Eiffel Tower
Paris, France
Tour Eiffel
Gustave Eiffel's 330-metre iron tower, with lifts to a summit 276 metres above Paris.
Checked 6 October 2026
The Eiffel Tower is Paris's 1889 iron landmark, with three visitor levels and a view that takes in the whole city. The one thing to get right: buy on ticket.toureiffel.paris, the only official seller, and buy early, because summit lift tickets for summer dates go fast. Every visitor, with or without a ticket or tour, goes through two security checks; nobody skips them.
About Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower stands on the Champ de Mars by the Seine, 330 metres tall since a new antenna in 2022. It has three levels open to visitors: the first floor at 57 metres with its glass floor, the second floor at 116 metres where the views are widest, and the summit at 276 metres, reached by a second set of lifts.
Gustave Eiffel's company built it for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, the world's fair that marked 100 years since the French Revolution. Work began on 26 January 1887 and finished on 31 March 1889: 18,038 iron parts held together by 2.5 million rivets, put up in two years, two months and five days.
It was only meant to stand for 20 years. Eiffel kept it alive by turning it into a laboratory and a radio mast. The army used it for radio from 1903, the first public radio programme went out from it in 1925, and it still carries broadcast antennas today.
Around seven million people a year now pay to go up, which the operator says makes it the most visited paid monument in the world. After dark it changes character: golden lighting comes on at dusk and the whole tower sparkles for five minutes at the start of every hour.
What to see
The summit (276 m)
The open-air top level, reached by a separate pair of lifts from the second floor. There is a champagne bar and a recreation of Gustave Eiffel's little apartment. Expect a queue for the summit lift on the second floor, and the summit can close at short notice in high wind or at peak times. It is always windy up there: bring a layer.
Second floor (116 m)
Many visitors find the views best here: high enough to see across Paris, low enough to pick out Sacré-Cœur, Les Invalides and the Arc de Triomphe. The lower level has a buffet, shops, toilets and the Pierre Hermé macaron bar, and is step-free.
First floor and the glass floor (57 m)
Visits always start at the highest level and work down, so you reach the first floor last. Don't skip it: the glass floor looks straight down to the esplanade, and there are exhibits on how the tower was built, a bistro and Madame Brasserie.
The stairs
You can climb to the first and second floors; allow about 10–20 minutes per level. Stairs tickets cost much less and are easier to get at short notice, and you see the ironwork up close. Stairs access can close at 18:00 in some periods.
The hourly sparkle
From dusk the tower glows gold, and for the first five minutes of every hour 20,000 bulbs flash across the structure, until midnight or 1:00 depending on the season. Watch from Trocadéro or the Champ de Mars, or from the tower itself.
The 1899 lift machinery
The original hydraulic machinery of the 1899 lifts still works and is unique. The official guided tours stop at a viewpoint over the shaft and explain how it works.
Gardens and esplanade (free)
Once you are through the site security, the gardens and the esplanade under the tower are free. You can stand under the four legs and look up without buying a ticket.
Eiffel Tower tickets: which to buy and where
Most visitors should buy a timed e-ticket on ticket.toureiffel.paris, either summit by lift (€36.70) or second floor by lift (€23.50). Choose your level when you book: you cannot upgrade a second-floor ticket to the summit on the day, and tickets cannot be cancelled or changed.
The official ticket site
Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE)
SETE runs the tower for the City of Paris and is the only seller of lift-only tickets. The only official addresses are toureiffel.paris and ticket.toureiffel.paris; the ticket page footer says 'A website owned by Société d'Exploitation de la tour Eiffel'. Prices are the same online and at the ticket offices.
