London · 4 to 5 November 2026
Venue and travel
Sea Containers, London, on the South Bank looking out over the Thames
Everything you need to find us, whether you're walking over from Blackfriars or flying in from another continent.
Sea Containers, London
Getting to the venue
We're delighted to be hosted at Sea Containers, London this year. It sits right on the South Bank looking out over the Thames, and it's only a few minutes from some really good transport links.
Paying for travel. The Underground and every London bus take contactless, so you don't need an Oyster card - your usual bank card or your phone will do the job. Look for the round yellow pads at the gates and doors. On the Underground you have to tap in and out, on buses you only tap in, and do use the same card at both ends or you can end up overcharged (or with a fine, which is nobody's idea of a good start to the week!).
Cloakroom. There's a staffed cloakroom in reception where you can leave coats, bags and bits and bobs through the day and into the evening until 11pm. Please leave yourself enough time to drop things off, don't be late collecting them, and do be patient at the busy moments!
Two entrances, not via the hotel. There are two ways into the building, riverside and roadside, and we've described both below. Sea Containers Hotel is directly next door and it's a separate building, so there's no way through from the hotel into the conference venue.
- Address
- Sea Containers Events, 18 Upper Ground, London SE1 9RQ
- Conference
- Wednesday 4 November 2026
- Community Day
- Thursday 5 November 2026
- Nearest station
- Southwark, 5 minutes on foot
- Cloakroom
- Staffed reception, open until 11pm
On foot from the train
Nearest stations
- 5 min Southwark Jubilee line
- 7 min Blackfriars Thameslink, Circle and District lines
- 12 min Waterloo Jubilee, Northern, Bakerloo, Waterloo and City, National Rail
- 15 min London Bridge Jubilee, Northern, National Rail
Finding the door
Approaching from the riverside
A lovely stroll along the Thames!
The other way in
Approaching from the roadside
Look for the wide steps and the glass entrance.
As you walk along the road called Upper Ground, keep an eye out for the big wide steps and the glass entrance, opposite Rebel, Rennie Court and a pharmacy. If you need step-free access there's an accessible ramp off to one side of the steps. There's a welcome desk in the reception area where you can check in and pick up your badge.
Travelling to London
By air
London has six airports, and the closest one isn't always the best one - what really matters is the train at the other end. From this venue, Gatwick and Luton both have direct trains to Blackfriars, which is seven minutes' walk from the door. Darn handy!
The times below are approximate onward travel times, excluding immigration and baggage collection. Allow extra time for waiting, interchanges and disruption. Ticket and contactless-payment rules vary by operator, so check before travelling. Use TfL's journey planner for current connections and accessible routes.
| Airport | Best route to the venue | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Gatwick LGW Direct to Blackfriars | Thameslink direct to Blackfriars, then a 7 minute walk Trains roughly every 15 minutes, with the fastest taking about 35 minutes. The Gatwick Express to Victoria is quicker on paper but needs a change, whereas Thameslink puts you at the end of the street. | 45 to 55 min |
| Luton LTN Direct to Blackfriars | Luton DART to Luton Airport Parkway, then Thameslink direct to Blackfriars The DART shuttle from the terminal takes under four minutes, and the fastest Parkway to Blackfriars trains are around 41 minutes. | 60 to 70 min |
| London City LCY | DLR to Bank, follow the interchange signs to Monument, then westbound Circle or District line three stops to Blackfriars The closest airport to the venue, though it serves fewer European cities than the others. Check TfL for current interchange restrictions between Bank and Monument, especially if you need step-free travel. | 40 to 45 min |
| Heathrow LHR | Elizabeth line to Farringdon, then Thameslink to Blackfriars The Piccadilly line is the cheapest option and takes about 50 minutes into central London. Heathrow Express reaches Paddington in 15 minutes but costs a great deal more and still needs an onward connection. | 60 to 70 min |
| Stansted STN | Stansted Express to Liverpool Street, then the Circle line via Tower Hill to Blackfriars Express trains run every 15 minutes and take about 48 minutes to Liverpool Street. | 75 to 85 min |
| Southend SEN | Greater Anglia to Liverpool Street, then the Circle line via Tower Hill to Blackfriars Direct trains every 15 to 30 minutes, about 52 minutes to Liverpool Street. It's the smallest of the six, with only a handful of European routes. | 80 to 90 min |
Travelling to London
By rail
Eurostar arrives at London St Pancras International, and from there Thameslink runs direct to Blackfriars in eight minutes, so you don't need to cross London at all.
