PeopleOfLondon
Notting Hill Carnival begins today, 30 August, bringing hundreds of thousands of people to the streets of West London for one of the biggest outdoor celebrations in Europe. For anyone planning to attend today or tomorrow, there are two things worth knowing before setting off: public transport will operate with major restrictions, and visitors should remain alert in the busiest parts of the Carnival zone.
Transport for London has introduced a series of station closures and access restrictions around the event. Ladbroke Grove will remain closed throughout the day, meaning passengers should not rely on it either when arriving at the Carnival or when travelling home.
At Notting Hill Gate, entry will not be permitted between 11am and 6pm, while District and Circle line trains will not stop there during this period. Passengers will also be unable to interchange between the Central line and the District and Circle lines.
Westbourne Park will stop allowing passengers to enter after 11am, while Holland Park will operate as exit-only between 11am and 3pm before closing completely.
Queensway will be exit-only between 11am and 6pm, while Royal Oak will not allow passengers to enter during the same period and will close completely at 6pm.
Queues and temporary closures are also expected at Latimer Road, which is due to close at 11pm.
TfL is recommending Paddington as one of the more practical alternatives. Visitors can use the Elizabeth line or other Underground services to reach Paddington and then continue towards the Carnival area on foot.
Anyone travelling from East London should also be prepared for exceptionally busy Central line services.
Getting home may prove more difficult than getting there. Music, parades and stalls are expected to begin winding down at around 8pm, which is also when very large numbers of people will start heading towards Underground stations at the same time.
Importantly, Night Tube and Night Overground services will not operate tonight or on Monday night, so visitors should plan their return journey before arriving at the Carnival rather than leaving it until the end of the evening.
Several bus routes will also be diverted or disrupted, including 7, 18, 23, 27, 28, 31, 36, 52, 70, 228, 295, 302, 316 and 328, along with night routes N7, N27, N28 and N31.
Major road restrictions are also in place across parts of West London, and drivers who do not need to enter the Carnival area are being advised to avoid it.
There is another issue visitors should not ignore.
Enjoy the Carnival, but stay aware of what is happening around you.
That does not mean treating Notting Hill Carnival as an inherently dangerous event. The overwhelming majority of people attend to enjoy the music, costumes, food and atmosphere. However, the sheer size of the crowds means that incidents do occur, and recent years have included serious violence.
During the 2025 Carnival, police made 528 arrests across the two main days. Four stabbing or slashing incidents were recorded, although none resulted in life-threatening injuries. Police also made dozens of arrests involving offensive weapons, drugs and assaults on officers.
The previous year was more serious. During the 2024 Carnival, eight stabbing incidents were recorded and 349 arrests were made, including dozens involving weapons.
For the 2026 Carnival, the Metropolitan Police has deployed more than 7,000 officers across the two days.
A Section 60 order is also in place across the Carnival area, giving officers additional stop-and-search powers aimed at detecting weapons. Police have also increased the use of cameras and live facial recognition around the event and on routes leading into the area.
Ahead of the Carnival, more than 330 people were reportedly placed under bail conditions preventing them from attending, while pre-event police operations resulted in the seizure of knives and other weapons.
The message for visitors is not to panic, but to use common sense.
If you are travelling with friends, agree on a meeting point in case you become separated. Mobile phone networks can become extremely busy when hundreds of thousands of people are concentrated in a relatively small area.
Keep phones and wallets secure, particularly in the densest crowds. Avoid carrying unnecessary amounts of cash and do not leave expensive phones sticking out of back pockets.
If an argument or confrontation starts nearby, move away rather than remaining in the area to watch or film it. In a large crowd, relatively minor incidents can escalate quickly.
Families attending with children should agree in advance what the child should do if they become separated. Having a parent or guardian’s phone number written somewhere accessible can also help police or event stewards reunite families quickly.
Most importantly, decide how you are getting home before you arrive.
The busiest and most difficult part of the day often comes when the Carnival begins to finish and tens of thousands of people head towards the same stations simultaneously.
Notting Hill Carnival remains one of London’s most distinctive cultural events and its music, costumes and atmosphere attract visitors from across the world every year. Go, enjoy it and experience it — but plan your journey carefully and remain aware of your surroundings.
PeopleOfLondon.uk will continue following transport changes, major incidents and important updates throughout the Bank Holiday weekend.