Are trains and buses running during King Charles’ coronation? Your guide to public transport over the bank holiday
KING Charles and the Queen Consort will be crowned this Saturday in a lavish ceremony marking the first coronation Britain has seen in 70 years.
However, with millions expected to flood the capital for the royal celebrations, there will be significant road closures around central London and changes to transport schedules – but all should still be running.
Are trains running during King Charles’ coronation?
Transport for London say that all transport will be going ahead as planned for the three-day weekend of royal festivities – but it will be busier than usual.
“To support the celebrations all our transport networks will be running with no planned engineering closures on Saturday 6 May,” the company states.
If you are planning to visit the capital for the coronation, TFL advises planning your journey ahead of time and keeping up to date with all the latest travel announcements.
The main railways stations are: Blackfriars, Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Euston, King’s Cross, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Marylebone, Paddington, London St Pancras, Victoria and Waterloo.
The quickest train stations to use to access the viewing spots for the processed are Paddington, Marylebone, Charing Cross and Victoria – all will allow you to hop on a tube to either St James Park or Hyde Park.
Are tubes running during the coronation?
TFL also states that all tubes hope to be running smoothly throughout the weekend.
To get up close and personal with the action – the nearest tubes are St James Park, Hyde Park and possibly Victoria – however due to the latter station’s proximity to the palace and the expected crowds it might have restricted access.
“There will be limited access to the procession route from Victoria station. If you arrive at Victoria, you may be directed to Hyde Park for screening sites,” TFL warn.
Once at these stations and if you are able to, travelling by foot will be the best option.
For those travelling around later at night, they say: “Night Tube and Night Overground services will be running on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 May.”
It should be noted for anyone returning from the mega-concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday, the tubes will stop running at 12am as normal.
Are buses running during the coronation
Like the other transport options, buses will be available, but there will be alterations to routes and schedules owing to the sweeping road closures in central London.
TFL say: “There will be some changes to bus service routes and times, especially in central London, as there will be road closures for the event.”
Traffic is expected to be bad and TFL say the best ways to travel are by rail and tube or, if possible, foot.
When does King Charles’ coronation start?
The big day on Saturday May 6 kicks of at 5am with pedestrian restrictions coming into effect. At 6am, viewing areas will open along the procession route.
Between 7.15am to 10.45am, Westminster Abbey will begin filling with attendees, including foreign heads of state, royals and other prominent figures.
The spectacle of the procession will start when the King and Queen Consort set off from the palace to travel through central London to the ceremony in a grand parade.
The pair are expected to arrive at the Abbey at 10:53am as crowds gather in their thousands to celebrate the historic event.
The service will then begin promptly at 11am, reports the Guardian.
An hour later at 12pm, the archbishop of Canterbury will place the St Edward’s crown on Charles’ head and he will be crowned King, while Camilla will also be crowned Queen.