The ArcelorMittal Orbit is the looping red steel tower in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, built for the London 2012 Games, with a viewing deck 80 metres up and Helix, a 178-metre tunnel slide that corkscrews around the outside. It is now run by Zip World as "Zip World London at ArcelorMittal Orbit": the viewing deck costs from £15 and the slide from £19, each plus a £5 booking fee (September 2026).
At 114.5 metres, the Orbit is the tallest sculpture in the UK. It was designed by the artist Anish Kapoor with the engineer Cecil Balmond, and it stands in the south of the Olympic Park, right next to the London Stadium and about 10 minutes' walk from Stratford station. A lift takes you up in 34 seconds. You then come down one of three ways: by lift, by a long staircase or, if you have booked it, by sliding.
The idea came from a conversation between the then Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and Lakshmi Mittal, head of the steel company ArcelorMittal, which supplied the steel. About 130,000 people visited during the Games. The tower reopened to the public on 5 April 2014, together with the southern half of the park, and the slide by the artist Carsten Höller was added in summer 2016.
The Orbit in numbers and prices
- Operator
- Zip World ("Zip World London at ArcelorMittal Orbit")
- ArcelorMittal Orbit 360 (viewing deck)
- From £15.00 plus a £5 booking fee
- Helix (slide)
- From £19.00 plus a £5 booking fee; one slide per ticket
- Slide rules
- Age 8+, at least 1.3 m tall, maximum 130 kg, flat closed-toe shoes
- Height
- Sculpture 114.5 m; upper platform 80 m; lower platform 76 m
- Opening days
- All year except Christmas Day and Boxing Day; off-peak days vary (see the booking calendar)
- Address
- Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 2AD
- Nearest station
- Stratford, about 10 minutes on foot
A sculpture first, a viewing tower second
It helps to think of the Orbit as a huge piece of art that you are allowed to climb inside. The red lattice of steel twists and loops back on itself so that it looks different from every side of the park. The park's own figures say that if all the loops were straightened out, the structure would be 560 metres tall.
About 60% of the steel is recycled, some of it from old cars and washing machines, and the tower is held together by 35,000 bolts. It was built from 600 prefabricated star-shaped nodes made in Bolton, in the north of England, and assembled on site. At the base is a large cone-shaped canopy, where you check in and where sounds echo in an odd, pleasing way.
Opinions have always been divided. Some Londoners love its strangeness, others call it a tangle of red pipes. Either way, it is the most recognisable landmark of the 2012 Games, and our overview of the Olympic Park and what the Games left behind puts it in context.
Photo: The wub · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized
What you see from ArcelorMittal Orbit 360
The upper viewing platform, now marketed as ArcelorMittal Orbit 360, sits 80 metres above the ground. It has floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides and an outdoor walkway. On a clear day the view reaches up to 20 miles (about 32 km).
Looking west towards central London, you can pick out The Shard, St Paul's Cathedral, the BT Tower and, on a good day, Big Ben. To the south-east is the O2. Directly below you lie the London Stadium, the Aquatics Centre, the river channels and the new East Bank buildings, which is the best way to understand how the whole Olympic Park fits together.
Inside the platform are two large concave mirrors by Anish Kapoor that turn the skyline upside down. They are more fun than they sound, and children tend to spend a long time in front of them.
Coming down the 455 steps
If you are not sliding, walk down rather than taking the lift. The spiral staircase has 455 steps, is about 350 metres (1,150 feet) long and takes around 12 minutes. A soundscape of London noises plays as you go, and you get close-up views of the steel structure that you miss from the lift. The stairs are outdoors, so they are cold and windy in winter.
Riding Helix, the tunnel slide
Helix is the main reason many people come. Zip World and the park describe it as the world's longest and tallest tunnel slide. You take the lift to the lower platform at 76 metres, pick up a mat, and slide 178 metres down a tube that loops around the tower 12 times before you shoot out at the bottom. Top speed is about 15 mph (24 km/h).
The slide itself is short, but the whole experience, including check-in, the safety briefing, the lift and the queue at the top, takes about 45 minutes. As you spin round the tower you catch quick glimpses of the park and the city outside. The tightest section, a corkscrew, is nicknamed "the bettfeder", German for bedspring.
Helix is fully enclosed, so think twice if you dislike tight spaces. The operator itself says the slide is not ideal for people with claustrophobia and suggests looking at it before buying a ticket. Anyone with a medical condition should contact Zip World before booking.
Who can ride
- Minimum age 8 and minimum height 1.3 m. There is no maximum height.
- Maximum weight 130 kg.
- Flat, closed-toe shoes such as trainers or boots; no sandals, heels or flip-flops.
- Facial jewellery must be removed or taped over. Avoid loose clothing and large jewellery.
- Under-18s need an adult: one spectating adult for every seven children on Helix.
For the viewing deck alone, one participating adult is needed for every five children under 18.
Tickets and prices in 2026
All tickets are sold by Zip World. The prices below are the "from" prices published in September 2026. Actual prices vary by date and time, and a £5 booking fee is added. Zip World does not explain on its product pages whether the fee is charged per ticket or per booking, so check the total at checkout. Current prices are on the Helix page and the ArcelorMittal Orbit 360 page.
| Ticket | From (per person) | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| ArcelorMittal Orbit 360 | £15.00 + £5 booking fee | Lift up, viewing deck, lift or stairs down |
| Helix | £19.00 + £5 booking fee | Lift to the lower platform, one slide; views from the platform |
| Extra slide | Check on site | Bought in person at the attraction, subject to availability |
As a rough guide, a couple who both want to slide pay from £38 plus booking fees. A family of four whose children meet the age and height rules pays from £76 plus fees. An optional reaction camera, mounted in the tube in front of you, can be added for one slide.
