Practicalities

Staying in Buckinghamshire for the Olympics and Paralympics is an ideal place for travelling across the UK, with easy access to the country’s major roads, airports and railway links.

Getting to the Olympic and Paralympic Venues…

…by car

Buckinghamshire has excellent road links and is well served by the M1, M25 and M40 passing through or nearby the county.

The journey time from Aylesbury by car to

the Olympic Park will take 1hr 20 via the A41 and M25;

Manchester in 3hrs via the M40;

Coventry in less than 1hr ½ via the M40;

the Lee Valley White Water Centre in less than 1hr via the A41 and M25;

the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in less than 3hrs;

Weymouth and Portland in just over 3hrs;

Hadleigh Farm in less than 2hrs via the M25.

It is advised not to drive directly to venues due to restricted or lack of parking however most venues will have Park and Ride or shuttle buses to the venue, which you must book in advance.

The journey time from High Wycombe by car to

•           the Olympic Park will take 1hr 12 via the M25;

•           Manchester in 3hrs via the M40;

•           Coventry in less than 1hr ½ via the M40;

•           the Lee Valley White Water Centre in less than 1hr via the M25;

•           the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in 2 ½ hours via the M4;

•           Weymouth and Portland in just under 3hrs;

•           Hadleigh Farm in 1hr ½ via the M25.

It is advised not to drive directly to venues due to restricted or lack of parking however most venues will have Park and Ride or shuttle buses to the venue, which you must book in advance.

….by train

Buckinghamshire is located near many major rail lines. Chiltern Railways serves a number of stations in Buckinghamshire, operating from Aylesbury and Birmingham to London Marylebone, First Great Western Link operates from London Paddington to Marlow, London Midland for services to Cheddington or Milton Keynes to London Euston Street and the London Underground Metropolitan Line runs from central London to Chalfont & Latimer, Amersham and Chesham.

Getting to Eton College Rowing Centre, Dorney Lake

Travelling by train to and from London is included with the Games Travelcard that you will get with your event ticket.

The three train stations providing access to Dorney Lake are Slough which goes to London Paddington, Reading and Oxford; Windsor and Eton Riverside which goes to London Waterloo and Maidenhead which goes to Reading.  Shuttle services to the venue are available from these train stations. If you are staying in Buckinghamshire you could take a train from Marlow to either Maidenhead or Slough in less than 45 mins and take a shuttle to the venue. 

If you are travelling to Eton Dorney by car, Park and Ride may be the best option as there will be no parking available at the venue (except for Blue Badge holders or members of an equivalent national scheme). Shuttle services will take you directly from Park and Ride locations in High Wycombe, Windsor Great Park, Maidenhead and Slough.

Shuttle buses will run from the recommended locations to the venue’s transport mall. During the Olympic Games Eton Dorney’s transport mall is the Windsor Racecourse, a short walk from the venue across a temporary bridge over the River Thames. During the Paralympic Games, the transport mall will be located in Big Meadows Field, to the north-east of the venue. As you approach the venue, please follow any signs showing the way or directions given to you by transport staff and volunteers.

There will also be:

• Taxi drop off point
• Coach drop off point
• Pedestrian Access
• Access for Cyclists

Accessibility

Slough, Maidenhead and Windsor & Eton Riverside National Rail stations are all step-free with staff assistance available and will have accessible shuttles to the venue’s transport mall. Park and Ride sites will include Blue Badge parking spaces. An accessible shuttle service will be provided from the transport mall to the entrance. Limited, pre-booked parking will be provided in the transport mall for disabled spectators who are UK Blue Badge holders or members of an equivalent national scheme. To book Blue Badge parking, visit the 2012 Games Blue Badge website.

While it is best to plan your journey in advance, remember to check for any last minute changes before you travel. Go to the London 2012 website for more information on how to get to Olympic and Paralympic venues during the 2012 Games.

Further information about Eton and Dorney Lake.