The Ball descends atop One Times Square while the crowd below fills barricaded viewing pens reached only from 6th or 8th Avenue at 45th, 49th, 52nd and 56th Streets. It is free and first-come, first-served, so the people standing nearest the Ball have been on their feet since mid-afternoon with no restrooms and no way back once they step out. If you want the moment without the endurance test, take a pen well uptown.
What to expect
Viewing areas open in the afternoon and fill from the south end northward, so later arrivals get pushed progressively farther up the avenues. Once you are inside a pen you stay there: every bag is searched, backpacks are turned away, and there are no portable restrooms inside the footprint. The Ball is raised atop One Times Square hours before it falls.
Good to know
- Nearest trains are the 1/2/3, 7, N/Q/R/W and S to Times Sq-42 St, but expect exits closest to the celebration to be closed.
- You can only enter from 6th or 8th Avenue; access points are at 45th, 49th, 52nd and 56th Streets.
- Backpacks and large bags are not permitted, and all bags are searched at the checkpoint.
- There are no portable restrooms in Times Square during the celebration, so sort that out before you enter.
- Leaving your viewing area to eat or warm up means you will not get back to that spot.
- Dress for standing outdoors in the cold for hours; it suits patient adults far more than small children.
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Common questions
Do I need a ticket to watch the Ball drop?
No. The outdoor celebration is free and first-come, first-served. The only ticketed views are the private parties in the surrounding bars, restaurants and hotels.
Where do I actually get in?
Only from 6th or 8th Avenue. Access points to the viewing areas are at 45th, 49th, 52nd and 56th Streets on both avenues; Broadway and Seventh Avenue themselves are sealed.
Can I leave my spot and come back?
No. If you step out of your viewing area, to use a restaurant restroom for example, you will not be allowed to return to it.
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