London Eye
The London Eye is a 135-meter high Ferris wheel on the banks of the River Thames, directly opposite to the Palace of Westminster. It was opened on 31 December 1999 to commemorate the Millennium and was originally intended to be operational for five years only. Soon after its launch, the so-called Millennium Wheel became Britain’s most profitable attraction, so it has not been removed.
It consists of 32 air-conditioned glassed cabins, each can hold 25 passengers. In the gondola you can walk and look in all directions as from a viewing platform. The wheel turns around its axis in 30 minutes. With good visibility, one can see up to 50 kilometers away. The circumference of Coca Cola London Eye measures 424 meters, but it only turns 9 km/h, so it is not stopped even during boarding. Tickets are recommended to be booked in advance at the official website (discounted if booked online). Several options are available, including night sightseeing rides. When buying fast-track tickets, you can skip long queues, and it includes free admission to the cinema or to the Eye Lounge.
Useful information for visitors
Public transport connections
The nearest public transport stop at London Eye is:
- train and underground stations Waterloo (5 minutes of walk)
- underground station Embankment (15 minutes of walk over Hungerford Bridge)
- train and underground station Charing Cross (15 minutes of walk over Hungerford Bridge)
- bus stop London Eye
Opening hours and admission
Up-to-date information on opening hours and the admission to London Eye is available on the official website.
Interesting facts about London Eye
Up to three and a half million people buy a London Eye ticket every year. Thus it earns more than eight hundred million Czech crowns annually. Several countries participated in its construction. 1,700 tons of heavy attraction originated mainly in Britain and the Netherlands, but other parts come from Germany, Italy or France. The shaft and hub of the wheel come from the Czech Republic. Its height has also earned the entry in the Guinness Book of Records as the highest sightseeing wheel in the world. In 2006, however, it was surpassed by a wheel in Nanchang, China.