The real total: cheapest ticket vs what most visitors pay
The cheapest way up is €14.80, climbing 674 steps to the second floor. Most visitors want the summit by lift, at €36.70, and those who miss the official release often pay a reseller about €99 for the same summit access. The difference between a cheap and an expensive Eiffel Tower visit is mostly about booking early.
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Prices last checked: 2 November. Prices vary with the season, peak and off-peak dates and promotions, and we recheck them every month. Visitor-reported costs are marked as estimates, and US$ figures are rough conversions.
Ticket options: what each one gets you
Children under 4 are free, but still need a zero-euro ticket. Visitors with a disability and one companion pay a reduced rate, with proof.
The second floor
At about 115 m, the second floor is the best height for photos: close enough to pick out Notre-Dame, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe. Every ticket includes it, and the first floor too.
The crowd tax: why evenings cost more
Our crowd data shows the Eiffel Tower moderate through the day, and busy in the evening from about 8 pm to 10-11 pm, from 7 pm on Sundays. Saturday is busy from about 5 pm until late. Evening and sunset summit slots are also the first to sell out, so they're the hardest to get at the official price.
Crowds by day and time
From the typical weekly visitor pattern for the Eiffel Tower, based on Google’s popular-times data.
Quietest time
Wednesday, 9 am-12 pm
Which ticket is worth it?
- First visit, fit and on a budget: stairs to the 2nd floor, €14.80. The climb takes you through the structure, and the 2nd floor has the best photos.
- First visit, once in a lifetime: lift to the summit, €36.70, booked the day tickets are released.
- Best of both: stairs to the 2nd floor, then the summit lift, €28.00. It saves €8.70 over the full lift.
- Young adults 12-24: half price on every option, so the summit by lift is €18.40.
- Skip it: reseller summit tickets at about €99, unless it's your only chance.
Short on time? What you'd regret missing
- The view from the 2nd floor, the best for photos.
- The summit, if you've booked it.
- The glass floor on the 1st floor.
- The sparkle: the tower lights up for five minutes at the start of every hour after dark. Free from the ground.
- Trocadéro, for the classic view across the river.
Getting there
The nearest stations are Bir-Hakeim (metro line 6), Trocadéro (lines 6 and 9) and Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel (RER C). A regular metro fare covers it. Check which pillar your ticket uses: walking around the base the wrong way can cost 10-15 minutes.
Weather and visibility
The summit can close at short notice for strong wind, storms or ice, and for lift maintenance, usually in January and February. Visitors are then held at the 2nd floor, and summit tickets are generally not refunded once your visit has started. Stair access also closes earlier than the lifts, and can shut in bad weather.
Booking and security
- Lift tickets go on sale about 60 days ahead, and stairs tickets about 40 days ahead. From April to October, book the day your date opens.
- Summer summit slots can sell out within hours, and sunset slots go first.
- The on-site ticket queue can be well over an hour in summer. Any advance ticket skips it.
- No ticket skips security. Allow 10-20 minutes in season.
- Large bags and suitcases are refused, and there's no left luggage.
What can go wrong
- The summit sells out: book on release, or settle for the 2nd floor.
- The summit closes for wind: you're held at the 2nd floor.
- You arrive an hour early: staff may ask you to come back.
- You bring a suitcase: it won't be allowed in.
- You try to upgrade inside: you can't.
What one person really spends
Before metro fares and any drinks at the summit. A visitor aged 12-24 pays half.
🎟️ Included in the Paris Go City Pass and the Paris Go City Explorer Pass. Could a pass save you money? Compare Paris tourist passes →
FAQs
How much is an Eiffel Tower ticket?
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€14.80 by stairs to the 2nd floor, €23.50 by lift to the 2nd floor, €28.00 for stairs then the summit lift, and €36.70 by lift to the summit, for adults 25+. Ages 12-24 pay about half, ages 4-11 about a quarter, and under-4s are free.
Is the Eiffel Tower summit worth it?
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For a once-in-a-lifetime visit, yes. But many visitors say the 2nd floor has the better photo views.
When do Eiffel Tower tickets go on sale?
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About 60 days ahead for the lift, and about 40 days ahead for the stairs.
Can you climb the stairs to the top of the Eiffel Tower?
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Only to the 2nd floor. The summit is by lift only.
When is the Eiffel Tower least crowded?
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In our data, it's moderate through the day and busy from about 8 pm, and from about 5 pm on Saturdays. See .
Heading to the Eiffel Tower?
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 →Queues, ticket types and how to get in faster: skip-the-line guide to the Eiffel Tower →
What other Paris attractions really cost
Sources
How we research: every guide is written by the BeatTheCrowd team from official sources and recent traveller reports, cross-checked against each other. Crowd figures come from our own crowd data. Prices last checked 2 November. Prices and rules change, so always confirm on the official site before you book.
