Things to do in Paris

How to Skip the Lines at the Eiffel Tower – Your Guide to Bypassing the Long Queues

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It is impossible to think of Paris without thinking of the Eiffel Tower. Standing tall in the heart of Paris, the majestic iron-wrought tower is a cultural icon for the City of Love. People from around the world come to Paris just to see this beautiful monument.

As one of Europe’s biggest tourist attractions, the Eiffel Tower is visited by over 7 million people each year - that’s nearly 20,000 people a day! As you might expect, with such a large number of people visiting daily, the lines to enter can get quite long. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do eliminate tedious hours of waiting. From the best time to visit to how to get Eiffel Tower skip-the-line tickets, here’s your guide to making the most of your time with the Iron Lady.

Buying Eiffel Tower Skip the Line Tickets


Skip-the-line Eiffel Tower tickets not only save you time that would have been spent waiting in long lines, but also helps you save money (save up to 25% with Headout)! It also gives you access to the glass-walled elevator staright to the Eiffel Tower summit. It's the go-to purchase for those who want to explore the tower in their own pace.

Wait Times - What to Expect at Eiffel Tower


The Eiffel Tower is 324 metres high, and consists of three levels that are open to the public: the first level, second level, and the summit. The first and second levels are accessible via stairs or elevators from the ground level. The summit level is only accessible via elevators from the second level.

The wait can be as long as 2 hours

The line to buy Eiffel Tower tickets to enter the tower are incredibly long - in peak season, your wait can be as long as two hours. And once you’re on the second floor, the line to get to the summit is also quite long, with waiting times going up to 90 minutes. Thus, it’s important to save as much time as you can, which can be done by getting a eiffel tower skip-the-line tickets, which will let you skip the line to purchase tickets.

As the Eiffel Tower is an unmissable tourist attraction, lines are usually massive. You may get there early, but it is highly likely that most tourists will have done the same. The waiting time can be 30 minutes to an hour, but during peak tourist season, wait time can go up to three hours.

Climb 700 steps to the second floor and still wait for another 30-45 minutes.

While you can take the stairs to the second floor, you still have to wait in a line. However, the waiting time for this line is approximately 30 minutes, a far cry from the elevator line. The stairs aren’t very crowded, and you can climb at your own pace. The only downside to taking the stairs is that to get to the second level, you’ll need to climb over 700 steps!

4 Tried & Tested Ways To Skip The Lines at Eiffel Tower

Now that you know how long the lines to get tickets are, you also know how important it is to plan in advance. Here are four ways you can skip the ticket line and make your Eiffel experience a memorable one:

1. Book Eiffel Tower Tickets in Advance

Given that the Eiffel Tower is Paris’ most famous landmark, it is not a surprise that tickets sell out very quickly - sometimes months in advance! While you can buy tickets directly to the summit, it is also possible to get tickets to the second level. Once at the second level, you can decide whether or not you want to go to the summit. If you choose to go to the summit, it is possible to buy tickets in the second floor itself. And if you are late by more than 30 minutes, you lose your spot. If you decide to go and purchase tickets to the tower, you will have to wait in a long queue, and that can take up over an hour.

By booking in advance, after getting through security, you can skip the line to buy tickets, saving you a lot of time. This way, you can directly head to the tower, and soak in the beauty of Paris. The tickets that are booked in advance save your spot, so you can just head to the tower.

When entering the tower, you need to show a valid ticket, with the barcode. You can either print it out, or show it on your mobile phone, as long as it is compatible with barcode systems.

The entrances to the Eiffel Tower are at the ground floor, at the legs of the tower. To reach the tower through stairs, you have to enter through the south corner leg. Those going to the restaurant, Le Jules Verne, can access the tower through a separate entrance. Once you’ve passed security, you can show your tickets and enter the tower.

2. Take the Eiffel Tower Steps

You can choose to take the stairs to climb the Eiffel Tower as well. While it may take about 15 minutes to reach one level, it is a cheaper ticket and you won’t have to wait in a queue. There are 330 steps to the first level, and another 339 to the second, so if you do not mind climbing stairs, you can avoid the crowd. Climbing the stairs will also give you incredible views of the city you would have missed otherwise.

You can choose to book even these tickets in advance, so you can avoid the ticket line. Once you book this ticket and get to the second floor, you can decide whether or not you want to go to the summit. If you do, you can buy a ticket at the tower itself, right next to the elevator on the second level that goes to the summit.

This is a good option in case summit tickets are sold out for the day you want. You can pre-book your second floor tickets, and once you’re there, just buy the summit tickets from the tower, as summit tickets are offered when space is available.

