Visiting the ABBA Arena in London: Best Seats and Essential Tips

ABBA Voyage is not a normal concert, and the ABBA Arena is not a normal venue. It was built for one show: a digital ABBA performing as their 1979 selves, backed by a live ten-piece band and one of the most ambitious light shows in the world. Because the arena was designed around that experience, where you choose to stand or sit genuinely changes the night, from a hands-in-the-air party on the dance floor to a perfectly framed view of the whole spectacle from the seated tiers.

This is the seating guide: how the ABBA Arena is laid out, what each zone is really like, and where the best seats are for your budget. For the full story of the show itself and how to plan your trip, read our complete guide to ABBA Voyage in London.

The ABBA Arena, in brief

The ABBA Arena is a purpose-built, hexagonal venue at 1 Pudding Mill Lane in east London, a short walk from Stratford. It holds around 3,000 people, split between roughly 1,350 standing on the dance floor and 1,650 in the seated auditorium, which keeps it feeling intimate for a show on this scale. It was designed by Stufish and built largely from timber so it can one day be taken apart and moved, and every sightline was planned around the stage. In other words, there are no truly bad seats. There are, however, very different experiences, and that is what this guide is about.

The ABBA Arena seating plan, explained

The stage sits at the front of the room. Directly in front of it is the dance floor, a large standing area for people who want to be close and on their feet. Behind and above the dance floor, the seated auditorium fans upward and outward in a gentle horseshoe. The central block faces the stage head on and has the cleanest straight-on view of the avatars and the screens, while the side blocks angle in from the left and right and get a little cheaper the further they sit from the centre. Tucked into the back corners are the dance booths, raised private spaces for groups who want their own pocket of the room.

Tickets are banded by zone and prices move with the date and demand. On a typical performance they run from around £48 on the dance floor up to about £270 for the very centre of the auditorium, with most seated tickets landing somewhere between £90 and £204. You can see the live interactive seating plan and the current price for every section on the ABBA Voyage ticket page.

The three ways to experience ABBA Voyage

The dance floor (standing)

This is the immersive option, and for many fans it is the only option. You are close to the stage, on your feet, surrounded by people who came to dance, and when the avatars step forward it feels astonishingly real. It is also the most affordable way in, usually from around £48. The trade-offs: you are standing for the whole show, your eyeline is lower so you look slightly up at the stage, and it fills up, so arrive early if you want to be near the front. If the dance floor is calling you, read our guide to what to wear on the ABBA Voyage dance floor.

The seated auditorium

If you would rather take it all in from a comfortable seat, the raised auditorium is for you. From here you get the full picture, with the stage, the avatars, the band and the light show framed together and no need to crane over a crowd. The central seats give the cleanest, head-on view, while the side blocks offer a slightly angled view for less. This is the best choice for anyone who wants comfort, a clear sightline, or a calmer night out.

The dance booths

The dance booths are raised, semi-private spaces in the back corners of the auditorium, typically around £180. They are made for groups and celebrations: your own bit of the room, space to dance, and an elevated view across the whole arena. You sit further back than the central seats, so you trade a little proximity for privacy and atmosphere.

So where are the best seats?

It depends on what you want from the night, but here is how we would choose.

• Best overall view: the central seated block, a few rows up. The stage is dead ahead and perfectly framed, and you catch every detail of the avatars and the screens. The very centre is the premium £270 band, but you do not need to go that high. The central seats around £162 to £204 give a superb view for less.
• Best value seat: the £90 side blocks in the auditorium. You get a proper, comfortable seat and a good, gently angled view of the whole show for the lowest seated price.
• Best for atmosphere: the dance floor, from around £48. Nothing beats being on your feet, close to the stage, in the thick of it.
• Best for groups or a celebration: a dance booth, around £180, for your own raised space and a party feel.

A quick rule of thumb: choose the dance floor to feel the show, and the central auditorium to see it at its best.

Accessible seating

Because the ABBA Arena was built from scratch, accessibility was designed in rather than retrofitted. There are step-free routes, wheelchair-accessible positions in the auditorium and companion seating. If you need accessible seating it is best to book the specific positions in advance, and you can check what is available, along with the access options, on the ABBA Voyage ticket page.

Getting there and essential tips

• Getting there: the closest station is Pudding Mill Lane on the DLR, a two-minute walk from the door. Stratford, one of London's best-connected hubs, is a short walk away and handy if you are coming from further afield.
• Timing: the show runs for around 90 minutes with no interval, so arrive in good time, especially for the dance floor, and plan to be in place before it starts.
• The experience: what you are watching is a digital ABBA, created by the visual-effects studio behind some of the biggest films in the world and performing with a live band. If the technology fascinates you, see the magic behind ABBA Voyage.
• Make a night of it: the surrounding Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Stratford are full of bars and places to eat, so it is easy to build a whole evening around the show.

How to book

You can see live availability, the current price for every section and the full interactive seating plan on the ABBA Voyage ticket page. Dates are released in blocks and popular nights sell quickly, so it is worth booking ahead once you have settled on your zone. tickadoo members get member pricing on tickets across the site, so if you are planning more than one night out it can be worth joining tickadoo+ first.

Want more ABBA in London? Our complete ABBA fan's guide to London rounds up every experience, show and secret spot, and the full ABBA Voyage guide covers everything else you need to know before you go.