Built as part of the Year 2000 Millennium celebrations, the London Eye seems to have captured the imagination of visitors to London. It is now one the most popular attractions of all.
Essentially the proposition is a very simple one. Ride a giant big wheel 135 metres high taking 30 minutes to travel one revolution.
The London Eye is situated right at the tourist heart of London, (opposite Big Ben by the River Thames) with commanding views, (25 miles on a good day).
Right now Golden Tours are offering a fantastic sale on London Merlin passes. Book now to get big savings on London attractions.
BOOK TICKETS What you'll see Opening times & location London Eye ticket advice London Eye River Cruise Discount London London Eye with a pass/promotions London Eye & hop-on bus London Eye & 1950s Routemaster bus Windsor Castle & London Eye tour Coach tour of London with London Eye London Eye FAQ London Eye map showing attractions
You ride in a luxurious capsule in comfort; each capsule is fully air-conditioned to keep its visitors completely comfortable no matter what the temperature outside. Each capsule also rotates on a special device designed to keep everyone upright as the wheel makes a slow but progressive revolution.
The London Eye is by Westminster Bridge on the other side of the river to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The booking office is in the adjacent County Hall building, at one time home of London's governing body.
You can read more to learn about the London Eye on the The London Eye official website.
County Hall houses two hotels and three of the four other Merlin attractions that London Eye also belongs to: SEA LIFE London Aquarium, Shrek's Adventure! London and The London Dungeon. (Madame Tussauds is the fifth Merlin attraction in London, situated further away in Marylebone.)
As well as enjoying a breathtaking London Eye flight, you can also see London by water; London Eye Thames River Cruises are very popular.
A range of experiences are now available with London Eye including Champagne, Private Pods, Cupid's Pod, and the unforgettable Eye Lounge; a luxurious bar with spectacular views. Why not combine London Eye tickets with a 1950s classic Routemaster bus and river cruise?
Take flight through the heart of the city
• Enjoy 360 degree views of London's iconic skyline • Save money when you book online - cheaper off-peak rates available • Option to add on or purchase separately London Eye River Cruise • Fast track tickets available • Combination tickets available • Private capsule hire available
London Eye River Cruise and Fish & Chips meal (London Eye flight not included)
• 40-min circular river cruise along the River Thames • Meal in Poppie's Fish & Chips restaurant • London in your Pocket app access
You will see the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth Clock Tower (Big Ben), Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's, The Tate Museum, Tower Bridge, The Shard, not to mention the longest and most intricately styled stretches of the famous Thames River.
Daily 10am to between 8.30pm or 9.30pm (variable).
Riverside Building, London SE1 7PB
The London Eye is located on the South Bank of the River Thames, in the Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7PB.
The Riverside Building also contains The London Dungeon,The Paddington Bear Experience, Shrek's Adventure! London and SEA LIFE London Aquarium, as well as the Premier Inn County Hall Hotel and The London Marriott County Hall Hotel.
On the opposite side of Westminster Bridge is Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.
It's very easy to get to London Eye via London's public transport. It's a 4-5 minutes' walk from Waterloo Underground & Railway station, which is on the Northern, Jubilee and Bakerloo Lines. A similar distance away is Westminster Underground Station across Westminster Bridge and opposite Big Ben on the Circle, District and Jubilee Lines.
All of London's hop on, hop off sightseeing buses have stops at the London Eye / The London Dungeon. The London Eye has its own pier where many of the river services stop including those used by the the hop on, hop off sightseeing buses. Westminster Pier is directly opposite on the other side of Westminster Bridge too and is one of London's busiest river service piers.
To ensure a seamless London Eye experience, remember to pre-book your tickets online, selecting your preferred entry time. All tickets have varying prices depending on when you visit. Peak periods include school holidays and weekends.
Please note that prices may differ according to the ticket type you select. For an overview of available ticket choices, please refer to the information below:
The London Eye is one of London's most popular attractions and at peak times queues are lengthy.
If you just turn up on the day you will pay more for your ticket and how long you will have to wait will depend on when the next availability is and the ticket type you select.
