Travel

Location

The workshop will take place on Imperial College's South Kensington campus. It can be found on your favourite online map using the postcode SW7 2AZ. We will be in room 2.28 in the Royal School of Mines building, located in Prince Consort Road.

Travel within London

To move around London, the fastest option is almost always the London Underground (Tube). Imperial College is close to South Kensington station, which can be found on the Tube map in D4. Note that buses and most ticket machines do not accept cash, and the easiest way to pay for any public transport is by using a contactless credit card, or an Oyster card, which can be purchased at all Tube stations.

Getting to London

If you are coming from Europe, consider taking the train instead of flying to London. With the time it takes to get to, through and from airports, the train is often just as fast. Eurostar is running direct services to London St. Pancras from many locations including Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Lyon and Marseille. You can also book connections from Germany through DB. Another option from the Netherlands is the Rail&Sail ticket that combines trains from any station in the Netherlands, the ferry to England, and the onward train to London Liverpool Street in one ticket. Both St. Pancras and Liverpool Street stations are a short tube ride away from Imperial College.

If you have to fly, London has 6 airports. Some are located more conveniently than others to get to Imperial:

• Getting here from London Heathrow Airport (LHR, ca. 45 minutes, 3.10£ peak / 5.10£ off-peak):
  The Piccadilly Line takes you directly from all Heathrow terminals to South Kensington.
  
• Getting here from London City Airport (LCY, ca. 50 minutes, 2.80£ peak / 3.30£ off-peak):
  Check the Tube map, or use the TFL journey planner.
  
• Getting here from London Gatwick Airport (LGW, ca. 45-60 minutes, ca. 15£-25£):
  Regular trains are going from Gatwick Airport to many Central London stations, find and book them on the National Rail website (look for trains to "London - [All Stations]" to get an overview). Victoria Station is the most convenient option to get to Imperial. Queues can be long at the ticket machines at LGW, a pre-booked ticket can save time.
  
• Getting here from London Stansted Airport (STN, ca. 75-90 minutes, ca. 10£-25£):
  The Stansted Express train can be booked on the National Rail website, and goes to London Liverpool Street station. From there you can get to Imperial using the Circle Line. Another option is the airport bus, for example National Express to Victoria Coach Station. The train tends to be the faster option during the day, while the bus is cheaper and the better option during very early or very late hours when the roads are clear and the trains less frequent. The bus sometimes sells out during those times, pre-booking is a good idea. There are also direct buses to other locations that may be nearer to your hotel.
  
• Getting here from London Luton Airport (LTN, ca. 75-90 minutes, ca. 10£-25£):
  The cheapest and most convenient option is to take a bus, for example National Express to Victoria Coach Station. If you prefer the train, note that the actual train station ("Luton Airport Parkway") can only be reached via a shuttle bus from the terminal. This bus is included in the price if you bought a train ticket from "Luton Airport" beforehand. Otherwise you need to buy a separate shuttle bus ticket from the driver (cash only).
  
• Getting here from London Southend Airport (SEN, ca. 90-120 minutes, ca. 20£):
  Trains from Southend Airport to London can be booked through National Rail. Some flights depart too early or arrive too late for a good train connection, check the train times before booking your flight.
  

If you are on a very tight budget, there are also long-distance bus services from many European cities to London, for example Flixbus or Ouibus. The combined effects of London city traffic, motorway delays and slow-moving ferries make this an option mostly for travellers with patience.

Visas etc.

The UK is still a member of the EU at the time of writing (13. May 2019). It appears unlikely that this will change before the workshop, and even less likely that visa-free travel for visiting EU citizens will end soon. In any case, the UK government website provides an easy-to-use tool with definitive answers regarding visa requirements. Non-EU citizens should be aware that the UK is not part of the Schengen area, and a separate visa for the UK may be required even if you already hold a valid visa for another European country. If you require a workshop invitation letter for your visa application, please let us know.

Accommodation

As the workshop is taking place during the summer term break, Imperial College is offering on-campus summer accommodation in the student halls at a reasonable price. You can book this on Imperial's accommodation website.
Beit Hall and Prince's Gardens are within 5 minutes walking distance from the workshop.

For hotels, use any hotel booking portal. If hotels around Imperial look too expensive, try the area around Paddington, which is a 20 minute walk through Hyde Park away and is often cheaper. Send an email to  if the campus accommodation is sold out and you need help finding an affordable hotel.