Know before you go

• Tickets for the riverside viewing areas go on sale in autumn.

Airport to Thames Embankment

Heathrow (LHR) has the Elizabeth line to central London in 35 to 45 minutes and the Heathrow Express to Paddington in 15 minutes. Gatwick (LGW) has the Gatwick Express to Victoria in 30 minutes. Stansted and Luton have trains to Liverpool Street and St Pancras.

Fireworks viewing areas along the river need tickets; Tube stations close nearby.

Public transport directions to Thames Embankment

Where to stay by budget

Three hotels we would book

• Budget: Premier Inn London King's Cross
• Mid-range: Hub by Premier Inn London Covent Garden
• Splurge: The Savoy

Links search the nights from 30 December to 2 January. Event weekends sell out early and prices rise as the date gets closer: book a cancellable room as soon as you know you are going.

Day plans for the free hours

Built around the usual visit schedule for 31 December 2026 to 1 January 2027. Session times change: check the official timetable and move the blocks around.

Family-friendly picks

• Natural History Museum dinosaurs.
• Science Museum.
• Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens.
• London Zoo.

Evening and day-trip tours

After dark

• Soho and Shoreditch bars.
• Rooftop bars in the City.

Ten tours worth booking for New Year's Eve in London

Event weeks sell out. Book tours with free cancellation as soon as the session times are published.

Where to eat

• Borough Market Food stalls under the railway
• Dishoom Bombay café; queues at peak times
• Padella Fresh pasta at Borough
• Flat Iron Cheap good steak
• Mercato Metropolitano Big food hall in Elephant and Castle
• Rules London's oldest restaurant, game and pies
• Brick Lane Bagels and curry houses
• Dishoom King's Cross Breakfast bacon naan

Reserve dinner for the nights around the event: restaurants near the venue fill up days ahead.

Rainy-day backups

• British Museum.
• V&A.
• Churchill War Rooms.

Getting around on event days

• The Tube, Overground and Elizabeth line run on contactless with a daily cap. Some lines run all night on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Twickenham: trains from Waterloo; Wembley: Jubilee and Metropolitan lines or Chiltern trains; Wimbledon: District line to Southfields.
• Tap in with a contactless card on buses, trams and most urban trains.
• Book long-distance trains early on the operator app or Trainline: walk-up fares are expensive.
• Uber works in most UK cities; local black cabs are metered.

Day trips from London

• Windsor: 35 minutes by train
• Oxford: 1 hour by train
• Brighton: 1 hour by train

Questions people ask

When is New Year's Eve in London 2026?

The next edition is 31 December 2026 to 1 January 2027, following the usual pattern. The organiser has not confirmed it yet.

How do I get from the airport to Thames Embankment?

Heathrow (LHR) has the Elizabeth line to central London in 35 to 45 minutes and the Heathrow Express to Paddington in 15 minutes. Gatwick (LGW) has the Gatwick Express to Victoria in 30 minutes. Stansted and Luton have trains to Liverpool Street and St Pancras. Fireworks viewing areas along the river need tickets; Tube stations close nearby.

Where should I stay for New Year's Eve in London?

For most visitors the best base is South Bank and Bloomsbury: Walk to the museums, theatres and the river.

What else can we do around New Year's Eve in London?

Good short outings in London include Tower of London and Crown Jewels, Warner Bros Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter, Thames river cruise. See the day plans on this page for a full schedule.

What is there for kids and families near New Year's Eve in London?

Family-friendly picks: Tower of London and Crown Jewels, Warner Bros Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter, Thames river cruise. Natural History Museum dinosaurs.

How far is Thames Embankment from London centre?

About 1 km in a straight line. Fireworks viewing areas along the river need tickets; Tube stations close nearby.

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