More about: London Eye Tickets
Since its installation in 2000, the London Eye has become a key London landmark, attracting over 70 million visitors since then. This 'Millennium Wheel' is the tallest in Europe and, until 2006, was the tallest in the world.
If you're already convinced to climb aboard this marvel of design, I recommend buying your tickets online and in advance to save time and money.
London Eye Tickets
Enjoy incredible panoramic views from the London sky.
Hop on the London Eye for 30 minutes and experience the world's most famous Ferris wheel on the banks of the River Thames. Take the best photos from above of Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey.
This is one of the typical activities that you can't miss on your visit to the British capital. With this ticket for the London Eye, you will board one of the 32 capsules of the iconic 135-metre-high Ferris wheel, the tallest in Europe.
Designed by Marks Barfield Architects and opened in 2000, the London Eye is now one of the city's main attractions, welcoming around 3 million visitors a year. From there, the views are spectacular, taking in Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, among other sights.
Recommended if... you want to be sure of getting the best photos of London from above and enjoy one of the city's icons. A trip on the London Eye is a must during your stay in the British capital.
Types of tickets for the London Eye
The London Eye is one of London's most visited attractions and an essential experience if you want to enjoy a unique view of the city. From its height of 135 metres, you can see landmarks such as Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. There are different types of tickets to suit your preferences and budget:
- General admission to the London Eye from £30 Includes a 30-minute ride in one of the capsules with panoramic views of London.
- Fast-track ticket to the London Eye from £45 Ideal if you want to avoid queues and go straight up the wheel without waiting.
- Ticket with champagne and fast-track access to the London Eye from £60 Enjoy a premium experience with skip-the-line access and a glass of champagne during the ride.
Combined tickets to the London Eye: another option to save money
If you're looking for a more complete experience or want to save time and money, you can opt for combined tickets that include the London Eye along with other attractions or tours of London. Here are some of the most recommended:
- Savings pack: London Eye, tourist bus and Thames cruise from £62 The ideal combination for exploring London by land, water and air, with tickets included. Very popular in the city!
- Westminster tour with tickets to the London Eye from £119 Guided tour of places such as Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace, with admission to the London Eye included.
- London tour with tickets to the London Eye from £131 Full-day guided tour, Thames cruise and access to the London Eye.
London tourist passes including tickets to the London Eye
Another option, and the one I recommend for visiting the London Eye if you are spending several days in London, is to purchase a city sightseeing pass.
As you can see in this other post about London Tourist Cards, these are very convenient for visits of at least 4 days in the capital, as they include much faster and cheaper access to its main attractions. Two of these passes include, among their many options, admission to the London Eye:
The London Explorer Pass
The Explorer Pass is the essential pass for London. You can choose up to 7 attractions from the 31 on the list. Its main advantages are that you get fast-track access to some of the city's most important attractions and you can save up to 35% on standard attraction tickets.
The London Pass
The London Pass is the best pass for family trips, as it gives you fast and much cheaper access to 5 of the city's top leisure attractions. It offers access to a world of super fun entertainment to visit, including the London Eye, the spectacular Madame Tussauds wax museum, Shrek's Adventure London, the thrilling interactive tours of the London Dungeon and the London Aquarium, SEA LIFE London.
London Eye ticket prices
As one of London's most important tourist attractions, tickets are in high demand. I therefore recommend buying them online in advance to secure your place on this Ferris wheel, an emblem of British culture that attracts everyone's attention and makes for great photos.
If you book your standard tickets in advance at Hellotickets, the prices are:
- Adults (+16): from £40
- Children (3 to 15): from £36
- Under 2 years old: free
Why it's worth buying tickets for the London Eye
The London Eye is a rotating observation wheel offering the best views of the city (360º) and where you can take amazing photos of Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral and Buckingham Palace.
What's more, if you're not a big fan of heights or are travelling with young children, don't worry, I can assure you that it's a completely safe experience suitable for all ages. The capsules are securely attached to the steel structure and don't sway like a conventional Ferris wheel, allowing you to travel standing up.
About the interactive 4D experience
As if seeing the London skyline in motion wasn't enough, inside the London Eye you can watch the 4D Cinema Experience, an interactive short film that takes you on an inspiring journey of discovery through a London that comes to life through multi-sensory special effects, such as wind and fog, during the screening.
Tip: If you're interested in enjoying the London Eye's 4D experience before your ride, arrive 30 minutes early.
London Eye opening hours
The London Eye is open every day of the year except Christmas Day (25 December) and during its annual maintenance period, which usually takes place in January.
However, opening hours vary between seasons and may even change within the same season, so we recommend checking the website before planning your visit.
How to get to the London Eye
The London Eye, located in the Riverside Building on County Hall Westminster Bridge Road, is right in the heart of London and close to many other places to visit, such as Westminster Bridge, so it is well connected to the city's public transport services.
