Parking at the Royal Albert Hall for a concert

The Royal Albert Hall is in the heart of South Kensington, where on-street parking is scarce and tightly controlled. The Hall has no public car park of its own, but it offers pre-booked parking at Imperial College, a few minutes' walk away. For most visitors, public transport remains the easier option; if you do drive, book ahead.

Imperial College car park: book in advance

The Hall offers parking spaces at nearby Imperial College, about 5 minutes' walk away, for events in its main auditorium. According to the Hall:

• spaces are available from one hour before the start time of the event;
• they must be booked in advance through the Hall (the price is shown at booking; we do not list it here);
• the car park has two entrances, on Prince Consort Road and Exhibition Road. The Exhibition Road entrance is open all day; the Prince Consort Road entrance is only used for evening performances and closes in the early evening, so check the time on your booking confirmation;
• you need an exit voucher to leave. If you did not receive it in advance, collect it from the Box Office at Door 12 after parking;
• the voucher is only valid until 45 minutes after the event; after that, normal hourly rates apply.

Parking may not be offered for every event: check the event page or the Hall's parking page when you book your tickets.

On-street parking

Street parking around South Kensington is mostly residents' bays and pay-and-display bays with time limits. Read the signs carefully: restrictions in central London are strictly enforced. Bear in mind too that London's emission and charging zones may apply to your vehicle: check the TfL website for the Congestion Charge and ULEZ before you set off.

Leaving after the show

With a 45-minute window on the exit voucher, there is no need to rush out of the auditorium, but do not linger in the bars too long either. Traffic on Kensington Gore and Exhibition Road is heavy at the end of a show, when buses, taxis and private cars all leave at the same time.

Blue Badge parking

The Hall has a small number of Blue Badge spaces close to the building, accessed from outside Door 8. They must be booked in advance through the Hall's access team (contact details on the Hall's accessibility page); have your vehicle registration number to hand. The Hall notes that, on rare occasions, event requirements mean that no Blue Badge parking is available. Door 8 has ramped access and a public lift serving all levels.

Is it worth driving?

Not usually: the Hall is about 10 to 15 minutes' walk from South Kensington and High Street Kensington stations, and several bus routes stop on Kensington Gore. Driving makes sense mainly for visitors with reduced mobility, in which case the Blue Badge spaces near Door 8 are the best option, or for those coming from outside London with poor public transport links.

See also our guides to getting to the Royal Albert Hall by public transport, where to eat near the Royal Albert Hall and the best seats at the Royal Albert Hall.

Frequently asked questions

Is there parking at the Royal Albert Hall?

Not at the Hall itself, but it offers pre-booked spaces at Imperial College, about five minutes' walk away, from one hour before main auditorium events. Spaces must be booked in advance.

Where is the Royal Albert Hall car park?

The Imperial College car park has entrances on Prince Consort Road and Exhibition Road. The Prince Consort Road entrance is only used for evening performances.

How long can I stay in the Imperial College car park after a show?

According to the Hall, the exit voucher is valid until 45 minutes after the event. After that, normal hourly rates apply.

Is there disabled parking at the Royal Albert Hall?

Yes, a small number of Blue Badge spaces near Door 8, to be booked in advance through the Hall's access team. On rare occasions none are available because of event requirements.