop the turrets of the 88th floor Jin Mao Tower and reaching out to the top of the Oriental Pearl Tower. Embrace the Chinese horizon and both banks of the River Huangpu from this vantage point.

The Skywalk, also known as the Sightseeing Sky Pavilion of Shanghai World Financial Center, is the fourth highest Sky-Deck in the world and the third-highest Chinese observation deck. It surpasses the observation decks of Shenzhen IFC and Canton Tower.

Did you know that the four tallest towers of Shanghai can be viewed from near the Shanghai World Financial Center, which itself stands at 492 meters tall? Alongside the SWFC, you can see the 623-meter Shanghai Tower, the 470-meter Oriental Pearl TV Tower, and the 420-meter Jinmao Tower. Don’t miss the aerial view of the famous 88-floor Jin Mao Tower while visiting the SWFC.

To explore more about Shanghai’s skyline, consider visiting the Bund, the landmark of Shanghai.

For those looking to save money while visiting the SWFC, consider a tour package that includes access to all three observation decks for RMB 180. Alternatively, you can enjoy the view for free from the 91st floor at the 100-Century Avenue Bar and Restaurant, where a drink will cost you approximately 8 USD.

Discovering Shanghai through self-guided walking tours is a great way to experience the city’s sightseeing attractions, taste its classical food, and immerse in its local culture, including traditional theatre, music, and arts.

Discover the second tallest skyscraper in Shanghai Pudong, the Shanghai World Financial Center. If you’re planning a visit, consider purchasing a Shanghai City Sightseeing Tour Bus 1-Day Pass or a city pass that allows you to choose from 19 attractions over 7 days. This is a great value if you’re staying for more than three days.

To reach the Shanghai World Financial Center, you have several transportation options. You can take a ferry from the Bund to Dongchang Road Pier and enjoy a short walk to the building. Alternatively, you can use the subway, tunnel, buses, shuttles, or Metro. The SWFC is located at #100, The Century Avenue, Pudong, Shanghai.

If you opt for the ferry, take a ride to the Dongchang Road Pier and it’s a brisk 10-minute walk to the Shanghai World Financial Center. Use Google or a local street view map with English instructions to navigate your way.

For those taking the Metro, Line 2 will get you to the SWFC. Alight at Dongchang Road Station using Exit-4, or at Lujiazui Station using Exit-6. Both exits are about a 10-minute walk from the tower. Note that Lujiazui Station’s exit can be complex, so head to ground level first and look for the distinctive ‘bottle opener’ building.

If you prefer the bus, purchase a bus route guide and an economical pass for repeated visits to the skyscrapers and Shanghai World Financial Center. Here are some nearby bus stations: Hua Yuan Shi Qiao Lu Dong Tai Lu Station, Dong Tai Lu Shi Ji Da Dao Station, Shi Ji Da Dao Pudong Nan Lu Station, and Lujiazui Huan Lu Dong Tai Lu Station.