Attraction guide
London Eye tickets: prices, ride length and the view from the top
The London Eye is the 135-metre observation wheel on the South Bank. A standard ride lasts about 30 minutes and gives the best aerial view of central London you can buy without a helicopter. Here is everything you need to plan a visit.
What the London Eye is
The London Eye is the 135-metre observation wheel on the South Bank of the Thames, directly opposite the Houses of Parliament. It opened in 2000 and was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world at the time. The wheel turns slowly and continuously; you board a glass-walled capsule on the move, ride a single rotation, and step off roughly 30 minutes later.
Standard admission ticket
A standard London Eye ticket is one rotation in a shared capsule. Tickets are time-slotted, so you choose an entry window when you book and arrive within it. Prices on this site reflect the official recommended selling price set by the attraction. The exact figure on your day is shown live at checkout once you pick a date and time.
You can add the London Eye to a Big Bus London booking as an upsell at checkout— that keeps both tickets in one confirmation email and lets you skip the South Bank ticket counter.
Where the London Eye is
Address: Riverside Building, County Hall, London SE1 7PB. The nearest Underground station is Waterlooon the Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern and Waterloo & City lines. The closest Big Bus London hop-off stop is Westminster— cross Westminster Bridge on foot in about five minutes and you are at the entrance.
What you actually see
Visibility on a clear day is roughly 25 miles. From the top you can pick out Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Shard, the BT Tower, the Gherkin, the Walkie-Talkie, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. The capsule windows have no bars, so photos are clean.
Best time of day
For photography, the last hour before sunset is unbeatable — the sun is behind the wheel, the river lights up gold and the city skyline silhouettes cleanly. For shorter queues, the first slot after opening is quietest.
Tips for a smooth visit
- Book a time slot online; walk-up queues can exceed an hour in summer.
- Arrive 15 minutes before your slot for security screening.
- Each capsule holds up to 25 people; ask a steward for a less-busy capsule if you want space at the windows.
- Phones and cameras are fine; tripods are not.
- If you are pairing the Eye with the bus, do the bus loop in the morning and the Eye late afternoon for the best light.
Add the London Eye to your Big Bus London ticket
Bundle your hop-on hop-off bus pass with London Eye admission at checkout. One booking, one confirmation email, two QR codes — and you skip the ticket counter on the South Bank.
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