Typically the cheapest standard tickets on offer are often available from the official website if you buy a week in advance, outside peak times.
However, this is not always the case; Merlin adjust their ticket prices regularly and sometimes you will see tickets available for the same or the next day at the lowest price (even at weekends or holidays), it just depends on when you are booking.
Offers, passes or discount codes are also regularly available, see below for more details. Some third party sellers are not price-matching tickets for these time periods, so this is something you should be aware of.
Child tickets are cheaper and a child is considered between the ages of 2-15 at the London Eye. Any child under 2 is free.
There are various ticketing options, in order of current cost these are:
You can purchase tickets on the day from the London Eye ticket office inside County Hall. Walk-up tickets for the London Eye are the most expensive, up to 28% more than purchasing in advance. Although you can walk up and get tickets, London Eye "strongly recommend pre-booking your tickets in advance to guarantee entry." This is especially important at peak times.
Ticket holders enter via the standard entrance. During the online booking process you will need to specify the half hour time slot for your experience.
Ticket includes entry to the 4D Cinema Experience located at the back of the ticket office, and can be enjoyed before or after your Lastminute.com London Eye experience.
Rates are variable according to season. Peak rates apply during school holidays and at weekends.
There are three online advance prices through the official website: next day, 4-day in advance and a week in advance, each ticket being a bit cheaper.
Fast track tickets allow you to bypass the majority of the queue, and save time during your visit. Ticket holders enter via a dedicated Fast Track entrance.
As with all Merlin attractions, fast track tickets cost around £10 more than the standard ticket.
As with standard tickets there are two prices for fast track tickets: walk up and online in advance. The online tickets are always around £6 cheaper than walk-up tickets, which if you are buying multiple tickets, can add up.
The cheapest tickets of all the four options then (standard online; standard walk-up; fast-track online; fast-track walk-up) are the standard online tickets.
Discounts are available on standard ticket prices for families and students.
For family discounts (minimum one adult, two children), simply navigate to the standard ticket section of the website using the banner below.
For student discounts you'll need to see under 'More ways to visit' where there is a page advising you about 'Student Beans' where you can register and verify your student status to claim a generous discount.
London Eye is owned by a company called Merlin who own and operate several other major attractions in London.
Combine the London Eye with other Merlin attractions: get huge savings with 1, 2, or all 4 of the remaining Merlin London attractions:
Big City Saver pass by Merlin - what is it about?
For stand-alone tickets for London Eye the best price guarantee offered by London Eye is pretty good. If you find somebody offering lower priced tickets than London Eye let us know!
However, very few visitors buy London Eye tickets in isolation. Great deals from third parties of all kinds are available - the best are those where you cannot identify how much exactly you are paying for the Madame Tussauds tickets hidden with in the package - thus neatly bypassing the London Eye best price guarantee for stand-alone tickets.
The most fruitful places to seek out these great deals are:
- Discounted combination London Eye tickets combining two or sometimes up to seven London attractions in one discounted package. Both third party discounters and Merlin who own London Eye offer these.
- London's popular hop-on hop off sightseeing buses will make available discounted attraction tickets when bought in advance together with their hop on, hop off bus tickets.
- There are several London attraction passes and discount schemes where London Eye appears as a supported attraction.
Take flight through the heart of the city
• Enjoy 360 degree views of London's iconic skyline • Save money when you book online - cheaper off-peak rates available • Option to add on or purchase separately London Eye River Cruise • Fast track tickets available • Combination tickets available • Private capsule hire available
The London Eye River Cruise is a great way to see the amazing sights of London from a different angle. The River Cruise can be booked on its own or together with a London Eye ticket.
London Eye River Cruise and Fish & Chips meal (London Eye flight not included)
• 40-min circular river cruise along the River Thames • Meal in Poppie's Fish & Chips restaurant • London in your Pocket app access
Discount London offer various ticket combinations for top London attractions including St Paul's Cathedral, The London Dungeon, Buckingham Palace, Madame Tussauds, Tower Bridge and a Thames River Cruise - alongside The London Eye.
