November 12, 2026 · Apex Event Rides
Watching the ball drop in Times Square is free, but it takes planning: viewing areas fill hours before midnight, the streets around the square close in stages through the day, and once you are in a viewing pen you cannot leave and come back. Here is how the night works, based on the official guidance from the Times Square Alliance, and how to get there and home without getting stuck.
Key times on December 31
- From 3 p.m.: public viewing areas open, first come, first served. They can fill at any time, so earlier is safer.
- Shortly before 6 p.m.: the official celebration begins.
- 11:59 p.m.: the ball begins its 60-second descent.
How to get in
On New Year's Eve you can only reach the viewing areas from Sixth Avenue or Eighth Avenue. Once the streets close, nobody can cross Broadway or Seventh Avenue. Viewing-area access points are at 45th, 49th, 52nd and 56th Streets on Sixth and Eighth Avenues. If you are going to a restaurant or hotel party east of Broadway, approach from Sixth Avenue at the nearest cross street; west of Broadway, from Eighth Avenue.
Street closures
- From 4 a.m.: Seventh Avenue closes to vehicles between 42nd and 48th Streets.
- Around 11 a.m.: Seventh Avenue and Broadway close to traffic from 38th to 59th Streets.
- Around 4 p.m.: Sixth and Eighth Avenues close to pedestrians and vehicles, with crossings at 41st, 44th, 47th, 50th, 54th and 57th Streets.
In practice, no car can reach Times Square itself on the night. Plan to be dropped off well outside the closed area and walk the last few blocks.
What you cannot bring
Backpacks, large bags, umbrellas, folding chairs, blankets, large coolers, alcohol and drones are not allowed, and all bags are searched. There are no portable restrooms in Times Square during the celebration and no food vendors. Restaurants stay open, but if you leave your viewing area you will not be let back in.
Tickets and private parties
The outdoor celebration is free and no public viewing spaces are sold. Some restaurants and hotels hold ticketed private parties; book those directly. The Times Square Alliance warns that "all-access" or multi-venue passes may not get you past police lines.
Getting there and home by car
- Drop-off: agree a drop-off point east of Sixth Avenue or west of Eighth Avenue, outside the 38th to 59th Street band, and walk in from there.
- After midnight: hundreds of thousands of people leave at once and the closures take time to lift. Pick a meeting corner several blocks from the square, on the side you will exit, and expect the first hour after midnight to be slow on foot and by car.
- Parties elsewhere: many people skip the square and watch from a dinner, a hotel rooftop or a party in another neighborhood. A chauffeur booked by the hour can take you between stops and home at the end.
Booking a car for New Year's Eve
Availability on December 31 is limited, so book early. Tell us where you are starting, where you need to be and when, and how many people are coming, and we will plan the drop-off and pickup points around the closures. See our holiday season services or request a quote.
Source: Times Square Alliance, New Year's Eve FAQ (timessquarenyc.org), checked November 2026. Closure times are set by the NYPD and can change, so check the official guidance before you go.
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