A trip to the summit of the Eiffel Tower is unmissable when visiting Paris. The views across the city are breathtaking and it’s incredible to see Paris from its highest vantage point. However, as one of the most sought-after activities in Paris, Eiffel Tower Summit tickets are extremely popular and can be hard to come by.
Having visited the top of the Eiffel Tower many times we know all the tricks and tips for securing tickets even when the summit is showing as sold out! If you’re planning to visit and are in search of tickets then read on for our guide to booking Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets.
How do I visit the Eiffel Tower Summit?
To visit the Eiffel Tower you need a ticket: visitors can purchase an advance e-ticket or queue up at the Eiffel Tower ticket office for a same-day ticket.
How to book Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets tip: We usually try to purchase our tickets in advance as these tickets can and do sell out, especially during busy periods
Three levels of the Eiffel Tower are accessible to visitors – the first floor, the second floor and the summit. Tickets can be purchased for either the second floor or the second floor and summit and both of these include first-floor access.
There are a few ticket options available:
- Sold online and on the day: Summit by elevator
- Sold online and on the day: 2nd floor by elevator
- Not sold online/only available on the day: Summit by stairs and elevator
- Sold online and on the day: 2nd floor by stairs
If you are reading this because Eiffel Tower summit tickets are sold out and you want advance tickets then work your way through this list of tour options to check for availability – make sure to read on for more information on the tours, pricing and how to secure same-day tickets:
- Our top pick: Eiffel Tower Direct Access Tour to Summit by Elevator- check availability here!
- Eiffel Tower Priority Access Guided Tour with Summit Access- check availability here!
- Eiffel Tower Summit Guided Visit – check availability here!
- Eiffel Tower: Tour to Summit by Elevator – check availability here!
- Eiffel Tower Skip the Line Ticket – check availability here!
- Eiffel Tower Skip the Line and Small Group Tour with Summit Access by Elevator –check availability here!
Buy your Eiffel Tower summit tickets here
Do the Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets Sell Out?
Yes, advance purchase summit tickets do sell out! Advance purchase tickets are known as e-tickets to the Eiffel Tower and, for busy periods, these tickets sell out almost the instant they are released.
However, don’t stress if you see a sold-out note when you try to purchase tickets, there are other ways to secure Summit Tickets!
How to book Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets tip: advance purchase tickets are the best option for visiting the Eiffel Tower – they allow access to a dedicated e-ticket security line and provide a timed slot for visits. Without an advance ticket, you need to use the general access security queue and then join a further queue for same day ticket sales – this proccess can add hours to your visit time especially during busier times.
Booking Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets
There are 4 options for booking Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets:
1 | Reserve tickets in advance through the Offical Eiffel Tower Website
Your first stop should always be the Eiffel Tower Official Website – click here to check availability on the official website.
A limited number of Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets go on sale 60 days in advance (elevator tickets) or 14 days in advance (stairs tickets). The summit tickets typically sell out very quickly, especially for tickets during peak travel months like July and August, however there are alternatives below where you can get summit tickets
The following e-tickets are available to purchase in advance (ticket prices as at February 2024 and are all available 60 days in advance):
- Summit by elevator (€29.40 for adult tickets)
- 2nd floor by elevator (€18.80 for adult tickets)
- 2nd floor by stairs (€11.80 for adult tickets)
- Mixed tickets (stairs to 2nd floor and elevator access from 2nd floor to the summit) (€22.40 for adults tickets)
How to book Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets tip: Note, you can’t ‘top-up’ 2nd floor tickets by later purchasing an elevator to the summit. If you purchase 2nd floor tickets and then decide to visit the summit you will need to repurchase summit tickets instead.
The Eiffel Tower Summit tickets are sold out, what do I do now?
OK, don’t panic! You can still make it to the top of the Eiffel Tower. You have two options:
- Reserve a ticket or a tour in advance – provides a dedicated advance ticket security queue and a timed access slot with no need to queue for tickets upon entry. This is a much faster and you can book your tickets in advance – check prices now!
- Queue up and purchase a ticket on the day – must use the general access security line (queues can be 2.5 hours on busy days), and queue for ticket sales upon entry (at least 0.5 hours). This is a more time-consuming but less expensive option.
2 | Reserve a ticket through one of the tour operators
If the official site is sold out then check out the ticket options available through the well-known third-party sellers. We’ve used Viator, GetYourGuide, Klook and Tiqets countless times on our travels and they all offer similar advance purchase Eiffel Tower tickets – each of the tours has its own allocation of tickets so don’t give up if the first is sold out!
If you’re in search of tickets then we suggest working through the list below – it’s often possible to find tickets, even at the very last minute, this way.
Best Eiffel Tour Summit Tours Tickets:
- Eiffel Tower Priority Access Guided Tour with Summit Access- check availability here!
- Eiffel Tower Direct Access Tour to Summit by Elevator- check availability here!
- Eiffel Tower Summit Guided Visit – check availability here!
- Eiffel Tower: Tour to Summit by Elevator – check availability here!
- Eiffel Tower Skip the Line Ticket – check availability here!
- Eiffel Tower Skip the Line and Small Group Tour with Summit Access by Elevator –check availability here!
Buy your Eiffel Tower Summit ticket here
What’s included in the Elevator Summit Tours
Elevator summit tours include elevator access to the top of the Eiffel Tower accompanied by an informative guide – depending on the tour the guide may accompany you to the 2nd floor or to the summit.
