How to Book Eiffel Tower Tickets in Paris (Without the 90-Minute Summit Queue)

The Eiffel Tower is the one landmark in Paris that almost every visitor queues for twice — once at the base and once again at the lift for the summit. I have watched people give up halfway up the stairs, I have watched couples fight about whether to skip the top, and I have watched the sparkly light show at 10pm from six different angles over the years. Here is what I have learned about booking tickets so you do not waste your day standing in line.

This guide is for people who want a plan, not a poem. I will walk you through the three ticket types that actually matter, the three booking platforms I trust, and the timing tricks that separate a 90-minute queue from a 10-minute stroll into the lift. There are a lot of bad ways to do the Eiffel Tower. I will try to steer you toward a good one.

Quick Picks — My Three Favourite Eiffel Tower Tickets

Why I Keep Going Back to the Eiffel Tower

I will be honest. The first time I visited the Eiffel Tower I was underwhelmed. I had seen it so many times in films and postcards that standing underneath it felt weirdly small, like meeting a celebrity and realising they are normal-sized. Then I went up to the second floor at sunset and the whole city unfolded in gold. Something clicked. I have been back every trip since.

What changed my mind was understanding that the Eiffel Tower is two totally different experiences depending on how you do it. If you walk up, take a selfie at the base, and leave — it is fine. If you go up, ideally around golden hour, and stay for the hourly light show — it becomes the defining memory of your Paris trip. The difference is literally a ticket and 90 minutes of your time.

The Three Ticket Types — What You Actually Need to Know

The Eiffel Tower officially sells three ticket types, and I have bought every single one at least once. Here is what each one actually gets you.

Second floor by lift is the most popular ticket and the one most people should buy. You take the lift from the ground to the first floor, then another lift to the second floor. The view from the second floor is honestly about 90% as good as the summit, and the crowd is half as bad. This is where you want to be at sunset.

Summit by lift is the one that gets you all the way to the top, 276 metres up. The view is spectacular on a clear day — you can see planes landing at Charles de Gaulle — but on a hazy day it is less rewarding than the second floor. You also need to queue twice: once for the ground lift, and again on the second floor for the summit lift. Budget an extra 30-45 minutes.

Second floor by stairs is the sleeper pick. There are 674 steps to the second floor, the stairs queue is always 15 minutes or less, and the tickets are about a third of the price of the lift tickets. If you are under 60, reasonably fit, and not afraid of heights, I strongly recommend this option.

How the Queues Actually Work

Here is the thing nobody tells you. The Eiffel Tower has four separate queues, and which one you stand in depends on your ticket. If you buy the wrong ticket or show up at the wrong entrance, you will waste an hour of your life figuring it out.

The south pillar is for stairs tickets — shortest queue, always. The east pillar is for lift tickets without a reservation — avoid at all costs in summer, the queue can hit two hours. The west pillar is for lift tickets with a timed reservation — this is where you want to be. The north pillar is for groups and restaurant reservations.

My rule: if you are buying online, always pick a timed slot, always arrive 15 minutes before, and always go to the west pillar. If you show up without a reservation expecting to walk in, you are at the mercy of the east pillar queue, which is long and unforgiving.

Timing — When to Actually Go Up

The worst time to visit the Eiffel Tower is 11am in July. The queue at the east pillar will be at its absolute maximum, the summit lift will be running 45 minutes behind, and the second floor will be so crowded you can barely move. Avoid this at all costs.

The best times, in my experience, are first thing when it opens at 9:30am (empty, soft morning light, but you miss the sparkly lights at night), just before sunset (the absolute magic window, but you need to book two weeks ahead in summer), or after 9pm in winter (surprisingly empty because everyone has gone to dinner, and the city is lit up like a Christmas tree from the top).

My favourite trick is to book a second-floor ticket for 30 minutes before sunset, ride the lift up while it is still daylight, watch the sun drop from the observation deck, then catch the first sparkle at the top of the hour. The light show runs every hour for five minutes, for the first five minutes of each hour, from dusk until 1am in summer.

Which Tour Should You Actually Book? Three Picks

I am not going to list 20 options here. I have done enough Eiffel Tower tours that I can confidently say these three are the ones worth your money. They all include skip-the-line entry at the west pillar, which is the main thing you are paying for.

Is the Summit Worth It? Honest Answer

This is the question I get asked most. The summit is an extra ~$15 on top of the second-floor ticket, it adds 30-45 minutes to your visit, and the view is not twice as good as the second floor. It is maybe 20% better on a clear day, and about the same on a hazy day.

So who should book the summit? People who have never been before and want to say they did it. People visiting on a crystal-clear winter morning when you can see 60 kilometres. People who really love heights. Anyone else — honestly, save the money and buy an extra glass of wine later.

