Standing tall on the banks of the River Thames, The London Eye is one of the city’s most popular attractions.
The world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel has been standing on the South Bank in the heart of London since 2000 when it was launched to mark the city’s Millennium celebrations. Despite having originally been created as a temporary landmark (it was only meant to stand for five years), The London Eye has proven incredibly popular.
But is it really worth it?
The first time I travelled on The London Eye was ten years ago but I recently took another spin around and remembered why it’s such a well-loved attraction.
In addition to the incredible views of sights including Westminster Bridge, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace on a clear day, it’s a really unique experience. This guide to visiting the London Eye is a result of my most recent visit to this giant ferris wheel, here’s everything you need to know.
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What is the London Eye?
As mentioned above, The London Eye was originally conceived as a temporary structure to mark the year 2000.
It was due to open on 31st December 1999 to mark the millennium but owing to technical issues, it didn’t actually open until March 2000. Despite the somewhat inauspicious start the Millennium Wheel, as it was originally called, proved hugely popular almost immediately with visitor numbers far exceeding original expectations. So loved was the London Eye that it became a permanent fixture.
It’s a very simple concept, a 135-metre-tall observation wheel with 32 capsules, one for each borough in London. The capsules are actually numbered 1 – 33 as they took out number 13 to avoid any bad luck!
The London Eye revolves gently at a speed of 26cm/second – so slow that it doesn’t need to stop for passengers to get on and off – and a full rotation takes around 30 minutes, giving you plenty of time to soak in the incredible views of London.
Each capsule can carry up to 25 people and there are no seats; the fully-enclosed pod is air-conditioned and with plenty of room to walk around in so you’re free to move, take photos and admire the view. Altogether, the wheel can carry around 800 people per rotation.
Where is The London Eye?
The London Eye is located on the South Bank of the River Thames in central London, almost directly opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The closest underground stations are:
- Waterloo
- Embankment
- Charing Cross
- Westminster
You can also travel by boat – possibly combining your trip on The London Eye with a river cruise – in which case the London Eye Pier is your best stop. This stop sits directly alongside The London Eye itself.
Our London Eye Experience
I visited The London Eye with my 11-year-old. Although I had already travelled on the wheel once before, it was my youngest’s first time.
We arrived one afternoon during the Easter holidays at the time marked on our ticket. Depending on when you visit, there can be long lines of people waiting to board. Fortunately, the queues were not bad when we visited but what I quickly realised is that there is a very good queuing system in place.
You are told not to turn up until the time marked on your ticket (this is the time that you should arrive, not the time that you will board the wheel) and there are dedicated lanes according to the different times on tickets.
If you’re visiting with kids then the Jubilee Gardens Playground at the base of the London Eye is a good place to kill time before your ticket time is called.
We got in line, had our tickets scanned and bags checked and then waited in the queue.
Once you’re on the ramp leading up to the boarding spot, there’s the chance to have a professional photograph taken against a green screen. You can see the results once you disembark although we chose not to purchase the shot of us in the pod as we took a real one instead.
When it came time to board, attendants ushered us into one of a handful of lanes and we then walked easily onto the capsule.
What I really enjoyed about our trip on The London Eye was seeing the city from different angles – the perspective from where the wheel starts to the top is very different. It’s also fun to see the city from new heights and enjoy London’s many famous landmarks.
There’s a recorded audio commentary on board, typically themed according to the season, that explains a lot about the city and its history. It’s very quiet, however, so you may have a hard time hearing it – I certainly did!
A guidebook detailing the history of The London Eye, illustrated maps and facts about the London skyline is available to buy at the gift shop or you can download this PDF, which might not be as detailed but it’s free!
What can you see on the London Eye?
On a clear day you can see up to 40km (25 miles) from the top of the London Eye. It was quite hazy during our trip so we couldn’t see quite that far but we still enjoyed some great views. Some of the most iconic London attractions and landmarks to look out for are:
- Big Ben
- Buckingham Palace
- St Paul’s Cathedral
- The Shard
- Westminster Abbey
- Tate Modern
- St James’ Park
- Tower Bridge
- Whitehall Gardens
What I really love about The London Eye, however, is that you can see how the city fits together – the gently curving thames, the mix of historic and modern architecture and the sheer size of the city.
There are other places where you can get great views of London – the Sky Garden for example – but it’s the 360 views from the glass pods that make The London Eye stand out.
The best time to ride The London Eye
Golden hour and sunset are especially magical, while nighttime rides offer a glittering skyline. Sunny days mean that you can see for miles but even on hazy days such as when we visited you’ll be rewarded with far-reaching views. In short, the only days when a ride on The London Eye probably isn’t worth it is in thick fog or heavy rain.
Is The London Eye worth it?
If it’s your first time to London then I would say that a ride on The London Eye is definitely worth it. It’s a unique, one-off experience and a really fabulous way to see the city.
If you’re a Londoner and have never been on the famous ferris wheel then I would also say that it’s also worth it.
One option would be to enjoy a spin around the eye for a special occasion – my mum booked out a private pod for my dad’s 70th birthday and invited a number of friends and family to enjoy two rotations with a glass of champagne in hand. Now that is a great way to enjoy The London Eye!
The London Eye Tickets – what you need to know
The London Eye is part of Merlin attractions and there are various options for your tickets.
If you only want to visit The London Eye then I highly recommend booking your ticket online as you will save a lot of money. An adult ticket bought online starts from £29/adult whereas you will pay £39 if you buy a ticket in person on the day of your visit. You can buy tickets here.
If you want to skip the line then opt for the Fast Track Ticket which starts from £44/adult online. There’s also the Flexi Fast Track Ticket, which starts from £49/adult online. The difference between the two fast track tickets is that the latter gives you freedom to visit The London Eye at any time on the day of your choice.
If you think that you will visit some other Merlin attractions while in London then opt for a multi-attraction ticket. Tickets to both London Eye and Madame Tussauds cost from £49 per adult, which equals £24.50 per attraction and is a very good saving.
There are various multi-attraction ticket options available including one that allows you access SeaLife London Aquarium, The London Dungeon and Shrek’s Adventure in addition to the London Eye. Another popular option is to combine a spin around the huge wheel with a 40-minute sightseeing River Cruise.
One thing to note, if you are travelling with young children and have a pushchair then you can only bring it on board if it is fully closed or folded. There is a buggy bay in the left luggage section of the ticket office if you would prefer to leave it on the ground.
