Notting Hill Carnival travel: closures and shortcuts

Published on Aug 24, 2025, 4:02 pm CDT

6 min read

London's Notting Hill Carnival runs Sunday, August 24, and Monday, August 25, with extensive road closures across W10 and W11, and crowd-control changes at nearby stations. Transport for London and local councils warn of exit-only periods at key stops, late-evening shutdowns, and widespread bus diversions. Travelers heading to or from Heathrow Airport, LHR, and Gatwick Airport, LGW, should anchor trips on the Elizabeth line to Paddington or Thameslink to Farringdon, then walk or transfer outside the closure zone. Expect longer walks, signed one-way routes, and lines at stations during peaks.

Key Points

Why it matters: West London streets are pedestrianized for Carnival, reshaping rail, bus, taxi, and rides across two days.
Travel impact: Exit-only periods and full closures at nearby Tube stops, plus dozens of bus diversions and special limited-stop routes.
What's next: Most roads reopen by 6 a.m. Tuesday, August 26. Late-evening station closures remain in effect on both event days.
Airports: For Heathrow, ride Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express to Paddington. For Gatwick, use Thameslink to Farringdon, then Elizabeth line.
Plan B: Consider walking to Paddington or Shepherd's Bush to avoid queues near the route.

Snapshot

Most roads within the Carnival footprint close from 6 a.m. Sunday, August 24, until 6 a.m. Tuesday, August 26, with vehicle checks on surrounding streets. Inside the area, stations operate one-way systems, apply exit-only windows, or close early to manage crowding. Organizers and TfL recommend using Paddington for Elizabeth line, Bakerloo, Circle, District, and Hammersmith & City connections, with signed walking routes into and out of the event. Buses are diverted day and night, and two limited-stop routes supplement the network. Expect longer walks, crowd pens outside stations, and step-free constraints at some interchanges, especially in the late afternoon and evening.

Background

Notting Hill Carnival transforms streets across North Kensington and Westminster, drawing large crowds and requiring temporary traffic controls. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster City Council publish maps, closure windows, and access notes, while TfL applies station-by-station controls and walking routes to disperse crowds. This year's guidance again points travelers toward larger, better-connected stations just outside the footprint, notably Paddington and Shepherd's Bush, and urges people to plan returns well before late-evening station shutdowns. Extra rail capacity comes from high-frequency Elizabeth line trains to and from Paddington, with Thameslink providing fast links between Gatwick and central hubs like Farringdon.

Latest Developments

Notting Hill Carnival travel, Tube and station restrictions

Ladbroke Grove is closed all day on both Sunday and Monday. Notting Hill Gate has no entry from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and District and Circle line trains do not stop there, with no interchange to the Central line. Westbourne Park switches to exit-only from 11 a.m. Holland Park allows no entry from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., then closes at 3 p.m. Royal Oak is exit-only from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., then closes at 6 p.m. Latimer Road may pause briefly during the day, then closes at 11:30 p.m. Shepherd's Bush and Kensal Green are expected to see heavy lines and managed entry. Live boards reflect the exit-only status at affected stations.

Buses, diversions, and special services

Day and night buses divert away from the route, with service starting points to the north near the Prince of Wales on Harrow Road, and to the south at Notting Hill Gate. Published impacts include daytime routes 2, 7, 16, 18, 23, 27, 28, 31, 36, 46, 52, 70, 94, 98, 148, 205, 220, 228, 295, 316, 328, 332, 414, and 452, plus night routes N7, N16, N18, N27, N28, N31, N98, N205, and N207. Limited-stop extras run as 148X for Shepherd's Bush to Victoria and 7X for East Acton to Paddington during core hours. Check TfL bus status for rolling updates and temporary stop moves.

Airport-transfer workarounds, step-by-step

For Heathrow Airport, LHR, ride the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express to Paddington, then use the signed walking route toward the Carnival, or connect to other lines at Paddington as needed. Heathrow Express runs every 15 minutes, about 15 minutes to and from Paddington. For Gatwick Airport, LGW, Thameslink trains run between the airport and Farringdon, where you can change to the Elizabeth line for Paddington and approach on foot. Taxis and private-hire vehicles cannot enter the pedestrianized footprint, so plan pick-ups at Paddington's taxi rank or other ranks outside the closure zone.

Analysis

The operational pattern centers on spreading arrivals and departures across larger hubs, then pushing last-mile movements onto footpaths. That is why the guidance repeatedly funnels riders to Paddington and Shepherd's Bush, where platforms, concourses, and step-free facilities can absorb Carnival surges better than small local stops. Exit-only windows at Notting Hill Gate, Westbourne Park, Royal Oak, and Holland Park thin inbound peaks, then timed closures later in the day help flush crowds outward in stages. Buses remain useful for longer crosstown links, but diversions and traffic mean they are less efficient for short hops near the footprint. Air travelers should avoid threading the route with heavy bags, instead staging at Paddington via Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express, or at Farringdon via Thameslink for Gatwick, then walking the last segment. Expect one-way pedestrian flows, signed bridges and side streets, and lines outside stations after 7 p.m., when music and stalls wind down and people begin to depart.

Final Thoughts

If you anchor moves on Paddington or Shepherd's Bush, build extra time, and approach on foot, the weekend is manageable even with luggage. For Heathrow, prioritize Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express to Paddington. For Gatwick, use Thameslink to Farringdon, then Elizabeth line. Avoid attempting to enter Notting Hill Gate during its no-entry window, and expect taxis only outside the closure cordon. Check live boards for exit-only status, and follow the signed walking route. With a flexible plan and off-peak timing, you can minimize lines and focus on the celebration, while staying ahead of Notting Hill Carnival travel.