Getting Here

Kensington and Chelsea is exceptionally well-connected, with numerous Tube lines, buses, cycle routes, and walking paths making it easy to reach from anywhere in London or from international airports.

By Underground (Tube)

The borough is served by five Tube lines:

• Circle line — Notting Hill Gate, High Street Kensington, Gloucester Road, South Kensington, Sloane Square
• District line — Notting Hill Gate, High Street Kensington, Gloucester Road, South Kensington, Sloane Square
• Central line — Notting Hill Gate, Holland Park, Shepherd's Bush
• Piccadilly line — South Kensington, Gloucester Road, Knightsbridge
• Hammersmith & City line — Latimer Road, Ladbroke Grove

The three major museum stations are all within a few minutes' walk of each other: take the Piccadilly, Circle, or District line to South Kensington for the Natural History Museum, V&A, and Science Museum.

By Bus

Numerous bus routes serve the borough. Key routes include:

• Route 52 / 452 — runs along Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill Gate
• Route 49 / 319 — runs along the King's Road in Chelsea
• Route 14 / 74 — links South Kensington and Knightsbridge to central London
• Route 9 / 10 — runs along Kensington High Street
• Route 328 — links Chelsea to Notting Hill via Kensington

All buses in London require contactless payment (card or phone) or an Oyster card. Cash is not accepted on buses.

By Overground

The London Overground serves the northern part of the borough with stations at Shepherd's Bush, Kensington (Olympia), and Kensal Rise. The Overground is useful for connections from areas not on the main Tube network.

By Cycle

The borough is increasingly cycle-friendly, with dedicated cycle lanes along key routes including Exhibition Road (traffic-free), the Embankment, and Kensington High Street. The Santander Cycles (Boris bikes) hire scheme has numerous docking stations across the borough — use the TfL app or website to find your nearest dock.

Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park have excellent cycle paths and are a lovely way to travel between South Kensington and Notting Hill. Note that cycling is not permitted on the footpaths in the parks.

By Taxi & Rideshare

Black cabs (London taxis) can be hailed anywhere in the borough or booked via the Gett or Freenow apps. Uber, Bolt, and other private-hire operators also serve the area. Traffic on the King's Road and Kensington High Street can be slow during peak hours — the Tube is often faster.

From the Airports

• From Heathrow (LHR) — take the Piccadilly line direct to South Kensington (approx. 35–45 minutes) or Knightsbridge (approx. 40 minutes). The Elizabeth line to Paddington then Tube is also fast.
• From Gatwick (LGW) — Gatwick Express to Victoria (30 min), then District or Circle line to South Kensington or Sloane Square.
• From Stansted (STN) — Stansted Express to Liverpool Street (45 min), then Circle line.

Walking

The borough's compact geography makes walking between attractions very practical. The walk from South Kensington to Kensington Palace through the royal parks takes about 25 minutes and passes the Albert Memorial, the Serpentine, and the Serpentine Galleries. The walk from Notting Hill to the V&A via Kensington High Street takes about 30 minutes through some of London's most attractive streets.

The Thames Path follows the Chelsea Embankment along the river and connects to Battersea Park via Chelsea Bridge — a pleasant 20-minute waterside walk from Sloane Square.