Summit by lift
€36.70 adult; €18.40 ages 12–24; €9.20 ages 4–11; under 4 free
Official ticketsSkips some lines
- Includes
- Lifts to the second floor, then the summit lift; first and second floors on the way down. Timed entry; you still go through both security checks
- Best for
- Most first-time visitors who want the very top
Official site · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Second floor by lift
€23.50 adult; €11.80 ages 12–24; €6.00 ages 4–11
Official ticketsSkips some lines
- Includes
- Lift to the second floor, first floor on the way down. Skips the ticket-office queue, not security
- Best for
- Visitors with limited mobility (the summit is not open to them), or when summit tickets are gone
Official site · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Summit by stairs and lift
€28.00 adult; €14.00 ages 12–24; €7.00 ages 4–11
Official ticketsSkips some lines
- Includes
- Stairs to the second floor, then the summit lift. Skips the ticket-office queue, not security or the summit-lift queue
- Best for
- Fit visitors who want the summit for less
Official site · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Second floor by stairs
€14.80 adult; €7.40 ages 12–24; €3.80 ages 4–11
Official ticketsSkips some lines
- Includes
- Stairs to the first and second floors. Bookable up to 60 days ahead and usually still available at short notice
- Best for
- Budget and last-minute visits
Official site · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Official guided tour to the summit
€71.70 adult; €53.40 ages 12–24; €34.20 ages 4–11
Official ticketsSkips some lines
- Includes
- 90-minute tour in French or English with an official guide, max 12 people, separate site-security entrance for official tours, summit access, view of the 1899 lift machinery
- Best for
- Visitors who want the history and a smoother path to the summit lift
Official site · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Summit or 2nd Floor Reserved Access with host
from €48 (2nd floor); summit as an upgrade if available
ResellerSkips some lines
- Includes
- Lift ticket handed over by an English-speaking host who walks you from 62 Avenue de Suffren to the tower; then free time. Security and lift queues still apply. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead
- Best for
- When official lift tickets for your date are sold out
GetYourGuide · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)
How to buy
- Go to ticket.toureiffel.paris (type it yourself; don't click an ad). Most official pages say lift tickets open 90 days ahead and stairs tickets 60 days ahead, but one official FAQ says tickets are sold 60 days ahead, so check the ticket site for your date. For June–September, school holidays and public holidays, book as soon as your date opens.
- Pick level (second floor or summit) and how you go up (lift or stairs). You cannot add the summit later, and tickets cannot be cancelled, changed or refunded.
- Enter a name per ticket; individual orders are for up to 9 people. Since 29 September 2026, groups of more than 9 (guide included) must book on the operator's group site, ticketpro.toureiffel.paris, and cannot buy at the ticket offices. Bring ID for everyone, children included, plus proof of age for 12–24 and 4–11 rates.
- Save the e-ticket as a PDF on your phone (Wallet apps are not accepted) or print it, with the QR code fully visible.
- If your date shows as sold out, check again over the following days: tickets come back online at intervals. Failing that, the ticket offices under the tower sell tickets for immediate entry on the day, subject to crowds.
- On the day, be at the site entrance about 30 minutes before your slot. Your ticket time is when you must be in the 'Visitors with tickets' queue at the pillar.
Look-alike sites
SETE warns that fake sites posing as the official one are pushed by search ads and AI chat tools. The only official addresses are toureiffel.paris and ticket.toureiffel.paris; anything else is a reseller. Tell-tale signs of a problem site: it offers 'skip the line' or 'priority' entry (the tower has no such system; resellers may only say 'reserved access'), it calls itself an 'official partner' or 'authorised site' (SETE gives no such labels), it sells a lift ticket with no added service (only SETE may do that), it shows every hour free for months ahead, or it prices below the public rate. Check the legal notices for a company name and French registration (RCS) or VAT number.
We can never guarantee a ticket seller, tour company or deal. Prices, opening hours and what is included change, often without notice: check the details on the seller’s own page before you pay, and book through the official site where you can. How to avoid ticket scams · Disclaimer.
Guided tours of Eiffel Tower
A guide is not needed to enjoy the tower: the official ticket plus the free mobile visitor's guide (guide.toureiffel.paris, in English, French, Spanish and Chinese) covers most visitors. A tour earns its price when official lift tickets for your date are sold out, or when you want the history explained. No tour skips security, and only the official tours and some operators use a separate security entrance.
