London sees in the New Year with fireworks over the Thames around the London Eye, and you need a ticket to watch from the riverside. This guide covers the official tickets and viewing areas for New Year’s Eve 2026, where to go without one, the cruises and dinners that put you on the river at midnight, and getting home.
New Year’s Eve 2026 at a Glance
When: Thursday 31 December 2026, 8pm to 12.30am, with the fireworks at midnight.
Tickets: everyone needs one, children included, sold only through Ticketmaster via the Mayor’s official New Year’s Eve page, up to four per person.
Entry: 8pm to 10.30pm, through your area’s gate. You can’t move between areas.
Getting home: most TfL services run through the night at normal fares.
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Fireworks Tickets
The fireworks are a ticketed event, and people without tickets aren’t let into the viewing areas. Tickets are sold only through Ticketmaster, linked from the Mayor’s official New Year’s Eve page, with a maximum of four per buyer, so a bigger group needs a second adult to book. They’re released in batches. The first is on sale and the date of the next is still to be announced, so if you miss out, keep checking.
Londoners get a discounted resident ticket, checked against the card’s billing postcode, and proof of address may be asked for on the night. Tickets can’t be refunded, but you can resell at face value through Ticketmaster or transfer the name.
Before You Go
Viewing Areas
There are six areas, each with one numbered gate and its nearest station. Entry to all of them is from 8pm to 10.30pm. All but the accessible area are standing only on closed roads, and the walk back to transport can be up to two kilometres.
Blue: Head-On View
Victoria Embankment between Westminster Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridge. Gate 1 from Victoria, Gate 2 from Charing Cross or Embankment.
Red: Side View
The north bank from Golden Jubilee Bridge to Temple Avenue. Gate 4 from Holborn (not step-free), Gate 5 from Blackfriars.
Pink: Waterloo Bridge
On the bridge itself, entered from the south side. Gate 6 from Southwark.
Green: Up Close
Right behind the London Eye. Gate 7 from Waterloo.
White: Westminster Bridge
On the bridge, with a side view. Gate 8 from Waterloo, with no access from Westminster station.
Orange: Accessible Area
Albert Embankment by St Thomas’ Hospital, with seating, a hearing loop and a Changing Places toilet. Gate 9 from Waterloo.
Watching Without a Ticket
Without a ticket you won’t get near the river in central London. Westminster, Golden Jubilee, Lambeth, Blackfriars and Waterloo bridges can’t be used to cross before or after the event, and roads around the area close to traffic from 2pm on 31 December until about 6am on New Year’s Day.
Primrose Hill, the classic free viewpoint, is closed this year from 8pm on 30 December until 6am on 1 January. So rather than trying to watch from a distance, book something that puts you on the river or in the warm at midnight: a cruise, a dinner or a party.
New Year’s Eve Cruises and Dinners
A boat on the Thames is the best seat in London at midnight, with no crowds and no gates. These run on 31 December 2026 only and they sell out, so book early.
Unsplash LicenseSandy Ravaloniaina/unsplashFireworks Cruise with Champagne and a DJ
Champagne on arrival and at midnight, unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks, and the fireworks from the open deck. Choose a party cruise from 9pm or a dinner cruise from 6.30pm with a Tower Bridge lift. Adults only, and free cancellation up to 14 days before.
Check availability
Unsplash LicenseSandy Ravaloniaina/unsplashFour-Course New Year’s Eve Dinner Cruise
A four-course dinner with wine, a singer and dancing, and Champagne at midnight, moored near Big Ben for the fireworks. From Tower Pier at 9.30pm, about five hours, with a festive dress code.
Check availability
Unsplash LicenseKevin Hackert/unsplashFamily-Friendly Celestial Cruise
A glass-roofed boat from Tower Pier at 9.45pm with canapés, a live singer and Champagne at midnight (soft drinks for children), back at about 1.15am. The one New Year’s Eve cruise that welcomes children.
