How to Skip the Line at the Arc de Triomphe

Q: How do you get to the Arc de Triomphe?

Take the metro or RER to Charles de Gaulle - Étoile and use the underground Passage du Souvenir. Don't cross the roundabout on foot.

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How long is the line at the Arc de Triomphe?

There are two queues here: one at the ticket office and one at security before the stairs. At peak times the two together can take well over an hour. Book online and you skip the ticket office completely, so all that's left is security, which is quick outside the busiest hours.

Pre-booked visitors head straight to the stairs entrance to the right of the ticket office.

🔑 The free skip-the-line hack

Before you book a time, check how busy the Arc de Triomphe is likely to be. BeatTheCrowd shows the live crowd level and an hourly forecast for any date, adjusted for holidays, school breaks and weather, so you can pick the quietest slot.

Check today’s crowds at the Arc de Triomphe →

Your ticket options

Option	Price	Good to know
Timed rooftop ticket	Around €16-22, depending on season	Includes the small museum inside the Arc. Book on the official Centre des monuments nationaux site
Paris Museum Pass	Covered	Download your pass before you go. You still go through security
Free entry	€0	Under-18s and EU residents aged 18-25 with ID. Some winter first Sundays are free for everyone, and very busy
Reseller 'skip-the-line' tickets	Higher	The same timed entry, with a markup

Getting to the Arc (safely)

The Arc sits in the middle of one of the busiest roundabouts in Europe, with twelve avenues feeding into it. Don't try to cross the traffic. Use the Passage du Souvenir, an underground tunnel with entrances at the top of the Champs-Élysées and on Avenue de la Grande-Armée. It brings you up right beside the Arc.

Best (and worst) times to go

At 10 am opening: the calmest start to the day (11 am on Tuesdays).
After 6:30 pm: the crowds thin out, and the Eternal Flame is rekindled at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at 6:15 pm every evening, which is worth catching on your way in.
Sunset: the most popular time of all, so expect the busiest rooftop. If you want sunset, book well ahead and arrive early.
Season: summer and school holidays are busiest. The monument stays open late year-round (until 11 pm in summer, 10:30 pm in winter), so evenings are your friend.

🔑 The free skip-the-line hack

Our hourly forecast for the Arc de Triomphe shows the expected crowd level for every hour, so you can see whether sunset or a later slot will be calmer on your date.

Check today’s crowds at the Arc de Triomphe →

Insider tips that actually save time

Travel light. Large bags and luggage aren't allowed, and there are no lockers.
Pace the stairs. The 284-step spiral is narrow and steep. There's a rest stop at the museum level halfway up.
Last entry is 45 minutes before closing, so don't cut it fine on a late visit.
Check for closures. The Arc closes for national ceremonies, such as the mornings of 14 July and 11 November.

Practical info

Getting there	Metro lines 1, 2 and 6 or RER A to Charles de Gaulle - Étoile, then the underground passage.
Hours	10 am to 11 pm April to September, 10 am to 10:30 pm October to March. Tuesdays from 11 am.
How long to allow	About an hour.
Accessibility	A lift is available for visitors with reduced mobility, accompanied by staff.
Bags	No large bags, and no left-luggage.

Mistakes that cost you an hour

Queueing at the ticket office when you could have booked online in two minutes.
Trying to cross the roundabout instead of using the tunnel.
Turning up for sunset in July without a booking.
Bringing a suitcase on your way to or from the station.
Arriving on a ceremony morning and finding it closed.

Is skip-the-line worth paying extra for?

No. A timed ticket from the official site, or your Museum Pass, already skips the ticket office. Resellers sell the same thing for more. The only line left is security, and the way to shorten that is timing.

Check today's crowd level and hourly forecast for the Arc de Triomphe before you pick your slot.

FAQs

Do you need to book the Arc de Triomphe in advance?

It's not always required, but booking a timed ticket online lets you skip the ticket office queue, which can be long at peak times.

Is the Arc de Triomphe included in the Paris Museum Pass?

Yes. Download your pass before you go and head straight for the security check.

How many steps are there to the top of the Arc de Triomphe?

284. There's a lift for visitors with reduced mobility, accompanied by staff.

What is the best time to visit the Arc de Triomphe?

Opening time, or after about 6:30 pm. Sunset is the busiest. Check our live crowd tracker for your date.

How do you get to the Arc de Triomphe?

Heading to the Arc de Triomphe?

See how busy it is right now and the quietest hours for your date, then walk in when the line is short.

Check live crowds →

More Paris guides

All Paris guides →

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Sources

How we research: every guide is written by the BeatTheCrowd team from official sources and recent traveller reports, cross-checked against each other, and dated so you know how fresh it is. Last checked 20 October 2026. Prices and rules change, so always confirm on the official site before you book.