Notting Hill Carnival returns for the August Bank Holiday weekend (Sunday 25 and Monday 26 August) with more than two million people expected to visit west London to celebrate the city's diverse Caribbean community
- London's transport network is expected to be busier than usual over the bank holiday weekend
- TfL recommends passengers get off at Paddington station and walk to Notting Hill Carnival and that customers plan and check their journeys before travelling to the Carnival
- TfL is teaming up with Mas band Masology to take part in their Return to the Motherland-themed float for this year
Ahead of the Notting Hill Carnival this weekend, TfL is offering travel advice for people travelling to enjoy the largest street party in Europe.
The capital has already started to gear up for this year's Carnival, which will return to west London between Sunday 25 and Monday 26 August. Last year's August Bank Holiday ridership figures for buses and the Tube reached the highest levels since the pandemic, as millions of people attended big events in the capital. This year, TfL is expecting an even busier bank holiday so it's important that customers make sure they plan their journeys ahead of time.
For the easiest and least-crowded journey to Notting Hill Carnival, customers are advised to take London Underground or Elizabeth line services to Paddington station as the Carnival is only a 20-minute walk away. The Bakerloo, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines, as well as the Elizabeth line offer step-free access, while the District line also serves the station. Smaller Tube stations such as Notting Hill Gate and Westbourne Park closer to the parade can get extremely busy.
Customers are encouraged to plan their journeys in advance using the TfL Go app or using Journey Planner on the TfL website.
TfL is joining up with partners Windrush Generation Legacy Association (WGLA) to appear in Mas band Masology's float at this year's Notting Hill Carnival. The theme for the float is Return to the Motherland, which will celebrate Caribbean culture and heritage. The Masology float will join a bus featuring Carnival-inspired designs from Go Ahead London, which operates buses in the area on behalf of TfL, in the main parade, with TfL staff taking part in the celebrations on both the float and the bus.
TfL has also teamed up with Anthony Nolan, the stem cell transplant charity which has been saving lives for 50 years, and WGLA charities and will support them through the sale of themed pin badges to staff. TfL will donate all proceeds from Notting Hill Carnival 2024 pin badge sales to Anthony Nolan.
Emma Strain, TfL's Customer Director, said: "Carnival celebrates London's wonderful diversity, and there is no better way to end a fantastic summer of events across the capital than welcoming back Notting Hill Carnival.
"Smaller Tube stations such as Notting Hill Gate and Westbourne Park closer to the parade can get extremely busy. The easiest way to travel to the Carnival is by public transport and for people to use large well-connected stations such as Paddington and walk to the parade. This year, as with every other, we are working closely with Carnival organisers and the police to make sure we all enjoy another successful event."
Deborah Klass, CEO The Windrush Generation Legacy Association Charity, said: "WGLA are thrilled to join Transport for London and Mas band Masology Making Carnival for a second year at this vibrant celebration of culture and heritage. As a charity committed to honouring and preserving the legacy of the Windrush Generation, we are especially excited to bring 40 children from the Croydon Supplementary Education Project to Children's Day this year, fully dressed in costumes that reflect our rich cultural history. The theme 'Back to the Motherland, with a Windrush twist' perfectly encapsulates our mission to celebrate and pass on the diverse heritage of the Windrush Generation to future generations."
Tom Joyner, Go-Ahead London's Managing Director, said: "As the capital's biggest, most experienced and innovative zero emission bus operator, we're delighted that one of our iconic red electric buses is once again an integral part of the Carnival float. Carnival reflects the communities we serve, the colleagues we employ and our city's diversity and we're proud to be a part of it.
"London's air is cleaner as a result of an ever-growing number of environmentally friendly buses entering service and we look forward to working with the Mayor, TfL and our supply chain to deliver even more of them over the coming years."
Notes to editors
Notting Hill Carnival travel information
Over the bank holiday weekend, Notting Hill Carnival will be taking place in west London on Sunday 25 and Monday 26 August.
For more details of the Carnival, see its official website.
All of TfL's transport networks will be running with planned closures minimised over the bank holiday. There will be some changes to bus service routes and times for road closures, especially in west London.
Tube and rail
- For the easiest and least crowded journey, take London Underground or Elizabeth line services to Paddington station. Notting Hill Carnival is around a 20-minute walk away
- At Paddington, there is step-free access to the Elizabeth line, as well as the Bakerloo, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines, while the District line also serves the station
- Follow the signs to find the Carnival route
- Shepherd's Bush is another large, well-connected station within walking distance (there is no step-free access to the Tube, access to London Overground is with ramps)
- Night Tube and Night Overground do not run either night
Stations in the area
- Stations in the Carnival area will be very busy
- To keep everyone safe, some stations will operate differently for most of the day. They may be exit only or use one-way systems and people may have to queue outside
Ladbroke Grove
- Station closed all day
Latimer Road
- Closes at 23:30
- May close for short periods of time to manage crowding
Notting Hill Gate
- 11:00-18:00: no entry
- District/Circle lines will not stop
- No interchange between Central line and District and Circle lines all day
- May close for short periods of time to manage crowding
Westbourne Park
- From 11:00: no entry
Holland Park
- 11:00 to 15:00: no entry
- 15:00: station closes
Royal Oak
- 11:00-18:00: no entry
- 18:00: station closes
Bus
- Some routes in West London will be diverted or will stop short of their destination
- Check our bus status updates
Santander Cycle Hire
- Santander Cycle Hire docking stations in the area of the Carnival will be suspended from the afternoon of Saturday 24 August. They will re-open by midday on Tuesday 27 August.
Heading home
- Notting Hill Carnival, floats, music and stalls will finish by 20:00 on Sunday and Monday. As events start to close stations will get busier and there will be queues outside some stations.
Travel tools
- Customers should check before they travel and plan ahead using TfL's travel tools.
- TfL Go - live Tube map app for planning travel on the move
- Plan a journey, which can help plan routed by public transport, cycling or walking
- The latest status updates for buses and traffic
- The latest status updates for Tube, rail and trams