If you’re heading to a concert or event at the O2 and have no idea where to stay or how to actually get there without losing your mind, I’ve got you covered. This is exactly what we did, and it made the whole night so much easier than I expected.
In a Rush? Here’s Where We Stayed
🎟️ A&O London Docklands Riverside – Click here for rates & availability
If you don’t want to read the full story, that’s the one. Free ferry access, private rooms if you want them, fabulous breakfast and it puts you a short, scenic ride away from the O2 instead of fighting the post-show crowds. More on why below:
We went to see Ariana Grande at the O2, and honestly, we were shocked at how smooth the whole journey was, getting there and getting back. Anyone who’s been to a gig at the O2 knows the chaos that follows. Thousands of people pouring out at once, all trying to grab an Uber or squeeze onto public transport… It’s genuinely one of the most stressful parts of the night if you haven’t planned ahead.
Where we stayed: A&O London Docklands Riverside, and it was so underrated. I wasn’t expecting much going in, since it’s technically a hostel, but they also do private rooms and ours was way more spacious than I thought it’d be. If you want decent comfort without paying hotel prices, this is genuinely great value.
Despite the poorer reviews online… This A&O have had ongoing issues with AC, especially over this last summer, granted it was quite warm, although this is an ongoing issue they are working on.
Breakfast was actually really good too. They’ve got outdoor seating right along the Thames, so if you catch a sunny morning, you’re eating with a proper river view.
Here’s the part that made the whole trip, though: as a guest of A&O, you get a free ferry across to Canary Wharf. Just flash your keycard at the pier and you’re on. Super convenient especially with all the excitement for a concert, it is one less thing to worry about!
Getting from the hostel to the O2 Ferry Route:
From the hostel, hop the free ferry to Canary Wharf. From there, you catch another ferry that takes you just a couple of stops to North Greenwich Pier, right at the O2’s doorstep.
It only takes a matter of minutes, and they run roughly every 20 minutes or so, meaning you’re never really waiting around for long. Expect to pay somewhere between £22-27 for that leg, depending on whether you’re travelling peak or off-peak.
The best part is the boat itself doesn’t feel like a means to an end. There’s a bar onboard serving drinks, so you can start the night early with a glass of something while you watch the city drift by, or unwind on the way back after the show instead of getting straight into a crowd on the Tube.
Compared to fighting through the crowds for an Uber or getting shoved on public transport with thousands of other concertgoers, gliding in and out on the river honestly felt like a completely different experience. If you’re planning a night at the O2, I’d genuinely build your whole evening around this route. It turns a stressful commute into part of the fun.
One More Thing Before You Go
If you’re travelling into London from abroad for the show, don’t get caught out with roaming charges just to check your ferry times or pull up your ticket at the door. I always sort an eSIM before I land now instead of dealing with airport SIM kiosks or relying on patchy venue wifi.
📱 Grab an eSIM before you land – Get your Holafly eSIM here
It takes a few minutes to set up before you even leave home, and it means you’re not stuck trying to load a map or a ticket QR code with no signal in the middle of the crowd outside the O2.