Official small-group guided tour
Guided tour to the Top
Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (official)
Max 12 people, French or English. Meet 15 minutes early at the official guided-tours meeting point near the Information Point; there is a site entrance reserved for official guided tours. Down by stairs from the second to the first floor. Not suitable for limited mobility or pushchairs. A second-floor version costs €53.50.
€71.70 adult (ticket + €35)
See this tour → (opens in a new tab)Small-group guided tour
Eiffel Tower Summit Tour with Reserved Entry
Fat Tire ToursParis-based operator. Briefing near the tower (meet at 62 Avenue de Suffren), then a separate, quicker security line; the operator itself says no one skips security. Timed entry to the second floor, then the summit. You can leave banned items at their office. Refunds only more than 72 hours ahead.
Private guided tour
Eiffel Tower Summit Tour with Private Guide and Reserved Entry
Fat Tire ToursYour group only, booked by request form, available up to three months ahead. Meets at their office at 24 Rue Edgar Faure, 75015 (metro Dupleix), not at the tower.
from €169
See this tour → (opens in a new tab)Group guided tour (10–20 people)
Eiffel Tower Guided Tour by Elevator: Reserved Entry to the Summit or Second Floor
HeadoutGuided visit with lift access to the second floor, summit as an option, and an optional one-hour Seine cruise. The listing itself excludes skip-the-line entry and says tickets cannot be cancelled or rescheduled. Some reviewers say the guide did not come up to the summit.
We can never guarantee a ticket seller, tour company or deal. Prices, opening hours and what is included change, often without notice: check the details on the seller’s own page before you pay, and book through the official site where you can. How to avoid ticket scams · Disclaimer.
Eiffel Tower deals and discounts
There are no discounts on the adult rate and no free days: the official ticket at the public price is the best buy, and every reseller costs more. The real savings are the half-price youth rate for anyone aged 12–24 and taking the stairs.
Half price for ages 12–24, any nationality
The youth rate is half the adult price (€18.40 for the summit by lift, €7.40 for the second floor by stairs). It is based on age only, not EU residence or student status; carry an ID card or passport, as proof may be asked for.
Children 4–11 and under-4s
Children aged 4–11 pay €6.00 (second floor by lift) to €9.20 (summit by lift). Under-4s are free but need their own free ticket. Under-12s must be with someone aged 18 or over.
Disabled visitors and one companion
The disability rate (€6.00 second floor by lift, €9.20 summit by lift) applies to the holder of a disability card in their own name and to one companion. Priority access to ticket desks and pillars is available.
Take the stairs
Second floor by stairs is €14.80 against €23.50 by lift; summit by stairs then lift is €28.00 against €36.70. Stairs tickets are also easier to find at short notice.
Not included: Paris Museum Pass, first-Sunday free entry
The Paris Museum Pass (Pass Musées) is not accepted, and the tower is not free on the first Sunday of the month. The gardens and the esplanade under the tower are free once you have passed site security.
Best time to visit Eiffel Tower
Time of day: the operator's own guide rates 9:00–11:00 and 20:00–22:30 as quieter, 11:00–17:00 as busiest and 17:00–20:00 as medium. The last lift to the summit is at 22:30 (October 2026 hours: 9:30–23:00).
For views, a clear late-afternoon slot that runs into dusk gives you daylight and the lights in one visit. Book that kind of slot early, as summer evening slots are in high demand.
Season: June to September, school holidays and public holidays are busiest. October to March is calmer, but the summit closes more often for wind and weather.
Avoid: the middle of the day in summer, and arriving at your slot time rather than 30 minutes before it.
Tips and tricks
Gathered from travel forums, locals and the sight’s own advice, rewritten in our own words. What worked for others, not a guarantee.
