The London Eye is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, which has been making tourists' visits more enjoyable since 1999, and was even the largest in the world until 2006.
The London Eye sits right on the River Thames opposite the Palace of Westminster and the famous Big Ben tower. Since its opening, the London Eye has held an almost constant position as the number 1 most visited attraction in the UK.
Just be sure to check the opening times before you visit! The London Eye is closed from January to the end of April.
The height of the London Eye
The London Eye rises 135 metres above the Thames and the city centre and until 2013 was the highest vantage point in London (surpassed by The Shard skyscraper by more than 100 metres). The London Eye is the 1st tallest Ferris wheel in Europe to date and the 6th tallest in the world. The diameter of the wheel is 120 metres.
The huge steel structure, painted white, carries 32 large glass air-conditioned cabins, each of which can accommodate 25 passengers. The 32 cabs symbolize the 32 boroughs of London.
From the highest point of the 135-metre structure, London is truly in the palm of your hand. You can see the Houses of Parliament and the entire Old Quarter with its low-rise historic buildings. Then you cross the river and suddenly you see a future city of glass and iron skyscrapers.
Red among the white
It is not lost on the observant eye that 31 capsules are white, while a single capsule is painted red. It received its red colour on 2 June 2013 to mark the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
This cab is named the Coronation Capsule.
If this is the red capsule you want to ride, you won't be too pleased. You can't buy a ticket just for a particular cab, and if there is a queue forming to get in (which is almost always the case), it is virtually impossible to ensure that this particular red cab will go out on you with any certainty.
London Eye rate
The wheel rotates at 0.26 m/s, which is less than 1 km/h. So the rotation is so slow that the wheel spins at a constant speed even when boarding, much like a ski lift, for example. A complete revolution takes about 30 minutes.
Admission and operating hours
It is always worth booking tickets for the London Eye online at the official website londoneye.com, where they are sold at a discount of around 20%.
However, you need to purchase your ticket at least a week in advance to qualify for the discount. There are many discounted packages on offer, as well as Fast-track, which will help you avoid a larger queue. However, the normal queue usually lasts no more than 40 minutes.
Children aged 2 to 15 are discounted by around £3 and children under 2 get in for free.
| Price online | Price on site | save | |
| Standard (London Eye only) |
29 gbp | 42 gbp | - |
| London Eye River Cruise |
46 gbp | cannot be purchased | cheaper to buy separately!!! |
| London Eye Madame Tussauds SEA Life |
60 gbp | cannot be bought | 46 gbp |
You can also buy "Fast Track" tickets with significantly shorter waiting times for an extra cost of around £15.
For a full listing of packages and tickets, visit londoneye.com.
Views from the London Eye
The London Eye is definitely the best viewpoint in London, and compared to the skyscrapers, it has a kind of "wow-effect", where nicer and nicer views gradually open up in front of you as you go up.
Because London is on flat ground and the bike sits right in the centre of it, you can see absolutely all of London's major landmarks. If you're lucky, there will be planes landing directly above you at the nearby London City Airport and on a clear day, visibility is around 50km!
History of the London Eye
The history of the London Ferris wheel dates back to the turn of the millennium. The idea of creating an original viewpoint began in the late 1980s and in the early 1990s it was decided to build a temporary structure at first, but while the wheel was being completed, the decision was made to operate the attraction permanently.
Six British architects were involved in the architecture. The main rotating part and the electrical components were made in Britain, the French company Poma made the capsules for the passengers, which are covered with Italian glass. The actual construction came from the Netherlands.
How to get to the London Eye?
You can't miss the London Eye. It stands right in the centre of London on the banks of the Thames and can be seen from many points in the city. Jubilee Park & Garden is part of the complex.
Nearest tube station:
- Waterloo - 200 metres: Jubilee, Bakerloo, Northern and Waterloo & City lines.
- Westminster - 400 metres: Circle, District, Jubilee lines
- Embankment - 450 metres: Circle, District, Bakerloo and Northern lines
There are also bus stops nearby:
- County Hall - 200 metres: lines 381, C10
- St. Thomas Hospital / County Hall - 200 metres: lines 11, 12, 148, 159, 453
Hotels near London Eye
If you're not so concerned about money, then the location around the London Eye is one of the best for accommodation. For cheaper hotels, we'd name the 3* The Wellington Hotel by Waterloo station with prices from 147 eur per night.
Right next to the bike you can stay from 257 eur in hotels Park Plaza Westminster Bridge and Park Plaza County Hall.
What to see around
Discover all the places to see in London.
