Lift to the Summit
The one to book. Take the last slot before sunset and come down after dark.
€38/ person
Check availability GetYourGuide
Is Eiffel Tower worth booking?
94 SCORE
Yes, book it. Book ASAP
Booking opens around 60 days ahead and the good slots go in the first week. Sunset lift tickets in July are gone almost immediately. Book it the day your dates are fixed.
Quick facts
- BOOK AHEAD?
- Yes — required
- Timed entry only
- SELL-OUT RISK
- High
- Days ahead in season
- BOOKING WINDOW
- 3–6 weeks
- 8–9 weeks in peak season
- TYPICAL PRICE
- €15–€89
- Monument
- TIME NEEDED
- 2–3 hours
- Late afternoon
- AT THE DOOR?
- Sometimes
- Off-peak only
Best for
- First-time visitors, obviously, and the summit is the part worth paying for
- Anyone who can take a late-afternoon slot and stay for the hourly sparkle
- People with mild stair enthusiasm: 674 steps to the second floor and a shorter queue
- Couples who want the one very expensive drink at 276 metres
Skip if
- You are afraid of heights. The second floor is fine, the summit is a cage in the wind
- Your slot is midday in August and you have anything else you could do instead
- You want the postcard photo, which means being at Trocadéro rather than on the tower
- You need step-free access to the top. Lifts reach the second floor only
THE BIG QUESTION
Guided tour or solo visit?
We compared both, factor by factor.
FACTOR Solo visit · €15 Our pick Guided tour · €89
Price Solo visit € — ticket only Guided tour €€€ — full package
Flexibility Solo visit High — your own pace Guided tour Low — fixed schedule
Historical context Solo visit Low — you are on your own Guided tour Medium — signage or audio guide
Ease of entry Solo visit Medium — you manage the slot Guided tour High — entry handled for you
Best for Solo visit Independent travellers Guided tour Travellers short on time
Our pick
Go solo. A pre-booked summit lift ticket does everything a tour does, for half the money, and there is no interpretation problem to solve: it is a tower, you go up it. Guided versions are worth it in exactly one case, which is when the official site has sold out and the operator still holds allocation. That is a supply hack, not a better experience.
See the tour →Frequently asked
Do I need to book the Eiffel Tower in advance?
Yes, if you want the lift and a specific time. Tickets go on sale roughly 60 days ahead and evening summit slots for June to September sell out within days of release.
How far ahead should I book the Eiffel Tower?
Three to six weeks off-season, eight to nine in summer. Set a reminder for the day booking opens if you want sunset.
Can you buy Eiffel Tower tickets at the door?
Sometimes, and mostly for the stairs. There is an on-site window with same-day stock, but in high season the queue for it is an hour and the answer is often no.
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