The tours we’ve listed include advance purchase tickets and therefore access to the advance ticket security queue. The advance purchase tickets queue generally has a much shorter wait time than the general queue for those purchasing same-day tickets. Tickets include access to the 1st floor, 2nd floor and the summit.
How to book Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets tip: we’ve included a some options from a few different tour operators in case any of the tours are sold out. We’ve done the Eiffel Tower Direct Priority Access Guided Tour with Summit Access with Viator and it was excellent. But realistically, if your goal is to get to the summit of the Eiffel Tower then the tours are mostly interchangeable and only vary in group size, cost and if the guide joins you to the summit!
Are there Skip the Line tickets? Or Priority Access Tickets?
Tickets sold as part of tours are identical to the e-tickets sold online on the official Eiffel Tower website. They provide a ticket to a timed slot and access to a dedicated e-ticket security line. You don’t need to queue for ticket purchases and the tours have better availability even after the e-tickets sell out on the official site. Some also offer a guided tour which is really interesting.
However, despite what the tour names might suggest, there is no such thing as priority access or skip-the-line ticket access. All advance ticket holders, whether a tour or an e-ticket from the official Eiffel Tower website, are provided with the same tickets.
It is important to understand this as visitors can sometimes be disappointed when they see the regular Eiffel Tower ticket price of €29.40 (as at February 2024) printed on their ticket when they have paid in excess of this – the premium price for tours mostly reflects the better and later availability, the provision of a host/tour guide and the fact that you can avoid the extra hours of security and ticket sale queues that arise from same-day ticket purchases.
3 | Buy an immediate-use ticket at the Eiffel Tower
If you aren’t able to secure an advance ticket then there is always the option of going to the Eiffel Tower and queuing for tickets on the day. Tickets are always available on the day although access to the summit can be temporarily suspended when visitor numbers are too high.
The queue for security and, subsequently, the ticket office can be long so this option typically requires a much longer time commitment.
The quietest times are generally before 11am and after 8pm. We’ve queued for 90 minutes in security having joined the queue an hour before opening. As the day progresses, the security queue can reach 2 hours 30 minutes or more on busy days. It also takes at least 30 additional minutes to purchase tickets.
Purchasing tickets for the Eiffel Tower on the day
It’s relatively straightforward to purchase same-day tickets but it does take longer so make sure to budget extra time.
Security: Currently, there are two entrances in the gardens to reach the Eiffel Tower’s esplanade – Entrance 1 (South) and Entrance 2 (East). We thought Entrance 1 seemed quieter on the two days we visited in September 2022 but the official website recommends Entrance 2 for shorter queues so take your pick! The security queue splits for e-tickets and same-day tickets.
Ticket Office: After passing through security and entering the base of the tower you will need to purchase tickets. Ticket offices are located at the East and West Pillars and are identified by yellow signs (you will see a mix of green and yellow signs and flags – green marks the queues for lifts for advance ticket holders and yellow is for those visitors who need to purchase tickets).
Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets tip: if you fancy a climb it’s also possible to take the stairs to the second floor and then an elevator to the summit – this option is only available on the day. There are separate queues for those wishing to take the stairs – stair tickets are sold at the south pillar and are marked with a blue flag.
Other ways to enjoy the Eiffel Tower
The summit isn’t the only way to experience the Eiffel Tower. Visitors can also check out:
4 | Second-floor access
The 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower boasts its own incredible views and 2nd-floor tickets typically have better availability.
Eiffel Tower Second Floor Advance Purchase Tickets
There are two advance purchase options available:
Advance purchase tickets can be reserved through either the Eiffel Tower website or via a tour. Access is via the elevator or, if you like a challenge, by climbing the 674 stairs to the 2nd level. The best tour options include:
- Eiffel Tower Direct Access Tour to 2nd Floor by Elevator – check availability here
- Eiffel Tower – 2nd Floor: Priority Entrance + Audio Guide – check availability here
- Eiffel Tower Skip the Line Ticket – check availability here!
Buy your Second Floor tickets here
Second Floor Same-day Tickets
Same-day tickets can also be purchased through the same process we described above for summit tours. Stair tickets have a separate queue and are sold at the south pillar, marked with a blue flag.
5 | Restaurant Reservations
There are two restaurants in the Eiffel Tower, Madame Brasserie and Jules Verne, and both offer wonderful views and a unique experience.
than the Jules Verne is located on the second level. Both restaurants have dedicated entrance routes, however, they do not include access to the summit.
Madame Brasserie is located on the first level and is open for lunch and dinner – reserve a table at Madam Brasserie here
The Jules Verne is located on the second level and is a One Michelin Star restaurant with a private elevator leading guests to the restaurant – reserve a table at the Jules Verne here
6 | Enjoy the Views of the Eiffel Tower from across Paris
Like many of the world’s greatest landmarks, the Eiffel Tower needs to be appreciated from afar. From Trocadero to the Sacre Coeur to a cruise along the Seine, there are many wonderful views of the Eiffel Tower so make sure to enjoy the stunning views of the Eiffel Tower from all over Paris.
Thank you so much for this information! You truly saved our Paris trip!
Does there tend to be long queues at this time of year? We are going on Thursday and was hoping to go for sunset but don’t have tickets.
Hi Jade, it’s hard to tell – two of the three French school zones are on their winter break and the Eiffel Tower just reopened after a 6 day closure. However February is traditionally one of the lowest months for crowds. Hope you have a great time!