Eiffel Tower tickets - Rick Steves Travel Forum (2024)

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Posted bydonnellyjen74on

I have heard that to secure tickets to the Eiffel Tower tickets gone on sale 60 days in advance of a given date at midnight Paris time. We are going to be in Paris June 18, 19, & 20th so could visit the tower any of those days.

On the website it says " tickets On Sale for Summer 2024 including JOP
Exceptionally, tickets for visits from June 17 will go on sale later (instead of going on sale on D-60).
No tickets for this summer (JOP period included) are currently on sale, do not buy from sites offering such offers.
Visit our site regularly
*

Does this mean that tickets for dates we could go are NOT going to go on sale 60 days before? I'm assuming that is what D-60 means, am I wrong? What is the JOP period? While my husband and I have visited the Eiffel Tower before and would be okay to skip it, it's a must visit for our daughter. I'm just trying to figure out when we need to attempt securing tickets so I get the correct dates on the calendar!

Posted byavmorris1

12 posts

I don't have a reply but another question on this topic. I tried booking online 60 days in advance for tickets for June 5th and they were already sold out. I've been told that it's ok to just show up and if willing to walk the first two floors (less wait times than the elevator) then we get the lift to the top anyway. Any comments or advice?
Thank you.

Posted byavirosemail

northern CA

2515 posts

Check the Olympics schedule -- I have not looked at the website but my guess would be that JOP is referring the Olympic Games Period.

It's a crazy way to spend your time to stand in that winding line to maybe get a walk-up ticket.
If you really really have to 'do' Madame Eiffel, my suggestion is that you make a dining reservation and arrive early enough to catch the sunset before your dinner seating.

Posted byJudy

Long Beach, Ca, usa

743 posts

JOP = Jeux Olympiques Paris

Posted bydonnellyjen74OP

144 posts

The only one in the family that Eiffel is a must do is my daughter. My son is afraid of heights so he is fine to just see it from on the street so to speak.

In 2001 my husband visited and got stuck on the elevator going down for 45 minutes. We had only descended a couple floors at the time. Our elevator was pretty packed and people started crying (this was shortly after 9/11 and while we were stuck we heard tons of sirens so people were assuming something horrible was going to happen). The Eiffel staff member working the elevator who was with us when a fellow elevator passenger asked how often this happens replied she had been working there over 10 years and this was a first. Needless to say my husband has no desire either to go up or down the tower a second time! So it will just be my daughter and I I guess I will figure out the online buying for the 60 days out just in case.

Posted byfrekotw

27 posts

Went to the Eifel Tower on Sat. March 30, which was the day before Easter. Probably one of the worst times to visit, thought I expect it will be even worse around the Olympics. I tried to get tickets when they dropped 60 days in advance, but the only tickets available were late at night, the last couple of entry times. I suspect most tickets are reserved for tour operators and day-of sales. We decided to purchase from a tour group, but I failed to purchase "skip-the-line" tickets. The tickets were also non-refundable. We got through security faster being part of a group, but we still waited in line fir 2+ hours for entry. They can only allow so many people on the tower at one time. By the time we got on the tower, it was already dark (we got there around 5). The tour guide was also very hard to find. I recommend you get the tickets yourself, even if it's a late entry, because it took forever anyway, or carefully choose a skip-the-line tour operator. Make sure you can contact the tour operator by phone if you're having trouble finding the guide, and look for refundable tickets. I would also consider not going to the Eifel Tower at a peak travel time like the Olympics, and visiting the Eifel Tower another time. If I could do it over, I would have had an early dinner, and then visited the Eifel Tower. We would have had time to rest up before that standing in that long line! Perhaps someone else knows when they stop allowing people in so you can make the cut-off.

Posted bydonnellyjen74OP

144 posts

Thanks good information!

