Driving to Chelsea Flower Show

[Ladybird Lover]

Hi
I am planning to drive to Chelsea Flower Show from Wolverhampton but have just read that there are only 500 car parking spaces at main car park in Battersea. Has anyone driven to Chelsea before and is the parking a nightmare or are there alternative car parks nearby?
Thanks for any help.
Emma

[Peter]

You're brave!

The Chelsea Hospital is SW3 4SR and on Location check | Congestion Charging | Transport for London it is IN the London Congestion Charge zone.

You might be better off driving to a mainline railway station near you.

[piskieinboots]

Don't! Do! It!
Don't....don't - from an ex-Londoner(ish) - drive to your local station not to Chelsea, I pretty much promise it would end it tears

[Peter]

BTW one of the sources of income for London boroughs is parking tickets, tow-aways etc, many streets are residents or permit holders only, car parks are expensive and often already used by commuters.

Truely the train is the best way to visit london.

[piskieinboots]

Truely the train is the best way to visit london.....

....only way

[NOG]

As one who used to live two streets away. Don't do it.

The nearest you will get to parking will be Kilburn. On Show week you will not get in to Chelsea or Battersea, Pimlico, Fulham, Victoria, Vauxhall, Wandsworth.

And I wouldn't try the Sloane Sq tube either. I would go to Victoria then walk.

[TonyF]

I agree with NOG, as an ex-Chelsea regular, it is a complete and total nightmare on the roads. Victoria and walk is the only option.

[Paulottie]

And after all a 20ft Palm tree and a self assembly pergola are such a good talking point on the train home

[Two_Sheds]

Mr Sheds travels to Chelsea every fortnight. He has been known to drive, but it is A TOTAL AND UTTER NIGHTMARE!! He now takes the train or even the coach. You can do it from W'Hampton in around 2 and a half hrs by train, under 4 hrs by coach.Transport Direct - Britain's free online journey planner
You may even have local travel/coach firms doing special day trips to Chelsea - we have lots go from here in Norfolk.

Parking (from Chelsea's official website)
Public parking (including spaces for orange/blue badge holders) is available in Battersea Park on a first come, first served basis. Battersea Park is approximately 25 minutes walk from the show. There are over 2,000 parking spaces available Tuesday to Friday and 500 spaces available on Saturday in designated car parks only.
Parking costs
Wandsworth Council parking charges apply. There are no reduced-rate parking fees for disabled visitors.

Cars: £25 per day

[Comstock]

The official parking is outside the congestion charge zone, although you would have to be a pretty damn good navigator to avoid entering the zone. No congestion charge on Saturdays.

Pimlico car park (inside the zone) is pre bookable Transport and streets:Pimlico car park for 27 quid to guarntee a space.

If you really don't want to use the train, a middle option might be parking at Hillingdon tube (end of the M40) or Ickenham (next stop along, slightly quieter with room on street if the car park is full) . Tube would be £7, parking about £3 so even with four adults, the extra cost is less than the congestion charge, and you can use the tube all day if you so desire.

[SueA]

We drove to Chelsea to stay in a hotel a couple of years ago to go to an exhibition not the flower show & it was a nightmare. The sat-nav went bonkers & kept trying to send us up one way streets, we drove past Chelsea football ground 3 times trying to find the way in - the hotel was there & we had to constantly try & dodge the congestion zone which has got larger since then. I agree with the others that the train is probably the best option or find somewhere on the outskirts which does reasonably priced parking & get the tube in.

[TPeers]

Don't drive! It is really not worth the hassle. I know the train and tube can seem daunting but driving into the busiest section of london in the vane hope of finding parking is just not worht the inevitable screaming row you will have with anyone else in the car!

If the problem is walking from Victoria to the show ground - it's a day out - get a taxi! There are plenty of buses too and very good signage to show you where to go.

[srodders]

As an ex-Wulfrunian, who also used to live in London, my advice would also be to use the train. Parking in London is useless, don't even try it

if I still lived there I'd let you park at my place though

[FoxHillGardener]

If you really don't want to use the train, a middle option might be parking at Hillingdon tube (end of the M40) or Ickenham (next stop along, slightly quieter with room on street if the car park is full) . Tube would be £7, parking about £3 so even with four adults, the extra cost is less than the congestion charge, and you can use the tube all day if you so desire.

The congestion charge is only £8 so not sure how you fathom parking and tube cheaper, Cormstock? Not that I'm suggesting driving is a good idea, though - definitely advise against it. Avoid Sloane Square tube, too. Walk or bus from Victoria is the best bet,

[Comstock]

The congestion charge is only £8 so not sure how you fathom parking and tube cheaper, Cormstock?

Because you'd have to pay at least £25 to park for the day in the centre, making a total of 33 quid if you pay the congestion charge as well.

Parking at hillingdon =£3 plus 4 adults on the tube (£28)= £31

Even without the congestion charge, you would use at least a gallon of petrol to get from the M40 to the centre and back, reducing the difference to pennies or less.