Booking this way you can save as much as 39% on purchasing tickets separately.
This offer is great for non-Merlin attractions. If wanting to save on Merlin attractions (including Big Bus) the biggest savings can still be found on the attraction's own website, or with a Big City Saver pass (see below).
Book discounted London sightseeing and attraction tickets
• Hop-on hop-off buses • Madame Tussauds • London Eye • London Dungeon • Tower of London • Tower Bridge • The Shard • Westminster Abbey • Historic Royal Palaces and more...
The Railways 2 for 1 Promotion entrance promotion is valid at the London Eye, and you need to pre-book your tickets in advance online.
Golden Tours are offering a fantastic sale on the Merlin pass.
Book below to get big savings on London attractions.
HUGE SAVINGS: Buy a 2, 3 or 5 attraction pass • London Eye • Madame Tussauds London • London Dungeon • Shrek's Adventure! London • SEA LIFE London Aquarium Adult from Adult from Adult from MERLIN'S LONDON ATTRACTION PASS 2, 3 OR ALL 5 ATTRACTIONS
for top 5 London attractions£50 £45 for 2 attractions,
Child (age 2-15) from £45 £40.50£70 £50 for 3 attractions,
Child (age 2-15) from £63 £45£100 £60 for all 5 attractions,
Child (age 2-15) from £90 £54
- Big City Saver pass (2, 3 or 5 attractions) - This pass includes up to five London attractions (owned by Merlin) including London Eye, Madame Tussauds, The London Dungeon, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, and Shrek's Adventure! London. Visit all of these in 90 days for big savings off the normal price.
When looking at this offer against offers from some third parties the Big City Saver consistently offers the greatest discounts.
- Merlin Annual Pass - This pass also includes the London Eye but offers attractions spread throughout the UK, including Legoland Windsor.
HUGE SAVINGS: Buy a 2, 3 or 5 attraction pass for top London attractions Off-peak prices available including: • London Eye • Madame Tussauds London • London Dungeon • Shrek's Adventure! London • SEA LIFE London Aquarium •Tower of London • Big Bus Tour Adult from £50 for 2 attractions Child (age 2-15) from £45 Adult from £70 for 3 attractions Child (age 2-15) from £63 Adult from £100 for all 5 attractions Child (age 2-15) from £90BIG CITY SAVER LONDON ATTRACTION PASS 2, 3 OR ALL 5 ATTRACTIONS
The London Pass - The good news is that the London Eye is now available for free entry with London's best selling pass.
With over 90 top London attractions) you visit over the number of days of your choosing. Other top attractions on the London Pass list include Madame Tussauds, Chessington World of Adventures, London Zoo, The View from the Shard, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's, and the Tower of London. The London Pass offers incredible savings over buying individual attraction tickets.
The more you visit, the more you save • Access 90+ London attractions including Tower of London, London Eye, Madame Tussauds, London Zoo, Chessington World of Adventures, London Bridge Experience, Thames River Cruise, Tower Bridge, St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, The View from Shard, Windsor Castle, Big Bus, and many more... LONDON PASS BY GO CITY
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10 day passes available.
- Want to visit Tower of London plus London Eye and have a relaxing Thames River Cruise included? The London City Pass could save you £££'s.
Hop on tours are excellent for your first day in London, quickly getting you up to speed and orientated with the layout of London and your guide pointing out sights and destinations you might have not previously considered visiting.
Enjoy a Big Bus hop-on bus tour of London plus tickets for the London Eye in one money-saving package.
To find the offer click on the banner below which will take you through to the London Eye website.
Click on 'Tickets & prices', followed by 'Sightseeing Tours'.
Save up to 33% on ticket prices by combining London Eye with Big Bus tour
• London Eye with Big Bus London tickets • Save up to 33% on buying separately • Tickets valid for 90 days • Other options to combine London Eye with other Merlin attractions: London Dungeon, Madame Tussauds, SEALIFE London Aquarium and/or Shrek's Adventure!
