The Elevator is used to take Bitizens and VIPs to different floors in the player's Tower. It is a fundamental part of gameplay because you can earn coins (or occasionally Bux) from helping Bitizens. Bitizens can also move into your Residential floors by riding up to them on the elevator.
Appearance
An elevator in the elevator shaft
When the player first begins, they will start out with the Trusty Rusty, which looks like an average real-life elevator. From the latest updates the look of the elevator has become completely independent from its speed. New elevator designs can be bought via bux, not affecting the speed. The elevator runs up and down through a dim elevator shaft on the left side of the player's tower. The basic shaft is built with dark gray concrete block, and has two metal rails for the elevator to run on. With the design of the elevator cabs the shaft also changes. Every level has a door painted with white numbers (that match the floor's number); when the player runs their elevator to a floor, it moves in position with the door of the floor it is closest to.
Using the Elevator
Bitizens
When a Bitizen arrives in the Lobby and wants to be taken to a certain floor in your Tower, a red icon with two arrows (shown on the left) appears in the lower left corner of the screen. Tapping on the icon or clicking on the Lobby will instantly take you to the Lobby and start the elevator. The Bitizen will tell you the floor number they wish to go to. Taking them to their desired floor earns you a tip of coins (or possibly 5 Bux instead), and takes a minute off the timer for that floor (construction, restock time), plus another minute for each gold ticket that you have. The amount of coins you receive is 50 + s * f * (1 + g), where s is the elevator speed in FPS, f is the destination floor number and g is the number of gold tickets; for example, if you dropped a Bitizen off on floor 10 with a 5.00 FPS elevator and you have 2 gold tickets, you receive 50 + 5 * 10 * (1 + 2) = 200 coins. A Bitizen will not get off on a floor they don't want - they will sit and wait in the elevator until they're taken to the right floor. If the Bitizen goes to a Residential floor with an open slot, they will move in.
Visit Friends
Effective v 3.1.5, a player may send their Doorman to a friend. When that friend receives your Doorman and completes the elevator trip, they receive 10 Bux. If your friend chooses to return the visit and you complete that elevator trip, you will also receive 10 Bux. A friend can only be visited once per day (for Elevator Trips/Bux). The maximum number of friends a player may add is 100. Sending your Doorman to a friend serves as another method of sharing Costumes. If the doorman goes to an empty apartment, a random Bitizen wearing the same costume will move into the apartment instead (you still get 10 Bux).
VIPs
If a VIP appears in the Lobby, you will see the same red icon in the corner, only with the word VIP instead of two arrows. Tapping on this icon will take you to the Lobby. Tapping the Lobby itself will tell you what the VIP does. VIP will only appear if there is space in your lobby (you can keep a maximum of 5 VIPs in your Lobby). Tap the VIP to use it. You can take a VIP to any floor; when you stop on a floor, you will be asked if you want to let the VIP off on that floor or if you want to try a different floor. Dropping off the VIP allows them to use their special ability on the floor you have chosen. Dropping off the VIP back on the lobby will send them back to the lobby.
Upgrades
The variety of Elevators, from left to right: Standard, NB200 Commercial Lift, Insta-Lift 2000 SE, Ultra-Lift 3000 Extreme, and Infini-Lift Lightspeed.
You can upgrade your elevator to move at faster speeds using Tower Bux. You have to purchase elevator speed upgrades in increments of +0.25 FPS (floors per second). As your Tower grows taller, it's a good investment to upgrade your elevator as it allows you to help Bitizens more quickly (thus earning more coins).
As of version 3.0.0, the appearance of your elevator is completely separate from the speed. The cosmetic skins vary from 250 Bux to 2500 Bux. Below is a table listing Elevator motor speeds and their costs:
| Speed | Cost | Cumulative Cost* |
|---|---|---|
| 1.00 FPS** | (Default) | (Default) |
| 1.25 FPS | 100 Bux | 100 Bux |
| 1.50 FPS | 157 Bux | 257 Bux |
| 1.75 FPS | 225 Bux | 482 Bux |
| 2.00 FPS | 307 Bux | 789 Bux |
| 2.25 FPS | 400 Bux | 1,189 Bux |
| 2.50 FPS | 507 Bux | 1,696 Bux |
| 2.75 FPS | 625 Bux | 2,321 Bux |
| 3.00 FPS | 757 Bux | 3,078 Bux |
| 3.25 FPS | 900 Bux | 3,978 Bux |
| 3.50 FPS | 1,057 Bux | 5,035 Bux |
| 3.75 FPS | 1,225 Bux | 6,260 Bux |
| 4.00 FPS | 1,407 Bux | 7,667 Bux |
| 4.25 FPS | 1,600 Bux | 9,267 Bux |
| 4.50 FPS | 1,807 Bux | 11,074 Bux |
| 4.75 FPS | 2,025 Bux | 13,099 Bux |
| 5.00 FPS | 2,257 Bux | 15,356 Bux |
| 5.25 FPS | 2,500 Bux | 17,856 Bux |
| 5.50 FPS | 2,757 Bux | 20,613 Bux |
| 5.75 FPS | 3,025 Bux | 23,638 Bux |
| 6.00 FPS | 3,307 Bux | 26,945 Bux |
| 6.25 FPS | 3,600 Bux | 30,545 Bux |
| 6.50 FPS | 3,907 Bux | 34,452 Bux |
| 6.75 FPS | 4,225 Bux | 38,677 Bux |
| 7.00 FPS | 4,557 Bux | 43,234 Bux |
| 7.25 FPS | 4,900 Bux | 48,134 Bux |
| 7.50 FPS | 5,257 Bux | 53,391 Bux |
| 7.75 FPS | 5,625 Bux | 59,016 Bux |
| 8.00 FPS | 6,007 Bux | 65,023 Bux |
| 8.25 FPS | 6,400 Bux | 71,423 Bux |
| 8.50 FPS | 6,807 Bux | 78,230 Bux |
| 8.75 FPS | 7,225 Bux | 85,455 Bux |
| 9.00 FPS | 7,657 Bux | 93,112 Bux |
| 9.25 FPS | 8,100 Bux | 101,212 Bux |
| 9.50 FPS | 8,557 Bux | 109,769 Bux |
| 9.75 FPS | 9,025 Bux | 118,794 Bux |
| 10.00 FPS | 9,507 Bux | 128,301 Bux |
| * The total cost of this upgrade and all previous upgrades.
** FPS = Floors per second. | ||