Posted byjuleswrite

4 posts

DonnellyJen! I also am going to be in Paris for the first, and likely only, same exact time frame. The website concern for me is that it says as you say about the JOP/less than 60 days, and also that any tickets purchased for June 17th onward from a 3rd party vendor (such as Viator, Expedia, etc. who are still promoting by the way) WILL NOT BE HONORED. I've been reading forums and 'testing' logging in/trying to secure tickets. As an example just pretended to want tickets for June 12th. Not within the June 17th time frame, but still apparently within the Olympics/changed the rules time frame? All day June 12th is listed as "tickets will not be available until June 20th. Tried at noon, - midnight Paris/already the 20th, tried several times throughout the evening. Tried at 11:59 PM EST, 12:-00 midnight, EST. / Paris 6:00 AM.
Still was a blank, said 'tickets not available until 6/20/24'. At 12:01 AM EST, Paris time 6:01 AM, the day of June 12th on the official website became lines through it (no tickets available). I can only assume bots/tour operators scoop up all the tickets as if it's a Taylor Swift concert. Sorry for that sad analogy but you get my drift. I am only hoping that as the time frame I want tickets for approaches that the website will not be letting the bots buy up all the tickets since the tours will not be honored??
By the way - those of you on this forum with helpful advice, THANK YOU - those of you suggesting 'another time' or 'don't go', well, um, yeah, if I can't get tickets to go up obviously I won't go but as far as 'going another time', this is a once in a lifetime trip so suggesting I schedule it for later is not really helpful!

Posted bybarb_dally

1 posts

Following this thread....
Wondering if anyone that has had success getting tickets were able to get the bundle 'Ticket to the top via the elevator with a glass of champagne'. We will be traveling through Paris at the end of June, hoping to celebrate our 25th Anniversary at the top with a glass of champagne. I have my ticket purchase date dialed in but so far the test runs that I've tried have only had the option for the lift to the top. I'm wondering if the 'champagne bundle' has been sold out or if this is an add on after you've actual made your purchase or if there's really no bundle and you can just easily get a flute at the Champagne Bar, if you're able to get the ticket to the top. At the end of the day, I'll be super happy if we can even get tickets to the top but would love to celebrate with some bubbles. Thanks in advance for any insight.

Posted byjoe32F

Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂

11304 posts

Purely speculation, but I would not be surprised to learn that the Olympic committee has claimed dibs on the tickets to parcel out to the VIPs and the public is going to be left with whatever crumbs they don't use.

Saw a news piece a few days ago where the reporter was interviewing an Olympic athlete as they were on boat on the Seine.
The point is, there are already things happening there and it will only increase as it gets closer to the official opening.

Wishing you Good luck on getting tickets. I suspect it will be a long hard battle

Posted bydonnellyjen74OP

144 posts

Ah Juleswrite your analogy is spot on I think! This is becoming like trying to get Taylor Swift tickets!

The dates that tickets supposedly come available for me to try and purchase I am chaperoning a 4-day trip of high school students and will be tied up from 6 am to 10:30 pm every day. I'm going to have to set some reminders on the phone to alert me that it's time to try ordering tickets.

We are visiting other areas in France on this trip and ending with a couple days in Paris so like you we can't do this another time. I told my husband to be prepared as the Olympic madness in Paris specifically will be in full effect. He thinks that since we are going in mid-June that it should be fine. Nope, I do not think it's going to be fine! As others mentioned (and I had not even considered) we are competing with bots and tour operators for tickets not to mention any Olympic VIPs that may be there (even a month early or so).

Good luck to everyone trying to get tickets. I will reply back and let you know how this turns out!

Posted byfrekotw

27 posts

Barb-daily, regarding the champagne toast, I went to the 2nd level and had no problem buying wine. I'm sure they had champagne too. My son went to the top, and he said there was a bar there as well and no long line. Shouldn't be a problem simply buying your own drinks.

Posted byKim

Paris

9736 posts

Not to mention that the area maybe simply be inaccessible due to construction issues and the buildout of the beach volleyball stadium between the Tower and the École Militaire. (I have no idea whether this is the case and there are some days the Tower will have to be closed, but I wouldn’t rule it out as a very strong possibility.)