Golden Tours offer a similar hop-on bus service in London. They have put a package in place allowing you to buy London Eye tickets with a Golden Tours hop-on bus ticket for either 1-day or 24 hours. With this ticket you also get a free Thames River Cruise.
Buses run every 20 minutes and an audio guide in a number of different languages is also included.
London Eye tickets plus Golden Tours hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus package
• Hop-on Hop-off London Bus Tour & London Eye flight • Choice of 24-hr or 1-day tickets • Includes River Boat Cruise
This tour allows you to add on a London Eye flight with a fabulous experience aboard a retro, red double-decker bus London Routemaster, with the addition of a River Thames sightseeing cruise.
Enjoy sights such as Buckingham Palace for the colourful Changing of the Guard ceremony from the top deck on this vintage bus tour of London.
Vintage bus tour & London Eye tour
Windsor Castle in the morning, followed by a ride on the unforgettable London Eye in the afternoon. This tour is a sure winner.
When you click the link below you can choose between two options - just Windsor Castle as a half day tour, or Windsor plus the London Eye.
Windsor Castle morning tour with the London Eye in the afternoon
Windsor Castle only £93
Windsor Castle plus London Eye £118
• Entry to Windsor Castle • Option to add on London Eye • Professional guide • Luxury air-conditioned coach with free Wi-Fi
On this fabulous tour of London you'll get to witness the spectacle of the Changing of the Guard, plus entry to the Tower of London and St Paul's Cathedral. It offers tremendous value for money and memories for a lifetime.
Plus at the end of your fabulous tour you'll get the option to add on a flight on the London Eye!
Ticket prices vary depending on whether you purchase in advance or using a pass or in a group. Please see our tickets section for further details.
The full address of London Eye to use with Satnav is:
Riverside Building, London SE1 7PB
Telephone: 0870 5000600
Waterloo Underground Station.
It is also possible to get down from the tube in Embankment or Charing Cross stations across the Thames and take a lovely short walk from there to the London Eye with a London view.
Similarly, the closest train station to London Eye is Waterloo. But Charing Cross is just across the river with a lovely walk down to the river and across the bridge.
Tube: Westminster/Embankment
Train: Waterloo/Charing Cross
Bus: Routes 211, 77 and 381
Your ticket will give you one rotation on the London Eye, taking around 30mins.
London Eye is walkable to many top attractions, with many other attractions being just a short tube ride away.
After your fantastic London Eye flight you can easily make a day of it by visiting other attractions which are right next to the Eye: The Paddington Bear Experience, The London Dungeon, Shrek's Adventure! London, and SEA LIFE London.
To save yourself some money on these tickets Merlin offer a pass Big City Saver which allows you to visit combinations of 2 up to all 5 London Merlin attractions over a 90 day period.
Just the other side of Westminster Bridge over the river are Westminster Abbey, the Clock Tower with Big Ben, The Imperial War Museums, and further behind St James's Park with Buckingham Palace.
Just 200 yards away there are a series of restaurants on the south bank overlooking the river.
If you want to stay in the southbank near London Eye and Houses of Parliament then check out our Hotels near Waterloo Station.
London Eye | Amazing panoramic flight on the world's highest observation wheel. » Fast track tickets available. |
The Shard | Tallest building in Western Europe with viewing of London from the top. » Fast track tickets available. |
St Paul's Cathedral | Cathedral of the Diocese of London, venue for royal weddings. » Pre-book to guarantee entry. |
Westminster Abbey | Along with St Paul's, England's main religious building.» Pre-book to guarantee entry. |
Tower of London | Home of the Crown Jewels and a rich thousand year history. » Fast track tickets available. |
Madame Tussauds | See wax statues of the most famous people in the world. » Fast track tickets available. |
London Dungeon | The creepiest attraction in town, the London Dungeon. » Fast track tickets available. |
Hampton Court Palace | Henry VIII Medieval Palace set in vast grounds. » Pre-book to save money. |
The London Zoo | World class zoo in the centre of London. » Flexi tickets available. |