We will be visiting Paris in late October (October 21, 2010) and would like to ride the elevator up the Eiffel tower at sunset. The sun will set at 18:50 that day and we were wondering the following things: How long of wait will be in line to ride the elevator? How long does it normally take to get to the top (level 3) in October once you are in the elevator? Should we buy tickets on line and if so will there still be a waiting time to get into the elevator? Can we walk up to the 2nd level and then buy tickets online to take us the 3rd level and then back down? How long does it take to walk from the 1st level to 2nd level? Would it be better to time it so we got to the top at sunset (16:50) and if so what time should we book the tickets online at to leave the ground level at? Thanks in advance for your time!
Posted by
Troy, Oh, USA
2804 posts
It didn't take long for us to get to the top and both times (I can't really remember but I'm thinking about 20 minutes or less) we were there in June. I haven't been there in October but I wouldn't think it would take a long time. There are 1665 steps to the top. I'm sure there will be someone who will be of more help. We always bought one ticket at the bottom to go up to the top...I just checked prices on the Eiffel Tower website.... FROM MARCH 27, 2010 TO MARCH 31, 2011 Adults~Elevator entrance tickets..to the top floor 13.10¢~Youths 13-24.....8.10¢~~~~~~ I'm not sure that you can get tickets on the 2nd level, if you buy them on line then you can go straight to the line for people who have tickets.~~~~I looked at the website and it didn't say anything about buying tickets on the 2nd floor....but it did say~Article 4 : When visiting several floors, visitors are expected to begin on the highest floor and make their way down. People holding tickets for the top floor will change elevators on the 2nd floor.
Posted by
Honolulu/Seattle, HI/WA, USA
2787 posts
I last visited the Eiffel Tower in May 2009. We were only allowed to purchase tickets up to the 2nd level at the ground level ticket office. We were told that if we wanted to go to the top we would have to purchase another ticket up on the 2nd level which we did. We did however have to wait maybe 20 minutes for the ticket office on the 2nd level to open up. When I asked if this was the normal way of getting to the top, I was told that this was a way of controlling the crowd up on the top. It was certainly worth it of us to get up to the top.
Posted by
Kelowna, BC, Canada
451 posts
We were there in July. Arrived after 8:00 PM and the ticket line for the stairs was about 20 minutes. The elevator line was about double that. The message board kept flashing that the elevator to the top was closed because of too many people. Once we got up to the 2nd level, we noticed a long line up for the top, hence the reason for the message. We we got back down 1-1/2 later the lines were about the same.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Tickets are sold only at the bottom. The trouble with buying early is that the weather might have turned to worms at your time slot. Go at night, a couple of hours before closeing, lines are shorter and the view is better.