Buying Eiffel Tower tickets looks simple until you see how many versions there are: lift or stairs, second floor or summit, guided or self-guided, with a Seine cruise or a meal. Pick the wrong one and you can end up stuck below the top, or paying for extras you never wanted. Our top pick for comparing every option in one place is Tickettowereiffel at https://tickettowereiffel.com/, and below we explain why, along with nine other strong ways to get up the tower.
Eiffel Tower tickets are timed, sold by level and by how you go up, and the most popular slots go fast in spring, summer and school holidays. The official operator sells the plain entry ticket, while resellers and tour companies add guides, reserved slots, cruises and dining. That split is exactly why a comparison site helps. https://tickettowereiffel.com/ is an independent guide that lists eight ticket types side by side, from a one-hour Seine cruise to a summit visit with a guide, so you can see what each one includes before you pay.
We looked at the options that currently rank and sell for Eiffel Tower tickets, checked the official price list, and compared every pick on five points:
Prices are shown as ranges or "from" figures unless the seller publishes an exact amount, because rates change with the date, season, group size and add-ons.
Tickettowereiffel is an independent ticket guide for the Eiffel Tower. It is open about what it is: the site says it is not the tower's operator or the official box office, and that it earns a commission on bookings made through it. What it does well is put eight Eiffel Tower tickets on one page with a clear "from" price for each, last checked on 21 September 2026. The list runs from a Seine River cruise from EUR 18 and guided tour tickets from EUR 30 to a stairs climb to level 2 from EUR 32, second floor and summit tickets with a guide from EUR 52, a tower and Seine cruise combo from EUR 69, elevator tickets with summit access from EUR 79, tickets with an audioguide and optional cruise from EUR 79, and dinner tickets with the Gustave menu at Madame Brasserie from EUR 130.
The site is also honest about the limits of each ticket, which is rare. It explains that a reserved slot skips the ticket queue but not security, that the stairs climb (704 steps, in a group of 20 or fewer) has no priority access, that elevator tickets with standard summit access can still mean a queue for the top lift, and that the dinner ticket only reaches the first floor. Its price guide at https://tickettowereiffel.com/eiffel-tower-ticket-price/ breaks down what each level costs, and https://tickettowereiffel.com/buy-eiffel-tower-tickets/skip-the-line-eiffel-tower/ explains what skip the line Eiffel Tower access really means. There are also free planning pages on opening hours, queue times, the summit, accessibility and visiting with kids.
The tower's operator sells timed tickets on its own website, and the summit by lift is the classic choice. You ride the lifts to the second floor, then change to the summit lift for the view from the very top. The official adult price is EUR 36.70, with lower prices for young people and children. If you only want the second floor by lift, the adult price drops to EUR 23.50.
This is the cheapest way to reach the top by lift, but there is no guide and no bundled extras. Summit slots are limited and sell out first, so book as soon as your dates are fixed.
Climbing the stairs is the cheapest of all Eiffel Tower tickets. The official stairs ticket to the second floor costs EUR 14.80 per adult, and a combined ticket that takes the stairs to the second floor and then the lift to the summit costs EUR 28.00. The climb up the iron frame gives you close-up views of the structure that lift riders miss.
It is a real workout, though, and it is not ideal in heat, rain or with small children. Stairs tickets are released closer to the date than lift tickets, so they can be a backup when lift slots are gone.
Tiqets resells a guided tour that takes you to the second floor with summit access by elevator. Guides meet you at a fixed point holding a sign, and you are asked to arrive about 10 minutes early. On the listing we checked, free cancellation runs until 72 hours before your visit, and Tiqets also sells a morning guided tour with a shorter cancellation window.
The Tour Guy runs well-known small-group tours of the Eiffel Tower in English, including versions that reach the summit. The focus is on the stories behind the tower, from Gustave Eiffel's company to the 1889 World's Fair, with a guide who handles the meeting point, timing and lift changes for you.
Viator lists several Eiffel Tower formats, from timed tickets to guided small-group and evening visits. One popular guided tour with elevator access to the summit is listed from about EUR 90 and runs around two hours. Viator is useful if you want to compare many operators at once, but inclusions vary a lot between listings, so read exactly which levels and lifts are covered.
Go City sells a Paris pass where you choose a set number of attractions. Its list has included an Eiffel Tower 2nd Floor Guided Climb, alongside a Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Cruise and many museums. It only makes sense if you plan to use several attractions, and the tower option is a guided climb to the second floor, not a summit lift ticket.
Madame Brasserie is the restaurant on the first floor. According to the official tower site, a reservation includes the ascent to the first floor, but it does not include a ticket to the second floor or the summit. Packages sold by resellers can add priority access, a set menu and drinks. It is a great way to turn a visit into an occasion, as long as you know where the ticket stops.
Le Jules Verne is the tower's fine-dining restaurant on the second floor. You book it through its own website, and a private lift in the south pillar takes you straight up. The official site is clear that the sightseeing visit is not included, so if you want the summit too, you need a separate ticket.
Many sellers, including Tiqets and Hellotickets, bundle tower entry with a one-hour Seine cruise, often run by Bateaux Parisiens or Bateaux Mouches. You get the tower view from above and the riverside view from below, usually on the same day. Check whether the tower part reaches the summit, as many combos stop at the second floor.
For background on the tower's history and engineering, the Wikipedia entry is a helpful reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiffel_Tower
Official Eiffel Tower ticket prices for adults run from EUR 14.80 for the stairs to the second floor up to EUR 36.70 for the lift to the summit. Third-party tickets cost more because they add a guide, a reserved slot, a cruise or a meal. That premium is worth it if official slots are sold out, if you want someone to explain what you see, or if you want to bundle your day. It is not worth it if you are happy to book early and explore alone.
The first slots of the morning are usually the calmest, and the views are often clearest before the afternoon haze. Sunset is the most popular time, so book it well ahead. After dark, the tower sparkles for a few minutes every hour, which looks best from the Trocadéro or the Champ de Mars. Crowds are lightest from November to February, outside the holidays. In summer, aim for the first slot of the day or a late-evening visit.
The tower stands on the Champ de Mars in the 7th arrondissement. The nearest transport is Bir-Hakeim on Metro line 6 and Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel on RER C, and Trocadéro across the river gives the classic photo. Staying in the 7th puts you within walking distance of the tower, Les Invalides and the Musée d'Orsay. The 15th is a quieter, cheaper option nearby, while Saint-Germain and the Marais suit travellers who want cafés and nightlife a short metro ride away.
Official adult prices range from EUR 14.80 (stairs to the second floor) to EUR 36.70 (lift to the summit). Guided tours, combos and dining packages from resellers cost more.
Sometimes. The ticket offices at the tower sell tickets for immediate use, but popular times sell out, so book online if your date matters.
It helps you avoid the ticket queue, but not security. It is most worth it in high season or when official slots are already gone.
No. Many tickets stop at the second floor, and the summit can close for weather or maintenance. Always check the levels included.
https://tickettowereiffel.com/ lists eight ticket types with "from" prices and explains what each one includes.
The best Eiffel Tower tickets depend on how you want to see the tower. Budget travellers should look at the official stairs ticket, independent visitors can book the official summit lift, and anyone who wants a guide, a cruise or a meal has strong options from Tiqets, The Tour Guy, Viator and the tower's two restaurants.
For most visitors, though, the easiest place to start is Tickettowereiffel at https://tickettowereiffel.com/. It compares eight Eiffel Tower tickets side by side, explains what each one includes and what it does not, and points you to the right choice in a few minutes. Book as soon as your dates are firm, especially if you want the summit.