Booking a month or more ahead cuts the Orbit price. Zip World gives 5% off individual tickets booked more than 30 days in advance, 10% off at more than 60 days and 15% off at more than 90 days. The discounts do not apply to bundles, group tickets or vouchers.
You can try to buy on the day, but Zip World says it cannot guarantee a place and recommends booking, especially for Helix, which sells out at busy times. The London Pass does not include Helix, although pass holders may be offered an upgrade on the day if there is space. Our analysis of whether the London Pass saves money explains how passes compare with single tickets.
How the Orbit compares with other London viewpoints
The Orbit is lower than The Shard and not in the centre, so the famous landmarks look small. What it offers instead is a view over East London and the Olympic Park that no other tower gives you, and a slide that no other viewpoint has. If you only want the classic skyline, other options may suit you better.
| Viewpoint | Adult price (Sept 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| ArcelorMittal Orbit 360 | From £15 + £5 fee | East London, the Olympic Park, the slide |
| London Eye | Online from £29; walk-up £39 | Westminster and the river |
| Sky Garden | Free, book ahead | The City and the Thames, with a garden and bars |
| The View from The Shard | See the official website | The highest view in London |
Read more about The View from The Shard, the London Eye's capsules and queues and how to get free Sky Garden tickets. Our list of free viewpoints across London covers hills, rooftops and bridges that cost nothing.
Getting to the Orbit from Stratford
The Orbit is in the south of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, next to the London Stadium. The easiest route is from Stratford station, served by the Central, Jubilee and Elizabeth lines, the DLR, the Overground and National Rail. The official route takes about 10 minutes:
- Follow the signs for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and take the escalators up behind the lifts.
- Walk along The Street through Westfield Stratford City and turn left at the Bat & Ball pub.
- Cross Westfield Avenue at the lights and follow the path into the park.
- Pass the London Aquatics Centre on your left, cross the bridge and head for the red tower.
Stratford International (DLR and Southeastern high-speed trains from St Pancras), Hackney Wick (Overground) and Pudding Mill Lane (DLR) are alternatives. Buses 339 and D8 stop nearby. There is no visitor car park, apart from a small number of Blue Badge spaces, so use public transport; our guide to the Underground will help if you are new to the Tube. The area around the station is described in our guide to visiting Stratford.
Practical tips for your visit
- Arrive 30 minutes early. Zip World asks all visitors to check in at reception half an hour before their time slot.
- Bring a card, not cash. The site is cashless and takes card and mobile payments only.
- Lockers are limited. A small number of lockers at the base take a £1 coin, so bring one if you plan to slide with a bag.
- Choose a clear day. Haze and low cloud shorten the view. Weekday mornings are usually quieter than weekend afternoons.
- Check event days. On West Ham home matches and big concerts, roads and paths around the stadium close, and the park is crowded.
- Dress for the weather. The outdoor walkway and the stairs are exposed, and it is windier at 80 metres than on the ground.
Accessibility
The attraction is step-free from the welcome building to both viewing platforms, using the two lifts, and there are accessible toilets on the lower platform. Assistance animals are welcome. An essential companion of a visitor with a Nimbus Access Card goes free. For the rest of your journey, see our page on step-free public transport.
Combining the Orbit with the rest of the park
The Orbit takes an hour or so, including the walk down, so it fits well into a longer day. The London Stadium is directly next door, and a public swim at the Olympic pool in the Aquatics Centre is a five-minute walk away. With children, finish at the fountains in the South Park or the Tumbling Bay playground in the north; our ideas for family days in London have more suggestions.
Go if
- You have children aged 8 or over who like thrill rides
- You are already visiting the Olympic Park
- You want an unusual view and a piece of modern art in one visit
Skip it if
- You mainly want to see Westminster and the historic centre from above
- You are short of time and staying in central London
- You dislike enclosed spaces and only came for the slide
Frequently asked questions
How much does the ArcelorMittal Orbit slide cost?
Helix, the tunnel slide, costs from £19.00 per person plus a £5 booking fee (September 2026). Prices vary by date, and you get one slide per ticket. Booking more than 30, 60 or 90 days ahead gives 5%, 10% or 15% off.
How tall is the ArcelorMittal Orbit?
The sculpture is 114.5 metres tall, the tallest in the UK. The upper viewing platform is 80 metres above the ground and the lower platform, where Helix starts, is at 76 metres. The slide itself is 178 metres long.
Is there an age or height limit for Helix?
Yes. Riders must be at least 8 years old and at least 1.3 metres tall, and must weigh no more than 130 kg. There is no maximum height. Children under 18 need an accompanying adult.
Do I need to book the Orbit in advance?
It is strongly recommended. Zip World will try to fit in visitors without a booking but cannot guarantee a place, and Helix often sells out at weekends and in school holidays. Off-peak opening days are shown only in the online booking calendar.
Is the ArcelorMittal Orbit included in the London Pass?
Helix is not included. According to the operator, London Pass holders may be able to upgrade on the day if there is space, so ask at the ticket desk.
Sources
- Zip World - Helix (checked September 2026)
- Zip World - ArcelorMittal Orbit 360 (checked September 2026)
- Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - ArcelorMittal Orbit (checked September 2026)
- ArcelorMittal Orbit - Frequently asked questions (checked September 2026)
- ArcelorMittal Orbit - Getting there (checked September 2026)
- ArcelorMittal Orbit - About the ArcelorMittal Orbit (checked September 2026)
- ArcelorMittal Orbit - Accessibility (checked September 2026)