You can buy most Eiffel Tower lift tickets up to 60 days ahead, while stairs tickets open 14 days before your visit.
Planning a Paris trip often raises one simple question: how far in advance can you buy eiffel tower tickets? If you misjudge that timing, you risk sold-out summit slots, long lines, or paying extra for a tour you never wanted.
The official ticket office uses fixed release windows for each ticket type. Once you know them, you can match release days to your travel dates and book with far less stress. That small amount of planning saves extra time at the tower.
How Far In Advance Can You Buy Eiffel Tower Tickets? Main Timing Rules
The core rule is that elevator tickets open first, while stairs tickets wait until closer to the date. Some options never appear online at all and stay walk-up only at the site.
- Lift tickets (2nd floor and summit): usually released up to 60 days before your chosen visit date.
- Stairs tickets to the 2nd floor: released 14 days before the visit date.
- Same-day tickets at the tower: sold at the ticket desks if capacity remains.
- Third-party guided tours: follow their own stock rules, but many still mirror the 60-day pattern.
On the official ticket purchase page, the Eiffel Tower team confirms that online lift tickets are sold up to 60 days in advance and stairs tickets up to 14 days in advance, with summit access included in the same 60-day elevator window.
Ticket Types And Advance Booking Windows
This overview shows how far ahead you can usually buy each style of Eiffel Tower ticket and what that means for planning your visit.
| Ticket Type | Online Booking Window | Planning Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lift To 2nd Floor | Up to 60 days before visit | Wide choice at first release; evening and sunset slots go first. |
| Lift To Summit | Up to 60 days before visit | Highest demand; summer and holiday dates can sell out within hours. |
| Stairs To 2nd Floor | From 14 days before visit | Often easier to find close to the date; still plan early for July and August. |
| Same-Day Tickets On Site | No advance sale | Possible on quieter days, but expect longer lines and less choice. |
| Guided Tours With Tickets | Usually 30–60 days before | Tour companies hold blocks; price includes tickets and guiding. |
| Restaurant Packages | Weeks or months before | Book evenings and weekends well ahead, especially for window tables. |
| Special Dates And Events | Release varies; often earlier than usual | Check announcements, as hours and access rules can change. |
These ranges give you a starting point. Treat 60 days as your goal for any elevator visit you care about and 14 days as the latest sensible time for a stairs ticket.
Best Time Frame To Buy Eiffel Tower Tickets In Advance
Published limits tell you the latest you can buy, not the day you should buy. That choice depends on whether you want the summit, a simple 2nd-floor visit, or a climb by stairs.
One helpful routine is to fix your Eiffel Tower day as soon as you book flights and lodging, then count back 60 or 14 days from that date. Put both moments in your calendar with an alert on your phone, so buying tickets feels like a quick errand instead of a scramble in the last week before you fly.
If You Want The Summit
Summit lift tickets sit at the top of many Paris bucket lists, so they sell faster than lower-level visits. For peak months like July, August, and the Christmas period, treat the full 60-day mark as your goal and log in when sales open. In quieter months you may have more room on weekday mornings, yet once flights and lodging are set there is little reason to delay.
If You Only Need The 2nd Floor
A 2nd-floor visit by lift is easier to book than the summit, yet the best time slots still sell first. Booking between 45 and 60 days before the visit leaves you a wide choice of times in busy seasons, while 30 days often works in shoulder months such as April, May, October, and early November.
If You Plan To Climb The Stairs
Stairs tickets open just 14 days before the visit date on the official site. Booking toward the start of that window, especially in summer, gives you more choice of time and avoids last-minute stress.
How Season And Time Of Day Change Your Booking Strategy
The best booking day for you depends not only on ticket type but also on season, weekday, and time of day. The Eiffel Tower sees sharply different crowd patterns between a chilly January morning and a sunset in late July.
High Season: June To September And Holidays
Summer, Christmas week, and Easter often bring packed days and heavy demand for summit visits. For these periods, treat elevator tickets as a race: use the full 60-day window, check for your date soon after release, and stay flexible on exact hour if your first pick disappears.
