The Burj Khalifa in Dubai receives over 6 million visitors a year. Everyone wants to see the world’s tallest building when they visit Dubai . In this guide, we’ll cover more details – entrance and tickets, opening hours, how to get here, what to see nearby and other useful tips.
- Interesting facts about Burj Khalifa
- Design and construction of Burj Khalifa
- Sightseeing and tickets to Burj Khalifa
- Burj Khalifa entrance fee and price
- Burj Khalifa opening hours
- How to get to Burj Khalifa?
- Entrance
- Burj Khalifa at sunset
- How to skip the line for Burj Khalifa?
- What to visit around Burj Khalifa?
- How to save in Dubai?
- Map of Dubai
- More information about Dubai
- Burj Khalifa FAQ
Interesting facts about Burj Khalifa
Most of us think of Dubai as a city of skyscrapers. And the biggest symbol of the city’s modern boom is the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, which has held the title of the world’s tallest building since 2010. The height of Burj Khalifa is 829.8 metres and getting it all in one photo is not easy.
Construction began in 2004 and was completed in 2009 to open to the public in 2010. And ever since then, queues have been forming because everyone wants to see the world’s tallest building when they visit Dubai.
In a little while, we’ll talk about how to skip the lines and still save money.
The future tallest building in the world
With its height, the skyscraper overtook the One World Trade Center in New York and other, mainly Asian giants. At least for now, because in 2013, construction began on the future Jeddah Tower, the world’s tallest building, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Due to the pandemic, work has been suspended, but once completed, the structure should be over 1,000 meters tall.
Interestingly, the architect Adrian Smith is the same for the current and future tallest building in the world.
In addition to the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa holds many other records:
- highest freestanding construction
- the largest skyscraper
- the highest restaurant in the world
- …and more
Design and construction of Burj Khalifa
The design of the tower is based on the desert flower Hymenocallis. So is Burj Park, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the skyscraper. The primary structure is reinforced concrete and some of the structural steel even comes from the Palace of the Republic in East Berlin.
Number of floors and lift
The building has 57 lifts and the interesting thing is that they are made in the Czech Republic. There are 154 floors + 18 floors for maintenance and 2 floors for underground parking. The building is so large that it takes 36 people 3-4 months to clean it. It was originally intended to serve as a residential house. Today it has the following arrangement:
- the first floors are occupied by the Armani Hotel
- Floors 20-108 are dedicated to residential apartments, which according to the developer Emaar were sold within 8 hours of being launched on the market
- on the 43rd and 76th floors there are swimming pools
- the remaining floors are mostly filled with offices and apartments
- on the 122nd floor is the luxurious Atmosphere restaurant
- on the 124th-125th floors are the At the Top viewpoints (one with an outdoor observation deck)
- on the 148th floor there is an observation deck on the Sky level
- 154th floor is accessible as part of a more expensive lounge package including a view
In good visibility you can see up to 80 km away to the shores of Iran, which lies on the other side of the Persian Gulf. The elevator is one of the fastest in the world – up to 124th floor, where the main observation deck is located, will take you up in a minute. Accompanied by music and video projection.
The skyscraper is named after the late UAE President Khalifa bin Zyed Al Nahyan, who died in May 2022.
At the foot of the Burj Khalifa, the perfectly manicured Burj Park stretches along Burj Lake. It was originally intended to be used for special occasions, but is now open to the public. Previously, you were not allowed to take pictures here with a professional camera, only with a mobile phone.
Downtown Dubai
Burj Khalifa is part of a huge mixed-use complex called Downtown Dubai, a project by developer Emaar Properties to contribute to the new development of the area. This includes the Dubai Mall and Dubai Fountain, which will be discussed shortly. Downtown Dubai is worth $20 billion and covers an area of 2 km2.
Sightseeing and tickets to Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa offers several types of tickets depending on the type of view you choose. The most popular viewpoint, called At the Top, is locatedat 452 metres in 124th floor and has an outdoor viewing platform.
