Let's start with a quick refresher of what you can experience inside the Eiffel Tower, how to get to each of the three floors above ground level, and available ticket types.
As you may already know, the Eiffel Tower has three platforms, or floors, above ground level for you to visit, and each offers unique amenities and of course, its spectacular degree views. You can reach the 1st and 2nd Levels by either stairs or elevators. Going up, elevators stop only at the 2nd Level, but do stop at the 1st Level on the way down. A ticket is required to access the 1st and 2nd Levels.
You can go up to the Summit 3rd and highest Level by elevator only - but it is a different elevator than those going from the Ground Level to the 2nd Level, so to go to the top, you always have to change elevators and must have a separate ticket. If you visited in the past, you may remember how you could buy Eiffel Tower Summit tickets from yellow ticket machines on the 2nd Level - but they have been removed. Now, if you want to visit the 3rd Level , you must purchase a Summit ticket in advance.
You must have a ticket or a tour voucher, or Eiffel Tower restaurant reservation confirmation to enter the Eiffel Tower. Four types of tickets are available based on which floors you want to explore, and whether you want to ride or climb. Ticket to 2nd Level by elevator elevator stops at the 1st Level on the way down. Ticket to the Summit Top Level by elevator elevator goes to the 2nd Level; you change to another elevator to go to the top ; on the way down, you get off the elevator on the 2nd Level and change to another that stops at the 1st Level on the way down.
Ticket to the 1st and 2nd Levels by stairs, and to the Summit Top Level by elevator; coming down, you get off the elevator at Level 2 and take the stairs down to the Ground Level and no, you can't sneak onto the other elevator. So how do our 7 easy ways to avoid the Eiffel Tower ticket lines help you? We'll show you the pros and cons of each option - plus a couple of ways to experience the Eiffel Tower without tickets.
You can choose from 2 ways to buy your tickets in advance online:. Go to the Eiffel Tower's website and buy your tickets online for a specific date and time, and print it on your home printer. You'll pay the same price as you would at the Eiffel Tower's ticket window. When you arrive at the Eiffel Tower, you skip the line to buy tickets, although you'll still need to go through a couple of security checks and perhaps wait for the elevator to the 2nd Level.
Sounds good, right? It is - but be aware of these 3 "catches":. Catch 1: Only a limited number of tickets are offered online. Catch 2: These tickets are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for another date or time slot. If your plans change for any reason including bad weather, illness, delayed flights, or anything else - or even if you arrive more than half an hour late for your time slot - you forfeit the cost of your tickets.
Catch 3: The Summit occasionally closes due to strong winds or other dicy weather conditions. Less frequently, the entire Eiffel Tower closes due to labor strikes or security precautions. If you have already purchased tickets, getting a refund may be difficult or impossible, as the Eiffel Tower website does not appear to provide a way to do this. Tour companies are much more likely to have skip-the-line Tour Eiffel tickets available until almost the last moment, long after the last time slots get snapped up on the Eiffel Tower's website.
You can choose skip-the-line tickets to the 2nd Level or 2nd Level plus Summit - just like those on the Eiffel Tower's website. Tour companies also sometimes offer stairs-only tickets. Like the online tickets from the Eiffel Tower's website, skip-the-line tickets through a tour company are generally not refundable and they also typically cost more. Get your tickets now. After paying with a credit card, you must either print your ticket following the printing specifications carefully , or have the ticket's bar code texted to your smartphone.
Note that a ticket confirmation itself will not get you in — you must show your bar code, whether in print or on your phone — to be scanned when you enter. If slots are booked up, don't despair. If you're not that set on going all the way to the tower's top, try selecting the option on the tower's website for "Lift entrance ticket with access to 2nd floor" only, as these tickets may still be available when the tickets to the summit have been snapped up.
And you can bypass some but not all entry lines if you've booked a table at either of the tower's classy view restaurants 58 Tour Eiffel — under renovation with plans to reopen in — or the even pricier Jules Verne. If going to the summit is important to you, try again online about a week ahead of your visit, as last-minute slots occasionally open up. Without a reservation at all, try showing up early about 30 minutes before the tower opens , late after 7 p. May—August, after 5 p.
Consider your timing. For the best of all worlds, plan to arrive close to sundown to see the views, then stay as it gets dark to see the lights. However impressive it may be by day, the tower is an awesome thing to behold at twilight, when darkness fully envelops the city, and the tower is resplendent with its spectacular light show.
And expect to be there for a while — in summer I'd budget three to four hours for the time it takes to wait in line, get to the top, and enjoy the views and exhibits on your way back down. The quickest you could get to the top and back — with a reserved ticket, lesser crowds, and minimal sightseeing — would be about 90 minutes. If you have a reserved entry time, arrive about 30 minutes ahead.
Keep your valuables out of reach. Street thieves plunder awestruck visitors gawking below the tower, and tourists in crowded elevators are like fish in a barrel for predatory pickpockets. Wear a money belt or some other means of keeping your cash and cards tucked away under your clothes, and be thoughtful about where you keep your phone. Sightsee from top to bottom. The tower has three levels with observation platforms, at roughly , , and feet, all connected by elevators and stairs.
Tour Packages: If advance tickets aren't available when you need them, you can essentially pay for a reservation by joining one of Fat Tire Tours' "Skip the Line" Eiffel Tower tours which include a reserved Eiffel Tower ticket. Montparnasse Tower Alternative: If your heart isn't set on going inside the Eiffel Tower itself, remember that you can enjoy a spectacular Paris view most Parisians prefer it to the Eiffel's from atop the Montparnasse Tower — where the Eiffel Tower is part of the vista and the ugly Montparnasse Tower isn't.
The visit is both cheaper and less crowded — no need to reserve. When to Visit: If you're on a Rick Steves tour that begins or ends in Paris , the best time to visit the Eiffel Tower is right before or after your tour. During your tour's time in Paris, here are your best "free time" windows for an Eiffel or Montparnasse escape:. Note: Tour-itinerary specifics are always subject to change, and in rare cases there may be an activity planned during these times.
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