Is the London Eye Worth It? Are the Views of the city that good?

We’ve been to London a few times as a romantic get away and as a family. Every time I’ve wanted to go on the London Eye, Rach on the other hand hates heights so we never did.

Finally on our last trip I managed to convince her and you know what, she loved it! 

There are free options when it comes to getting incredible views of London but I would say it is worth it. I wanted to write this London Eye Review to fully share my thoughts and hopefully that’ll help you decide on if its worth it for you. 

I’ll go through the queues, the different types of tickets and of course the views. 

What Exactly Is the London Eye?

No doubt you know what the London Eye is (It looks like a giant ferris wheel), but I wanted to share a little more details and background on it. 

The London Eye is a massive observation wheel, it opened in 2000 and was originally known as the Millennium Wheel but was renamed the London Eye. 

There was a chance that it could be removed in 2028 as the lease was coming to an end. Luckily because of its popularity its now a permanent London landmark. 

Which makes sense as it’s just as iconic as Big Ben. 

The London Eye is 135 meters tall, which is about 443 feet. When it was built it was the tallest observation wheel in the world. 

There are 32 capsules and each one can hold 25 passengers. 

The London Eye can hold 800 people at a time, according to Wikipedia it has had over 85 million people on it since it was built. [link]

The wheel is a 30-minute ride. Its funny because you barely notice it moving, which is great because this means you get 360 degree panoramic views of London. 

This includes views of the Shard, Houses of Parliament, and Buckingham Palace.

Since it sits on the South Bank of the River Thames, you get an incredible view of the Capital City. 

You’ll get to see the river cut through the heart of London, its really impressive. 

Click To Get Best Pricing For London Eye Tickets

Our London Eye Experience

We arrived at South Bank around 11:30 on the Saturday morning. The queue for the standard tickets was huge. Since we were only in London for a couple of days, we had a lot to pack in. I decided to book the Fast Track (more on that later), so we had zero queuing. 

I would recommend the Fast Track tickets to anyone that hates queuing, its 100% worth it. I’m sure I saw a few disgusted looks at us as we walked past the large queues. 

Edwin was very excited as we walked up towards the attraction, looking high up into the sky. 

Even though he was excited, you could also tell he was very nervous with the many questions he was asking.

The pods are much bigger than I expected but it soon felt a bit smaller when 15 other people entered. Having said that, there is still plenty of room to move around and get views in all directions. 

I was really impressed with how smooth the ride was, no lurching or creaking. 

Since Rach doesn’t like heights, as soon as we got on she headed to the chairs in the centre. (She stayed there until we got a little higher and she had the courage to stand up and walk around).

Before we knew it, we where high above the streets of London and as it was a clear day we could see for miles and miles across the city. 

Edwin rushed to the side to look for Big Ben, which he spotted in no time. I was stunned by the incredible views, buildings stretching out in every direction. It really makes you appreciate how big the city is. 

There are touch screens which do help you identify different landmarks, although I just got Google Maps out on the phone and looked around with that. 

After around 15 minutes we had made it to the very top and the views completely took my breath away. Not Edwins though, he was more and more excited looking at all the sights. 

It was very funny watching him try to find our hotel. Spoiler, we didnt find it. Maybe next time! 

I originally thought it was just a tourist trap, how wrong was I? It’s a genuinely unique experience that lets you see London in a way that you couldn’t imagine from the ground. 

The last 15 minutes of the ride was returning to the ground. This gives you a very different view.

It was interesting watching people strolling along South Bank, seeing the boats cruising the river and even seeing the queue of excited people waiting for their turn. 

The 30 minutes flew by really quickly and I would have been more than happy to have gone round again. 

London Eye Tickets, Queues & Timing

Like any popular tourist attraction, the queue is something that puts many people off.

When looking at the queue it is daunting as it does get pretty long, the fact is that each capsule can hold 25 people. The queue does go down fairly quickly. 

The length of time is going to depend on when you go. If its off peak such as week day mornings or during the winter months, queues can be 20-30 minutes. 

Weekends, school holidays and sunny days can have queues of up to an hour. It could end up being more than that in some cases. 

When it comes to booking your tickets, if you book them online then they’ll usually be cheaper. Standard tickets are £30-£35 for an adult and £25-£30 for kids. 

Fast Track tickets are around £45+, so not that much more. 

That’s why the Fast track tickets are well worth it. 

We walked straight through, I don’t think we even waited 5 minutes before we were on the attraction. When researching it, I read a review from someone that they had waited an hour, left the queue and upgraded at the kiosk and then boarded in less than 7 minutes. 

What confused some people was the time on you ticket when you book the attraction. This time is not when you board the London Eye but when you join the queue. 

When’s The Best Time To Book?

There are certain times of the day that are going to be busier than others. Sunset is an amazing time for views and pictures, so this is going to be the peak time for queues. 

