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In just a few weeks, the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla is set to take place in London.
The UK is getting an extra bank holiday and people from across the world are set to travel to the city to see the historic event. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to descend on London, hoping for a glimpse of the Royal Family.
So we’ve rounded up some essential travel advice for anyone making the trip to London in May.
What is happening in London on the day of the Coronation?
The Coronation will take place on Saturday 6 May with ceremonial processions in London before and after a service at Westminster Abbey.
The first procession – known as ‘the King’s Procession’ – will begin in the morning with a route starting at Buckingham Palace, travelling along The Mall, through Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square, and ending up at Westminster Abbey.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will travel along the route in horse-drawn carriages.
The Coronation service begins at 11 am and after this, a larger ceremonial procession will return via the same route back to Buckingham Palace.
Members of the Royal Family will gather on the balcony at the Palace for a flypast of aircraft later in the day.
Where can you watch the Coronation processions?
Along the route, there will be viewing areas set up for those wanting to catch a glimpse of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Organisers have already started preparing for big crowds by constructing stands at Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards Parade near Westminster Abbey.
Viewing areas are not ticketed but it’s likely to be incredibly busy and they will be closed once they are full. You’ll need to plan ahead in order to get a good spot – before Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022, some people camped out for 48 hours.
A map of the viewing areas can be found here. They will open at 6 am on 6 May.
If you don’t manage to find a space to see the Royal Family in person, you can catch the processions on large screens in Hyde Park, Green Park and St James’s Park. Screening sites are also being set up across the UK.
And if you can’t see it in any other way, both processions and the Coronation service will be broadcast live on national television, radio and online.
What are the closest tube stations?
If you don’t know the city, then locating the closest London Underground station to these sites can be hard.
Transport for London (TfL) has said that services are likely to be extremely busy – but with multiple road closures, the tube is probably your best bet for getting there.
The closest London Underground stations to the procession route are: Green Park on the Piccadilly, Victoria and Jubilee lines; St James’ Park on the District and Circle lines; Westminster on the Circle, District and Jubilee lines; and Charing Cross on the Bakerloo and Northern lines.
Will there be any disruption to trains during the Coronation?
TfL has already indicated that there are no planned closures across its network on the day of the Coronation. It is asking people to plan ahead, however, as services are likely to be incredibly busy.
Short-term safety measures like temporary station closures and queues “may be necessary” on the day to cope with crowds. Passengers are being asked to factor delays into their travel plans.
Road closures from the procession itself and street parties across London mean that some bus routes will also be on diversion.
The transport body has warned passengers to check for changes using the TfL app or via its website which will have the most up-to-date information.
If you are travelling from outside London, Great Western Railway has said it is running some “very early” extra train services to London Paddington from major stations in the Thames Valley, southwest of England and south Wales on the 6 May.
Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink, will have more carriages than normal on its services on 6 May.
If you are hoping to head home via Gatwick Airport after the festivities are over, bear in mind that engineering work is taking place at Victoria Station on Sunday 7 May. It will mean no Gatwick Express or Southern train services to or from the station.
What else is happening during the Coronation weekend?
On Sunday 7 May, around 10,000 people will head to Windsor Castle for theCoronation concert. It will begin at 8 pm UK time and take place on the East Lawn. Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie are some of the musical stars that have already confirmed they will be performing.
The ballot for free tickets is already closed but if you were among the 5,000 people to successfully obtain them, you’ll be notified in late April.
And if you are travelling to the castle for the event, you can benefit from an “enhanced service” being operated by Great Western Railways, with extra trains between Windsor and Slough on 7 May and in the early hours of 8 May.
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