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Empire State Building Tickets & Prices
Book observation deck tickets online from $50: 86th-floor observatory or a tour.
4.7 · 28,920 reviews on GetYourGuide Price checked Sep 17
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11am–3pm slots go first; book weekends ahead
Want more than the ticket? Our top 3
Each adds a guide, a sunrise visit or Express Pass to 86th-floor entry, so it costs more than the plain ticket.
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With a live guide
Indoor Guide Tour with Ticket of Empire State Building86th floor + guide · about 90 minutes
From $79
Check availability -
Sunrise, before hours
Empire State Building Sunrise Experience TicketSaturdays · coffee & pastries included
From $147 4.8
Check availability -
Skip the line, private
Express Pass VIP Private Tour of the Empire State BuildingExpress Pass · 86th + 102nd · private guide
From $489
Check availability
Every way up, at a glance
Quick answer
An Empire State Building ticket costs $44 at the official ticket office for the 86th floor alone, $79 for both the 86th and 102nd floors (Top Deck), and up to $489 for a fully private guided tour with skip-the-line access to both decks. For a first visit, the 86th floor covers the classic view and the in-building museum galleries; add the 102nd floor only on a clear day. Every ticket is a timed entry — there's no walk-up general admission and no published free-admission day.
Cheapest ticket · from $50Tickets
Start with the ticket
Six products cover almost every visit, from the plain self-guided ticket to a fully private tour. The base Observation Deck & Museum Ticket is the right buy for most first visits; add a guide or the 102nd floor only if you specifically want them.
Entry ticket Empire State Building Observation Deck & Museum Ticket
The $50 Empire State Building ticket for the 86th-floor deck and 12 museum galleries: what's included, how it compares to the $44 official ticket, who it suits.
Valid 1 day at your booked time slot; plan 45 minutes to 2 hours inside 4.7 (28,920)
Guided tour Indoor Guide Tour with Ticket of Empire State Building
A live-guided, roughly 90-minute route through the Empire State Building's lobby, exhibits and 86th-floor deck: $79 per person, what's included, who it suits.
About 90 minutes
private Express Pass VIP Private Tour of the Empire State Building
A private tour with a licensed guide and Express Pass access to the 86th and 102nd floors, from $489 per person, with an option that adds hotel transfers.
2 hours, or 3.5 hours with private round-trip transfers (about 1.5 hours of that is driving)
Practical questions
Before you book
Price, hours and which floor to pick decide most visits. The full comparison of the 86th and 102nd floors, current hours, and city pass options are all here.
86th Floor vs 102nd Floor: Which Deck to Choose
Should you get the Empire State Building's 86th floor or 102nd floor ticket? The view, the price difference, and which one is worth the extra money.
Empire State Building Hours & Best Time to Visit
Empire State Building opening hours (they vary by date range), the quietest times of day, and why booking ahead matters. No free-admission days are published.
Multi attraction passes that include the Empire State Building City Pass & Discount Options for the Empire State Building
Is a city pass worth it for the Empire State Building? CityPASS, C3 by CityPASS and the New York Pass compared, with what each actually includes.
History and context
What you'll see
The building's Art Deco design, its climbing history and news, and the facts behind who owns it today — the context most first-time visitors ask about after they've already booked.
Guided Tour Options at the Empire State Building
Is a guided tour of the Empire State Building worth the extra cost over a self-guided visit? What each option adds, and who should book which.
Empire State Building Facts & What It Looks Like Today
Height, records, who owns the Empire State Building today, and the Trump ownership question people keep asking — the facts in one place.
Can You Climb the Empire State Building? Stunts and Stair Race
From a 2026 spire climb to the annual charity stair race: has anyone climbed the Empire State Building, and what's the legal way to reach the top?
Nearby
Around the building
The building sits at the edge of Koreatown, a few minutes from Herald Square. Here's the address, the visitor entrance, and where to eat nearby.
Empire State Building Address & How to Get There
The Empire State Building's address, the separate visitor entrance, and how to get there by subway from Times Square or Midtown.
Places to eat within a short walk of the Empire State Building Best Restaurants Near the Empire State Building
Where to eat near the Empire State Building before or after your visit: Koreatown barbecue, a classic diner, and a gastropub, all within a short walk.
What the ticket gets you
Three things worth the money
Almost every ticket here is some combination of these three.
The 86th floor view
An open-air deck with 360-degree views over Central Park, the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge — included on every ticket on this site.
The museum galleries
Twelve galleries on the way up cover the building's Depression-era construction and its King Kong and pop-culture history.
A guide, if you want one
From a 90-minute small-group tour to a fully private VIP visit with both decks and skip-the-line access.
| What you want | Product | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 86th floor only, self-guided | Observation Deck & Museum Ticket | $50 |
| Both decks, private, skip-the-line | VIP Private Express Tour | $489 |
| A live guide, ~90 minutes | Indoor Guided Tour | $79 |
| A guided Manhattan walk plus the deck | Manhattan Walking Tour | $120 |
Which ticket should you buy?
Buy the base Observation Deck & Museum Ticket ($50) unless you specifically want the 102nd floor, a live guide, or a special-timing experience. It covers the 86th floor's open-air deck and the in-building museum galleries, which is enough context for most first-time visitors. Add the 102nd floor for a clear-sky visit, a guide if you want questions answered in real time, or the sunrise ticket for a genuinely different experience.
When to go
Book an early-morning weekday slot (9:00–10:30am) or late afternoon (3:00–5:00pm) for the shortest lines; 11am–3pm is consistently the busiest window. Across the year, January and February are the quietest months and July, August and December the busiest.
The details in one place
- Ticket price
- From $44
- Open
- Varies — check dates
- Height
- 1,454 ft (443 m)
- Metro
- 34 St–Herald Sq
Empire State Building: key facts
- Heritage status
- National Historic Landmark; National Register of Historic Places listed place; New York City Landmark
- Area
- 2,248,355 sq ft (208,879 m²), gross floor area
- Built
- 1931
- Opened
- 1931
- Architectural style
- Art Deco architecture
- Architect
- Shreve, Lamb & Harmon
- Located in
- Manhattan
Source: Wikidata (CC0), checked 2026-09-17.
Nearest stations to Empire State Building
| Station | Type | Distance | On foot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34th Street–Herald SquareNYC Subway | metro | 243 m | about 4 min |
| 33rd StreetPATH | metro | 262 m | about 4 min |
| 28th StreetNYC Subway | metro | 406 m | about 7 min |
| 34th Street–Penn StationNYC Subway | metro | 519 m | about 8 min |
Within 3 km of Empire State Building. Walk time = straight line × 1.3 at 80 m/min. Station data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Frequently asked questions
How much is an Empire State Building ticket?
$44 at the official ticket office for the 86th floor alone, $79 for both decks, and up to $489 for a fully private guided tour. The booking partner's self-guided Observation Deck & Museum Ticket costs $50, with booking fees and sales tax included.
Can I just walk into the Empire State Building?
You can enter the lobby, but reaching either observatory requires a paid, timed, scanned ticket — there's no walk-up general admission to the decks.
Is the 102nd floor worth the extra money?
Mainly on a clear day: it costs $35 more at the official ticket office and trades open air for an enclosed, higher vantage point. On a hazy day, the 86th floor delivers most of the same view for less.
What are the opening hours?
Hours vary by date range rather than staying fixed — check the current range for your travel dates on the hours page. There's no published free-admission day.
Sources
Ready to book?
Compare all six ticket and tour options against the official price list before you go.
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