The best time to ride are going to be the first hour and the last hour before it closes. Views would be incredible at night with all the lights, although at the same time you might not be able to see as much as you would during the day. 

TOP TIP: We all known the British weather is not the best and is very changeable. I’d recommend booking a Flexi Fast Track ticket, these means you can turn up any time of the day. This is going to help you pick a time where the weathers at its best that day. 

One thing to note when visiting, it does close every January for maintenance. 

Take Advantage of Combo Tickets 

I mentioned above the three different types of tickets for the London Eye, you can get combo tickets. 

If you’ve got plans on seeing a few London attractions, you might want to take advantage of combo tickets. With these you can save money, ideal when budgeting or travelling with kids. 

Combo tickets is where you combine different attractions. A great combination is the London Eye & Thames River Cruise. Enjoy the views along the river and above it. 

You can also combine the London Eye with the London Dungeon or the Sea Life London Aquarium. These are both great choices as they’re also nearby and ideal if you have kids. 

You might also want to have a sit down and work out what attractions you’ll be doing.

 A London pass covers many more attractions, so it might save you some money instead of paying for them all individually. 

Click To Get Best Pricing For London Eye Tickets

What Views of London You’ll See?

I’ll be honest, the views are nothing short of amazing. You’re high enough to see for miles. In fact its said that if its a clear day you can see Windsor Castle. 

The great thing about the view of London is that your high enough to see everything but it doesn’t become a blur.

You’ll be able to spot St Paul’s Cathedral, the Shard and you’ll even be able to follow the Thames to the Tower of London and London Bridge. 

One of the views I enjoyed the most was looking at the Westminster and Big Ben. These are obviously iconic buildings, so it was really something to be able to see them from up high. 

I mentioned before but it really surprised me how much of London you can see from the top of the London Eye. It really makes you understand how big and iconic the city is, although at the same time because your so high how small it is as well. I know that’s a bit of an odd comment.

It was one of the most memorable experiences of our trip for Edwin and he couldn’t wait to share it with his friends. I keep trying to get him to draw a picture of it, if he does ill make sure to add it here.

I certainly took a few gigabytes worth of videos!

Is the London Eye Worth Visiting?

The main question and a question that I’ve asked myself a few times in the past is whether or not the London Eye is worth it? 

Ultimately the only person that can really answer that is you. 

Below I’ll list what I think are the things I liked and the things I didn’t like. I’ll also include my personal take on it, this may help you decide. 

What I Liked

• Iconic views of London – The views are amazing, 360 degree panoramic view of the city. With its location you get a really unique view of the city, different to any other viewpoints. 
  
• Weather-protected experience – Since your in a glass capsule, no matter if its raining you can still enjoy the views. 
  
• Accessible for most people – There are no steps needed and the wheel moves fairly slowly. This makes it very accessible for people in wheelchairs or with mobility issues.
  
• Relaxing pace – I really like the fact that it feels very relaxed. Since it takes 30 minutes, it doesn’t feel rushed. You get plenty of time to enjoy the views and take whatever pictures or videos you want.
  
• Unique experience – If you’re looking for a unique way of getting decent views of London, you cannot beat it. More unique than observation decks or rooftops. 
  

What I Didn’t Like As Much

• Expensive – Budget is important to everyone in this day and age, the fact that it costs £30-£40+ per person it is a pricey London activity. There is also the fact that there are free places to go to get decent views of the city.
  
• Long queues – Due to the popularity of the attraction, there can be long queues. Even more so during busy times. Fast Track does reduce this, although that does come at a higher price. 
  
• Weather dependent views – Even though your protected from the weather in the pods, the views are impacted. If its grey, wet and even foggy day then this is going to reduce your views. Although that could be said for any of the viewpoints.
   
• Crowds in capsules – With the pods holding up to 25 people, it can get busy. You’ll usually be able to get all the views you want but it can still feel cramped. We did have a lot of people in ours and they where a little noisy which did impact the enjoyment a little. 
  

Click To Get Best Pricing For London Eye Tickets

If you was to ask me if I think the London Eye is worth it, I’d say it does depend. It’s well worth it if you’re visiting London for the first time or not been on it before. 

Sure you can get other views of London cheaper or even free but its just not the same. Its a whole experience being able to see the city from so many different angles. If your travelling to London with kids then I would recommend doing it. 

Its one of those experiences that they’ll remember for years to come. 

The thing is, London is not cheap. If you’re on a tight budget then I’d suggest going to Sky Garden or Horizon 22 for some great views of the city, and both of these places are free. 

I’d also recommend avoiding the London Eye if the weather is not that great either.

Nothing worse than spending money and not being able to see a great deal.

If your looking for things to do in London then I would suggest you ride the London Eye. It’s one of the most well-known attractions in London and I do think it’s worth it. 

You might as well try it at least once, but check the weather first and book your tickets in advance for the best deals.