Posted bysdw

197 posts

Just a thought. My son used Fat Tire Tours )we also used them in 2018) last August. We were and he and his wife were very pleased with their efficiency in getting you right in and up to the 2 different levels as well as giving good information about the Eiffel Tower. Their website says tickets for the summer not available until 30 days out. They do not sell their tours until they get the tickets from my experience unlike other companies. If you can’t get them from the Eiffel Tower site maybe you could try Fat Tire Tours.

I am going to the Olympics and am part of a large FaceBook group and there have been posts saying that the ET will be used for Hospitality packages during the Olympic Games. Now why you aren't able to get them a month earlier is a mystery but perhaps like others have said, VIP's and Sponsors are in town early to set up and want tickets so maybe they are reserving for them too? I wish you luck and hope you get a ticket!!

Posted bysarah.munsterman

3 posts

We are here now and I went to book our tickets on February 25, 2024, exactly two months ahead of when we wanted to go to the Eiffel Tower. There was only one time slot available left at 10:30 at night. I was very surprised. So we are going to the top at 10:30 at night. So yes the 60 days is accurate. Not sure about this summer with the Olympics.

Posted byKim

Paris

9736 posts

Not sure about this summer with the Olympics.

It's definitely NOT the same for this summer with the Olympics, beginning in the pre-Olympics period as of June 17, according to the information the Eiffel Tower management has posted on the Tower's own website, as many have mentioned above, including the OP quoting the website.

Posted byamy

Washington DC

42 posts

Just want to echo what helped us on previous threads: more tickets will drop 7 days out from your trip so try again on each of those three days. We were going for elevators to the second floor. That ended up not being available at the sunset-ish time we wanted so I purchased stair access. It was not a hard climb at all to the first level—less than 10 minutes. Now that I’ve done it, I’m so glad I did the stairs. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss the feeling of ascending this monument. Was amazed to see the scene on the first floor, with shops, cafe seating, even a small concert venue. DH ascended to the second level but being on the first was enough for me. I hadn’t expected this to be a highlight for me but it truly was.

Posted byPriscilla

California 🦋

5255 posts

PLEASE NOTE:
According to the official Eiffel Tower website this is what it says when I attempted to book tickets for 6/18/24:

We are sorry, the tickets for 18/06/2024 are not yet available online.

These tickets will be available from 26/04/2024

So get ready to book your tickets for 6/18 on 4/26/24. Tickets for 6/19 will be available on 4/27, and tickets for 6/20 will be available on 4/28, and so on…

To expedite booking your ET tickets, make sure you create an account in advance and then be ready to buy your tickets on the respective date ( Paris time)

Best of luck to you!

Posted byPriscilla

California 🦋

5255 posts

I decided to contact the ET via email last night and this was their response:

Bonjour Madame,

The sale of tickets from June 17, 2024 onwards has been delayed in preparation for the summer period.

At the moment we have no further information about when these tickets will go on sale.

We invite you to consult our website regularly for live updates.

Please note that you also have the option of purchasing your tickets directly at the monument's box office for immediate use.

Tickets sold on site are not limited in quantity, so you will always be able to obtain them.

We look forward to hearing from you and wish you an excellent day.

See you soon at the Eiffel Tower!

Kind regards,

Sebastian
The Customer Service
SOCIETE D'EXPLOITATION DE LA TOUR EIFFEL SETE
1, QUAI DE GRENELLE 75015 PARIS
www.toureiffel.paris
[emailprotected]
logo tour Effeil

I just checked their website and the date when tickets for 6/18/24 will be available has changed to 5/3/24.

Keep checking daily and good luck!

Posted byRobintz

Lake Forest Park, WA

14 posts

Priscilla,
You mentioned :
To expedite booking your ET tickets, make sure you create an account in advance and then be ready to buy your tickets on the respective date ( Paris time)*

I've been looking over the website and can't find anywhere to create an account (other than by actually purchasing tickets which we can't do yet). Any hints or tips?

Thanks!
Robin

Posted byPriscilla

California 🦋

5255 posts

Robin,
Here’s a post from last year that gives great information as to how to get ready to book your tickets: Eiffel Tower tickets success

My daughter and I were in Paris a number of years ago & remember staying up very late when I booked our Eiffel Tower tickets at 8:00 or 8:30AM (Paris time) but now you can book tickets at midnight Paris time.

