Eiffel Tower Tickets: Summit vs Second Floor, Stairs vs Lift, and What Resellers Actually Sell
The Eiffel Tower has an unusual market structure, and it explains almost every price you will see. The Tower itself is the only seller of a bare ascent ticket. Authorised resellers are permitted to sell a ticket combined with an additional service, such as a guided tour. So a third-party price for the Tower is not automatically a scam and it is not automatically a bare ticket — it is, structurally, ticket plus service. The useful question is which added service you are actually paying for.
Below: the four official products and their published prices, what each physically grants, the sales window for each, and the constraints that decide whether a second-floor ticket is a good decision for you.
Quick answer: the six decisions that matter
- Two purchasable destinations, not three floors
- The Tower has three visitable levels and commercially sells two destinations: the summit and the second floor. A summit ticket includes the first and second floors; a second-floor ticket includes the first.
- Only the Tower sells bare ascent tickets
- The operator warns about other websites offering single ascent tickets, and states that its resellers are only authorised to sell offers combining a ticket and an additional service.
- Sales windows differ per product
- Summit by lift and second floor by lift are available 90 days ahead online. Second floor by stairs is 60 days ahead. Summit via stairs to the second floor then lift is 60 days ahead and online only in low season.
- A second-floor ticket cannot be upgraded on the day
- Second-floor tickets are non-changeable and non-refundable, and you will not be able to upgrade on site to reach the summit.
- The stairs are officially unsuitable for some travellers
- The operator states that the summit of the Tower and the stairways are not suitable for people with limited mobility, and cautions against the stairs option for groups including people with reduced mobility, very young children, or those in poor physical condition.
- The on-site option is the same price, with a condition
- Tickets are sold online and on site at the same prices, but the ticket offices stop selling summit tickets while the summit is at capacity. It is a plan B, not a guarantee.
The four official ticket products#
| Product | Adult | What it grants | Online from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit, by lift (two lifts) | €36.70 | Summit, plus the second and first floors | 90 days before the visit |
| Summit, stairs to the second floor then lift | €28.00 | Summit, plus the second and first floors | 60 days before the visit, low season only online |
| Second floor, by lift | €23.50 | Second floor, plus the first floor | 90 days before the visit |
| Second floor, by stairs | €14.80 | Second floor, plus the first floor | 60 days before the visit |
Rates observed on the operator's rates page on 2026-10-05 and therefore volatile. The operator states that all times shown are subject to change without notice. Re-read before you buy.
Official guided-tour products#
The Tower's own guided products are priced separately and come with an official Eiffel Tower guide, in French or English. Because the operator is the only seller of bare ascent tickets, these are the closest thing on the official side to what a reseller offers, and they are the fair benchmark for judging one.
| Guided product | Adult rate |
|---|---|
| Guided tour to the top | €71.70 |
| Guided tour up to the second floor, with access to the top | €66.70 |
| Guided tour to the second floor | €53.50 |
Volatile. Guided products are accompanied by an official Eiffel Tower guide.
The operator also publishes dining and combo packages — for example a summit lift ticket with champagne, a second-floor lift ticket with champagne, a second-floor stairs ticket with champagne, and a summit ticket with brunch. Combo packages are available exclusively online, and a restaurant booking does not by itself include a Tower visit.
Stairs or lift: the routing decision#
The published step count to the second floor is 674, and the operator gives roughly 10 to 12 minutes per floor. That is the entire physical difference between the cheapest and the most expensive way to reach the same floor. The operator's own guidance is that the stairs option should be avoided unless your group excludes people with reduced mobility, very young children, or those in poor physical condition.
- Cheapest and most physical: second floor by stairs, €14.80. Reaches the second floor and the first. No summit, and no possibility of upgrading on site.
- Middle ground: second floor by lift, €23.50. Same access as the stairs version, without the climb. Opens 90 days ahead instead of 60.
- Summit with the least effort: summit by lift, €36.70. Two lifts, all visitable levels. Opens 90 days ahead.
- Summit with a climb: stairs to the second floor then lift, €28.00. Opens 60 days ahead and is available online only in low season, which is a real constraint if your travel dates fall outside it.
Buying on the day, and what happens at capacity#
- Same price online and on site. The operator states that tickets to visit the Tower are sold online and on site at the same prices.
- With one hard condition. When the summit is full, the ticket offices stop selling summit tickets until space becomes available at the highest level. Summit access may also be restricted during severe weather or peak periods. If the summit is the reason you are going, on-site is your fallback, not your plan.
- Your e-ticket time is a forecourt arrival time, not a lift time. The time shown is when you are expected on the forecourt under the Tower to access the pillar, and the operator advises allowing 15–20 minutes for the initial security check.
- Two security checks apply to everyone, including online ticket holders: first at the main entrances, then again before entering the elevator or the stairs.
- Bags and pets. Large items of luggage and pets are not allowed within the Tower, except guide dogs for the blind, and there is no left-luggage facility. Large bags, bikes and scooters are not accepted and only foldable strollers are.
- Groups of more than nine people, including the guide, must buy online at the Tower's professional portal from 29 September 2026. That is the professional and group channel, which is distinct from the individual portal.
What a reseller offer actually is#
The operator's position is precise and narrower than "resellers are scams": only the Tower sells single tickets for the ascent, and its resellers are only authorised to sell offers that combine a ticket and an additional service such as a guided tour. If you see a website other than the official ticket office offering a single ticket for the ascent, the operator tells you to be wary, because such an offer may involve paying much more than the official price or receiving a ticket that does not let you in.
- Legitimate ticket-plus-service products are expected. A guide or a tour format attached to a valid ascent ticket is the authorised model, not a warning sign.
- The access is still set by the product, not the seller. A third-party listing cannot give you summit access if the underlying ticket is a second-floor ticket.
