...By Henry George for TDPel Media.
The Westminster Abbey service, which will be the first coronation in 70 years, is set to take place on May 6, 11am.
The King and his wife will travel from Buckingham Palace to the church, a distance of 1.3 miles, in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, with thousands of people expected to line the streets and watch the procession.
The first procession, known as “the King’s Procession”, will start from The Mall, through Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square, ending at Westminster Abbey.
On the following day, there will be several celebrations, including street parties and an evening concert.
Pubs and bars will be allowed to remain open for two extra hours in the UK, and Monday (May 8) will be a bank holiday.
How to Get Around London on Coronation Day
There are no tickets required to join the crowds of people hoping to catch a glimpse of the Royal Family or watch the ceremony on screens in one of the Royal Parks.
However, it is advisable to plan travel in advance, given the expected high volume of people coming to the capital.
Transport for London (TfL) has already announced that there are no planned closures across its network on the day of the coronation.
However, services are expected to be incredibly busy.
TfL will introduce short-term safety measures, including queuing and changes to how people enter or leave stations.
Transportation During the Coronation
Tube stations around Westminster and those with connections to mainline railway services could see the highest passenger numbers.
TfL says services may be “very busy, particularly during the day on Saturday at key transport interchanges”.
Due to road closures from the procession and street parties across London, some bus routes will be diverted.
Therefore, visitors might find it easier to travel by foot.
Passengers planning on travelling to London for the coronation are advised to reserve a seat if possible and allow more time than usual for journeys.
Train Services During the Coronation
On Sunday, May 7, work will be taking place at London Victoria, which will mean no Southern trains to and from the station and no Gatwick Express services.
There will be a rail replacement bus service between West Hampstead Thameslink and London St Pancras International before 9am.
Southeastern and Govia Thameslink, which operates Thameslink, Great Northern, and Southern, will operate with an increased number of carriages.
Thameslink and Great Northern have confirmed that they will be running a Sunday service on all routes on the bank holiday Monday.
Great Western Railway will run “very early” trains from the west of England and South Wales to Paddington.
There will be an “enhanced service” between Windsor and Slough on May 7 and in the early hours of May 8 for the coronation concert at Windsor Castle.
South Western Railway will run extra trains between London Waterloo and Windsor.
Accommodations During the Coronation
There are still hotel rooms available for the night of the coronation on May 6, but expect to pay a high price for them.
For instance, Premier Inn’s London Waterloo (Westminster Bridge) site is charging £285 for a room at the time of writing, compared with £231 a week later.
Meanwhile, Travelodge is charging £220 for a room at its London Central Waterloo hotel.
The same location on May 13 costs £179.
Overall, the Westminster Abbey Coronation is set to be a grand celebration, and it is essential to plan accordingly to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