I contacted the ET customer service via email asking what time tickets (for 6/18/24) would become available since their website gives the date of 5/3/24 but not the time.

This was their reply:

Bonjour Madame,

Tickets for 18/06/2024 will go on sale on the night between 02/05/2024 and 03/05/2024 at midnight paris time.

We look forward to hearing from you and wish you an excellent day.

See you soon at the Eiffel Tower!

Kind regards,

Sebastian
The Customer Service
SOCIETE D'EXPLOITATION DE LA TOUR EIFFEL SETE
1, QUAI DE GRENELLE 75015 PARIS
www.toureiffel.paris
[emailprotected]

The way I understood it was that tickets would become available on 5/3/24 at midnight (Paris time) but according to the reply I received, tickets become available at midnight on 5/2/24.

night between 02/05/2024 and 03/05/2024 at midnight paris time.

Hope this helps!

Posted bymarniC

Riverside, CA

22 posts

Interesting, I just attempted a test run for June 9, and by the time my refresh went though right at midnight, June 9 had the diagonal lines (sold out). So last week when I tried to purchase, I had a couple of times available at midnight. Now none.

Posted byPriscilla

California 🦋

5255 posts

marniC,

Interesting, I just attempted a test run for June 9, and by the time my refresh went though right at midnight, June 9 had the diagonal lines (sold out).

Do you mean June 8?
When I checked the Eiffel Tower website this afternoon just past midnight (Paris time) and clicked on June 9 (on the calendar), I get this message:

We are sorry, the tickets for 09/06/2024 are not yet available online.

These tickets will be available from 24/04/2024.

So… It’s already 4/24/24 in Paris but tickets are not available yet (until midnight Paris time)

Therefore, the ET email reply given to me previously is incorrect (see upthread)

When I do a test run for June 18, the website reports that tickets will be available on 5/3/24 but the email reply says:

We confirm that tickets for 06/18/2024 will go on sale on the night of 05/02 to 05/03 at midnight.

This is confusing!

I replied to the ET email asking about this discrepancy but haven’t received a reply yet.

Posted bymarniC

Riverside, CA

22 posts

@Priscilla:

Are you setting your computer to Paris time? I saw the advice to do that many times, and if you don't, you will never see the tickets available. So I set my computer to Paris time about a half hour before midnight Paris time. And so I do see that June 9 is sold out.

At 2:59pm CA time (my computer was at 11:59pm Paris time), June 9 said "These tickets will be available from 24/04/2024." One minute later, June 9 showed as sold out (diagonal gray lines).

Last week I followed this same procedure, and I DID see some times available at midnight Paris time and again at 4:45 am Paris time. Nothing today though. It jumped right to "sold out."

I'd love to check a week in advance at 1:00pm Paris time to see if more tickets are released, but I don't want to be up at 4:00 am.

Posted byPriscilla

California 🦋

5255 posts

marniC,

Are you setting your computer to Paris time? I saw the advice to do that many times, and if you don't, you will never see the tickets available.

Thanks for this information!

I wonder when this change became effective as I’ve not done this for any advance ticket purchases in the past.

I’m not going to Paris anytime soon but just trying to help the OP.

Have you noticed that the ET website keeps changing the dates when tickets from June 17 will become available?
BTW, tickets for June 17 will now become available tomorrow, 4/25/24.

This morning tickets for June 10, 11 & 13 are already sold out. And it looks like there are tickets available again for June 9,

Bottom line…
Keep checking daily as some tickets are randomly becoming available for dates that had previously been sold out.

Posted byKatherine

Atlanta, GA, USA

770 posts

HA and now the 10th has a bit available! I only see the banner saying that the release will be delayed, I don't see an updated date. Where should I be looking for that updated date? (just to prepare for a visit in July-ish)

Posted bymarniC

Riverside, CA

22 posts

@Priscilla: This is just crazy! Yes, there is no rhyme or reason right now.
@Katherine: We need to just keep checking the calendar on the official ticketing site.

