New Eiffel Tower Online Ticket Reservations
Buying Reserved Admissions for Touring the Top Sight in Paris
Oct 29, 2009
Advance ticket reservations and online purchases are finally possible for individuals visiting the Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) in Paris. Previously, reservations and time-specific admission tickets were limited to tour groups but individuals and families may now also buy tickets in advance for specific dates and hours from the comfort of their own homes (or other internet access points). Ticket prices are the same but the big bonus is avoiding the famously long lines at the ticket counter at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
Eiffel Tower Online Ticket Reservations
A mere 120 years after the completion of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, visitors are finally able to buy tickets in advance to enter the most popular sight in Paris without having to queue at a ticket counter. For the first time, from end 2009, visitors to the Tour Eiffel can buy tickets online and simply arrive at the tower to ascend by elevator at the appointed hour.
Presently, advance reservations for the Eiffel Tower do not carry any surcharge over the standard admission tickets. Online tickets can be bought to reach the second floor or all the way to the top of the tower.
Buying Tickets Online for the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Buying tickets at the Official Eiffel Tower Ticket Office is a simple enough procedure that should be fully functional by the end of 2009. Presently, in the final testing phase, the number of daily tickets available online is still limited and it is only possible to buy tickets to the second floor.
Currently, most of the information is in English but users may suddenly have to deal with a French calendar and having the ticket description change from English to French while moving through the reservation process. Also rather irritatingly some of the dropdown menus are not in alphabetical order. These glitches will presumably be ironed out soon and are a small trade off versus queuing at the bottom of the tower.
Buying online tickets for the Eiffel Tower is four step process:
- Select the ticket required (second floor or top, date, number of persons and ages) to confirm ticket availability and prices.
- Enter personal information and type of ticket – self-print, electronic tickets require no delivery charges.
- Enter payment information – most credit cards as well as electronic payment options such as Paypal are accepted.
- Print the ticket – this is usually done as a pdf document but is also available as a jpeg file or as code for some mobile phones.
The printed ticket has a bar code that is scanned at the entrance to the Eiffel Tower. It is not necessary to pick up a further ticket at the Eiffel Tower ticket office but visitors must arrive at the elevator entrance by the time stated on the electronic ticket or forfeit the ticket in full.
Alternative Tickets for the Eiffel Tower in Paris
The online advance reservation tickets will almost certainly become a very popular way to see the Eiffel Tower as visitors will no longer need to risk queuing indeterminable periods. However, tickets will of course still be sold at the ticket window for admission on the day of purchase.
Walking up the stairs in the eastern leg of the Eiffel Tower has long been a popular budget option to reach the first and second levels of the Eiffel Tower – taking the stairs is almost half the price of a regular elevator ticket. On really busy days, the stairs may be faster for those otherwise at the back of a long elevator queue. However, only in-shape visitors tend to really enjoy the breathtaking views of Paris while on the staircases.
A further option is to join a tour group such as popular day or half-day trips of the top sights in Paris that include admission to the Eiffel Tower. Groups have long been required to make prior reservations for visiting the Eiffel Tower and several further popular sights in Paris such as the Louvre and Palace of Versailles where queuing can also be a problem for the unprepared.
An alternative way to ascend the Eiffel Tower is to make reservations at the luxurious Jules Verne Restaurant. Gourmets may use the restaurant’s private elevator but need to authorize a credit card charge in advance to confirm reservations. Lunch menus start at around €85 and dinner is from €200 upwards. Visitors to all other Eiffel Tower restaurants – and not all serve haute cuisine or are particularly expensive – require regular admission tickets.
The Eiffel Tower is open every day of the year from around 9 am to midnight. Admission to the Eiffel Tower is not covered by the Paris Museum Pass.
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