Central Radio & TV Tower
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Iconic west-Beijing skyline stop, the Central Radio & TV Tower, also called Central TV Tower or 中央广播电视塔, rises 405 m (1,329 ft) beside Yuyuantan Park. Ride up for the 238 m (781 ft) open-air deck, city-wide views, and a TV-culture hall that turns the broadcast tower into more than a photo stop.
Start with an observation deck ticket, because it gets you straight to the view and leaves the revolving restaurant as an optional upgrade.
Start with an observation deck ticket, because it gets you straight to the view and leaves the revolving restaurant as an optional upgrade.
Select a date to find available tickets, tours & activities:
Observation deck tickets
Choose this if you want the simplest way up to the 238 m (781 ft) deck at Central Radio & TV Tower, with time left for the indoor TV-culture hall or a separate restaurant plan. Book now.Beijing: Central Radio & TV Tower Observation Deck Ticket
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6 tips for visiting the Central Radio & TV Tower
1
Pick a clear-sky slot
If skyline photos matter, choose a clear morning or late afternoon instead of a hazy midday. From the 238 m (781 ft) deck, visibility changes the whole mood: on a good day you can pick out Yuyuantan Park, the Western Hills, and central Beijing. That way the elevator ride pays off.
2
Save sunset for the deck
If you want the most atmospheric visit, time your ticket before dusk and stay as Chang'an Avenue and the west-side roads start to glow. Do not arrive close to the 9:30 pm last-entry window, because you will feel rushed. A little buffer keeps the night view relaxed.
3
Keep the meal separate
If the 221 m (725 ft) revolving restaurant is your priority, plan it as its own booking rather than assuming every tower ticket includes a meal. Lunch and dinner windows work differently, and restaurant arrivals can be busier around sunset. That keeps your view plan from getting tangled with buffet timing.
4
Plan about two hours
For a first visit, about two hours is enough for the deck, the indoor TV-culture hall, and a calm look around the base. Add more only if you are eating upstairs or pairing the tower with Taipingyang Ocean Park at the foot of the complex. That keeps the stop crisp instead of turning it into a whole west-Beijing afternoon by accident.
5
Use Gongzhufen or the buses
The subway is the simplest start: take Line 1 or Line 10 to Gongzhufen Station, then walk north toward Yuyuantan Park. If you prefer less walking, buses to Hangtianqiao South stop closer to the tower. Choose the route that saves your legs for the deck loop.
6
Do not confuse the CCTV towers
This is the public observation tower in west Beijing, beside Yuyuantan Park. The loop-shaped CCTV Headquarters sits far east in the CBD and is not the same visitor experience. Check your map pin before you ride across town, and you avoid a very scenic mistake.
How to plan a Central Radio & TV Tower visit in west Beijing
This tower works best when you plan around one clear priority: view, meal, or west-Beijing pairing. Decide that before you buy, and the stop feels calm instead of becoming a scramble between elevators, buffet times, and sunset.
Choose the view before the meal
Best for most first visits: start with the observation deck ticket, go straight to the 238 m (781 ft) open-air loop, then decide whether the 221 m (725 ft) restaurant deserves its own slot. That sequence protects the main reason you came to West Third Ring Road: the city view. Book now.
Time the deck around weather
A hazy day can flatten the panorama, while clear air turns the deck into a map of Beijing: park water below, the Western Hills in the distance, and the imperial core somewhere to the east. If you have flexibility, treat the ticket as a weather-sensitive skyline stop, not just another indoor attraction.
Use one west-Beijing add-on
The tower pairs naturally with nearby west-side stops, but it does not love an overloaded itinerary. Choose Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution for a stronger history-and-monument day, Capital Museum for a calmer museum plan, or Beijing Planetarium with Beijing Zoo for families. One pairing keeps sunset optional.
Leave room for the TV-culture hall
Do not rush down after one deck lap. The 225 m (738 ft) indoor hall adds the broadcast story, interactive TV moments, and a second protected view when wind or haze makes the open platform less inviting. It is the part that turns a skyline ticket into a more Beijing-specific stop.
