From a distance the ArcelorMittal Orbit – also called the Orbit Tower – looks a lot like an amusement park ride, but it is actually a sculpture/observation tower that looks out over the London 2012 Olympic site in Stratford.
The 114m (375 ft)-high tower is Britain’s largest work of art and incorporates a double-storey observation deck and the world’s tallest and longest tunnel slide, which is 178m (584 ft)-long.
It is named after the ArcelorMittal steel company, which sponsored most of its construction cost.
What to see and do on the ArcelorMittal Orbit
The ArcelorMittal Orbit has two main functions: it is an observation tower and there’s the slide. There is also the option to abseil off the side of the structure.
As far as observation decks go, it is nothing special. The observation deck is around the same height as the top floor of a 36-storey building, but it is a long way from central London so you certainly don’t get the great view that you can get if you went on the London Eye or the Sky Garden at the Walkie Talkie.
For most visitors, the slide is the highlight of a visit to the ArcelorMittal Orbit. The slide circles the ArcelorMittal Orbit 12 times, includes opaque and transparent sections and ends with a 50m straight section. The slide itself is really fun, and a lot faster than you would expect with the ride to the bottom over in around 40 seconds.
The most expensive option is the abseiling experience where you freefall abseil 80 m (262 ft) down to ground level. It is the UK’s tallest freefall abseil and there is the option of GoPro footage of your descent.
Visiting the ArcelorMittal Orbit
The ArcelorMittal Orbit is in the Olympic Park complex in Stratford in East London. It is a ten-minute walk from either Stratford station or from Pudding Mill Lane DLR station.
If you’re going on the slide, which we definitely recommend, then you check in on the ground level, put all your things in a locker (you will need a £1 coin for the lockers) and put on safety gear. Then you take the lift to the lower of the two observation deck levels and wait for your turn on the slide. Although you are given a 15-minute time slot, you may still need to wait up to an hour for the slide down.
Once you have come down, you can get your things from your locker and take the lift back up, this time to the top level of the observation deck to enjoy the view.
The upper observation deck has views of the Olympic Park with central London in the distance and there is also an outdoor walkway that you can go out to. When you’re ready to come down, you have the choice between the lift or taking the stairs. It is well worth walking down the 455 stairs as this lets you enjoy the view from a different viewpoint to the observation deck.
The London Pass gives you free entry but does not include the slide, which costs an additional £10.
The abseiling experience is operated by Wire & Sky, who also operate the Up at the O2 experience.
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