Accommodation

PLEASE NOTE: DELEGATES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BOOKING THEIR OWN ACCOMMOATION, however there is a site through which this may be done.

The College has made available a list of approved hotels suitable for accommodation during your stay here, which offer special rates. Please see the Conference Office site for details or call +44 20 759 49489.

If you book using this service, you are advised to always follow up your online booking with a telephone call, particularly if you have not had any confirmation within a week of submitting the booking.

If you wish to stay in South Kensington, in close proximity to Imperial College and a short tube ride to the meeting venues, please click here.

For those delegates preferring to stay in the Piccadilly Circus area rather than South Kensington, please click here.

Getting to Imperial College

Some information in this section courtesy of Imperial College's main website.

From Heathrow airport

The "easiest" way is to take the Underground train (Piccadilly Line) to South Kensington station (50 minutes travelling time). Then take the Museums Exit to your right as you go through the ticket barrier and follow it straight to the end. Imperial College's main entrance will be a little way on your left once you exit the stairs. Black cabs are also prevalent in the area around the station to take you to your hotels.

While getting on the Underground is very convenient for people with luggage at the Heathrow end of the line there are escalators and stairs to navigate at the South Kensington end. While not too difficult for most people, if you have difficulty walking or climbing stairs it might be a good idea to spend a little extra and take the Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station and hail a cab from there.

Please note that if you are coming in to Heathrow Terminal 4 there are no tube or train connections but there are free shuttles that take you to the nearest tube stop or the main terminal buildings.

For more information please go to the Heathrow website and click "To and from our Airport" in the menu.

From Gatwick airport

Take a British Rail train to Victoria station (journey time 40 minutes), there is also a Gatwick Express train that goes to Victoria but this is much more expensive though faster and might be good to keep in mind if you are running behind on your return journey to the airport! Once at Victoria either go by Underground train (Circle or District Line, westbound) to South Kensington or again, if you have difficulty with stairs, hail a cab.

Both airports are some distance from central London and a taxi is not recommended for the whole journey. However, if you have to do so, establish the cost before you get in, and if possible go to the official Black Cab ranks.

By car

Car parking at the South Kensington campus is severely restricted and you are advised NOT to bring a car unless permission has been given. After 6pm, at weekends and during vacations the car park is open to the paying public. Parking in the streets surrounding the College is at pay and display or parking meters for limited periods only.

Alternatively please see Imperial College's main website.

Getting Around in London

The "London A-Z" is an invaluable book of maps that can be purchased from most newsagents. There are also online maps (note that the full post code for Imperial College is SW7 2AZ).

Car use in London is actively discouraged. There is a £8 daily "congestion" charge for driving in central London and a minimum of Parking spaces all expensive and frequently patrolled. Petrol costs approximately 99 pence per litre. Unless you are planning on extensively touring the countryside outside London while you are in the U.K., we don't recommend the use of a car.

Travelling by tube is another option. Again expensive, but is the quickest and most convenient way to get around.

By bus, is the third option.. It is certainly the best way to see central London. Below is a table with bus links from Imperial College but maps are available at tourist offices, and tube stations. For a map of buses serving the South Kensington area please click this link.

Costs of travel in London on the tube, bus and tram can be found by clicking on the following link:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/faresandtickets/2930.aspx

For more information check out the Transport for London website.