I am planning on visiting the Eiffel Tower in the early evening to avoid lines, but understand that in July, there are always lines. I do not want to waste hours waiting, so what is the quickest way to get in and out. I wait in line to get my ticket and then up the stairs to the second level. Are there lines for the stairs or only the elevator. Going up the the top level isn't a must do.
Thanks
We found a line for the stairs, but it was very short---like 5 minutes. This was in the evening, but in April, not July. The line for the elevator was VERY long.
Warren ,, if you can't get online tickets, then the next best step is to arrive 20-30 minutes before opening.
I have also taken the stairs, the line is a different one ( the "Sud Pilar" I recall) and is always shorter then the elevator one,, I waited 20 minutes instead of 1.5 hrs when I took the steps. They are not that bad either.
There really are always lines. We went last May. We waited until early on a weekday when there were virtually no lines at the base of the tower. We got right onto the first elevator... but when it let out on the first level we still waited in line for over 2 hours to go up to the very top level!
My advice would be to just only go to the first level of the tower. There are better views of the city elsewhere, like Sacre Coeur, etc. Who wants to spend precious time in Paris waiting in a line?
I was just about to post a very similar question, the main difference is I will be in Paris the end of May.
I have read a lot of different threads on this board about it, the R.S. book and more, but am still a bit confused. Maybe I am on travel info overload, but please someone simplify it for me :)
It looks like the tower opens at 9:30 so if I get there at 9:00 will we have a "short wait" (probably)?
And are the lines just for the elevator? Unlike the OP I really want to get to the top, so can we get there early and huff it up the first two levels and then wait in line for the elevator for the final one?
Should I buy my tix online?
Confused!
We were there last August - not July, but close. It was a sea of people when we got to the base of the tower. But the line for tix to the stairs was moving and we waited maybe ten minutes. The stairs to the first level take maybe 15 minutes - tops. I would warn you tho, that you can see through the stairs to the ground as you are walking up and while I don't normally mind heights it made my legs kind of shaky. You are basically in a stairwell with a mesh around it. Just my two cents. The time before this trip we took the elevator to the first level. Cool view.
So I understand correctly, there is a seperate line to get tickets for the stairs and one for the elevator, and after you get the ticket, there would be another line to actually get to stairs?
Warren
There is a separate line to get tickets for the stairs, but no line to go up the stairs once you have your ticket. At least there wasn't when we were there.
It's a nice walk up. We took some fantastic photos on the way, walking up at night with the lights.
LINE 1: There's a line to buy tickets. A separate entrance (no line when I was there) for those with advanced tickets. This line was almost an hour long for us.
LINE 2: Then you go inside and stand in line for the elevator. The stairs were closed when I was there recently. I don't know how often this happens. This was a short line.
LINE 3: That elevator to another level (not sure which level we were on, but mid-way up). Then you get in line for the elevator to the top. This was a very long line (45 min?)
LINE 4: At the top, you stand in another long line to get down. (maybe more like 20 min)
I was there on a Saturday evening in February. Saturday night is probably a busy night but February isn't high season. If I did it again I'd walk up to the mid-way level and avoid the elevators and lines! Of course, it was all worth it but it still would have been great if we didn't get all the way to the top.
I'm no expert on ET traffic and your experience may vary, but that's the line breakdown.
After you buy your ticket for the stairs, you just walk a few feet from the ticket booth, give the ticket taker your ticket, and start climbing. My experience was also that the line for stairs tickets is much shorter than for the elevators.
thanks everyone!
My itinerary is so tight that I have every minute planned, so this helps a bunch.
:)