One thing the summit does have that the second floor does not: the original recreated office of Gustave Eiffel, with wax figures of Eiffel and Thomas Edison discussing the tower. It is cheesy, it is a bit weird, and it is genuinely charming. That might be enough reason on its own.

Getting to the Tower — Metros and the Walk From Trocadéro

The closest metro stop is Bir-Hakeim on line 6, which puts you about 400 metres from the east pillar. It is fine, but it is not the most dramatic way to arrive. Much better: get off at Trocadéro on lines 6 and 9, walk up the steps onto the Palais de Chaillot plaza, and let the tower hit you in the face.

That Trocadéro approach adds about 10 minutes to the walk, but it is the most photographed angle in Paris for a reason. The tower fills the whole frame, the plaza usually has a street performer or two, and you are walking downhill toward your destination which always feels good. Every first-time visitor should do this at least once.

If you have mobility issues, skip the Trocadéro route — there are a lot of steps. Bir-Hakeim is flat and has a working lift at the station exit.

What to Do at the Second Floor (Not Just Look at the View)

Most people ride up to the second floor, spend 15 minutes taking photos, and then queue for the next lift. You can do better than that. The second floor has three things worth lingering for.

First, there is a glass floor section on the first floor (yes, first floor, one down from where the lift drops you) where you can look straight down at the ground 57 metres below. It is terrifying and excellent. Most people miss it because it is off to the side.

Second, there is a Michelin-starred restaurant called Le Jules Verne on the second floor. You cannot just walk in — you need a reservation weeks ahead — but even the brasserie 58 Tour Eiffel on the first floor is a better lunch than you would expect. If you want to impress someone, book either one.

Third, there is a small museum about the construction of the tower tucked away near the lifts. It has original blueprints, photos from 1889, and a short film that explains why the tower was supposed to be torn down after 20 years and how it survived. Ten minutes, totally free, almost empty.

The Sparkly Lights — When and How to Watch

Every hour, on the hour, from nightfall until 1am in summer (11pm in winter), the Eiffel Tower lights up with 20,000 flashing bulbs for exactly five minutes. It is called the scintillement and it is honestly one of my favourite things in the city.

Where to watch it: the best spots are not at the base. From underneath you can barely see it. The classic viewing spots are Trocadéro plaza (most iconic, most crowded), Champ de Mars lawn (most romantic, bring a bottle of something), Pont de Bir-Hakeim (best for photos with the bridge in the frame), and Place du Trocadéro upper terrace (best elevated view).

Personal favourite: the little-known spot is on the roof of the Printemps Haussmann department store, which has a free public terrace with one of the best Eiffel Tower views in the city. It is not the closest, but it is the most peaceful, and almost no travelers know about it.

Common Mistakes I See People Make

Buying from a tout at the base. There are always people standing around the east pillar selling “skip the line” tickets from clipboards. They are all scams. Real Eiffel Tower tickets are only sold online or at the official ticket booths inside the pillars.

Showing up without a time slot in summer. I have said this three times already in this article and I will say it again: between May and September, walking up without a reservation means you are going to spend 90+ minutes in a queue. Book online, pick a slot, walk in.

Going straight to the summit. People assume the summit is the best bit. It is not. The second floor has the best view-to-crowd ratio. Go there first, enjoy it, and then decide if you need the extra 30 minutes for the top.

Leaving right after sunset. This is the biggest mistake. The tower is magical after dark, and the first sparkle of the night is the best one because the sky is still deep blue. Stay at least one full hour past sunset.

Eating Near the Tower — What I Recommend

The area around the Eiffel Tower has some of the worst restaurants in Paris. Tourist traps line the streets from Champ de Mars to the Quai Branly, and you can spot them by the laminated menus in five languages. Do not eat there.

Walk 10 minutes south to Rue Cler, a pedestrian market street full of small cafés, bakeries, and wine bars. This is where locals eat when they live in the 7th arrondissement. I like Café Central for lunch and Le Petit Cler for an afternoon glass of wine with the tower just visible at the end of the street.

If you want a sit-down dinner with a view, book Les Ombres on the roof of the Musée du Quai Branly. The tower is maybe 300 metres away, it fills the windows, and the food is actually good. Reservations essential, especially for the window tables.

A Picnic on the Champ de Mars — The Classic Move

If you do one thing in Paris at night, do this. Pick up a bottle of wine, a baguette, some cheese, and whatever else looks good at the nearest boulangerie. Take it to the Champ de Mars lawn. Sit on the grass. Wait for the tower to start sparkling. Repeat every hour until someone falls asleep.

This is the single best free experience in Paris, and it is the one most first-time visitors skip because they are tired from walking and think they need to get back to the hotel. Do not get back to the hotel. The tower is the reason you came. Stay.