Views, broadcast history, and tower highlights
The tower is not just a high platform. Its shape, broadcast role, and stacked visitor levels tell a compact story about modern Beijing: a city that likes its panoramas dramatic and its landmarks loaded with symbolism.
A 405 m landmark beside Yuyuantan Park
At 405 m (1,329 ft), including its antenna, Central Radio & TV Tower rises from the west side of Yuyuantan Park like a broadcast-era lantern. The base echoes the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, while the upper levels flare outward into a palace-lamp profile. It feels modern, but very deliberately Beijing.
The 238 m open-air observation deck
The main thrill is the circular open-air deck at 238 m (781 ft). Walk the full loop and the city changes by the compass point: park and water below, monumental Beijing to the east, and the hills pulling the eye west. It is especially rewarding when the air is clear enough to make the skyline feel layered.
The 225 m TV-culture hall
The indoor hall at 225 m (738 ft) is the tower's overlooked advantage. You still get a high view, but with exhibits on Chinese television culture, interactive studio-style moments, and a calmer rhythm after the wind outside. For repeat visitors, this is where the stop becomes less about height and more about place.
The 221 m revolving restaurant
The restaurant level at 221 m (725 ft) gives the tower its slow-motion finale. A full rotation takes about 90 minutes, so dinner can become a moving night-view circuit rather than just a meal. Reserve it separately if that is your priority, especially for evening windows above Yuyuantan Park.
History of Central Radio & TV Tower
The tower's visitor appeal sits on top of a practical broadcasting project. Its timeline is short compared with imperial Beijing, but it says a lot about how the city wanted to look and sound at the end of the 20th century.
From 1987 works to 1994 visitors
Construction began in January 1987, the main structure was finished in 1990, and broadcasting started after completion in September 1992. Public sightseeing followed on October 1, 1994. That quick shift from infrastructure to attraction explains why the tower still feels half machine, half lookout.
A broadcast tower with visitor theater
The tower was built to send television and radio signals across the capital, but its public layers add theater: the open deck, the culture hall, the rotating restaurant, and the broad plaza below. You feel that dual purpose as soon as you step from the West Third Ring Road traffic into the tower base.
Why it still earns a stop
Newer towers and office landmarks now compete for attention in Beijing, but this one has a rare west-side angle. You see the capital from near Yuyuantan Park, with enough distance from the imperial core and the CBD to understand the city's spread. That geography is the real ticket value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Central Radio & TV Tower the same as CCTV Headquarters?
No. Central Radio & TV Tower is the west-Beijing observation and broadcasting tower beside Yuyuantan Park. CCTV Headquarters is the loop-shaped office landmark in the eastern CBD and is not the ticketed observation tower.
Read more.How long should I spend at the tower?
Plan about 2 hours for a first visit without a meal. That gives you time for the 238 m (781 ft) observation deck, the indoor TV-culture hall, and the base area without rushing.
Read more.What is the best time to visit Central Radio & TV Tower?
A clear morning is best for long-distance views toward the Western Hills and central Beijing. Late afternoon and early evening feel more atmospheric, but arrive with enough time before the 9:30 pm last-entry point.
Read more.Does an observation ticket include the revolving restaurant?
Usually no. Treat the restaurant as a separate meal plan unless your chosen product clearly bundles dining with tower access. This matters most around sunset, when the deck and dinner windows can overlap.
Read more.Is Central Radio & TV Tower good for children?
Yes, especially if they enjoy elevators, city views, and hands-on TV-culture moments. Children who are sensitive to heights or wind may prefer spending more time in the indoor hall after a shorter deck loop.
Read more.Is the tower accessible for wheelchair users?
There is a barrier-free route from the entrance area through security, wheelchair support at the visitor service center, accessible toilets, and elevator access to the observation route. If step-free movement is essential, arrive early so staff can route you calmly.
Read more.What can I see from the observation deck?
