Covent Garden, from the stage door to departures

Where can a car meet you in Covent Garden?

Not in the Piazza or on the pedestrian streets around it, such as James Street and much of King Street. The chauffeur will choose the nearest open road, often Henrietta Street, Long Acre, Bow Street or the Strand, and message you with the exact spot. For a pickup from a restaurant or a flat off the Piazza, allow a couple of minutes to walk to the car.

The hotels on the Strand and around Aldwych have forecourts or set-down points, and the chauffeur will wait at the entrance. One has a curiosity worth knowing about: Savoy Court, the short approach to the Savoy, is the only road in Britain where traffic drives on the right, so cars can pull up with the passenger door facing the hotel entrance.

London City or Heathrow from Covent Garden?

London City is the quicker drive, about 32 minutes off-peak along the Strand, Fleet Street and through the City to the Limehouse Link and the airport. Heathrow is around 39 minutes off-peak, via Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly and the Cromwell Road to the M4. In the weekday rush, allow about 46 minutes for City and about 57 for Heathrow.

For short-haul trips to Europe, many Covent Garden travellers choose London City for its speed at both ends. For long-haul flights, Heathrow is usually the only choice.

How does theatreland traffic affect evening journeys?

Between about 19:00 and 19:30, and again from around 22:00 when the shows come down, the roads around Drury Lane, the Aldwych, Shaftesbury Avenue and the Strand are crowded with taxis and people. A pickup at those times can take a few extra minutes simply to reach the kerb.

If you are leaving straight from a performance for a late flight, tell us the theatre and the end time. The chauffeur will wait on a quieter street nearby rather than in the queue outside the doors, and send you the location before the curtain falls.

Can you collect performers and crew after a show?

Yes. For touring companies, musicians and crew leaving London after a final performance, we can collect from the stage door with instruments, costumes in cases and personal luggage. Tell us the stage door address and roughly how much equipment there is, and we will send a vehicle with the space for it. The V-Class suits a small company travelling together.

Does the Congestion Charge apply?

Yes. Covent Garden is inside the zone, so a pickup between 07:00 and 18:00 on a weekday, or between 12:00 and 18:00 at weekends and bank holidays, incurs the £18 daily charge. It is included in your fixed price when it applies. Evening pickups after 18:00, which are common here, avoid it.

When is the train the better choice?

For a single traveller with a small case, the Elizabeth line from Tottenham Court Road, a short walk away, runs directly to Heathrow, and the Piccadilly line from Covent Garden or Leicester Square does too, more slowly. Thameslink from Blackfriars or City Thameslink runs to Gatwick and Luton. At busy times, those trains can beat a car.

A car is the better option with heavy luggage, with children, after a late show, or for a flight so early that the trains have not started.

How do Gatwick, Luton and Stansted compare?

Gatwick is about 31 miles south and takes around 73 minutes off-peak via Waterloo Bridge, the Elephant and Castle and the A23. Luton is about 67 minutes via the Euston Road and the M1, and Stansted about 79 minutes via the A12 and the M11. For all three, the first part of the journey, getting out of the West End, is the slowest.

Can you meet hotel guests arriving from Heathrow?

Yes. The chauffeur follows the flight, meets the guest in arrivals with a name board and brings them to the hotel entrance. If the room is not ready, the hotel will usually hold the luggage, and the chauffeur can wait while the guest checks in.