Also available in:
繁體中文 
ไทย 
日本語
Visiting the Eiffel Tower is perhaps the number 1 thing on every traveller’s Paris Attractions list. It is the most iconic monument that symbolizes not just the French capital but the whole of France (aside from a baguette)! We’ve created this simple guide to answer the most commonly asked questions about visiting the famous monument. Here, you’ll find out about the different tickets to choose from, what to expect from the Tower’s different floors, and some practical tips for your visit. We’ve also added the top 6 best photo spots of the Eiffel Tower plus a special discount voucher at the bottom of the article as a bonus!
Visiting the Eiffel Tower: choosing tickets
We wish going to the Eiffel Tower was more simple but it’s not exactly as straightforward as buying a ticket and being good to go. Access to the Eiffel Tower depends on the type of ticket you get and there are a few tickets you can choose from on their official website. There are also tickets you can only buy at the tower itself. Here’s our easy guide!
Tickets to the summit:
1. 25,90€
– access all the way to the top via lift
– timed entry
– may be purchased online
– allows visit to the 2nd and 1st floors but only after the climb to the summit
– 13€ for persons from 12-24 years old
– 6,50€ for children from 4-11 years old
The elevator ride starts from the very bottom of the tower and then stops at the 2nd floor. Then, you’ll have to change lifts for the ride to the summit.
2. 19,70€
– access all the way to the top via stairs and lift
– timed entry
– may NOT be purchased online (only at the Eiffel Tower ticket booth for same day access)
– allows visit to the 2nd and 1st floors but only after the climb to the summit
– 9,80€ for persons from 12-24 years old
– 5€ for children from 4-11 years old
This ticket is cheaper because you must first take the stairs from the very bottom to the 2nd floor— that’s 674 steps! But only do it if you’re feeling physically fit and healthy. From the 2nd floor, you will then ride the lift all the way to the summit.
Tickets just until the 2nd floor:
1. 16,60€
– access until the 2nd floor via lift
– timed entry
– may be purchased online
– allows visit to the 1st floor but only after visiting the 2nd floor
– 8,30€ for persons from 12-24 years old
– 4,10€ for children from 4-11 years old
If you purchase this ticket and then later decide you’d like to go all the way up to the summit, you will have to buy a whole new ticket that will have a new schedule. There is no ‘supplementary’ ticket.
2. 10,40€
– access until the 2nd floor via stairs (674 steps)
– timed entry
– may be purchased online
– allows visit to the 1st floor but only after visiting the 2nd floor
– 5,20€ for persons from 12-24 years old
– 2,60€ for children from 4-11 years old
* If you’re a guest dining at Jules Verne restaurant located on the Eiffel Tower’s 2nd floor, you don’t need to wait in line like everyone else. Take the private elevator from the Eiffel Tower south pillar entrance.
Access to the 1st floor
There are only 2 ways to access the 1st floor without buying tickets to the Eiffel tower:
- making reservations to the 1st floor restaurant — 58 Tour Eiffel
- being a guest at an organized event at the Gustave Eiffel Room
If either applies to you, fall in line for the exclusive lift to the restaurant and Gustave Eiffel Room. If you’d like to go up to the higher floors, ticket reservations should be made in advance.
Visiting the Eiffel Tower: 4 Practical Tips
1. Booking tickets
You may book your tickets as early as 4 months ahead of your visit which ensures you can choose the best time and date for you. However, no changes or adjustments may be made once a ticket is booked.
2. Summit vs 2nd floor
Many people will argue that if you’re already planning a visit to the Eiffel Tower, you might as well just go all the way to the top. And that makes sense but the summit access is a bit pricey and also doesn’t allow access to disabled persons for safety reasons.
There are actually a few good reasons for just staying until the 2nd floor: (1) it is cheaper, (2) at 116m high, you can still definitely enjoy a panoramic view of Paris, (3) and there are a few places to eat at and souvenir shops.
3. Best time to go
The best time to go in terms of views would definitely be during sunset but that’s also when the Eiffel Tower is most crowded. Sunsets in Paris change depending on the season so make sure to check online. If you can’t stand rubbing elbows with lots of strangers and you want to take a slow and leisurely visit, we recommend mornings between 9 to 11am or evenings after sunset.
Winter season (January to March) is low season for tourism in Paris and you can anticipate less visitors. However, most days in winter can be very cloudy and rainy and so visibility won’t be good enough. If you’re visiting in winter, the best time would be in the afternoon from 1 to 3pm when the sun is shining the brightest.
4. What to see
– Top floor / summit
Apart from the vertigo-inducing views from the Eiffel Tower’s top floors, you can also see Gustave Eiffel’s office located on the summit floor. This is where he once entertained guests like Thomas Edison! The top floor also has a champagne bar where you can enjoy some bubbly before making the descent.
– 2nd floor
This is the best floor to be taking panoramic pictures of Paris from. Though the summit takes you very high up, the 2nd floor offers clearer views of Paris’ major attractions like the Sacre-Cœur, Notre-Dame, and the Hotel National des Invalides.
– 1st floor
You could easily miss out on the 1st floor as the elevators don’t stop there. But before you finish visiting the Eiffel Tower, take the stairs down to the 1st floor. This is the biggest of all floors and has free exhibitions, a restaurant, a gift shop, and the best one of all: the glass floor!
We have more Eiffel Tower-related info for you!
Visiting the Eiffel Tower: our 6 best photo spots
People may come to the Eiffel Tower for views of Paris but for us, no view of Paris is complete without including the tower itself. Don’t forget to take your souvenir photos of the Eiffel Tower from these 6 different locations. All of them are no more than 15-minutes away from the Eiffel Tower. They’re also the best spots to be at for the Eiffel Tower’s hourly night lights show!
1. Trocadéro
2. Bir Hakeim bridge
3. Rue Saint-Dominique
4. Champ de Mars
5. Rue de l’Université
6. Avenue de Camoens
INSIDR Tip: Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac
If seeing the Eiffel Tower and absorbing culture are both in your list of must-do’s in Paris, then a visit to Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac would be perfect! The museum is one of the biggest and most beautiful in Paris. It’s located just behind the Eiffel Tower and so the museum’s gardens have an unobstructed view of the tower!
Best of all, INSIDR readers get a sweet 25% discount off entrance tickets!
Also available in:
繁體中文 ไทย 日本語