- Check the top-level constraint before paying. If a second-floor ticket is non-changeable and non-refundable, a listing that sells you one as a flexible option is misdescribing it.
- We do not claim any named marketplace is a scammer, and we do not claim any named marketplace is an authorised reseller. The operator publishes a professional and tour-operator contact route, but authorisation status for any specific marketplace seller is not stated on the official pages we could verify. Ask the operator rather than inferring it.
Mistakes that cost visitors money or entry#
- Buying a second-floor ticket and expecting to upgrade on the day. You will not be able to upgrade on site to reach the summit, and second-floor tickets are non-changeable and non-refundable.
- Assuming a bare ascent ticket from any other website is legitimate. Only the Tower sells single tickets for the ascent.
- Waiting for a summit ticket at the ticket office on a busy day. Summit ticket sales stop while the summit is at capacity.
- Missing that stairs and lift products open on different clocks. Stairs products open 60 days ahead; lift products open 90. If you wanted stairs, it may not be on sale yet when the lift version is.
- Arriving at your e-ticket time. It is a forecourt arrival time and the operator asks for 15–20 minutes of margin for the first security check, then there is a second check.
- Assuming the summit stairs+lift product is available whenever you want it. It is online only in low season.
- Bringing a large bag. No left luggage, and large items are not allowed inside.
- Taking the stairs with someone who cannot. The operator states the summit and the stairways are not suitable for people with limited mobility.
Which Eiffel Tower ticket should you buy?
The summit view is the reason you are going, and you want the simplest route.
Summit by lift.
Two lifts, all visitable levels, no climb, and the earliest availability at 90 days ahead.
You want the summit and you are fit, but your dates fall outside low season.
Summit by lift rather than summit stairs+lift.
The stairs+lift product is available online only in low season, so it may simply not be on sale for your dates.
The second floor is enough and you want the cheapest way to get there.
Second floor by stairs.
€14.80 is the lowest official ascent rate, at the cost of 674 steps and with no upgrade possible on the day.
The second floor is enough and stairs are not for your group.
Second floor by lift.
Same access without the climb, and it opens 90 days ahead rather than 60.
You want context on the site rather than the fastest visit.
An official guided-tour product, or an authorised ticket-plus-service listing.
Guided products come with an official Eiffel Tower guide and are the fair benchmark for judging what a third-party premium buys.
Someone in your group has limited mobility or is in poor physical condition, or the group includes very young children.
Avoid the summit and the stairs.
The operator states the summit of the Tower and the stairways are not suitable for people with limited mobility, and cautions against the stairs option for groups including people with reduced mobility, very young children, or those in poor physical condition.
Frequently asked questions#
How far in advance can I book an Eiffel Tower ticket?
It depends on the product, and there is no single number. Summit by lift and second floor by lift are available online 90 days in advance. Second floor by stairs is 60 days in advance. Summit via stairs to the second floor then lift is 60 days in advance and only during low season.
Can I buy a bare Eiffel Tower ascent ticket anywhere else?
The operator states that only the Tower sells single tickets for the ascent, and that its resellers are only authorised to sell offers combining a ticket and an additional service such as a guided tour.
Does a summit ticket include the other floors?
Yes. A summit ticket includes the second and first floors. A second-floor ticket includes the first floor.
Can I upgrade a second-floor ticket to the summit when I arrive?
No. The operator states you will not be able to upgrade on site to reach the summit, and that second-floor tickets are non-changeable and non-refundable.
Can I always buy a summit ticket at the ticket office on the day?
No. Online and on-site prices are the same, but when the summit is full of visitors the ticket offices stop selling summit tickets until space becomes available at the highest level. Summit access may also be restricted in severe weather or peak periods.
How long does the visit take?
The e-ticket time is when you are expected on the forecourt under the Tower to access the pillar, and the operator advises allowing 15–20 minutes for the initial security check. Allow further time for the second security check before the elevator or stairs.
Are the stairs hard?
The published count to the second floor is 674 steps, at roughly 10 to 12 minutes per floor. The operator cautions against the stairs option for groups including people with reduced mobility, very young children, or those in poor physical condition, and states that the summit and the stairways are not suitable for people with limited mobility.
Can I bring a backpack?
Large items of luggage and pets are not allowed within the Tower, except guide dogs for the blind, and there is no left-luggage facility. Only foldable strollers are accepted.
Do I need to dress differently?
There is no dress code published for the Tower in these sources. Dress codes apply at the Vatican's Basilica and Dome, which are separate sites.
Are discounted rates available?
Yes, with valid proof of age. Youth aged 12–24 is roughly half the adult rate: €11.80 for second floor by lift, €7.40 for second floor by stairs, €18.40 for summit by lift and €14.00 for summit stairs+lift, at the time of observation. Children aged 4–11 and disabled visitors pay lower rates, and under-4s are free but must hold a free ticket. The disability rate applies to a visitor with a disability card issued in their name and one accompanying guest.
Last checked: 2026-10-05. Both sources are official operator pages. Every price, every sales window and all opening times are volatile and are re-read before each monthly update.
- Eiffel Tower official — Rates and opening times The complete price table, visitor categories, guided-tour rates, dining bundles, accessibility warning, reduced-rate proof, group-booking change from 29 September 2026.
- Eiffel Tower official — All our tips: buying a ticket to visit the Eiffel Tower Two purchasable destinations and what each includes, per-product online sales windows, the bare-ascent and reseller-authorisation rules, non-upgrade rule, on-site capacity condition, security checks and e-ticket arrival time.
- Eiffel Tower official — Online ticket office (individuals) Official purchase channel for individual visitors.
- Eiffel Tower official — Tour operators contact The operator's own route for professional and reseller enquiries.