Olympic and Paralympic Games theatre travel guide

Official London Theatre & Transport for London
Olympic and Introduction
The eyes of the world will be on
Paralympic
London next summer, with its
theatre scene adding
Games theatre thriving
to the buzz of the Olympic and
Paralympic Games.
travel guide
Top tips
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03
The city will be busy from July
to September, but you’ll still be
able to enjoy the fantastic wealth
of entertainment on offer.
04
Theatre lovers can be sure not to
miss out on the excitement with
our top tips for planning journeys
to and from Theatreland during
the Games.
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lan your journey ahead
P
Order travel and theatre
tickets beforehand
Use Transport for
London’s online tools and
information
Allow extra time for your
journey
Make the most of your trip
Check the show
information
Think about alternative
ways to get around
(click to jump to section)
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Even if you’re a regular visitor to London’s theatres,
you will need to plan your journeys carefully during
the Games and you might have to make changes
to your usual route. The transport network will be
running as normal, in fact with extra services, but
you should plan ahead to make sure you get to your
show on time.
Transport for London (TfL) has a range of tools
to help you plan your journey across London. Use
Journey Planner to navigate from your station to the
theatre: tfl.gov.uk/journeyplanner. All the capital’s
major theatres are clearly marked.
Plan your journey ahead
It’s wise to check before you travel for any
last-minute changes to your journey by visiting
tfl.gov.uk/livetravelnews.
Use Transport for London’s
online tools and information
You can also use Journey Planner to search for routes
based on your accessibility needs, such as avoiding
stairs. For more information on accessible travel,
attractions and services, visit Inclusive London.
See ‘How to use Journey Planner’ for more information.
Visit TfL’s Travel Tools page for a range of other
useful travel planning services and information.
Register for free travel alerts to your mobile and
TfL will send you personalised news about delays.
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In London, you can use the Oyster card on all TfL
and suburban National Rail services. Buy a card in
advance with pay as you go credit or a Travelcard
to avoid queuing for your ticket in London. You can
learn more about Oyster and order one to be sent
to you at visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk.
TfL will ensure the transport system runs as smoothly
as possible during the Games. However, leaving
yourself extra time will help make sure you arrive
before the curtain rises, even if there is disruption to
your journey.
Order travel and theatre
tickets beforehand
Many of London’s world-class productions have
already announced ticket availability into 2012
and they are selling fast for the period around the
Olympic and Paralympic Games. Book the best deal
now via your theatre ticket agent ensuring that they
are a verified member of STAR (www.star.org.uk).
If you normally collect your theatre tickets from the
box office, why not have them posted to your home
instead, to avoid any last-minute delays?
Allow extra time
for your journey
Certain stations and lines are expected to be
particularly busy. Visit the TfL website for information
on travel during 2012.
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Make the most of your trip
Why not come into the capital for the afternoon and
take advantage of the range of events taking place
as part of the Games or get yourself settled at the
theatre early with a pre-show drink at the venue.
Many shows will have matinee performances which
are a great way to enjoy your favourite show and
make the most of your evening afterwards.
Make a stress-free evening of it and enjoy
a pre/post-theatre meal close to your theatre.
During the Olympic Games (27 July-12 August) the
Tube, Docklands Light Railway and National Rail
services will run until 01:30am, so there’s time to
relax after the final bow.
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Think about alternative
ways to get around
Many of London’s theatres are within a short
walk of major rail stations. For the West End in
particular, it is often quicker to walk from Charing
Cross or Waterloo, for example, than take public
transport. Official London Theatre has developed
access maps which can be printed off for easy
navigation to theatres around the capital. The
routes shown are all step-free to make travelling
easier for those using wheelchairs, pushchairs
and mobility scooters. For our foreign visitors,
the routes are easy to understand, with photographs
and a unique time-bar that shows travelling times
between each part of the journey.
You might also enjoy using your bike or hiring one
from Cycle Hire to get around central London. This
could make for a fun trip too.
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Check the show information
It’s always wise to check your show’s start and
finish times so you can plan your journey – these
can be subject to change.
Pick up a free copy of the Official London Theatre
Guide from London’s theatres, mainline railway
stations, airports and tourist information centres.
This gives a complete what’s on listing as well as
show times and locations with a handy map of
Theatreland.
We are also working with the Licensed Taxi
Drivers Association to provide them with updated
information on show start and finish times so that
plenty of cabs can be available.
How to use
Journey Planner
Example: Charing Cross station to Novello Theatre
1. Visit tfl.gov.uk/journeyplanner
2. Enter your journey details and click ‘search’
3. Choose from the journey options and click ‘view’
4. See your detailed journey plan
Click the maps on the right to see the route
in detail (for example to walk the last stage).
1.Enter start point and destination/
venue name (selecting ‘place of
interest’ if appropriate)
2.Enter date of travel
3.Select time of travel, giving
yourself extra time for your journey
You can select accessibility requirements
on the same page.
Photos: Pawel Libera/Nick Liseiko