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Official London Theatre & Transport for London London theatre travel guide 2015 Introduction Top tips This guide will help you find your way around London’s famous Theatreland so your journey is as smooth as possible; you can enjoy the wealth of entertainment on offer and make the most of London’s buzz and excitement. 01Plan your journey ahead 02Order your tickets beforehand 03Check the show information 04Use your contactless bank card and save time and hassle 05Keep up to date with travel alerts 06Make the most of your trip 07Alternative ways to get around 08Explore theatres outside the West End (click to jump to section) 01 Plan your journey ahead 02 Order your tickets beforehand Even if you’re a regular visitor to London’s theatres, we still advise you plan your journeys carefully to make sure you get to your show on time. It’s always a good idea to allow extra time too, as some stations and Tube lines get very busy. Many of London’s productions announce ticket availability well in advance so it’s best to book the best deal in advance via your theatre ticket agent or online safely and securely at officiallondontheatre.co.uk or other booking agencies. Use Transport for London’s Journey Planner to find the quickest way to your final destination, including step-free routes – all the major theatres are listed, as well as the most popular shows: tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey It is important to check that booking agents or online systems are a verified member of Secure Tickets from Authorised Retailers (STAR) star.org.uk. For more information about accessible transport options visit: tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessibility/ 03Check 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, especially around holiday times such as Christmas and Easter. Pick up a free copy of the Official London Theatre Guide from London’s theatres, hotels, 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 and a Tube map. It also often includes information on theatrical events such as the Olivier Awards with MasterCard and West End LIVE. All the latest theatre information and show times can be found online at officiallondontheatre.co.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? 04Use your contactless bank card and save time and hassle It is now possible to pay for your travel in London with a contactless bank card. Simply look for the contactless symbol on your card, and tap in and out on the yellow readers as you would with an Oyster card. Buying travel tickets in advance You can buy a Visitor Oyster card from visitorshop. tfl.gov.uk before you leave home – it will be posted to your home address. It costs £3 plus postage. A Visitor Oyster card is a travel smartcard that holds ‘pay as you go’ travel credit which you use to pay for travel on bus, Tube, DLR, tram, London Overground and most National Rail services in London. It’s much cheaper than buying a paper Travelcard ticket or paying in cash. To pay for your travel, simply touch your Visitor Oyster card in and out on the yellow card readers at the gates on Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and most National Rail services to pay the correct fare. On buses and trams, you only need to touch your card on the yellow reader at the start of your journey. If you run out of travel credit, it is easy to add more at the ticket machines in any of our stations. There is also a range of special discounts and promotions available with your Visitor Oyster card to help you save money on shopping, eating out and entertainment, while enjoying your trip to the capital. Find out more about the Visitor Oyster card: tfl.gov.uk/visitinglondon 05Keep up to date with travel 06Make the most of your trip You can keep up to date with all the latest Transport for London travel news by: Why not come into the capital for the afternoon or the day and take advantage of the range of things to do or get yourself settled at the theatre early with a pre-show drink? alerts • V isiting tfl.gov.uk/status-updates • Following @TfLTravelAlerts on Twitter for updates on Tube, DLR, London Overground and Emirates Air Line services • Following @TfLBusAlerts on Twitter for updates on bus services You can also register for email updates on weekend station closures or maintenance plans: tfl.gov.uk/emailupdates 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 venue – perhaps even using one of the special deals on your Visitor Oyster Card. And don’t forget: from 12 September 2015, Transport for London is introducing a 24 hour Tube service on five key lines at weekends! So you can have an even more leisurely post-theatre meal. Photo: Mark Foley 07 Alternative ways to get around 08 Explore theatres outside 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 mainline stations, for example, than to 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 overseas visitors, the routes are easy to understand, with photographs and a simple time-bar that shows travelling times between each part of the journey. Visit officiallondontheatre.co.uk/access/ enabled-maps for details. You might also enjoy using your bike or hiring one from Santander Cycles to get around central London. This is a fun and cheap way to get around. Find out more: tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/santander-cycles the West End Don’t forget there are hundreds of theatres outside central London which are all really easy to reach on public transport. If you don’t fancy the hustle and bustle of the West End, why not visit a local theatre in one of London’s suburbs? These smaller venues run fantastic shows and entertainment and can be closer to home than you think. Find your nearest Greater London theatre with Transport for London’s Small theatres, Tube and rail map – visit tfl.gov.uk/maps/visitors-and-tourists 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: ‘Plan my journey’ 3. See your detailed journey plan. You can click on the tabs at the top of the page to see the different times it takes to travel on public transport, by bike or on foot. 4. Click on: ‘View details’ for full information about the route – you can also print this for ease of use. • You can specify the time of day you are travelling, and any accessibility requirements. •You can choose how you want to get there: on public transport by bike or on foot. It is sometimes quicker to walk.