ExCeL London Transfers: Getting to the Right Entrance
ExCeL is long enough that the wrong entrance costs a quarter of an hour. Where to be set down and collected.
One building, two very different ends
ExCeL runs along the north side of Royal Victoria Dock as a single enormous hall divided into numbered sections, with a central boulevard connecting an eastern entrance and a western one. Walking from one end to the other takes a serious amount of time with a case in hand, so being set down at the wrong end is not a minor inconvenience. The hall number on your badge or invitation is what determines which entrance you want.
- Check the hall number before deciding on an entrance
- The western end serves the lower hall numbers
- The eastern end serves the higher numbers and the arena
- Organiser and speaker entrances are often separate again
Getting there from central London
From the City or the West End the approach is usually the Limehouse Link and the A13, then down into the dock area, or a run along the north side through Canning Town. Both are perfectly quick outside peak times and both become unreliable when the A13 backs up. Anything coming from south of the river faces a crossing decision, and a river crossing in east London at the wrong moment can add a considerable amount of time to an otherwise short journey.
City Airport is next door, which cuts both ways
London City Airport sits a few minutes east of the venue, which makes it the obvious arrival point for delegates flying in and allows a genuinely short transfer. The catch is that the same local roads serve both, so during a large event the airport run that normally takes minutes can be caught in the same congestion as everyone else. Building a margin into a departure for a flight remains sensible even over a very short distance.
Set-down, collection and the departure crush
The end of a keynote releases thousands of people at once, and the immediate frontage becomes unusable for a while. Agreeing a collection point slightly away from the main doors, and a time a little after the session ends rather than exactly on it, produces a far calmer pickup. For a group, choosing a landmark that is easy to describe over the phone matters more than choosing the nearest possible kerb.
Multi-day events and where delegates stay
Hotels serving ExCeL split between the immediate dockside, Canary Wharf a short run to the west, and central London for those who want to be nearer everything else. Each produces a different daily journey, and a team spread across all three needs the runs planned rather than improvised each morning. Where the same group travels twice a day for several days, a standing arrangement is easier than repeated individual bookings.
Plan your chauffeur journey
London Chauffeurs provides itinerary-led private travel for airport transfers, executive travel, private aviation, events and long-distance UK journeys. Availability and pricing are confirmed for the requested itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
Which entrance should I be dropped at?
Whichever one serves your hall number, since the building is long enough that the walk between ends is substantial. If you tell us the hall or the event name when booking, the set-down point is chosen for you rather than left to chance.
Can a chauffeur wait at the venue during the day?
Waiting directly outside is restricted during busy events, so the vehicle holds nearby and returns when you message. On a full conference day many delegates prefer a vehicle held as directed, which keeps bags and materials in the car between sessions.
How long should I allow to reach London City Airport?
The distance is very short, but the local roads carry the same event traffic, so a margin is still worth building in. The timing is worked backwards from your check-in deadline rather than from the mileage, particularly on the busiest days of a large exhibition.