If walking up the stairs isn’t your cup of tea, you can even take the elevator to the second level, and then walk down to the first level. The first level has a glass floor zone, which will make you feel like you are walking on air.

3. Have Lunch or Dinner at the Eiffel Tower

There are two dining outlets in the Eiffel Tower - 58 Tour Eiffel on the first level, and Le Jules Verne on the second floor (only dinner). If you choose to have a meal at either of these Eiffel Tower restaurants, you can enter the tower through a separate entrance, away from the crowd.

One of the best ways to make the most of your visit to the Eiffel Tower is to combine it with a meal. You can choose to have lunch or dinner at the tower, and then see the tower. Not only will you get to see the tower after your meal, you will have a meal with the best view the city can offer.

4. Eiffel Tower at Night

The waiting lines for the Eiffel Tower during the day are massive, especially during summer. With tourists and families thronging the lines, it’s easier to see the tower at night. The Eiffel Tower closes late in the night, so you can go later, and experience the City of Lights in all its glory.

Not just that, after sunset, the tower is lit up hour after hour for five minutes. The feeling of being on the tower at the time is indescribable. Moreover, as you leave the tower, you can look back and watch the tower come alive.

Nothing can match Paris’ picturesque view at night from the Eiffel Tower, as the city glitters at your feet.

For more tips on how to choose the best Eiffel Tower experience, check out our Ultimate Guide to Planning the Perfect Eiffel Tower Visit.

Eiffel Skip The Line Tickets vs Guided Tours - What to choose?


Depending on the experience you'd like, you can choose between Eiffel Tower Guided Tours or Skip The Line tickets. The good part about choosing a guided tour is that your tickets by default allow you to skip the line. You also get to explore the Eiffel Tower in the company of a knowledgeable local guide who knows the ins and outs of the Tower.

There are a bunch of combo guided tours worth the bang for your buck too. For example, grabbing a Seine River Cruise + Eiffel Tower Guided Tour combo is much cheaper than buying the two tickets individually. One of our favourite (read popular) combos is the Eiffel 2nd Floor Guided Tour + Versailles Skip-the-Line Tickets - a real steal deal for just €60!.

That said, if you're on a budget and like exploring at your own pace, a Skip The Line ticket is a great buy. It saves you time, worth the extra few bucks to skip the queues that also save you a lot of time and allows you to soak in the panaromas of Paris at your pace.

Eiffel Tower Skip the Line Reviews


I am so glad I booked a Skip-The-Line ticket to Eiffel Tower. The queues outside were dizzyingly long and the Paris heat was dizzyingly hot too! We got to skip both thankfully
Skip the line tickets at Eiffel tower are worth your money. Go for it! 

Handy Tips


  • Cloud cover and fog can completely obscure your views from the Eiffel Tower and can be an absolute bummer. Make sure to check the weather forecast before booking your tickets.
  • Depending on your ticket, Eiffel Tower has multiple entrances you'll be ushered in from. Make your way to the right entrance to avoid standing in wrong queue.
  • If you're grabbing the Skip the Line Eiffel Tower ticket, download the Eiffel Tower app that allows you to be your own tour guide. It has an hour-long audio tour with 30 themed chapters, covering everything from the history of the Eiffel Tower to the Secret Eiffel Tower Apartment and more.
  • For the best selfies of the Eiffel Tower, arrive/depart at/from the Trocadéro or Bir-Hakeim stations. If you're not interested in taking pictures of the Eiffel, Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel is the closest station. Check out out guide on the best views of Eiffel Tower for more cool places to capture the best pictures.
  • Gather some knowledge of the history of the Eiffel Tower before you make your visit to know the how and why of this tower.

Eiffel Tower Location & Opening Hours


Opening Hours

Site timings: 9.30 AM - 11:00 PM
The last departure slot is at 9 pm
Stair access timings: 9.30 AM - 18:00 PM
Elevator Opening Hours: 9.30 AM - 11:00 PM

DIRECTIONS

Metro: Lines 6 and 9.

RER Train: Get off at the Champs de Mars station.

Bus: 42, 69, 82, and 87.

You could also get to the Tower by using any of the Batobus boats.

eiffel tower entrances
Entrances Guide

Know all about the Eiffel Tower Entrances

Eiffel Tower has 5 entrances. Now all about each of the entrances and which entrance you should take to save most time.

Best Time to Visit Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower is busiest time from mid-July to late-August and the quietest times are weekdays during the winter. If you're ready to brave the Paris winters, there's no better time to visit the Eiffel Tower than November to February. Weekends are for obvious reasons more crowded, so opt for a weekday visit to avoid brushing shoulders with tourists.

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