Best boulangeries in the area: Poilâne on Rue du Cherche-Midi (longer walk but worth it), Secco on Rue Jean Nicot (closest, still good), or any Carrefour City for a basic but effective picnic in a pinch. Wine from any nearby Nicolas shop.

Booking Platforms Compared — Who to Trust

You can buy Eiffel Tower tickets from four places: the official site, GetYourGuide, Viator, and random third parties. Here is how I rank them.

Official site (toureiffel.paris) — cheapest, most reliable, but tickets sell out weeks ahead in high season and the website is notoriously clunky. Use it if you are booking more than a month in advance and you want just the basic ticket with no tour.

GetYourGuide — slightly more expensive than the official site, but their cancellation policy is much better (free cancellation up to 24 hours before on most tickets), and their tour-plus-ticket bundles are often the best overall value. This is what I use most often now.

Viator — similar to GetYourGuide on price and flexibility. Their customer service is excellent if something goes wrong, which matters if your ticket does not scan at the gate. A little slower on refunds than GetYourGuide.

Random third parties — avoid. Every year I hear from readers who bought from some sketchy reseller and either got fake tickets or were charged twice. Stick to the three platforms above.

Security and What You Can Bring Up

Every visitor goes through an airport-style security screening at the perimeter fence around the tower. It is usually quick (5-10 minutes) but in summer peak it can hit 20 minutes. Add this to your estimate.

What you cannot bring: large backpacks (there are no lockers inside), glass bottles, alcohol, selfie sticks (officially banned, inconsistently enforced), and anything that looks like a weapon. Small daypacks are fine. Water bottles are fine.

What you can bring: cameras, tripods (yes, actually), snacks, a jumper because the summit is windy and cold even in July. The summit is typically 10°C colder than street level, and the wind makes it feel colder still.

When to Book Ahead — The Real Answer

This depends heavily on the season. In July and August, book at least three weeks ahead for any evening slot. In May, June, September, book 10-14 days ahead. In October through March, you can usually book a day or two ahead and still get a decent time slot, though evenings fill up faster than daytime.

The absolute worst days for availability are the last week of July and the first two weeks of August, when half of Europe is on holiday and Paris is mobbed. If you are visiting then, book the moment you have your flight confirmed.

Evening slots (the last 90 minutes before sunset) sell out first, then middle-of-the-day slots, then morning slots. If you are booking late, aim for 9:30am when the tower opens — those slots are the last to go.

Combining With Other Landmarks — Logical Pairings

If you have one day in Paris, the Eiffel Tower pairs nicely with the Seine cruise (book one that departs from the Pont d’Iéna next to the tower), the Arc de Triomphe (30 minutes away, good for a morning before an afternoon tower visit), or the Trocadéro gardens and Palais de Chaillot (literally across the river).

If you have two days, add the Musée d’Orsay (40 minutes by metro) or the Invalides (20 minutes on foot). Both are in the same arrondissement and form a logical cluster of half-day visits.

What I would not try to combine: the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre in the same day. They are on opposite ends of the city, they are both exhausting, and you will hate yourself by 6pm. Spread them across different days.

Weather Considerations — Is It Worth Going Up in Rain?

Short answer: no. The second floor is partially covered, but the viewing platforms are exposed, and the summit is even worse. On a properly rainy day you will spend your whole visit huddled under an awning wishing you had booked for tomorrow.

Moderate overcast is actually fine and can produce beautiful photos. Thin cloud diffuses the light nicely and the tower still pokes above the city. What you want to avoid is heavy rain, strong wind (the summit closes if winds exceed 55 km/h), or a low-hanging fog that blocks the view.

If the weather forecast is bad for your booked day, check the cancellation policy. GetYourGuide and Viator both usually allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before your slot, so you can rebook for a better day without losing money. The official site is much stricter — their tickets are often non-refundable.

Accessibility — The Honest Facts

The Eiffel Tower is reasonably wheelchair accessible for the ground level and the second floor, but not for the summit. The summit lifts are too small for wheelchairs, and there is no alternative route up. If the summit is non-negotiable, the tower is not going to work for wheelchair users.

The ground-to-second-floor lifts are accessible, there is an accessible toilet on the first floor, and the pavement around the tower is mostly smooth. Security screening has an accessible lane that skips the main queue. Staff at the west pillar will direct you if you let them know in advance.

For visitors with limited mobility who do not use a wheelchair, the lift option is the only way to go. The stairs are steep and narrow and there are no rest platforms between floors. Stick to the lift ticket.