Posted bymarniC

Riverside, CA

22 posts

UPDATE:
Just before midnight paris time 4/24, the website said June 9 would be available 4/24. But at midnight, it was all sold out (diagonal gray lines). Then during the day today the website was down for awhile, and then a lot of recent days had partial availability. It said June 16 would be available 4/25. I just now tried for June 16, and right at midnight it was gray and I could click on it. But at first after entering the # of tickets it bumped me back to April. Then the 2nd time after entering the # of tickets it showed me both options sold out. The 3rd time I refreshed I just got the diagonal gray striped circle. That was all before 12:01.

Posted byHannah

Oklahoma

1 posts

I am in a similar situation trying to buy tickets for June 13-15. I tried to do a test run for the next available date. I set my computer to Paris time and refreshed at midnight Paris time. It went from "not available until 2/5/24" to sold out. It does seem that all tickets are bought out by bots. Seeing other advice on this forum, I purchased a tour from Fat Tire Tours. I received a confirmation text and email from them, so it seems legitimate. Good luck booking tickets!

Posted bydenisek

147 posts

Hannah thanks for the update. I am aiming for later in June. I will try not to be discouraged based on these reports and just go with Fat Tire!

Posted byjuleswrite

4 posts

Has anyone had any success, as a trial or otherwise, in booking/almost booking tickets for June? (Other than through a 3rd party vendor). My dates of arrival are past June 17th so per the official website "....do not buy from sites offering such offers..." so I am not going to buy from a 3rd party only to have it not be honored. I'm just curious if anyone has seen any dates/times pop in at all for June. I have not. But more and more days/times are available in May so perhaps they are being released as time goes by?

It goes without saying if I am successful in purchasing tickets for one of the days I'm in Paris I will post immediately! But so far I've not seen any days in June no matter what time of day (with clock set to Paris time) that are anything other than lines through it/no tickets available.

Posted bychrissy055

2 posts

I am happy to see that other people are having this issue, but it still seems to be an issue!!
I am headed to Paris apparently at the same time as the rest of the world and of course a trip to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower is also basically the only thing on my must-do list.
So, has anyone had success? I actually would like to book for June 17, but its now May 14 and it say that they will be available in 2 days, but it appears that all of June is now showing with "last available tickets" but I click on every one and none have given me any options for just two adults.
Didn't think it would be this hard, but maybe I need to set my expectations that everything will just be really busy during this trip.

Posted bydonnellyjen74OP

144 posts

I'm starting to set expectations for my daughter that we might see the Eiffel Tower (as in from the street, or the skyline!) but we might NOT get to go on it. Not that long ago the site stated tickets would go on sale May 10th for our first date in Paris 6/18. Well on the scheduled date at midnight Paris time I log on only to find that tickets for the date of 6/18 were now going on sale May 16th. I have a feeling this is going to continue to be pushed out but we will see.

Posted byRamS

3 posts

We are going on 6/22-6/24 and I am noticing the same i.e. the date when the tickets "might" be available keeps getting pushed out.

I checked some tours on viator and they say it is non-refundable, non-cancellable, etc. -- which is very un-like typical viator tour.

Does anyone has a recommendation for trusted tour? or is the best option to keep checking everyday or all-day and then try your luck on the actual date?

Posted byjanettravels44

Chicago

8126 posts

The Paris city council just announced that tickets will increase in price by 20% due to losses incurred during COVID and the huge costs of deferred maintenance. I suspect all this inability to book tickets 60 days out is related to them wanting to wait to make them available until the price increase goes into effect. The 7 day out purchase has still worked and this has for some time been when most publicly available tickets have been made available.

I suspect there will be huge tranches of tickets diverted to third parties during the Olympics. Once the new price structure is in place, I would expect the ticket process to become more normal again.

Posted byjuleswrite

4 posts

I too saw that 20% jump in the cost - on the first day of what appears to be for many of us our Paris arrival/first day to do anything day! Yeah for us.... :)

So now the "tickets from June 17th" language on the official website makes sense - if they knew they were going to raise the prices, no way to have them on sale, either through them or any other source. I've continued testing and no matter if it shows tickets available on a particular date, about the latest I can actually seem to 'book' any is around June 8th or so. I too suspect many may be made available closer to 7 days out or so.

