Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cost:
£
20, family ticket available, about 10 percent cheaper if bought online. Buy
tickets in advance at
www.londoneye.com
, by calling 0870-500-0600, or in person at the
box office (in the corner of the County Hall building nearest the Eye). A combo-ticket that
also covers Madame Tussauds Waxworks is also cheaper online.
Hours:
Daily April-Aug 10:00-21:00, Sept-March 10:00-20:30, these are last-ascent
times, open later on weekends, closed Dec 25 and a few days in Jan for annual mainten-
ance, Tube: Waterloo or Westminster. Thames boats come and go from Waterloo Pier at
the foot of the wheel.
Crowd-Beating Tips:
The London Eye is busiest between 11:00 and 17:00, espe-
cially on weekends year-round and every day in July and August. You might have to
wait up to 30 minutes to buy your ticket, then another 30-45 minutes to board your cap-
sule—it's best to call ahead or go online to prebook your ticket during these times. To re-
trieve your ticket at the sight, punch your confirmation code into the machine in the ticket
office (or pick it up in the short “Groups and Ticket Collection” line at desk #5). Even
if you pre-reserve, you still have to wait a bit to board the wheel. You can pay an extra
£
10 for a Fast Track ticket that lets you jump the queue, but it's probably not worth the
expense.
By the Eye:
The area next to the London Eye has developed a cotton-candy ambience
of kitschy, kid-friendly attractions. There's an aquarium, game arcade, and London Film
Museum dedicated to movies filmed in London, from
Harry Potter
to
Star Wars
(not to
