Getting to the Aldwych Theatre

The Aldwych stands on the corner of Aldwych and Drury Lane, between Covent Garden and the Strand. 49 Aldwych, London WC2B 4DF.

By tube

Holborn (Central and Piccadilly lines) and Covent Garden (Piccadilly) are both about 6 minutes. Take Holborn if you can: Covent Garden is one of the most congested stations in London at theatre time and frequently queues on the way out.

Charing Cross (Northern and Bakerloo) is about 8 minutes and Temple (Circle and District) about 7.

By rail

Charing Cross is the nearest mainline station at about 8 minutes; Waterloo is around 15 across the bridge.

By bus

Fifteen routes stop on Aldwych itself within about two minutes of the door, and the 139 and 176 stop at Lancaster Place, by Waterloo Bridge, a few minutes further on.

• From the west: the 9 from Hammersmith, 23 from Westbourne Park and 87 from Wandsworth
• From the north: the 1 from Hampstead, 68 from Euston, 91 and 243 from Wood Green, 76 and 341 from Tottenham, 139 from Golders Green, 176 and 188 from Tottenham Court Road, and the SL6 from Russell Square
• From the east: the 15 from Blackwall and the 26 from Hackney, through Liverpool Street
• From Victoria and Westminster: the 26 again, along Whitehall and the Strand
• From south of the river, over Waterloo Bridge: the 1, 59, 68, 76, 139, 172, 176, 188, 243, 341 and SL6, most of them through Waterloo

Night buses run from the same stops, including the N1, N9, N15, N21, N26, N68, N87, N89 and N91.

By taxi

Easy to find along the Strand and around Covent Garden. Aldwych itself is a busy one-way crescent, so a set-down on Drury Lane or Catherine Street is usually quicker than the front door.

Driving and parking

Not the easy option. There is no theatre car park, you are inside both the Congestion Charge zone and the ULEZ, and on-street parking is minimal.

If you do drive, the car park on Parker Street, off Drury Lane, is the nearest. Q-Park Covent Garden on Bedfordbury is small and closes at 11pm, and Urban Parking on Shelton Street, towards Seven Dials, is open 24 hours. Book a space ahead if you can.

The Congestion Charge is £18 a day and runs from 7am to 6pm on weekdays and from 12pm to 6pm at weekends. Arrive after 6pm for an evening show and you will not pay it; for a matinee you will.

When to arrive

Get there 15 to 20 minutes before, no later. The entrance is narrow and the foyer small, so it backs up close to curtain. It looks alarmingly packed about ten minutes before and then clears quickly.

There is a bag search on arrival, so travel light and allow a moment at the door.