Some of you are mentioning about purchasing through 3rd party sites. Are you not concerned with the language on the official website that warns that tickets purchased from 3rd party vendors will not be honored for this time frame? I would have booked long ago through Viator or Expedia or whoever but that language has been on the official website ever since I started looking and since it says they won't be honored I don't want to chance it.

Posted byRamS

3 posts

I am concerned with buying from 3rd party websites - for now, I am setting expectations with my family that we might just see it from distance, etc. I do not think we will stand in line for 2-3 hrs, etc. We are there for only 3 days and can enjoy other aspects of what the city has to offer. I have reservations/tickets for rest of the main places to visit.

Posted byKay51

Minnesota

23 posts

The view of the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero is wonderful, especially at night when it is all lit up.

Posted byclairecdwyer

1 posts

I am in the same situation as many on here as I am trying to get tickets for 6/29 and every time I check it has a later date as when they will be released. When I emailed them they responded with the scripted email with the date the website says they will be available, but it has already updated to be a day later. Has anyone had success with reaching them to find out more information? I am eager to know when anyone visiting on 6/17 or later is able to purchase tickets!

Posted byjfredlin

7 posts

Those prices match from the last 6 weeks of checking.
I would expect an additional 20% when tickets are available post 17Jun.

Posted byisn31c

Lake District, England

6208 posts

These are the price increases (copy and pasted from a UK news article which is probably behind a pay wall internationally, and also thus converted from Euros to Pounds at whatever the current rate is)-
The prices to access the top floor will increase from:

£25.04 to £30.24 for adults, £12.52 to £15.07 for ages 12-24, £6.30 to £.7.58 for ages four-11, disabled people and carers

Staircase access to the second floor will increase from:

£10.05 to £12.09 for adults, £5.01 to £6.05 for young people, £2.55 to £3.06 for children

Posted byjuleswrite

4 posts

Everybody -

I just got 2 tickets for June 17th - site very glitchy, kept saying 'try again later', but I kept checking because the 17th had finally popped in.

Good luck to everyone and 'see' you all in Paris! HA

Posted bydenisek

147 posts

I'm bumping this as I know several folks had posted that they are trying to get tickets. I've been checking every few days (for June 19th) and as of a day or two ago, they were saying those tickets wouldn't go on sale until the end of the week. Now suddenly the week of the 17th has appeared as available, although I'm not able to get the site to work (says "unexpected error"). Good luck to folks trying to get tickets!

Posted byKD

377 posts

Rooting for all of you! We were just there in April before it got complicated.

Posted byRamS

3 posts

I spent 2 hrs at different times yesterday and got errors 99% of the time. Trying again today and same situation - -- very glitchy site and wish they had better experience.

Posted bydonnellyjen74OP

144 posts

Last night and this am I tried and tried but kept getting error messages.

Now this afternoon/early evening I can click on days we are available to go, select the type of ticket & number (adult, etc.) and the next screen that comes up shows the the calendar, the has a 1. Choose your floor and under that a box that says Ground to Summit Tickets online availability are sold out. Purchase at checkout possible on the day of your visit for immediate use. This same message appears in the box for Ground to 2nd Floor tickets.

So, were many of us getting error messages yesterday/this am because their site just couldn't handle the traffic and that it was actually working so some got tickets? Or is this new message I am getting is just that the site is still acting wonky? I'm going to guess the dates are all sold out but may try emailing them too, although doubt I will hear back.

Posted bydenisek

147 posts

I had the same experience as you - couldn't get through yesterday with site errors, now it says all sold out. I guess the bots got them all.

Posted bydonnellyjen74OP

144 posts

Yes agree these tickets are being up by bots and I fear regular people will not have a chance. We are now stuck with taking chances and getting "day of" tickets when in Paris. I fear the waiting in line for the que for a day of ticket will eat up the little precious time we will be in Paris. So disappointing!

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