Eiffel Tower tickets: summit vs second floor, and how to skip the queue

There are three ways up, and they are priced differently for a reason. The second floor by lift or stairs gives you the best photography view, because you are low enough to see the streets and the Seine in detail. The summit by lift adds the very top, which is windy, cold and enclosed behind glass and mesh, but gives you the widest panorama. And the stairs to the second floor are the cheapest way in, if you do not mind about 670 steps.

If you only want one, choose the second floor in the evening. Many visitors find the summit adds a lot of money and queueing for a view that looks flatter from above.

Second floor

Lift or stairs

Summit

Lift only

Best for photos

Second floor

Stairs

About 670 steps

Visit length

1.5 to 3 hours

Bookable

Weeks ahead

Official tickets are released in batches in advance, and the popular slots (sunset and early evening in summer) go first. If the date you want shows sold out, check again a few days before, when unsold and returned tickets reappear.

For the fewest crowds, go at opening time or in the last hour. Sunset is lovely but is also the busiest time, and the tower sparkles for five minutes at the top of every hour after dark, which is worth waiting for if you are already up there.

If the official slots are gone or you want context rather than just a view, a guided tour is often the easiest answer. Most include a guide who meets you at the base, handles the entry queue and takes you up to the second floor or summit, then leaves you free to stay as long as you like.

Look for small groups, a stated meeting point and a clear refund policy. Tours that bundle the Seine cruise or a Louvre visit can also be good value if you were going to do both anyway.

• ✔Buying from a street seller. Real tickets are sold online or at official counters, never by people on the Champ de Mars.
• ✔Booking a time too close to your arrival. Leave a buffer for security and for the queue to the lift.
• ✔Wearing the wrong shoes. The stairs and the walk from the metro are long, so comfortable shoes beat style.
• ✔Visiting on a very windy day. The summit can close for weather, so book a refundable ticket where you can.

Most people treat the Eiffel Tower as a single photo stop and end up queueing three times: once for security, once for the lift and once to come back down. A better plan is to decide what you want from the visit before you arrive. If it is the view, book the second floor for the last hour before sunset. If it is the experience, book the stairs early in the morning, climb to the second floor and then decide whether to continue to the summit by lift.

Plan your arrival around the neighbourhood too. The Trocadéro side gives the classic view of the tower, and from there it is a pleasant ten-minute walk across the Seine to the entrance. If you come from the Champ de Mars side, you will get closer to the legs but see less of the whole structure. Leave time to wander before and after, because the surrounding gardens are free and often prettier than the queue.

If you are travelling with children, keep the visit to the second floor. It is easier to manage, and the open-air viewing platforms are better for small children than the enclosed summit, where the crowds and the wind can be tiring.

A standard visit takes about two hours from the moment you arrive. Security checks take 10 to 20 minutes, the lift queue to the second floor another 15 to 30, and a switch to the summit lift adds a further wait. On a busy summer afternoon, add another half hour for the descent. That is why a timed ticket and a mid-morning or evening slot make such a difference.

It is also why many visitors decide that a guided tour is worth the premium. You are paying not only for the explanation but for a predictable schedule: you meet at a set time, enter through a guided entrance and spend your time at the top instead of in the line. If you only have one day in Paris, that predictability can be worth more than the saving from going alone.

Finally, think about your energy. The tower is one of five or six things most people try to do in a day in Paris, and it is the one that most reliably takes longer than expected. Put it first in the day, or last, and give yourself a buffer either side.

Yes, if you pick the right slot and the right level. The second floor at sunset is one of the best experiences in Paris, and the lights show after dark is genuinely special. The summit is worth it for first-time visitors who want the full panorama, but it is not essential, and it is the part most likely to sell out.

If your budget or schedule is tight, you can have a very good Eiffel Tower experience without going up at all. Watch the tower sparkle from the Trocadéro at night, take a river cruise that goes right underneath it, or picnic on the Champ de Mars with a baguette and a bottle of wine. Many Parisians would tell you that the best view of the tower is the one that does not include it, which is from the top of Montparnasse or the rooftops of Montmartre. Whichever you choose, book early, arrive with time to spare and enjoy it.

You do not have to go up to enjoy the tower. The Trocadéro gardens give the classic view from across the river, and a Seine cruise passes right under it. The Champ de Mars lawn is the best place for a picnic at dusk.

Pair it with the rest of the city by following our Paris itineraries, or browse every Paris ticket and pass in one place.