If not, would you still be subjected to the long ticket buying lines just to go up the stairs (not the lifts).
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
No.. the line for stairs is never too bad, one summer afternoon the line for the elevators went well beyond a sign that said "wait from here 1.5 hours" .. so we went in stairs line and waited about 20 minutes.
The line for stairs is at base of the Sud Pilar( south foot).. not same place as lines for elevators.
Posted by
Vancouver, BC
292 posts
Check the website but I think there are no advance tickets for the stairs. The advance tickets for elevators include a time reservation which is not needed or possible for the stairs. It would require additional staff to check reservation times and would involve another line to manage. You buy your ticket, walk 25 metres to the south pillar, wait a short time, if at all, for the security check, then run up the stairs. If you think you will want to go to the top, buy your level 2 to summit tickets at the stairs ticket booth. The ticket machines on level 2 may not be working and the level 2 ticket booth is sometimes closed.
The elevators are contained in one of each of three pillars (feet/legs) of the tower. Not all are in operation on a given day. One is often for reservations, one may be for walk ups, one may be offline. The stairs are in the other (south) pillar. The lines for each pillar are separate, each has it's own ticket booth (other than the pre-reserved pilar) and each includes airport-style security. The minimal wait at the south pillar is for the security check.
When I've been there has been no line/5minutes wait to buy a ticket for the stairs and no wait/15 minutes for security.
Posted by
OP
Pico Rivera, CA
594 posts
I've done the stair climb several times before and seem to forget there is a separate line for buying those tickets haha. Now for the follow up: what's the typical wait time for the summit? Let's say I get there in the afternoon (4-6 pm).
Posted by
Vancouver, BC
292 posts
Hard to say. I expect it's less crowded than mid-morning. There must be an all-the-tourists-are-eating-dinner sweet spot between 5 and 7 pm but who knows. : )
It would be nice if they updated the website with "current conditions" so everyone could check their smartphones before lining up on the ground and govern themselves accordingly!