Check availability
Unsplash LicenseJoel Sileno/unsplashMasked Ball Boat Party
A DJ, dancers and a welcome drink on a five-hour party cruise from Greenwich Pier, by the Cutty Sark, finishing at Blackfriars after the fireworks. Over-18s only, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check availabilityMore ways to see in 2027 on the river: the New Year’s Eve Dinner Plus cruise (four courses and live music, over-18s) and the Galaxy Plus party cruise (a standing party boat with a DJ and two bars, over-18s), both from City Cruises.
New Year’s Eve Dinners and Shows
Unsplash LicensePhil Hearing/unsplashMamma Mia! The Party
A four-course meal with a live ABBA show at The O2, with an early-evening performance at 6.30pm on New Year’s Eve, so you can still make a midnight plan.
Check availabilityDinner and dancing on land. Ayllu’s New Year’s Eve dinner and party in Paddington Central serves five courses with a magician and live duo until midnight, then a DJ until 3am. For a cheaper night, the central London pub crawl has early-evening starts on 31 December (over-18s, photo ID needed).
Other Ways to See In 2027
A Daytime View
The London Eye sells slots from 10am to 2pm on 31 December and The View from The Shard until 4pm, for the skyline before the evening starts.
An Afternoon Concert
St Martin-in-the-Fields plays Rhapsody in Blue by candlelight at 2pm on New Year’s Eve, and the Barbican hosts The Music of Zimmer vs. Williams the same day.
Winter Wonderland
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland opens from 11am to 10pm on New Year’s Eve, so it’s an afternoon and early-evening plan rather than a midnight one.
See the skyline by day. Book the London Eye or The View from The Shard for New Year’s Eve morning or afternoon.
Getting Home
Most TfL services run through the night on New Year’s Eve, at normal fares, so it isn’t free travel. Central London is very busy, some stations may close or become exit-only at short notice, and some central buses are diverted. Check TfL’s Christmas and New Year travel page before you go.
If you’re driving, vehicles are restricted around the event from 2pm on 31 December to about 6am on 1 January, and the Congestion Charge doesn’t operate from 25 December to 1 January.
New Year’s Day
The London Parade runs on Friday 1 January 2027 from 1pm to about 4.30pm, along Piccadilly, Regent Street, St James’s, Pall Mall, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall. Watching from the route is free and standing, and grandstand seats are sold through Ticketmaster.
For something calmer, the Barbican’s New Year’s Day Proms start at 3pm, the New Year’s Day Ballet Concert is at Cadogan Hall at 5pm, St Martin-in-the-Fields holds a New Year’s Extravaganza by candlelight at 7pm, and The Dorchester serves a New Year’s Day afternoon tea. Bear in mind the National Gallery is closed on 1 January. More ideas for the season are in our things to do in London at Christmas.
More Christmas in London: Christmas in London hub | Things to do at Christmas | Christmas Day in London
FAQ
Do you need a ticket for the New Year’s Eve fireworks in London?
Yes. Everyone needs a ticket for the riverside viewing areas, children included, and people without one are not let in. Tickets are sold only through Ticketmaster via the Mayor of London’s website, up to four per person.
What time do the London fireworks start on New Year’s Eve?
The fireworks are at midnight. The viewing areas open at 8pm, entry closes at 10.30pm and the event ends at about 12.30am.
Can you watch the London fireworks for free?
Not from the riverside in central London, where the viewing areas are ticketed and the bridges are closed. Primrose Hill is also closed from 8pm on 30 December to 6am on 1 January 2027.
Is the Tube free on New Year’s Eve?
No. Most TfL services run through the night on New Year’s Eve, but normal fares apply.
What can you do in London on New Year’s Day?
Watch the London Parade, which runs from 1pm along Piccadilly, Regent Street and Whitehall and is free to watch from the route, or go to a New Year’s Day concert at the Barbican or St Martin-in-the-Fields.