On clear days, the deck can frame Yuyuantan Park, the Western Hills, central Beijing, and major landmarks such as the Summer Palace, Forbidden City, and National Centre for the Performing Arts. Haze changes the view quickly, so weather matters.
Read more.Which nearby TicketLens POIs pair well with the tower?
For a museum-heavy west-Beijing day, pair the tower with Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution or Capital Museum. For families, Beijing Planetarium and Beijing Zoo work better, but choose only one add-on if you also want the tower at sunset.
Read more.Beijing's highest observation decks
Photo
Building
Total height
Height of observation deck
Open since
Beijing
Central Radio & TV TowerBeijing | China
405m#1 in Beijing#11 in China#24 worldwide
262m#2 in Beijing#13 in China#42 worldwide
1992
China World TowerBeijing | China
330m#2 in Beijing#16 in China#39 worldwide
312m#10 in China#24 worldwide
2010
Beijing Olympic TowerBeijing | China
258m#3 in Beijing#17 in China#64 worldwide
228m#17 in China#57 worldwide
2014
worldwide
Empire State BuildingNew York | USA
443m#3 in USA#17 worldwide
373m#3 in USA#14 worldwide
1931
Eiffel TowerParis | France
324m#1 in France#42 worldwide
276m#1 in France#36 worldwide
1889
Central Radio & TV Tower is number 2 in Beijing and number 42 on the worldwide list of the tallest buildings with an observation deck.
General information
opening hours
As checked on April 22, 2026, sightseeing hours are listed as 8:30 am to 9:30 pm, with the tower closing at 10 pm.
The revolving restaurant usually has separate lunch and dinner windows, so plan meals independently from observation deck admission.
Weather and holiday periods can affect the experience, especially on the open-air deck.
The revolving restaurant usually has separate lunch and dinner windows, so plan meals independently from observation deck admission.
Weather and holiday periods can affect the experience, especially on the open-air deck.
tickets
As checked on April 22, 2026, standard adult tower admission is listed around CNY 90; children between 1.2 m (3.9 ft) and 1.4 m (4.6 ft) are listed around CNY 45, seniors around CNY 50, and children under 1.2 m (3.9 ft) can enter free.
Some online or night-ticket offers may price differently, so compare before you book.
Some online or night-ticket offers may price differently, so compare before you book.
address
Central Radio & TV Tower
No. 11, Middle Road of West 3rd Ring Road
Haidian District, Beijing 100142
China
No. 11, Middle Road of West 3rd Ring Road
Haidian District, Beijing 100142
China
website
Official site: http://www.zydst.cn
how to get there
By subway, use Line 1 or Line 10 to Gongzhufen Station, then walk north toward the west gate of Yuyuantan Park.
Bus routes including 40, 64, 323, 374, and 624 serve the Hangtianqiao South area closer to the tower.
If you are combining dinner and the deck, check parking rules with your meal plan rather than assuming free parking for every ticket.
Bus routes including 40, 64, 323, 374, and 624 serve the Hangtianqiao South area closer to the tower.
If you are combining dinner and the deck, check parking rules with your meal plan rather than assuming free parking for every ticket.
accessibility
The entrance area has an accessible route linking the ramp and security check, and the visitor service center on the south side can provide wheelchair support, basic assistance, and information.
Accessible toilets are available inside, and the barrier-free route uses a dedicated elevator to reach the 22nd-floor observation area and the 225 m (738 ft) indoor hall.
Accessible toilets are available inside, and the barrier-free route uses a dedicated elevator to reach the 22nd-floor observation area and the 225 m (738 ft) indoor hall.
security
Expect a security check before the main tower entrance, then ticket inspection inside the base hall.
Keep your passport or ID handy if you are using a discounted or free-entry category, and travel light if you plan to move between the deck, TV-culture hall, and restaurant.
The visit feels smoother when you are not managing bulky bags at the elevators.
Keep your passport or ID handy if you are using a discounted or free-entry category, and travel light if you plan to move between the deck, TV-culture hall, and restaurant.
The visit feels smoother when you are not managing bulky bags at the elevators.
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