fitzwater

I'm trying to book tickets online to the Eiffel Tower at the end of March for my honeymoon, but I'm getting error messages that there is no availability on the days that I'm there (the site shows these days as "blank" versus "green"), and on some of the days that they do seem to have openings ("green"), all the times are shown with an "X" and are not available for purchase. Does anyone know if there is something going on at the end of March that I'm not thinking of? Is it possible to walk-up to the Tower and get tickets, even if the online system is showing them as sold out?? Help! Thanks!

kerouac

Perhaps the online tickets are sold out. Frankly, the Eiffel Tower is worth waiting in line for, so if you can't buy tickets online, just stand in line for 15-30 minutes (at this time of year) and you will get to the ticket office fast enough. Why have people become so impatient?

Diane

I'm having the same problem trying to book online while I'm there over Easter. I've heard that these tickets are sold out far in advance and it's especially busy the week before and after Easter because of school holidays. You don't have to have an advance reservation to go up the Eiffel Tower, but you will have to wait in a very long line. I've had people tell me to get there first thing in the morning to minimize the wait.

Good luck!

wayfinder45

Back in January when I was just beginning to plan a trip to Paris for the end of March, I happened to look at the Eiffel Tower website and out of curiosity, looked at ticket availability for the end of March. I was shocked to see a limited set of times available for when I had hoped to go, so I bought tickets then and there. Sounds like that was a good decision! Of course, now I have this anxiety about making sure we get there in time because they say the tickets are invalidated if you arrive after your scheduled entrance time. And it's not clear if that means "in line," "at the door," "through the door," or what. There's something to be said for keeping things flexible!

Besides first thing in the morning, I've heard that early evening/night is a good time to go. It's open much later than I would have expected.

apersuader65

Last March, we went to the Tower without tickets. We arrived much later than I had urged, but alas, we arrived at about 10 or 10:15. We were on the elevator going up in 45 minutes.

nola77382

Does anyone know: if I buy tickets online for say 1230pm on Sunday 13 May and can't be there at that exact time, what happens? If we arrive later do they just let us in with the next group of ticket holders? Or if we arrive early, do we just wait for 1230pm ticket time?

We want to go up the tower on our arrival day--arrive CDG 8:15 from Houston, take train to our apartment then walk to ET--and it's hard to decide what is the best time to book the tickets. We are also thinking about having lunch at 58 Eiffel Tower restaurant, don't know if that makes a difference.

wayfinder45

Here's the fine print on the ticket I purchased:

This ticket is subject to SETE’s general terms and sale conditions, which you accepted before purchasing the ticket, and also to the visit regulations displayed at the entrance to the monument. Tickets printed at home are only valid if they are printed on white A4 paper, blank on both sides. Partially printed, dirty, damaged or illegible tickets will not be accepted and will be considered invalid.

Access to the monument is subject to your ticket’s validity being checked: the ticket is only valid for a single entrance for the person indicated on the ticket, on the date and time indicated (which corresponds to the access time of the security check). However, SETE reserves the possibility of delaying entry to the monument to at most half an hour after the indicated time. Access cannot be guaranteed if you are late, but it may be possible if there are places available.

The ticket cannot be sold, refunded or exchanged. Proof must be shown at the entrance to the monument for tickets bought at the reduced rate. No copies can be given once your ticket has been scanned. Lift tickets including access to the Summit must be shown again on the 2nd floor.

wayfinder45

This answers my own question -- you should be at the security check point by your ticket time. On the website, they are more emphatic that if you are late, the ticket is no longer valid, period. This fine print allows for some discretion I suppose depending on the crowds. Our flight arrives at 11:30 and we have tickets for 4:00 -- about the same amount of time you have given for making it in to town, checking in, and then walking over to the Tower. You just might allow a little more time to check into an apartment though, just to be on the safe side.

nola77382

Thanks y'all. This makes up my mind--I don't want to risk losing 40E for our three tickets by being late! We'll either wait in line for the elevators or climb the 700 steps to the 2nd level--we'll need the exercise anyway after our long flight.

emily71

A few years ago, we went to Paris in mid-March and I believe we arrived at the Tower around 10 am. We stood in line to buy tickets and then waited another 1/2 hour or so in line. No big deal and I'd advise you to wait and see what the weather will be for that day.