VISITOR INFORMATION
Click on any question below to find the answer
Buying tickets
How do I book tickets?
You can buy tickets online here. You can buy a ticket for one day or for the whole weekend – for which you get a discount.
Are discounts available?
All-weekend tickets attract a 10% discount. Click here to buy tickets.
Some special offers are available to membership organisations and publications: if you are eligible for these, you will be contacted by them, not by us, and given an offer code.
Is there a discount for friends, families or children?
This year we have reduced our day ticket prices by 30%, so we are not offering further discounts for friends, family or children.
I've been offered a special price ticket by another organisation
or publication: what do I do?
Members and readers of selected organisations are eligible for special discount tickets: if you are eligible for these, you will be contacted by them, not by us, and given an offer code and the URL for a dedicated buying page.
Getting there
Where does the festival take place?
In central London, at the Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR, UK. This is next to Hyde Park. See below for how to get there.
How do I get to the festival by public transport?
The nearest Undergound station is South Kensington, on the Circle, District and Piccadilly lines: then it is 15 minutes' walk to the end of Exhibition Road, where the main entrance of the RGS is on your left. Many buses pass along Kensington Gore or nearby – try numbers 9, 10, 52, 360, 452: the nearest landmark is the Albert Memorial, which is just across the road. London Paddington & London Victoria are the nearest main line railway stations: walking from Paddington takes 25 minutes across Hyde Park.
How do I get to the festival by car?
There is limited metered car parking in Exhibition Road. For a list of nearby car parks click here. The London congestion charge does not apply on weekends.
How do I get to the festival by bicycle?
Bicycles can be locked against one of the two bike stands which are located next to the main entrance to the building (along Exhibition Road). Space is limited. Please make sure bicycles are secured as thieves are known to work in the area.
What is the disabled access?
Please notify us if you have any special access needs, especially wheelchair access. The public areas have full wheelchair access, however the main internal stair is accessed by a stair lift in a very busy corridor, so it will significantly minimise your inconvenience if we can plan ahead for your assistance. There are eight spaces for wheelchair users in the Theatre, so to be allocated one please contact us, otherwise you are not guaranteed to get one. We are not able to provide wheelchairs. There are induction loops in the main Theatre and the Education Centre, but not other rooms. Guidedogs are not permitted. For RGS accessibility statement click here.
Where can I stay nearby?
Central London is well served for hotel accommodation at all levels. For a hotel finder click here.
What's on
What are the festival hours?
Festival events run 10 am - 6 pm each day. Doors open at 9.30 am, and our cafes also open at 9.30 am.
What is the events timetable?
For timetable click here.
Who are the speakers?
For speaker details click here.
How does the Learning Programme work?
The Learning Programme is a high-level opportunity for hobbyists, semi-professionals and anyone considering a career in this field. It offers 4 hours of structured workshops and networking opportunities with outstanding professionals and editors. You can choose to develop your travel writing or photography (but not both). The programme takes place on the Friday afternoon before the festival, 2 - 6 pm, and requires a separate ticket. Full details are here.
How do the Creative Tutorials work?
These are one-to-one sessions with a professional travel writer or photographer, lasting 30 minutes. They are your chance to discuss your own creative work and plans, whether for pleasure or for publication. They take place in a dedicated room throughout Saturday and Sunday. Full details are here.
Other questions
What are the food and drink facilities?
We have two cafes open all day, serving hot and cold drinks, crisps and biscuits. They will not be serving lunch or snack foods, for which you are advised to visit the nearby cafes and restaurants. Visitors are not permitted to bring their own refreshments into the venue.
The two closest eateries are:
For light bites the Cafe Consort in the Royal Albert Hall is pleasant and quick: it is located at the rear of the Albert Hall, through Door 12 on the Grand Tier Level 1.
For a longer lunch the Polish Club restaurant Ognisko is splendidly atmospheric: it is located at 55 Prince’s Gate.
What is your ticket refund policy?
Click here for our terms and conditions.
I have a problem, how do I contact you?
Please email us using the click bar at left. We do not run a telephone call centre, but will reply speedily by email.
| |
Festival venue
The Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR, UK. (South Kensington tube.)
Doors open 9.30 am.
Events run 10 am - 6 pm.
Entry by ticket only.
David Livingstone's compass (from the RGS collection, which will be on show)
Festival organisers
Travellers' Tales, 92 Hillfield Road, London NW6 1QA.
DOWNLOAD TIMETABLE
Images © Steve Watkins/Vividplanet.com (except compass)
|