If You Only Have One Hour at the Tower

If you are running short on time and you only have one hour between trains or meetings, here is how to maximise it. Do not go up. You will not have time. Instead, walk from Trocadéro metro station, up the plaza steps, take photos from the Palais de Chaillot terrace, walk down to the Pont d’Iéna, stand directly under the tower, walk out onto the Champ de Mars lawn, and take a photo from the grass. That is 45 minutes and you will have seen all four classic angles.

This is also the right plan if you are visiting with young children who cannot handle the queues. The tower from the outside is arguably the best part of the experience anyway. The view from the top is spectacular, but the tower itself is even more spectacular from below.

Last tip: bring water. The Trocadéro-to-Champ de Mars walk is longer than it looks, and there is very little shade. Summer visitors routinely underestimate how hot it can get on that plaza in July.

What I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before My First Visit

Three things, looking back at my own first trip to the tower.

One: the best photos of the Eiffel Tower are never from the tower. They are from the plazas, bridges, and rooftops around it. Spend at least half your Eiffel Tower time at external viewpoints, not inside the structure.

Two: the sparkly light show is not a once-a-night event. It happens every hour for five minutes. If you miss the first one, you get another one 60 minutes later. Relax.

Three: the tower is not the best thing you will do in Paris. It is the most iconic, and you absolutely should go, but the memories that stick tend to be smaller — a perfect macaron at Pierre Hermé, a glass of wine at a random café, a morning walk along the Seine before the city wakes up. The tower is the anchor. The rest of Paris is the trip.

More Paris Planning on The Abroad Guide

If you are planning a full Paris trip around your Eiffel Tower visit, a few related guides on The Abroad Guide will save you some of the same research I did the hard way. Our Louvre tickets guide covers the three ticket types that actually skip the queue and explains why the Richelieu entrance is the single best-kept secret in the 1st arrondissement. The Musée d’Orsay guide is the other essential Paris museum post — I am biased, but I think Orsay is more enjoyable than the Louvre for first-time visitors, and it is a 15-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower.

For something bigger than a city guide, the Versailles from Paris guide walks you through the day-trip options including the RER C train, which is the cheapest and fastest way to get to the palace. And if you want to tick off another iconic monument on the same trip, the Arc de Triomphe guide explains why the rooftop view from the Arc is actually more interesting than the Eiffel Tower summit — and yes, I stand by that.

Final Thoughts — My Honest Recommendation

If you are only going to do one thing at the Eiffel Tower, here is my honest answer: book a second-floor-by-lift ticket for 90 minutes before sunset, spend 20 minutes at the top looking at the view, 20 minutes on the first floor exploring the museum and glass floor, and then walk down the stairs to the ground just as the sun is setting. Grab your picnic supplies from Rue Cler on the way. Sit on the Champ de Mars lawn. Watch the first sparkle of the night at the top of the hour.

That is the perfect Eiffel Tower evening, it costs less than $40 for the ticket plus whatever you spend on wine and cheese, and it is one of the best things you can do anywhere in Europe. The trick is just knowing which ticket to book and when. Do those two things right and the rest of the magic takes care of itself.

FAQ — Short Answers to the Questions I Get Most

How much does it cost to go up the Eiffel Tower? Lift to the second floor: ~$27. Stairs to the second floor: ~$14. Lift to the summit: ~$42. Guided tours with skip-the-line: $35-$75 depending on the level of service. Children under 4 are free, under 12 pay reduced rates.

Do I need to book in advance? In summer, yes — at least two weeks ahead for evening slots, longer for July/August. In winter you can often book day-of. Always book online rather than buying at the booth.

How long does it take? A first-timer should budget 2-3 hours for the full visit including queuing, security, both floors, and time to explore. If you are just going to the second floor and not the summit, 90 minutes is enough. Add another 30-45 minutes if you are riding all the way to the top.

Is the restaurant at the top worth it? Le Jules Verne is extremely expensive and extremely fancy. The food is genuinely good, the view is unbeatable, and it is probably not worth it for most travellers. Save the money and do a proper Michelin dinner somewhere else in the city where you are not paying for the altitude.

Can I take a tripod up the tower? Technically yes, as long as it is a small travel tripod. Full-size tripods will probably get stopped at security. Gorillapods and mini tripods are fine.

What time does the tower open and close? Summer: 9:00am to 00:45am. Winter: 9:30am to 11:45pm. These times are for the building itself — the last lift up runs about 45 minutes before closing.

Is the Eiffel Tower safe at night? Yes, very. The whole area is patrolled by the French military as part of the Vigipirate anti-terror programme, and the Champ de Mars is full of people until late. Just use normal common sense about pickpockets in crowds.

Which ticket should a family with two kids book? The guided tour with the host. Kids get bored in queues, the host handles the logistics, and you get to enjoy the visit instead of managing it. The extra cost is worth every penny.