Guide to Covent Garden Travel and Transport

Covent Garden transport guide is managed by Hotel-assist.Com who are a local London accommodation source. We know every hotel and can advise accordingly to suit your accommodation budget and specific requirements.

Covent Garden's central location means it is a breeze to reach from practically anywhere in London. The area is within walking distance of several of Tube stations and bus stops, and the popularity of the area as an entertainment destination ensures a steady flow of cabs throughout the day and night. Of course, as popular as Covent Garden is, driving is not recommended. However, a variety of transportation modes exist for this well-connected section of London.

London Underground and Overground Trains

For those wishing to visit Covent Garden via the London Underground, which is more colloquially known as the Tube, arriving at Covent Garden Station is the obvious choice. As the name implies, this station between Leicester Square Station and Holborn Station on the Piccadilly Line (one of eleven Tube lines), is merely seconds away from world famous Covent Garden Market and its piazza. Other nearby Tube stations include Leicester Square Station (on the Piccadilly and Northern Lines), Holborn Station (on the Piccadilly and Central Lines), Embankment Station (on the Circle, District, Northern and Bakerloo Lines), Charing Cross Station (Northern and Bakerloo lines) and Tottenham Court Road Station (Central and Northern Lines). Please note that the Underground does not run 24 hours a day (except on New Years and occasional major events). The first tube trains of the day start rolling by 5am and service continues until 1.30am. Overground train services closest to Covent Garden run from the south of England to Charing Cross Train Station, roughly 5 minutes' walk from Covent Garden.

London Buses

Another public transport option is the bus. London's buses, many still iconic double-deckers, allow riders the opportunity to do a little sightseeing while in transit, enabling newcomers to get the lay of the land. Catching a bus to Covent Garden isn't as daunting as it may at first appear. Public buses have their route number on the front above the windscreen and on the side beside the door. Most bus stops feature easy to read route maps. There are more than thirty lines stopping in the area. Route numbers serving the Covent Garden area include the following: 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 38, 55, 59, 69, 73, 77A, 91, 98, 134, 139, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 242, 243, 341. Convenient stops for Covent Garden are located at the Strand, Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square. The vast majority of routes in London require having already purchased a ticket before boarding. Ticket machines, which sell single fares and daily passes, are located next to main bus stops. However you will need exact change to use them. Many newsagents sell bus saver tickets and bus passes.

Oyster Card

One way to access public transport is to use an Oyster Card. The size of a credit card, Oyster Cards can store up to £90 of cash to be used to pay as you go on the Tube, buses, London Overground and other transport alternatives. In most cases, they are more convenient and economic than paper tickets. Generally, the fares are cheaper; credit can be used as needed without expiring; daily price capping automatically calculates the cheapest fare for journeys made during a 24-hour period; and topping up can be done at most stations as well as many newsagents. Oyster Cards are available at most Tube and Overground stations as well as online at Oyster.tfl.gov.uk

Taxis

Cabs abound around Covent Garden and provide an expedient and comfortable way to get around. Of course, it must be said that cab fare is nowhere near as affordable as public transport. Still, rare is the London cabbie who isn't an expert of the city's myriad streets and completely professional. They are exceptionally reliable and can be real lifesavers if you're uncertain about how to travel from point to point. To hail a cab, look to see if its yellow 'for hire' light is on, then simply wave for the driver to stop.

Car

If you must drive in central London, be prepared for congested streets (and congestion charges!) and little in the way of convenient parking. Covent Garden is with in the Congestion Charging zone. Parking facilities are available at Kingsway and St Martin's Lane but on-street parking is limited and can be costly. The Congestion Charge is in effect Monday through Friday between the hours of 7am and 6pm ( excluding Bank Holidays and Christmas) and requires drivers to pay £8 (if paid by midnight on the day of travel, £10 if paid by midnight the following day). Payment is by a call centre and website only. Before considering driving in central London, it is strongly advised that you visit the Transport for London's Congestion Charging website, www.cclondon.com.

Boat

Our last suggestion for travelling to/from Covent Garden is via the River Thames. With Embankment Pier only a brief walk away and ferry services operating throughout the day from Tower Pier and Greenwich Pier, boats offer a scenic and handy way to see the capital. Visit www.tfl.gov.uk/river for more information about river transport.

Reviewers tips

Walking is always an option, especially since Covent Garden is so centrally located. Picking up a copy of London A-Z Street Atlas for its maps and easily referenced index is strongly advised. Consider getting your copy, as well as a variety of souvenirs and transport-related items, at the London Transport Museum conveniently located in Covent Garden's piazza.