Allow time for Eurostar's security and border checks, and follow the recommended arrival time for your ticket and departure station. Journey times vary by service, so check the operator's current timetable before booking. Eurostar's Amsterdam to London guide currently lists a direct journey of 4 hours 19 minutes.
- Paris Gare du Nord from 2h 15m Fastest non-stop services
- Brussels Midi / Zuid from 2h Connections from across Belgium and western Germany
- Lille Europe from 1h 30m Useful interchange with the wider TGV network
- Amsterdam Centraal from 4h 19m Direct, calling at Rotterdam
Travelling to London
By sea
A ferry can work with or without a car, but foot-passenger bookings depend on the operator and sailing. DFDS takes foot passengers between Dieppe and Newhaven, Stena Line between Hook of Holland and Harwich, and P&O on eligible Calais to Dover sailings. Check availability, check-in times and onward transport before booking.
See DFDS's Newhaven to Dieppe guide, Stena Line's Harwich to Hook of Holland guide and the Port of Dover's foot-passenger procedure.
- Dieppe to Newhaven Train connections to London Victoria, then the Underground DFDS accepts foot passengers. The crossing takes about four hours. Check the timetable for your travel date.
- Hook of Holland to Harwich Greater Anglia connections from Harwich International to London Liverpool Street Stena Line accepts foot passengers and offers daytime and overnight sailings, with crossing times from six and a half hours. Harwich International station is beside the terminal. Check the duration and rail connections for your sailing.
- Calais or Dunkirk to Dover Road connections to London, with separate onward transport needed for foot passengers P&O accepts foot passengers on eligible Calais to Dover sailings. Other operators and routes have different rules, so confirm that your sailing accepts your booking type. Follow the port's foot-passenger check-in and transfer procedure.
Travelling to London
By car
If you can avoid driving, do! The venue has no visitor parking and the South Bank is one of the most restricted places to drive in the country. If you're coming by car anyway, there are three things worth planning for.
Congestion Charge. The venue sits inside the zone. The charge is £18 a day if you pay on or before the day you travel, or £21 if you pay late. It applies 07:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday and 12:00 to 18:00 at weekends and on bank holidays, so it'll catch you on both conference days. Check the current rate and pay on the TfL site.
ULEZ. The Ultra Low Emission Zone covers every London borough, 24 hours a day, and a non-compliant vehicle pays £12.50 a day on top of the Congestion Charge. Check your number plate before you set off, because it takes a moment and the penalty for guessing wrong is pretty steep.
Parking. There's no parking at the venue, and the public car parks nearby are limited and expensive. Most people who drive find it cheaper and quicker to park at an Underground station outside the Congestion Charge zone and finish the journey by train.
Where to stay
Nearby hotels
Most of the event team will be staying at the Premier Inn London Blackfriars, and these are all within walking distance of the venue.
-
Premier Inn London Blackfriars
Where most of the event team will be staying
-
Novotel London Blackfriars
Within walking distance
-
Hilton London Bankside
Within walking distance
Access
Accessibility
We want everyone to be able to take part fully.
The roadside entrance on Upper Ground has a flight of wide steps, and there's an accessible ramp off to one side of them. If you'd rather be met and shown the way in, do drop us an email before the event and we'll get that sorted.
Please tell us about anything else that would help, whether that's dietary requirements, a quiet space, reserved seating, a companion ticket, or something we haven't even thought of. We'll do what we can!
Get directions
Sea Containers, London
Sea Containers Events, 18 Upper Ground, London SE1 9RQ