Eiffel tower tickets and visit times

Keep trying. When I first tried, it said nothing available but I kept checking & finally got something. Most people like to go late afternoon/early evening I believe but to me it really doesn't matter. If the sun is shining, I will be happy. Not sure on the river tour though. We're doing the Museum Pass but not the Paris Pass. Happy travels!

We've researched and discussed this question previously. What we have found out is that the tickets and reservations times go on sale at 8:30am each morning in Paris 90 days out. That's 2:30am east coast time and 11:30am the night before on the west coast. Within minutes, the time slots become filled. Within 24 hours, most are gone. Still, you can walk up and stand in line for the ticket booth.

Larry is absolutely I correct. I ordered tickets at precisely 2:30 am EST 90 days out and got what I needed. I checked it again at 2:38 am and the day was sold out.

My understanding is that you can get the shortest ticket lines around 5:00 pm Paris time.

Thanks so much! Will try to be up by 2:30am and see if I get anything.

Sylvie, please report back on this thread how you did. This is good info.

Will do!! For now I am doing my due diligence reading about the Paris museum pass etc... Also getting all my sightseeing info and tickets for Italy too!!!

Happy planning!

We could not get any ticket online. But we walked up to the booth about 9pm and waited no more than 15min to get the tickets and another 5 to get on the elevator. I think there are two ticket lines, one at each base where the elevators leave. The North elevator did not go to the 1st level, only the 2nd (which is where you change to the elevator to the top). Tix to the top were 15 Euros each adult. Not included in the Paris Museum Pass. Keep in mind that it does not get dark in Paris until VERY late. Sunset was about 9:20pm on May 12th. It doesnt get truly dark until almost 10pm. The Eiffel Tower wasnt lit up when we went up, but it got dark while we were up there, and it was illuminated when we got back down.

We had the same experience last week. We left the Quai Branley Musum at 9:00 pm, strolled two blocks over to the ET and saw no line at all for the North Tower, second level. So up we went, no lines at all on a clear, chilly night after a day of rain. Evidently, several tour groups had canceled due to the earlier rain. We saw the city under both natural light and with the monuments lit later.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I think going at night will be the best for us. Will see how it goes in the middle of Summer.