While a global audience of millions will watch the coronation of King Charles on televison, hundreds of thousands of people are also expected to make their way into London.

If you want – or need – to get into the capital over the coronation weekend here’s everything you need to know about travelling.

The busiest days

London becomes the main focus of events on Saturday, May 6.

All eyes will be on the capital city for the coronation service itself, the procession which follows and a much-anticipated appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace by some members of the royal family.

The service starts at Westminster Abbey at 11am but road closures are expected to be in place from very early in the morning and therefore all motorists are being asked to not bring their cars into central London on Saturday unless absolutely necessary.

While most of the streets on the route that the King and Queen will take are non-ticketed and open to all, for anyone planning to make their way to the Mall for either the procession or balcony appearance, it is worth noting that some areas are reserved. Space is being made for more than 4,000 invited veterans, NHS and social care workers who are being given dedicated areas from which to watch events in front of Buckingham Palace.

After Saturday, focus to shifts to other areas of the UK including Windsor where a large concert is to be held on Sunday night in the grounds of the Castle.

Screens in the royal parks

Big screens in Hyde Park, Green Park and St James’s Park will give the public the chance to watch the coronation live on Saturday, May 6 from the centre of London surrounded by many others.

The screens in St James’s Park will also show the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday, May 7 for those keen on continuing the party atmosphere.

For those coming into London by train, TfL says the screens can be easily reached by passengers who want to leave their main line station and walk. Journey times for those planning to get to any of the Royal Parks by walking are roughly as follows:

*London Victoria to Green Park and St James's Park – 15 minutes

*London Paddington to Hyde Park – 15 minutes

*London Marylebone to Hyde Park – 25 minutes

*London Charing Crosss to St James’s Park – 15 minutes

Using the London Underground

Transport for London says it is ‘looking forward’ to welcoming both Londoners and visitors to the capital to mark the coronation of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla.

On the day of the coronation, all of TfL’s public transport network will be open and running with no planned closures or engineering works, to enable people to freely cross the capital as much as possible.

Night Tube and night overground services are also expected to run on Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6 to help carry large numbers of visitors into the capital – especially those planning to find their spot on the procession route either the day before or early on the Saturday morning.

However services will be very busy – particularly at key interchanges in central London says TfL – so visitors using the tube are being warned to prepare for queuing, temporary or sudden station closures and changes to the way passengers may be asked to enter and exit stations to enable staff to manage any large crowds particularly at key times of the day.

Travelling by bus

Due to road closures in and around Westminster and close to Westminster Abbey itself, those hoping to hop on a London bus may find services in the vicinity are diverted or will stop far short of their planned destination.

The status of bus routes on the day can be checked here for those considering using a London bus to get to where they want to be. But anyone doing so should be prepared for changes to the planned routes as drivers negotiate the areas around Westminster closed to traffic.

Moving around on foot

With roads likely to be busy, and bus routes subject to sudden changes because of road closures by police to make way for the procession, Transport for London is encouraging those who can do so, to move around on foot where possible.

TfL has a West End Walking Map which covers the areas of Westminster where the coronation events are taking place to help people navigate the streets of Central London and this can be found here.

The map details not only the time it may take at walking pace to travel between two locations – but will also give you the average number of steps you are likely to clock up in taking that route!

Hiring a bike

While those cycling may have to walk at some locations with their bike if it’s busy, hiring a bike to get from A to B is possible across the coronation weekend.

Santander Cycles – once nicknamed ‘Boris Bikes’ – cost just £1.65 for journeys up to 30 minutes and may provide adults with an alternative way to navigate the capital city over the bank holiday weekend particularly if tubes and underground stations become exceptionally busy.

To hire a cycle either download the Santander Cycles app in advance or just go to any docking station terminal with your bank card and touch the screen to get started.

There's no need to book - you can hire a bike, ride it to your destination and then return it by locking it back into the nearest docking station on the street.

Before setting off…

Transport for London says travellers must continue to check travel advice and allow more time for every journey.

Those heading to London over coronation weekend are also being advised to download Transport for London’s TFL GO app before setting off.

Built around the iconic tube map, it can provide you with bus, train, tram and tube times as well as live updates and closures, considering that services are likely to be subject to change in some areas.

The app can also help with walking or cycling routes for all – or part of – your journey.

There is also a ‘step free’ mode for those who need help planning accessible journeys to and from London, including information on toilets, platform access and lift options at stations.