Online Purchase of Eiffel Tower tickets

This is alas the way it works. The tickets are literally gone in minutes. I suspect that tour companies are allowed to gobble them up in blocks or have some automated computer program that does so. So your option is to go stand in line.

It is of course possible given that this is high season that there are actual tourists on 6 continents poised to strike when they go on sale; Paris is probably the most touristed city in the world and the Eiffel Tower its most sought after attraction.

FWIW the opera tickets are the same way although I usually succeed if I get up in the middle of the night when they go on sale, but the least expensive tickets are always gone before I get to the head of the line for purchase.

Did you try to get tickets to 2nd floor only? That was what we did since we couldn't get tickets to the top. You can then buy tickets to the top when you are there. Hopefully they are still available so you can at least get tickets for the senior and children in your group, and the adults can take the stairs.

I work in the office at Rick Steves' and this comes up all the time. What we have found is that they release tickets last minute and it typically works to wait until you are in Paris and buy them the same week you want to go up to the top. People give up reservations and tour groups release reservations and spots become available a day or two out. I know its a gamble with a group but it typically works to wait. You can also go to the tower when you are in Paris to try to get a reservation. Besides that the only other option is to take the stairs-there is never a line, book an expensive tour or make a reservation in the restaurant. The later two are both expensive. Hope this makes sense.

Has anyone ever gotten a ticket for a day other than that day at the tower? I have been told that this is not possible that only day of tickets are sold on site. There are however tickets randomly released here and there at the last minute. Certainly worth trying but getting 5 seems unlikely.

Thank you all for your responses and guidance. If I get tickets to the 2nd floor can I purchase tickets to the summit as an add on ? Also is there timeframes for additional ticket release ie 60 days before or 30 days before or is it random. Appreciate it.

Depending on the ages of the kids (and spritelyness of the senior) you can send them with an adult up the stairs or all do the stairs. My daughter and I did it twice when she was 4 1/2 and again when she was 5. She insists that we must do this on every trip to Paris. I recall being able to buy tickets to the top when buying tickets for the stairs (booth on west side between the two western legs). Also a booth on level 2 selling tickets to the top but sometimes not open. Happily, in the mornings and evenings, no lines to buy tickets and 15 minutes at most for security

Luckily, we did the climb early in the trip because on the day we had reservations - insisted upon by a friend we met up with - the elevators to the top were broken all day! But there were men banging on various metal bits with hammers, so I'm sure it got sorted out before long.

Tours don't have to be expensive and will include going to the top. They have the tickets already which is why it is hard to get them. http://paris.easypasstours.com/specials/eiffel-tower-tour can get you in and to the top with no trouble.