Keep checking if your date looks sold out
Tickets come back online at intervals, and visitors on forums report that a large batch of summit tickets appears seven days before the date, at 13:00 Paris time, often including the cheaper summit tickets without champagne. Go through the booking steps once beforehand with the right number of people, so you are quick when the batch drops.
From Official ticket FAQ; Rick Steves France forum, 2026; TripAdvisor Paris forum, July 2025
Allow time for two security checks
There is a first bag check at the site entrance (Entry 1 on the south side, Entry 2 on the east) and a second inside the pillar before you go up. E-ticket holders have their own queue at each, but no ticket or tour skips them. Arrive about 30 minutes before your slot.
From toureiffel.paris, Planning a smooth visit, 2026
Look for the green and blue kiosks
On the esplanade, green kiosks mark lift access and blue kiosks stairs access. Staff direct you to whichever pillars are open that day; the West and North pillars on the Seine side have lifts and level access, and the information desk is in the West pillar.
From toureiffel.paris, Planning a smooth visit and Visitors with disabilities, 2026
Decide on the summit when you book
A second-floor ticket cannot be upgraded to the summit at the tower. If there is any chance you want the top, buy a summit ticket.
From toureiffel.paris FAQ, 2026
Show the ticket as a PDF, not in Wallet
Save the e-ticket as a PDF and turn screen brightness up; Wallet apps are not accepted. Bring ID for everyone in your group, as tickets are personal.
From toureiffel.paris, Planning a smooth visit, 2026
Pack light
Large luggage is refused and there is no left-luggage office at the tower. Glass bottles, sharp objects, padlocks and drones are also banned. Some tour operators near the tower will hold banned items for their own customers.
From toureiffel.paris rates page; Fat Tire Tours and GetYourGuide product pages, 2026
Bring a layer for the top
The operator itself warns that the summit is always windy. Even on a warm day it can be cold at 276 metres.
From toureiffel.paris, 2026
Don't skip the first floor on the way down
Visits run top-down, so tired visitors often go straight past the first floor. It has the glass floor, the construction exhibits and the least crowded viewing deck.
From toureiffel.paris FAQ, 2026
The best view of the tower is from outside it
Forum regulars point out that you cannot see the tower from the tower. If tickets are impossible, Trocadéro, the Champ de Mars, a Seine cruise or the Montparnasse Tower viewing deck give classic views with the Eiffel Tower in them.
From Rick Steves France forum, 2023
How to get to Eiffel Tower
- RER C to Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel: about 5 minutes' walk to Entry 1.
- Metro line 6 to Bir-Hakeim: under 10 minutes' walk to Entry 1 (Allée des Refuzniks). Metro 9 Trocadéro or Metro 8 École Militaire: about 15 minutes on foot; from Trocadéro you cross the Pont d'Iéna with the tower in front of you.
- Buses 30, 42 and 82 stop about 5 minutes from Entry 2 (Allée Jean Paulhan); buses 69 and 86 stop at Champ de Mars, 72 at Pont d'Iéna.
- Address: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris. Parking near the tower is limited and public transport is easier; the operator lists nearby car parks and Vélib bike stations on its access map, and Seine boats stop at the foot of the tower.
Scams and problems to watch for
Look-alike ticket sites
Sites with 'Eiffel Tower' and 'official' in their name appear at the top of search results and in AI answers. The tell-tale sign is any address other than toureiffel.paris or ticket.toureiffel.paris, especially one promising 'skip the line' or a lift ticket with no added service.
'Skip the line' tickets
The tower runs no skip-the-line system, and everyone goes through security. A reseller ticket sold as priority gives you the same timed entry as the official e-ticket, at a higher price.
Fake petitions
Around the tower and Trocadéro, people with clipboards ask if you speak English and want a signature for a deaf or disabled children's charity, then demand a donation; the clipboard can also cover a hand going into your bag. The tell-tale sign is the opening question 'Do you speak English?'. Keep walking.
