London Eye ticket prices compared
The London Eye is run by Merlin Entertainments, and its tickets page shows "from" prices online and fixed walk-up prices at the ticket office (checked 9 October 2026). The online figure is the lowest available; the operator says online prices "vary depending on available capacity" and rise as the date approaches in busy periods.
| Ticket | Online from | Walk-up | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard, adult (16+) | £29 | £39 | Timed slot, standard queue (Entrance A) |
| Standard, child (2-15) | £26 | £35 | Timed slot, standard queue |
| Child under 2 | Free | Free | Must be booked |
| Fast Track (timed) | Price shown at booking | Not listed | Timed slot, Fast Track entrance (F) |
| Flexi Fast Track, adult | £49 | £54 | Any time on the chosen date, Fast Track entrance |
| Champagne Experience | £49 | £59 | Fast Track entry plus a glass of champagne |
The operator's general admission page says booking online saves "up to 26%". It sells timed Fast Track as an upgrade within the Standard booking. Neither page gives it a separate "from" price, so compare it on the booking screen for your date.
What a family pays at the lowest online prices: two adults and two children aged 2–15 pay from £110 on Standard tickets, against £148 at walk-up prices. Two adults on Flexi Fast Track pay from £98 online or £108 on the day. There is no senior rate, and everyone aged 16 and over pays the adult price; the deals page does offer student tickets from £18 through Student Beans.
Standard, Fast Track or Flexi: which to buy
The difference is the queue and the time commitment, not the ride. Every ticket gets the same rotation of about 30 minutes in a shared pod of up to 25 people.
The operator's FAQ gives queue estimates for a quiet day: around 20–30 minutes on Standard and 5–10 minutes on Fast Track, rising to an hour or more at peak times (checked 9 October 2026). The time on your ticket is when you join the queue, not when you board. The opening hours page puts the peak wait at up to 45 minutes from that time.
- Standard suits a weekday visit outside school holidays, a flexible traveller, and anyone on a budget. Book early or late in the day, which the operator names as the quietest times.
- Timed Fast Track suits a weekend or school-holiday visit when you can commit to a slot but not to an hour in the queue.
- Flexi Fast Track suits a day with an uncertain schedule, such as after a morning at Westminster Abbey across the river, when you do not know exactly when you will be free. Its online from-price is £20 above Standard's (£49 against £29 per adult).
- Champagne Experience includes Fast Track entry, and from £49 it costs the same as Flexi Fast Track online. Choose it if a timed slot is fine and you want the drink.
Opening hours and closures
The London Eye's hours change by day and season. The opening hours page showed 11am–6pm on Thursday 8 October 2026 and 10am–8:30pm on Friday 9 October 2026 (checked 9 October 2026). It says hours are generally 10am–8:30pm at weekends, in school and public holidays, and from May to September. Entry typically stops 30–45 minutes before closing.
The Eye is closed on Christmas Day and for annual maintenance in January. The two operator pages describe that closure differently: the hours page says it is closed "throughout January", while the FAQ says it "normally closes for a few days". If you are visiting in January, check the hours page for your exact dates before booking anything else around it.
Arrival, timeslots and bags
The arrival page sends Standard ticket holders to Entrance A and Fast Track holders to Entrance F. You cannot join the queue before your booked time, and the FAQ allows a 15-minute grace period if you are late. Everyone goes through a security check before boarding.
The security page lists what you cannot take on board, including large bags, suitcases or rucksacks, alcohol (except on VIP experiences), drones, scooters and tripods. Small bags and backpacks, cameras and water are fine. Pushchairs must be folded before you join the boarding queue. Waterloo is the closest station, about 5 minutes' walk away.
Wheelchair users should book a wheelchair time slot in advance. The FAQ says each pod takes a maximum of two wheelchair users, and the wheel eight at any one time. A free carer ticket comes with at least one full-price ticket booked online.
Changes, bad days and refunds
All tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Under the booking guarantee, standard and multi-attraction tickets bought on the official site can be rescheduled free up to 1 hour before arrival. You can do this up to three times, to a comparable date within 7 days. It covers attraction closures, changed plans and circumstances that stop you visiting. The operator's general terms still mention a £10 administration fee for date changes; the booking guarantee page is the more specific and says changes through the booking portal cost nothing. The Flexi Fast Track ticket page also offers free rescheduling.
The operator's terms let it close all or part of the attraction, for safety reasons or otherwise, without notice. If the Eye itself closes and your ride is cancelled, it refunds the prepaid ticket but not travel or other costs. The operator pages do not set a weather rule, so on a grey or windy day the practical choice is to move your slot rather than lose the view.
Multi-attraction tickets, such as the London Eye with Madame Tussauds from £49 or with a River Cruise from £49, are valid for 7 days from the first visit, and each attraction needs its own free timeslot booking.
The Eye sits on the river walk between Westminster and the South Bank. For another paid sight on the same trip, compare Tower of London tickets; for getting around in between, see Tube and bus fares on a bank card.