Best Places to See New Year Fireworks

Bringing an end to a festive season of family fun and Christmas markets, around the world people love to see in the New Year with a stunning pyrotechnic display. Many love to ring in the New Year by attending one of the spectacular fireworks displays held in London and Edinburgh.

Below, find out more about what to expect from London and Edinburgh’s fireworks displays. Plus, we will share three more great British destinations you can party the night away at on December 31st.

Where is the best place in the UK to see New Year's Eve fireworks?

You’ll find some of the best New Year’s fireworks displays in the world in the UK cities of London and Edinburgh. Here’s everything you need to know about how to get there by train and the best viewing areas to see the show.

London

London already offers visitors one of the best city breaks in the England. Pairing a visit with the spectacular light show here at New Year makes the capital an enticing place to come and see at this time of year.

Around 100,000 people turn up each year for the event, which is no surprise given the city invests almost £4.5 million into the festivities. The fireworks and pyrotechnics light up Big Ben, the London Eye, the House of Parliaments, and Southbank.

Demand is very high for this memorable display by the River Thames and you need to book tickets to be there on the night. The first tickets will go on sale at midday on November 3.

If it’s been some time since your last stay in the capital, you can even take the chance to book a three-day stay in London to rediscover the city to kick off the new year.

Good to know

• Display location: Southbank, close to the London Eye

• Accessible display viewpoint: Albert Embankment next to St Thomas’s Hospital

• Estimated start time: Around 8:00 pm ending at 12:30 am

• Nearest train station: Charing Cross for red and blue ticket holders. Waterloo East (three-minute train ride from Charing Cross Station) for green, white, and orange ticket holders.

Directions from the nearest train station

There are different types of tickets for the London fireworks on New Year's Eve. The tickets denote where you’ll be standing to see the show.

For red and blue ticket holders arriving at Charing Cross station, walk towards Villiers Street. Turn left on Watergate Walk and then turn right onto Victoria Embankment.

For green ticket holders arriving at Waterloo East station, walk towards Waterloo Road and then turn right onto it. Turn left when you see Concert Hall Approach. Stay on it until turning left onto Belvedere Road and you’ll arrive at the location of the fireworks show.

For white and orange ticket holders arriving at Waterloo East station, walk towards Waterloo Road. Stay on it until it becomes Tennison Way. Use the zebra crossing then turn right onto Westminster Bridge. Turn left at the stairs.

Edinburgh

An iconic end-of-year event, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has cemented itself as one of the premier New Year’s Eve destinations of the world. 

A four-day procession that builds up to a raucous celebration in the streets, seeing in the New Year in the Scottish capital is sure to be an unforgettable experience.

For 30 years now, tens of thousands of people have gathered on the famous Princes Street, just by the station, for the Edinburgh New Year Street Party. There’s everything here from pipers and drummers to funfair attractions and street food vendors.

When the clock strikes midnight, witness an awe-inspiring tour de force of fireworks, lights and pyrotechnics. Make a holiday of your visit to the city by booking a hotel room in the city for a few days to sample all that Edinburgh has to offer.

Good to know

• Display location: Princes Street

• Estimated start time: The street party starts at 9:00 pm with the last admission at 11:00 pm

• Nearest station: Edinburgh Waverley

Directions from the nearest train station

The nearest entrance to the display from the train station is at the Balmoral Hotel entrance point. At the station, walk towards Waverley Mall, continue onto Waverley Steps and turn right to get to Princes Street via the Balmoral Hotel. The walk should take around two minutes.

 

Great places to celebrate the New Year

London and Edinburgh host the two largest large-scale fireworks displays in the UK, but they aren’t your only option for a memorable start to the year. 

While there are no New Year's Eve fireworks in Cardiff currently, visiting the city and its array of lively clubs and bars can still offer a fun-filled and entertaining end-of-year break.

Unfortunately, it’s also the case that Manchester’s New Year's Eve fireworks aren’t currently in the works. But if pyrotechnics aren’t a must for your NYE celebrations, Manchester is still a fantastic choice to say goodbye to the year.

There are also many other great places to celebrate NYE in the UK though, like these three fantastic destinations.

1. Oxford

If you want fireworks in Oxford on New Year's Eve, consider booking a table at Raymond Blanc’s celebrated Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons. At midnight, they have a small but spectacular display on the grounds of the Belmont Hotel.

Have a sumptuous three-course dinner, stay the night in one of the luxurious hotel rooms, and wake up on January 1st to a full English breakfast. The hotel is a short 25-minute taxi ride from Oxford train station.

2. Cheltenham

Although you won’t be able to find any major Cheltenham New Year's Eve fireworks displays, don't let that put you off. There are plenty of New Year’s Eve parties, dinners, and balls you can attend to welcome in the new year.

Find a great hotel to stay the night and, after breakfast in the morning, make your way to Cheltenham Racecourse for their iconic New Year's Day Racing.

If you're taking the kids with you, they get in free. As well as the racing, there's great entertainment trackside too including live music.

3. Newcastle

England’s most northerly city and its neighbour south of the River Tyne are a popular joint destination for New Year’s Eve revellers.

On the Quayside, greet the new year with an amazing laser show around the tilting Millennium Bridge. You can then stay on the Quayside and enjoy its world-class bars, restaurants and hospitality.

If you want to bring an air of luxury to your New Year’s Eve, book a balcony suite at the Newcastle Hilton and wake up to panoramic views of the city in the morning. Then, take a stroll up the hill into the city centre and catch the metro to the beautiful seaside town of Tynemouth for a bracing gust of North Sea wind to freshen yourself up.

 

Travelling by train on New Year's Eve with Avanti

You can catch the train to attend some of the UK’s biggest and most exciting New Year’s Eve events. 

Start planning your journey now for your very own New Year’s Eve celebrations. Book up to 12 weeks in advance to take advantage of some of our best prices.

Or, why not enjoy 33% off your rail fares for the entirety of the year with a Railcard.

To see the latest train timetables and book tickets on your mobile phone or tablet, download the Avanti West Coast app.