The shell game near the tower
Players with three cups or cards on a cardboard box draw a crowd on the paths around the tower. The 'winners' are part of the team and you will lose; the crowd watching is also where pockets get picked. Don't stop to watch.
Accessibility
The first floor and the lower level of the second floor are fully accessible to wheelchair users, by lift; buy a second-floor lift ticket. The summit and the stairs are closed to people with reduced mobility, wheelchair users and people on crutches, for evacuation reasons. The West and North pillars have level access to the ticket desks and lifts, and the East pillar has a platform lift. At the site entrance you can use the queue for official guided visits (Entry 1) or the one signposted for the Gustave Eiffel Room (Entry 2); then make yourself known at the 'Visitors with tickets' desk in the West pillar. Disabled visitors and one companion pay the reduced rate (€6.00 second floor by lift) with a disability card in the visitor's name. Accessible toilets are in the gardens near the East pillar, on the first and on the second floor; audio loops are fitted at ticket desks, and some first-floor exhibits have braille and raised panels.
Combine it with
Trocadéro
The terrace of the Palais de Chaillot across the river gives the classic straight-on view of the tower, free and open at any hour. Best for the hourly sparkle after dark; Metro 9.
Champ de Mars
The long lawn running south-east from the tower, the place for a picnic with the tower above you and for photos from below.
Seine cruise
Hour-long sightseeing boats leave from the foot of the tower (from about €18 online in October 2026). Combine it with your tower slot or take an evening cruise to see the lights.
Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac
Art and objects from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, a five-minute walk along the river with a planted garden. Open 10:30–19:00, Thursdays until 22:00; closed Mondays except in short school holidays.
Louvre
On SightsaleAbout 4 km upriver; a Seine boat or Metro gets you there. Pair the tower in the morning with a pre-booked afternoon at the Louvre.
Questions people ask about visiting Eiffel Tower
How do I buy official Eiffel Tower tickets?
Only at ticket.toureiffel.paris, run by the tower's operator SETE, or at the ticket offices under the tower. Prices are the same in both places (€36.70 for the summit by lift, €23.50 for the second floor by lift, as of October 2026). Any other site is a reseller and will cost more.
How far in advance should I book Eiffel Tower tickets?
Most official pages say lift tickets go on sale 90 days ahead and stairs tickets 60 days ahead, though one official FAQ says 60 days, so check the ticket site for your date. For summit tickets from June to September and in holidays, book as soon as your date opens. If it looks sold out, tickets are released again at intervals, and visitors report a large release about a week before.
Is it worth going to the summit or is the second floor enough?
The second floor (116 m) has the widest, most detailed views and is enough for many people. The summit (276 m) is higher, windier and needs an extra lift queue on the second floor. You must choose when you book; a second-floor ticket cannot be upgraded on the day.
Can you skip the line at the Eiffel Tower?
Not fully. A timed e-ticket skips the ticket-office queue and puts you in a separate e-ticket queue, but everyone goes through the site security check and the second check in the pillar. The operator says the tower has no skip-the-line system, so 'skip the line' tickets from resellers give nothing extra.
Is the Eiffel Tower included in the Paris Museum Pass?
No. The Pass Musées is not accepted, and there is no free first Sunday. The discounts are age-based: €18.40 for the summit by lift for ages 12–24 and €9.20 for ages 4–11, with under-4s free (October 2026).
How long do you need at the Eiffel Tower?
The operator suggests at least 1.5 hours for the first and second floors and 2.5 hours with the summit, plus 15–30 minutes for security. Taking the stairs adds about 10–20 minutes per level.
What time does the Eiffel Tower sparkle?
For five minutes at the start of every hour after dark, until midnight or 1:00 depending on the season. The golden lighting comes on within 10 minutes of dusk, so if night falls at 19:40 the first sparkle is at 20:00.
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Before you go
The things that apply at every big sight: booking ahead, what skip-the-line really means, and the scams that follow tourists everywhere.