Orange area location, facilities, prices, entry times, ticket limits and second batch from the Mayor of London event coverage and Ticketmaster's London NYE page. All checked 3 November 2026.
The Orange area at a glance
The Mayor of London's fireworks are fired from the London Eye and barges on the Thames at midnight on Thursday 31 December 2026, welcoming 2027, and the riverside viewing areas are ticketed with capacity capped at around 100,000 people. There are six colour-coded zones, and only the Orange area is set up as the accessible viewing area: it sits on Albert Embankment, riverside of St Thomas' Hospital, is reached from the south side of the river only, and is entered via Waterloo, gate 9. The official descriptions list seating, a hearing loop, first aid and accessible toilets nearby, and a less crowded feel than the other zones. The trade-off is the view: Orange gives a side view of the London Eye, not the head-on view from the Blue area on Victoria Embankment. If a direct view matters more than seating and space, that is the decision to weigh before buying.
Tickets, prices and the second batch
Tickets are sold only through Ticketmaster, and tickets bought anywhere else are not valid for entry. The first batch went on sale at midday on Friday 23 October 2026, and a second, smaller batch is due later in the year on a date City Hall has not yet announced, so it is worth watching the official event page rather than resale sites. Prices are £40 for Category B areas, which include Orange, Red and Green, or £20 for buyers with a London postcode, plus a booking fee of £2.66 per ticket; Category A areas, Blue, Pink and White, are £55, or £35 for Londoners. Each buyer can purchase a maximum of four tickets, groups cannot move between zones on the night, and there are no refunds, although face-value resale through Ticketmaster's Fan-to-Fan platform and name transfers are possible. Everyone in a group needs a ticket for the same zone, so book together.
Getting there and getting in
Entry to the viewing areas runs from 8pm to 10.30pm on 31 December, and the event runs until 12.30am. Orange is reached from the south side only, with Waterloo the nearest station, and the approach involves closed roads, so allow generous time and check the gate information on your ticket. The other five zones have accessible toilets and step-free movement on closed roads, but they are standing-only with no dedicated accessible viewing platforms or seating, which is why Orange is the practical choice for wheelchair users even with its side view. Backpacks, suitcases, glass bottles, fireworks, sparklers, laser pens, bicycles and drones are not allowed in the viewing areas, and under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. The event is not recommended for young children.
If you miss out: what to do instead
If the second batch sells out, do not buy from unofficial sellers: the Mayor's office is explicit that tickets from other outlets will not be valid, and you will be turned away at the gate. Free views are possible from bridges and high ground further out, but they are partial or distant, and Primrose Hill is closed on New Year's Eve this year, so do not plan around it. A Thames cruise is another way to watch from the water, though availability and access vary by operator and should be checked directly. The safest plan is to set an alert for the second batch announcement on the official event page, keep your group to four or fewer per buyer, and have the Orange area as your first choice if seating and space matter to you.
