How to Get to the National Theatre

National Theatre, Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PX.

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The short version

Waterloo, 5 to 7 minutes on foot. Leave the station by the South Bank exit and head for the river. The National sits right at the south end of Waterloo Bridge, so you never cross the bridge itself: either follow the road towards it and take the steps down on the National's side, or walk down Sutton Walk to the riverside and turn right, under the bridge. Aim to arrive 30 minutes before the start, and check which theatre is on your ticket, because the Dorfman has its own entrance round the side.

Getting here

Tube. Waterloo is the one to use, 5 to 7 minutes away on the Jubilee, Northern, Bakerloo and Waterloo & City lines. Embankment is 9 minutes over the Golden Jubilee footbridge, Temple 13 across Waterloo Bridge, and Southwark, on the Jubilee, 12 to 15.

Train. Waterloo is the nearest mainline station. Waterloo East is about 10 minutes through the back streets, and Charing Cross about 11 over the footbridge.

Buses. The stops to aim for are Waterloo Bridge / South Bank, which is 2 minutes from the main entrance. The 139 is the most useful of them, running over the bridge to Aldwych, Oxford Circus, Baker Street and Golders Green. The 176 also crosses the bridge, heading for Tottenham Court Road. The 1, 59, 68, 76, 172, 188, 243, 341 and the Superloop SL6 all use the same stops. For the Dorfman end, the 381 stops on Stamford Street at Coin Street, 5 minutes away and close to that entrance. Night buses N1, N68, N171 and N343 use the bridge stops, and the N381 runs via Stamford Street.

Boat. London Eye Waterloo Pier is 8 minutes along the river walkway, on this side of the water, so there's no bridge to cross. Embankment Pier is 10 minutes and means crossing the footbridge. Uber Boat by Thames Clippers RB1 and RB6 call at both.

Bike. Santander docks sit close in: two on Belvedere Road about 150 metres away, and Stamford Street is the one for the Dorfman. The theatre's own racks are outside the coffee shop on the corner of Theatre Square, and opposite the Dorfman on the east side.

Taxi. Ask for Upper Ground, behind the theatre, which is where the National asks drivers to drop off. Going home, the dependable rank is Cab Road at Waterloo station, about 450 metres away and open around the clock. There is a rank on Upper Ground itself but it holds one car, so it won't cope when the theatres empty at the end of the night.

Parking, and the one turn that costs you a fine

There is a 290-space car park underneath the building, with the entrance ramp on the south-west corner off Upper Ground. Height limit 6'2" (1.88m). It runs on number plate recognition and it is card only, like the rest of the building.

• Up to 2 hours £7.50 · up to 4 hours £12 · up to 8 hours £17.50 · up to 12 hours £24 · up to 24 hours £28
• Evening rate £10, 5pm to midnight, which is the one most theatregoers want
• Public holidays £10 all day
• Open 6am to midnight Monday to Friday, 7am to midnight at weekends
• Blue Badge holders attending a performance park free. Scan the badge at a payment kiosk at the end of the visit

Coming out, do not turn right and carry straight on under Waterloo Bridge. The traffic flow on Belvedere Road means that route earns you a fine. Either turn left onto Upper Ground and take the immediate right onto Cornwall Road, or turn right and take the first left before the bridge, onto the slip road up to the Waterloo roundabout.

Which door you need

The building has two entrances.

• Olivier and Lyttelton: the main doors on the river side, off Theatre Square, facing the walkway near Waterloo Bridge.
• Dorfman: the east side of the building, on Stage Door Avenue, opposite the old IBM building. It is a ramped entrance with button-operated doors.

If you turn up at the main doors with a Dorfman ticket, it is a short walk round the outside of the building, four or five minutes. The Dorfman guide has the route.

When to arrive, and what happens if you are late

Arrive 30 minutes before the performance. On your first few visits to the theatre, it can get a bit complicated, as there are different entrances, and it's a bit of a maze.

The building's opening times are from 10am Monday to Saturday, and you do not need a ticket to use the foyers. The cloakroom opens 60 minutes before the performance, and only on performance days. The Box Office counter is open 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday; the Lyttelton counter opens 90 minutes before its performances and the Dorfman's own counter an hour before.

If you're late, it depends on the show. Usually you'll be let in at a suitable break, but some productions hold latecomers for a set time and a few won't admit you at all, so check the page for the show you've booked. If you do miss the start, or need to step out, staff will get you back to your seat if they can. If they can't, there's a screen in the foyer showing the rest of that act.