Shoulder Season: Spring And Autumn
March, April, May, October, and early November can deliver calmer crowds, especially on weekdays. Summit tickets still reward early booking, but you often see free slots several weeks after the first release, so a 30- to 45-day lead time works well.
Low Season: Winter Weekdays
From mid-November through February, apart from Christmas and New Year, Paris welcomes fewer visitors. On a weekday in this stretch, you may find summit tickets still open weeks after release and you might even manage a same-day visit with less waiting, though weather can close the top level on short notice.
For current opening hours and maintenance information, check the Eiffel Tower rates and opening times page before you pick a date and time slot.
Sample Timelines For Buying Eiffel Tower Tickets
It helps to see real dates. The table below gives sample timelines that match common trip patterns so you can copy the approach that fits your plans.
| Trip Scenario | When To Buy | Why This Timing Works |
|---|---|---|
| July Weekend, Summit Visit | Exactly 60 days before, as sales open | Summit slots for peak weekends vanish fast; early buyers see the full spread of times. |
| August Weekday, 2nd Floor By Lift | 45–60 days before | Keeps good choice of morning and evening slots and leaves room to adjust other plans. |
| April City Break, Flexible Day | 30–40 days before | Demand softer than mid-summer, so you can wait longer yet still pick a good time. |
| December Weekday, Stairs Ticket | 7–14 days before | Stairs tickets open 14 days ahead; winter weekdays rarely sell out at once. |
| One-Day Paris Stopover | As soon as flights are fixed inside the 60-day window | Early booking stops clashes with trains, airport runs, or other timed visits. |
| Family Trip During School Holidays | Full 60-day window for lifts; 10–14 days for stairs | Busy dates draw many families; early buying keeps your group together in one time slot. |
| Last-Minute Weekend Getaway | Check online daily, then be ready for on-site purchase | Online may show gaps from cancellations; if not, arrive early for walk-up tickets. |
These examples show how the same 60- and 14-day rules play out in everyday trips. Once you know your own dates, you can count backward and mark the day tickets open on your calendar.
What To Do When Advance Tickets Are Sold Out
Even with a careful plan, you might land on the site and see your dates marked as sold out. That does not always mean your visit is impossible.
Refresh The Official Site
People change plans and cancel visits, and tour companies sometimes release unsold blocks, so fresh tickets can appear at random times. Check back at different hours of the day and try nearby dates as well.
Try Stairs Tickets Or A Different Level
If only summit tickets are gone, look for 2nd-floor lift tickets or stairs tickets instead. Views from the 2nd floor still sweep across Paris, and the stairs route gives you more space between crowds.
Arrive Early For Same-Day Tickets
When online stock disappears, the last hope is same-day sales at the tower itself. On a high-demand day you should arrive well before opening time, expect a long wait, and accept that summit access may not be available.
Practical Tips For A Smooth Eiffel Tower Visit
By this point you know how far in advance can you buy eiffel tower tickets and how the main booking windows work. A few small habits round out the plan and help the day run more smoothly.
Choose Your Time Slot With The Rest Of Your Day In Mind
Think about daylight, sunset, and the time you need to reach the tower from your lodging or previous attraction, and add a buffer for metro delays, traffic, and security checks at the base of the tower.
Keep Documents Handy
Save your e-tickets on your phone and carry a backup printout in case your battery runs low. If you buy discounted tickets for children or young adults, bring proof of age as requested by the ticket rules.
Watch For Schedule Changes
Weather, strikes, and maintenance can alter opening hours or close the summit at short notice. A quick look at official updates on the morning of your visit helps you avoid surprises at the entrance.
With clear ticket windows, a smart booking day, and a bit of flexibility, you can step onto the iron lattice of the Eiffel Tower with confidence instead of stress, knowing that your place in line was secured well before your plane ever touched down in Paris.