Accessibility
Areas of Carnival to enjoy the parade:
Below are some recommended areas of Notting Hill Carnival that have good access points and are a good destination for anyone concerned about mobility during the weekend.
Carnival can get extremely busy so it is recommended arriving from late morning into early afternoon when the crowds are not so dense.
The Judging Zone - Great Western Road - here for location
This is where you will see all of the bands in their absolute glorious pomp. The grand stand has a wheel chair access platform. Space is limited and you can find out more by emailing office@nhcarnival.org.
Portobello Green - here for location
Just off Portobello Road, this is a nice park space that will have views of the parade as it passes by.
The Tabernacle - here for location
Known as a hidden treasure of Portobello. This is a restaurant/bar all year around and offers great facilities. Its courtyard has a great vantage point for taking in the Carnival atmosphere. There is a small charge for entering the venue during the weekend but once you’ve paid you can come and go all day. More details here.
St Stephen’s Gardens - here for location
A dedicated chilled spot hosted by LIN KAM ART is an alcohol-free, smoke-free and food-free area encouraging rest, intergenerational conversations and relaxed, calm playground space.
Meanwhile Gardens - here for location
Located just north of Westbourne Park tube station, it is a great space which is often vibrant with children's activities and has a great view of the passing parade.
Travelling to and from Notting Hill Carnival:
Use any TfL bus service to Paddington for step-free access to the Elizabeth line and the Bakerloo, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines.
Access to Shepherd's Bush Tube station is by stairs. Wheelchair access to the Mildmay line is with a manual boarding ramp.
TfL services at Paddington with step-free access
Elizabeth line (level access)
Hammersmith and City line (mini ramp can be provided)
Bakerloo line (manual boarding ramp needed)
Circle and District lines towards Edgware Road (mini ramp can be provided)
All TfL buses to and from the carnival area
Plan your journey
Transport for London (TfL) has tools and services available to help you plan an accessible public transport journey.
Use the TfL Go app or Journey Planner tool to plan an accessible route. You can select options to say whether you would like routes using stairs, lifts or escalators, which types of transport you like to use, how far you’re prepared to walk and more.
TfL has a range of accessibility maps and guides, including a step-free Tube guide, a Tube toilet map, and large print, black and white and audio versions of the Tube map.
If you require assistance, you can use TfL’s turn up and go service at all Tube, Elizabeth line and London Underground stations.
For more information, visit TfL’s transport accessibility page.
Accessible Toilets
Most of the toilet locations throughout Notting Hill Carnival have accessible toilets. The list of where these are can be found on this downloadable PDF which can stored on phones or printed out.