How Many Steps the Eiffel Tower Has and Key Facts

Direct answer: how many steps in total

The Eiffel Tower has 1,665 steps in total to reach the top if you climb all accessible levels. This number represents the combined steps across the public routes available to visitors who choose to climb rather than take the elevators. While the structure contains many more maintenance and service pathways, the 1,665 figure reflects the routes officially open to the public. Because elevator configurations and accessibility can change, the step count for each level and the total may vary slightly depending on which intermediate landing you consider the practical top for visitors.

Eiffel Tower step count by level

Step counts differ between the three visitor levels because each platform has its own flight of stairs and because service routes are not included in public numbers. The widely reported public step totals are those you will commonly find in visitor guides and official references. Note that elevator availability can change these numbers in practice, since many visitors use elevators partway or all the way.

Why the staircase counts vary slightly

Official brochures sometimes quote slightly different staircase numbers for each floor because rounding, safety routing changes, or alternate paths for accessibility are used in different sources. The total of approximately 1,665 public steps is consistent across most authoritative visitor references, but individual floor splits may differ by a few steps depending on how intermediate landings are counted. Elevator technical layouts and temporary configurations can also change which staircase segment is considered the public route in documentation, which contributes to small variations in reported figures.

Elevator versus climbing the Eiffel Tower

Most visitors use a mix of elevators and stairs, because the elevators serve the same intermediate and top levels without the sustained climb. The first elevator typically stops at the 2nd floor, so many visitors climb about 328 steps to the first level and then ride up from there. If you ride to the second floor and then climb the final segment to the summit, your total step count will be closer to 309 rather than 1,665. Choosing all elevators reduces your steps to zero, while choosing stairs for one or two segments gives you a partial climb experience with less fatigue than a full ascent.

Practical tips for visitors who want to climb

• Buy a ticket that specifies access to the stairs, because not all ticket types include staircase entry.
• Expect a steady climb with gradients comparable to a moderately steep set of stairs; there are no extreme technical sections.
• Elevator wait times can be long at peak hours, so if your goal is the summit via steps, plan for a dedicated time block.
• Consider splitting the journey: stairs to the first or second level, then elevator to the top, to balance effort and time.

Historical context and design

The Eiffel Tower was engineered as a wrought-iron lattice structure with stairways intended as the primary vertical circulation for visitors before elevators were widely reliable. The arrangement of three levels allowed observation platforms at different heights, a concept that predated modern skyscraper sky lobbies. The staircase routes follow the structural columns and internal frames, which means climbing the steps also offers views of the tower’s internal construction. The totals reported today derive from original blueprints adjusted for modern safety paths and public-access standards, which is why they remain stable over decades despite occasional route adjustments for maintenance.

Accessibility considerations and alternatives

Wheelchair access and mobility limitations reduce the practicality of climbing the full staircase route, but partial options remain valuable for many visitors. Elevators are designed to serve all levels, including accessible cabins, and ground-level entrances are adapted for reduced mobility. If stairs are difficult, prioritizing an elevator to a higher level and climbing just one segment is a common compromise. This approach preserves the experience of ascending part of the tower while managing physical effort and time effectively.

Summary of key numbers at a glance

Closing note

Whether you climb a few segments or all 1,665 steps, the Eiffel Tower’s design rewards vertical exploration with structured levels and viewpoints. The staircase totals are consistent across authoritative sources, and by combining stairs and elevators you can tailor the experience to your pace and fitness.