The viewpoint also includes electronic binoculars and augmented reality, which allows you to see in real time what the view looks like at different times of day or in different weather conditions.
You can also have your picture taken with hand-painted giant wings or have a professional photographer take your picture, but expect a high surcharge.
TIP: Tickets for the At the Top level cost AED 174 online. It is better to book tickets in advance, as they are significantly more expensive on the spot.
From the observation deck on the 124th floor, a spiral staircase leads to the observation deck on the 125th floor. A lot of visitors stay on the 124th floor and don’t come up here, so it’s less crowded.
Then the even higher lookout is Sky level in 148th Floor at 555 metres and the lounge at 152-154. upstairs. You get priority entry for both. Part of tickets to the lounge (lounge) ticket includes refreshments.
Most visitors choose the observation deck on floors 124-125, so lines can form (even on the way down). The biggest rush is before sunset. Tickets are also the most expensive at this time (AED 249).
From 6pm, you can experience the Dubai Fountain light show from the Burj Khalifa overlook. It’s a completely different experience than when you’re looking at the fountain. The show runs every half hour, so you still have plenty of opportunity to see the fountain from the ground.
Burj Khalifa entrance fee and price
Admission and price to the Burj Khalifa varies by prospect and time. The prices below are valid when buying tickets in advance (they are more expensive at the venue):
- Viewpoint At the Top at 124-125. floor for AED 174 (€37.60)
- Viewpoint At the Top at 124-125. floor from 16:00-18:00 for 249 AED (63 €)
- Sky view in 148th floor with skip the line (+ sightseeing on floors 124-125 and small snacks) for 553 AED (140 €)
- Lounge with skip the line and refreshments for AED 769 (€194)
Tickets to Burj Khalifa can be obtained from here .
Burj Khalifa opening hours
Burj Khalifa is open daily from 9:00-23:00.
How to get to Burj Khalifa?
The red metro line goes to Burj Khalifa, where you get off at the Burj Khalifa/ Dubai Mall station. From here, a 500-metre corridor leads to Dubai Mall, where the entrance to the sightseeing area is located.
If you take a taxi here, say you want to get off at Dubai Mall. The driver will take you directly to the main entrance of the shopping centre.
Entrance
As you enter Dubai Mall, you will already see the signs to enter the Burj Khalifa. Don’t worry, everything in Dubai is perfectly signposted in both Arabic and English.
The first thing you’ll see is the ticket line (unless you order tickets in advance and depending on the time of day). Before you go upstairs, you go through a security check similar to the airport security check.
Sometimes there can be queues at the lift, where you can be skipped by those with a skip-the-line ticket (included in the ticket to the Sky View or the lounge – see above). You will be waiting by the lift especially at busy times in the late afternoon or at weekends.
The elevator ride takes a minute and on the way here you will see photos of the construction and how the skyscraper was designed. Or you can see them on the way back. Once you’re up there, you can stay as long as you want.
Burj Khalifa at sunset
If you want to come for sunset, arrive at least 90 minutes early to get up early and have a chance to find a seat. The best spots with a view tend to be taken right away and many people wait for several hours for the sunset. This is especially true for the high season, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, when the most people are here. The Dubai Fountain light and sound show starts at 6 pm.
How to skip the line for Burj Khalifa?
The easiest way to skip the queues for the Burj Khalifa is buy tickets in advance and then just show them on your mobile phone at the venue.
Plus, it saves you money on admission fees and you can cancel tickets 24 hours in advance for free if needed.
Where you can, always buy tickets in advance in Dubai – they’re more inclined to do so here, so they tend to be cheaper and you don’t have to queue.
There are fewer people during the week from Monday to Thursday and in the morning or later in the evening after dark. Special entry will then be given when you buy tickets for Sky View or to Lounge . In both cases, you can avoid the queues for the observation decks on the 124th-125th floors, where most visitors go.
What to visit around Burj Khalifa?
