Eiffel Tower Tickets: Lift, Stairs or Summit Prices

Eiffel Tower ticket prices by level

The tower is run by the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE). Its rates and opening times page lists four individual tickets and four age bands (checked 9 October 2026).

Reduced rates need proof of age. The disability rate equals the child rate in each row and covers the holder of a nominative disability card plus one companion. Children under 4 go free but still need a free ticket, and adults with them pay the adult rate.

The page shows no validity date for these prices, and its page metadata still quotes an older price range, so use the table on the ticket site at the moment you pay.

Lift, stairs or summit: which ticket fits

Summit by lift is the only ticket that covers everything. The operator's FAQ confirms a summit ticket includes the 1st floor, 2nd floor and top. You change lifts on the 2nd floor, where tickets are scanned again, which can mean a short wait.

2nd floor by lift suits visitors who want the classic view without the extra cost or the queue for the summit lift. The operator's practical guide suggests the 2nd floor for anyone with a fear of heights.

2nd floor by stairs is the cheapest option and often the easiest to get at short notice. The operator's FAQs give 10 to 20 minutes of climbing per level. They also say the stairs ticket is time-stamped and valid only to the 2nd floor.

Stairs then lift to the summit saves €8.70 per adult compared with the full lift ticket. The operator's stairs FAQ says this combination is mainly sold at the ticket offices for immediate use, with only "very small quantities" online.

For a family of two adults, a 13-year-old and an 8-year-old, the totals at the checked rates are:

The operator says the summit and the stairways are not suitable for people with limited mobility, and its FAQ adds that disabled visitors are not allowed to the top for safety reasons. If that applies to anyone in your group, the 2nd floor by lift is the ticket to plan around.

How far ahead to book, and what you cannot change

Online tickets are sold on the operator's ticket site with a chosen date and time slot. The FAQ on sold-out dates recommends booking as early as possible, up to two months ahead, and the stairs FAQ says sales open 60 days in advance.

Treat the slot as final. Once payment is confirmed, the date and time cannot be changed, and the operator's FAQ on cancellation says tickets cannot be exchanged, modified or reimbursed. You also cannot upgrade a 2nd-floor ticket to the summit on the day.

Buying tickets on the day

Summit tickets are sold online and on site at the same official rates; only the combination packages, such as summit-plus-champagne, are online only. When online lift tickets are gone, the operator says you can still try the ticket office on the day at the individual rate, depending on attendance.

The ticket offices close before the tower does. According to the ticket office FAQ, lift-to-summit sales stop around 1 hour 45 minutes before closing and stairs sales can stop up to 45 minutes before the stairs close. The operator advises arriving at least two hours before closing, and notes these cut-offs may change at peak times.

For 8 to 13 October 2026 the rates page shows the tower open 09:30 to 23:00 every day, with last ascents at 22:45, and says hours may change without notice. The sold-out FAQ adds that the stairs may close at 18:00 during certain periods, so a late-evening plan should be a lift plan.

How long to allow

The operator's visit-length FAQ recommends at least 1½ hours for the 1st and 2nd floors and about 2½ hours if you also go to the top, where a lift change on the 2nd floor can mean a short wait. Allow extra time for the two security checks before you reach a pillar. Book your slot with that in mind if you have a dinner reservation or a train afterwards.

Security, bags and what is refused

There are two security checks: one at the entrance to the site and a second before the pillar with the lift or stairs. Under the national Vigipirate plan, the practical guide says:

• large luggage is refused, and a luggage sizer at the entrance shows the maximum size;
• there are no lockers, storage or cloakrooms in or near the tower;
• small knives, including Swiss army knives, are refused and staff cannot store them;
• only folding strollers are accepted, and scooters and bicycles are not.

Store bags before you come. Our guide to luggage storage near the Paris stations covers the options, and scams around the Paris monuments explains the scam and pickpocketing patterns reported around the tower. If you are pairing the tower with a museum day, our guide to Louvre ticket prices and time slots covers the next booking decision.