Getting to the Show

Practicalities Getting to the Show

Please don't try to drive to the Lord Mayor's Show. All the roads are closed and the parking spaces suspended. Unfortunately this means that buses can't get in either, but the processional route is very well served by tube and train stations and if you come on your bike or on foot, there is a car-free city to enjoy.

Getting here by tube

Normally we recommend several tube stations that will bring you out right on the processional route, but the 2023 Show is complicated by engineering works on several lines

Central and Northern lines are open all day. District, Circle, Jubilee and Metropolitan lines are closed in the morning, but available after 3pm to take you home.

For the outward procession in the morning, we recommend Farringdon ( on the Elizabeth line), City Thameslink, St Paul's or Bank stations. The latter two will be very busy and will bring you out into a lively crowd. Get there early for a roadside spot.

If you've watched the outward procession then the return leg in the afternoon is only a few minutes' walk south to Queen Victoria Street.

If want to come directly to Temple and the Embankment to watch the return procession in a quieter crowd, then the tube closures are going to interfere with your journey. City Thameslink station is well placed and the river bus stop at Blackfriars is ideal, but otherwise you may need to walk down from a Central line station.

Tube line closures on Show day

Blue badge holders and larger groups of disabled or elderly visitors should please see our access page; there are passes that will allow you to park on Victoria Embankment or near to the Old Bailey, but numbers are very limited.

Walking to the Show

Main illustration © Clive Totman. This is also a good option if you can manage it.

If you don't mind walking a bit further, there is a very nice route in from the South Bank over the Millennium Bridge and up to St Paul's. Waterloo, Borough and London Bridge stations will put you nearby. You can also walk down from Old Street in the north or the Strand in the west but you may have to detour around the gathering procession. Blackfriars bridge is closed all day and Southwark Bridge very quiet, so those are also good options.

Please be aware that as the start time approaches it will be very difficult to cross the processional route. The tube stations you might have used are all closed. Leave plenty of time.

Getting here by bike

You will find that the City is a very nice place to ride a bike on the day of the Show. There is no traffic and you're quite likely to share the street with a brass band or giant fish. It is best to avoid the areas around London Wall and West Smithfield where the procession is drawn up; the police are very likely to send you round another way. At lunchtime you will also find the area south of Aldwych and around the Temple very congested.

Road closures mean that Santander Bike stands cannot be emptied or replenished. Many of the stands near the route are closed for the day, which means the rented bikes are sadly not a very reliable way to get to the Show.

Getting here by bus

The Show is not a good day for buses. They are diverted around the City for most of the day and the nearest you can get is Liverpool Street, Old Street or Kingsway. Unless you plan to walk in from the boundary, your best bet is to get on the tube when you can.

Getting here by river

The river bus pier at Blackfriars is ideally placed for the return leg of the Show, from 1.15 onwards. The Bankside pier is also quite handy for the Millennium Bridge, which will take you straight to St Paul's.

You cannot Get here by car

The Show area is closed to traffic and nobody is allowed to drive into the secure zone. The only exception is made for disabled people with a blue badge, who can request a parking permit for the Victoria Embankment. Please see the access page for details and application form.