In addition to the aforementioned Dubai Mall, you can visit the popular aquarium and underwater world, where you can see 33,000 aquatic animals and fish, including sharks and rays. It is located right in the Dubai Mall and runs across several floors. If you plan to visit both places, you can save with a combined ticket which includes entry to the Burj Khalifa At the Top and entry to the aquarium.
At the foot of the Burj Khalifa is Burj Lake, where the Dubai Fountain show takes place. It takes place between 18:00-23:00 every half an hour and lasts up to 5 minutes. During the day you will see the show at 1:00 and 1:30 pm and on Fridays at 1:30 and 2:00 pm. You can watch the show directly from the railings and from the adjacent park.
Less than 10 minutes towards the metro station, a skyscraper Sky Views . Take the Burj Khalifa Park on your left and follow it all the way past the skyscraper, where there are beautiful water fountains around the roundabout.
Cross the main road, with the Emaar buildings on your right and in a few minutes you will see the Sky Views skyscraper on your right. You can recognize it at a glance, because it is a twin building with several floors connected by a so-called. the skywalk.
And it is this walkway with a glass floor at a height of 219.5 metres that you can walk along. Both places are subject to discounted ticket .
Do you want to take a nice photo with the wings and the tallest building in the world behind your back? Make your way to the main entrance of the Burj Plaza, where the statue Wings of Mexico (exactly the other way than if you went to Sky Views).
The last tip in the area is a giant greenhouse with a tropical rainforest half an hour’s walk away The Green Planet . Here you can touch a snake, feed a sloth or admire the artificial waterfalls.
How to save in Dubai?
- It is generally recommended to buy tickets in advance in Dubai. Not only are they sometimes significantly cheaper, but you don’t have to wait in line for tickets. Just show your ticket on your mobile phone on the spot. If necessary, tickets can be cancelled up to 24 hours in advance.
- Tickets to the viewpoint at Burj Khalifa are AED 75 more expensive at sunset between 16:00-18:00. Visit the Burj Khalifa before or in the evening, when the city lights up beautifully.
- With a combined ticket to Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall Aquarium, you’ll save nearly AED 50.
- You can also experience spectacular views from the Sky Views with a glass sky walkway at 219.5 metres and the ticket is half the price of the Burj Khalifa. Or you can buy discounted tickets for both places.
- Get yourself Dubai Pass or Dubai Explorer Passwhich gives you access to more than 45 attractions in the city for one price. More in a separate article.
- Paying in a traditional abra boat is a great and inexpensive experience that will only cost you about 1 dirham.
- Dubai’s public beaches are clean with perfectly white sand and crystal clear water. In addition, beaches like Kite and JBR provide a variety of services that make you hardly even remember you’re not on a private beach.
Map of Dubai
HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Above you will find a detailed map of Dubai. Click at the top left of the map to see separate layers with highlighted locations. You can hide and show the different layers or click on the icons on the map to see the names of the places I mention in the Dubai guide. If you want to save the map, star it. For a larger version, click on the icon in the upper right corner.
More information about Dubai
DUBAI: Get inspired by the 40 best things to do in Dubai (including information on entrance fees, opening times and a map).
DUBAI: Find practical information and tips in our Dubai travel guide. In the next article we share some interesting facts about Dubai.
HOW TO SAVE IN DUBAI: The Dubai Pass is one of the ways to save money on sights and attractions in Dubai.
If you have any question about Burj Khalifa in Dubai, let us know in the comment section below. Have a safe journey!
Burj Khalifa FAQ
The basic entrance fee to the Burj Khalifa for the observation deck on floors 124-125 starts at AED 174 (€37.60).
Burj Khalifa is 829.8 metres tall. It has 154 floors + 18 maintenance floors and 2 underground floors for parking.
The world’s tallest skyscraper is open daily from 9:00-23:00.
The Burj Khalifa has a base observation deck at 452 m called At the Top (124th-125th floors) and a Sky observation deck at 148. floor and an altitude of 555 meters. The third option is to purchase access to the lounge on floors 152-154.
