Visit the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel, the London Eye, situated in Westminster and offering stunning views opposite Big Ben
The London Eye is located in the tourist heart of London, near Westminster Bridge, directly across the river from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. You can locate the booking office in the nearby County Hall building, which used to be the headquarters of London’s governing body.
Essentially the proposition is a very simple one. Ride a giant big wheel 135 metres high taking 30 minutes to travel one revolution whilst enjoying amazing views across the capital.
Merlin attractions passes – consequently, save even more on London Eye tickets with other London Merlin attractions.
Right now Golden Tours are offering a fantastic sale on London Merlin passes. Book now to get big savings on London attractions.
Enjoy amazing views of London’s iconic skyline
Look out over the bustling city and see how many iconic attractions you can recognise. Furthermore, each pod is fully air-conditioned, providing a comfortable environment regardless of the weather outside. Additionally, each capsule is mounted on a unique mechanism that allows it to rotate smoothly; consequently, it keeps everyone upright as the wheel gradually rotates.
For more information visit The London Eye official website.
London attractions
County Hall is home to two hotels and three of the four Merlin attractions, which include SEA LIFE London Aquarium, Shrek’s Adventure! London, and The London Dungeon. Additionally, Madame Tussauds, another Merlin attraction, is located a bit further 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; moreover, it features a luxurious bar with spectacular views.
Why not combine London Eye tickets with a 1950s classic Routemaster bus and river cruise?
What can I see?
The views are spectacular, offering sights of the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth Clock Tower (Big Ben), Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s Cathedral The Tate modern Gallery, Tower Bridge, The Shard, along with the famous meandering River Themes.
Opening times and location
Opening times
Daily 10am to between 8.30pm or 9.30pm (variable).
Address
Riverside Building, London SE1 7PB
Location
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. Furthermore, it includes the Premier Inn County Hall Hotel and The London Marriott County Hall Hotel.
Additionally, major sightseeing attractions can be located on the North side of Westminster Bridge, including Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.
Tickets, ticket prices and booking
Ticket information
To ensure a seamless London Eye experience, remember to pre-book your tickets online, selecting your preferred entry time. Additionally, all tickets have varying prices depending on when you visit. Specifically, peak periods include school holidays and weekends.
Please note that prices may differ according to the ticket type you select. Furthermore, for an overview of available ticket choices, please refer to the information below.
Overview
As visitors flock to one of London’s most popular attractions at peak times, they can encounter lengthy queues.
Be aware you may pay more for a walk-up ticket, and the wait time will vary based on the next available option and the type of ticket you choose.
Cheapest London Eye tickets
Typically, you can often find the cheapest standard tickets on offer 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:
1) Walk-Up Tickets
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.
2) Advance Purchase Standard Tickets (purchased from the London Eye website)
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.
3) Fast Track tickets
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.
Along 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.
4) Student and family discounts
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.
5) Big City Saver – combining London Eye with up to 4 other major attractions in London
London Eye is owned by a company called Merlin who operate several 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?
6) Third party discounters and combination tickets
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.
Day tour of London with London Eye – “Total London”
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!
Save money! Combine London Eye with St Paul’s, Madame Tussauds, The London Dungeon…
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.
Day tour of London with London Eye – “Total London”
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!
Attractions located close to the London Eye
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.
London Eye River Cruise
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.
- 40 minute cruise through the heart of the city along River Thames
- Expert commentary provided by our professional and knowledge guides on board. Foreign language audio guide available in 10 languages (and a TV screen that displays the commentary in British Sign Language)
- Bar on board with a wide range of refreshments
Hungry? Restaurants and cafes near the London Eye
London’s Southbank offers a variety of restaurants and food outlets, all within walking distance and overlooking the river. As you stroll along the vibrant promenade, you’ll encounter a delightful mix of cuisines that cater to every palate.
Whether you’re in the mood for a leisurely meal or a quick snack, the Southbank has something to satisfy your cravings while you soak in the picturesque surroundings.
Hotels near the London Eye
If you’re looking to stay in the Southbank area close to the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament, take a look at our Hotels near Waterloo Station.