WE ALL know the London New Year’s Eve fireworks – the televised spectacle soundtracked by chart-topping hits, but forget the flawless broadcast; here’s the truth about seeing the show in person.
This week thousands of people will once again flee to the Mayor of London’s website in a race to secure tickets for the UK’s top display.
New Year’s Eve fireworks tickets for London will drop at midday on October 17
What was once free (pre-2014) is now an expensive evening out – I paid £15 for the 2022/2023 display, then £20 for the 2023/2024 display.
For the 2025/2026 display, the price for a Category A spot – the so-called best zones – has jumped to £35.
Even the less desirable Category B tickets are now £20.
For those heading to the fireworks from outside of , the cost is even steeper – visitors will need to fork out between £40 and £55 per ticket.
And that is before travel and
Yet the question remains – is it actually worth it?
Getting tickets to start with is a feat in itself.
This year, the tickets will drop at midday on October 17 – and if you want to snatch some, you’ll need to be quick.
In 2022, it took three of us on both phones and laptops to get tickets and we still didn’t get the zone we wanted, which happened again in 2023.
Key advice? Be prepared.
Get your group chat organised now – you can buy up to four tickets each, so if you want more you’ll need a few people online on Friday.
And whatever you do, do not refresh the page – you will lose your place in the queue.
The fireworks for 2023 were my first and I can’t deny I was impressed.
Gates to the fireworks usually open at 8pm and all spectators must be in their designated zones by the last entry time of 10:30pm.
Myself and my friends arrived just after 8:15pm and by 8:20pm we were in our zone, slightly to the left of the and ultimately where the fireworks take off from.
Wayfinders and signs were helpful in getting us to where we needed to be.
There were also no queues and no crowds once in the zone, allowing us to secure a great spot to watch the breathtaking 12-minute display.
Tickets aren’t cheap, with the best spots costing up to £55
The music and atmosphere also adds to the overall experience, definitely making it worth the £15.
As for the following year, the same can’t be said.
I had arrived at 8pm with my friends to meet snaking queues that travelled streets back from our gate.
And then there was no organisation with queues criss-crossing each other, without signs or wayfinders.
After two hours, we had moved barely 10 metres.
By 11:57pm, still 300 metres from the river, the chaos peaked.
A mad rush started with people running, children crying and others being barged, elbowed and grappled by police.
I have been twice to the fireworks – one great time and one full of queues (above)
The had also begun – unseen and hidden by London’s towering buildings.
From my experiences, it appears that the fireworks are the ultimate lottery.
For the 2023 fireworks, 20,000 ticket holders failed to get past the gates.
For the 2024 display, this rose to a staggering 30,000 people.
But there are some things you can do to prepare for the experience and make the most of it.
If going, definitely opt for one of the Category A zones – these have the best views of the fireworks, whereas the Category B zones are often interrupted by
Make sure you do head there for 8pm as it isn’t the only New Year’s event on, which means the tube is often packed.
And then towards midnight, there was a mad rush which meant I didn’t see the display
And bear in mind, the station closest to your gate may be closed to manage the flows of people better.
As for what to wear, you will get warm but do make sure you have layers as the breeze from the river is chilling.
Don’t worry about taking a chair – you’ll dance as you wait.
To save some money though, do take some tinnys – small cocktail cans are great as they don’t weigh much or take up too much room in a bag.
If you get hungry, there are plenty of around.
As the fireworks reach so high in the sky, you don’t need to stress too much about getting there early to secure the best spot – everyone will be able to see.
Ticketholders should aim to get to their zone at 8pm
And then once the display is over, don’t rush off – the atmosphere is great and following the flow of people is the least stressful way to get home… Or head onto the next party.
If you want to continue your night out, it can be hard to find a spot as many places only sell tickets with entry before midnight.
But one top spot to head to is Ballie Ballerson – the venue has late entry tickets at 1am from £10pp (which allows you enough time to get there).
My verdict? The fireworks are breathtaking and the atmosphere is unmatched, but if you want to guarantee a good view, maybe opt for one of the boat experiences on the Thames or a instead.
If you are looking for something to do in London before New Year’s, you could head to the first-ever – it was a heart-pounding world of lies and best friend-betrayal.
Or head to the – I gasped as the iceberg hit but there was another ‘wow’ moment.
If heading to the fireworks this year, you should be prepared before getting tickets 