Underground
You can get there from Waterloo underground station (the nearest) or from Embankment, Charing Cross and Westminster stations.
Train
The nearest stations are Waterloo (5 minutes' walk) and Charing Cross (15 minutes' walk).
Bus
Bus routes 77, 211 and 381 will drop you off very close to the London Eye, although you can also get there via one of the dozens of stops served by tourist buses if you have a London Pass, or by taking the RV1 route, which connects the wheel with the Tate Modern and Covent Garden.
Boat
There are many services that stop at London Eye Pier (O2, Bankside, Embankment, Blackfriars, London Bridge, Tower, Canary Wharf, Hilton Docklands, Masthouse Terrace, Greenwich, Royal Arsenal Wollwich, St. Katherine's or Westminster Pier).
If you are spending several days in the British capital, I recommend getting an Oyster Card, a transport card that you can buy and top up at any underground station and which will give you access to all public transport in the quickest and most economical way.
Useful information about the London Eye
- The capsules do not have toilets inside, but there are toilets in the entrance hall
- There is a shop at the exit where you can buy gifts and souvenirs of your experience
- In addition, if you notify them in advance, the attraction has facilities for travellers with reduced mobility
- Visitors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18 for the immersive London Eye 4D Cinema Experience.
The London Eye in figures
3.5 million tourists visit the London Eye every year. If that figure doesn't mean much to you, perhaps knowing that it has an average of 10,000 visitors per day and is bigger than the Taj Mahal or the Pyramids of Giza will help you visualise its power of attraction.
The London Eye can carry up to 800 people on each of its rotary trips (25 passengers per capsule), but queues are guaranteed at almost any time of the day and at any time of the year, especially if you travel on weekends, public holidays or during school holidays. By buying your tickets online, you'll save all this time, which you can spend making the most of your visit.
The wheel has 32 glass-enclosed, air-conditioned capsules (one for each London borough), but for superstitious reasons, they are numbered from 1 to 33, skipping the number 13.
Vicky's Traveller Tip
On a sunny day, you can see up to 40 km away. Look carefully and you'll even see Windsor Castle.
Discover the surroundings of the London Eye
Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament
The London Eye has transformed the area around it, the South Bank district, into the focal point of the new millennium. There you will find other architectural and natural wonders to make your day out a complete success.
Don't miss one of the city's landmarks, Big Ben, which is only 537 metres from the London Eye. You will discover that its name actually refers to the 14-tonne bell housed in the Elizabeth Tower, which stands above the Houses of Parliament.
The latter, also known as Westminster Palace, is another must-see as it houses the two chambers of the British Parliament, where the government formulates its legislation.
Westminster Abbey
Continuing our journey, another of the attractions very close to the area is the overwhelming Westminster Abbey, which, just 639 metres from the London Eye, features some of the best examples of medieval architecture in London. You can read about how to visit the interior in this article. Westminster Abbey Tickets and Tours how to visit the interior.
Between the Abbey and Buckingham Palace, you can take a break in the beautiful natural surroundings of St. James's Park (735 metres from the London Eye).
St. James's Park and Buckingham Palace
This former royal hunting ground is London's oldest park, one of the most loved by Londoners and the ideal place to spend a morning or afternoon with the family, as it is full of cafés, water birds and original play areas. Part of the route in memory of the late Princess Diana runs through the park, which has also been the setting for well-known films such as Match Point, 28 Days Later and 101 Dalmatians.
Trafalgar Square
Once you've recharged your batteries, you can end the day by exploring the nerve centre of London, Trafalgar Square (778 m from the London Eye), a huge square where, among other places of interest, you'll find one of the capital's most famous monuments: Nelson's Column.
Trafalgar Square is bustling with people and street performers every day, but especially on days when major events are taking place, as it is the place where Londoners gather to celebrate New Year's Eve, sporting triumphs and even royal weddings.
Where to eat near the London Eye
Although it is not a country with a great gastronomic tradition, London has some good restaurants, although most of them tend to be a little pricey. For lunch, I recommend three restaurants near the London Eye.
Here you can enjoy everything from typical English dishes at St Stephen's Tavern (opposite Big Ben) to the exclusive cuisine of a Michelin-starred restaurant near Parliament, Roux at Parliament, or quality food and good service on board a boat, the London Showboat, which you can board from Westminster Bridge.
Other activities that may interest you
Since you're here, on the river, and so close to several piers from which cruises depart across the Thames, it would be a good idea to round off your day in London with a relaxing river cruise, from which you can see the contrasts of the London skyline and even reach the Greenwich Meridian by boat. Here's a post I wrote about 7 Best Thames River Cruises in case you're interested in organising the trip.