ExCel London is a world-leading exhibition centre on London’s Royal Victoria Dock, and home to a vast array of events, launches, annual and international exhibitions and even host of thirteen Olympic events in 2012. Whether you’re headed there for a conference or an expo, there are ways you can maximise your time and enjoyment on your visit; here are six tips for attending an event at ExCel London.
Book Accommodation Close By
London is a massive city, and it can be easy to underestimate by just how much. Even if you’ll only be at ExCel for a day, chances are you’ll be overnight before or after – and the last thing you’ll want is a 90 minute trip on the Underground with five changes to get to your accommodation in Ealing. Instead, look closer by for accommodation options; for example, you could consider serviced apartments in the Canary Wharf region, only a short hop on the Docklands Light Railway away from the centre.
Bring a Water Bottle
Attending an event at this centre can be thirsty work; the venue’s size cannot be understated, and you’ll be walking a lot of miles to see everything you want to see. As such, it would be wise for you to bring a water bottle and keep it topped up throughout the day, to ensure you don’t become dehydrated. ExCel London recently introduced free water refill points throughout the venue, making it much easier for you to keep hydrated in a sustainable way – and to save costs on water bottles at kiosks or bars at the same time.
Keep a Venue Map on Hand
As previously stated, ExCel London is an enormous venue – and with layouts that change from exhibition to exhibition, you can’t be guaranteed the same layout twice. Be sure to pick up a programme for the event you’re visiting; use it to make note of fire escapes and recognisable ‘landmarks’, as well as parts of the event you want to visit. This way, you can ensure you won’t get lost easily, and if you get split up from your colleagues you can arrange to meet them at a mutually understood point in the venue.
Leave Your Car Behind
As large as ExCel London is, parking may yet be a nightmare-in-waiting for you. Between the congested traffic directly before and after the event, the inflated cost of parking in the area and the congestion charge that may hit you depending on your route to and from the centre, taking your car is more of a headache than it’s worth. Instead, leave your car in a cheaper, safer area away from the centre – or leave it behind entirely – and use one of the many public transport links to get to and from the centre.
Have a Plan for Food
The ExCel centre has a food court available for you to use at your event – boasting up to 24 venue options, depending on the event. These options include fast food favourites like Subway and Upper Crust, but also more sophisticated street food offerings, and even an in-house bakery. Costs can mount if you aren’t careful though, and pre-packing lunch is an excellent option for keeping your energy levels up throughout the event.
Have Your Vaccination Passport Ready
Lastly, many large-scale events are tracking visitors with regard to their vaccination status. For ease of entry, make sure your vaccination card is at hand – or that you have the NHS app downloaded, which shows your vaccination status.
