Royal Opera House: Chauffeur Arrival in Covent Garden

A world-class venue in a pedestrianised district

The Royal Opera House fronts onto Bow Street, in the middle of a Covent Garden street network that is heavily pedestrianised, partly restricted, and busy every evening of the week. The building is easy to find and comparatively hard to reach by car, which is the source of most confusion.

Nothing about that is a problem provided it is planned. It becomes a problem when a car is expected to arrive at the front door two minutes before a performance, which is not something the street layout allows on a busy evening.

Where a car can actually set down

Bow Street itself carries loading restrictions and a steady flow of taxis, and the surrounding streets include pedestrian zones, restricted turns and bus lanes with camera enforcement. A short set-down close to the entrance is usually achievable, but not a wait, and not at every hour.

The reliable approach is to allow a few minutes of walking rather than insisting on the door. We choose an approach direction that avoids crossing the busiest part of Covent Garden twice, and we set down on the side of the street that means no traffic to cross in evening shoes.

• Short set-down near the entrance where restrictions allow
• Approach chosen to avoid the pedestrianised core and bus lanes
• Set-down on the correct side of the street for the main doors
• Waiting done away from Bow Street, returning on your message

Timing an arrival around curtain up

Opera and ballet performances begin promptly and latecomers are held until a suitable break in the performance, which in an opera can be a considerable wait. Anyone who has stood in a corridor listening to the first act through a door does not repeat the mistake.

We build the arrival around thirty to forty minutes before curtain up for a normal evening, which allows for cloakroom, a drink and finding your seats without hurrying. If you are dining beforehand in Covent Garden or St Martin's Lane, tell us the reservation and we will connect the two.

Long performances and unusual finish times

Not all evenings end at the same hour. A triple bill of ballet finishes earlier than a full-length Verdi, and Wagner can run for five hours or more with two long intervals. Booking a car for half past ten because that is when theatres usually end is how people find themselves stranded.

Check the published running time when you book and share it. The chauffeur then knows the real finish, and the collection is planned around it rather than around an assumption. An open return also works well if you are unsure.

Supper afterwards and the trip home

Covent Garden and the surrounding streets offer late dining, and many opera evenings continue with supper afterwards. Moving from the Opera House to a restaurant by car is quick, but the streets are at their most congested at exactly that moment, as three or four theatres empty simultaneously.

The practical solution is a collection point one street back from the crowd, agreed before the performance. Message on WhatsApp at +44 (0) 7775 554 848 as you leave your seat and the vehicle will be positioned by the time you reach the pavement.

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