This page details how to get to our  London Lecture venue, Palestra House, where all lectures have been held since Tuesday 3rd December 2019.

The venue is: Palestra House, 197 Blackfriars Rd, London SE1 8JZ

Pelestra is located directly opposite the main entrance to Southwark Underground (Jubilee Line) and is also in easy walking distance of London Waterloo (Underground and National Rail - South Western Railway ), Waterloo East (National Rail - South Eastern) and London Blackfriars (National Rail - Thameslink/South Eastern).

Waling Directions to Palestra from Nearby Stations

Southwark Underground (Jubilee Line):  Take stairs and then first set of escalators up from platforms.  At top of first set of escalators turn left (do not follow signs to Waterloo East) and then the second set of escalators up, go through the gateline and then up stairs to street level.  Palestra is directly opposite, over the traffic lights.  Take care when crossing the road as the first lane is for cyclist and they do not always stop at the lights.

London Blackfriars (National Rail - Thameslink and South Eastern:  Exit the platforms from the South Bank exit (country-end of the platforms).  Go down two flights of stairs to ground level and go through gateline.  Immediately through gateline turn to the left and exit station, waling a short distance on the Thames Path.  Then take first set of stairs on the left up to street level.  Keep going in the same direction (walking away from the river) along Blackfriars Road.  Cross Southwark Street at the traffic lights and continue along Blackfriars Road and under the rail over bridge.  Palestra is just past the bridge on the left, opposite Southwark Underground.  It is just under ten minutes walk from Blackfriars National Rail Station to Palestra.

Blackfriars Underground (District and Circle Lines)

Note that Southwark Underground is closer, but it may be more convenient to use Blackfriars if travelling on the Circle or District Line already so as to avoid a change.

Exit the platforms and go through the gate line.  Go out of the main entrance and turn left (do not cross the road) and walk across Blackfriars Bridge over the Thames.   Keep going in the same direction (walking away from the river) walking along Blackfriars Road.  Cross Southwark Street at the traffic lights and continue along Blackfriars Road and under the rail over bridge.  Palesta is just past the bridge on the left, opposite Southwark Underground.  It is around ten minutes walk from Blackfriars Underground to Palestra.

London Waterloo (National Rail - South Western Railway:  Follow signs from main concourse to Waterloo Road - the down escalators are the opposite side of the concourse from platforms 5 & 6.  At the bottom of the escalators, walk to the road and cross at the lights.  Turn right and walk along Waterloo Road to the intersection with The Cut - The Old Vic Theatre is on the opposite side of the road.  Turn left onto The Cut.  Cross over Cornwall Road and continue past the New Vic Theatre until you reach Southwark Underground station / Blackfriars Bridge Road.  Crossover the road to Palesta, take care when crossing the road as the first lane is for cyclist and they do not always stop at the lights.  It is around ten minutes walk from London Waterloo to Palestra.  Note walking is just as quick, if not quicker, than taking the Underground one stop due to the amount of walking required in both Waterloo and Southwark Underground stations to get to and from the platforms.

London Waterloo East (National Rail - South Eastern):  Take the exit from the platforms to Southwark Underground - this is towards the country-end of the platforms.  Continue to follow the signs to the Underground, going through two gatelines in quick succession - one National Rail the other London Underground.  Note that if you use a Pay-As-You-Go  Oyster Card to open the Underground gates, you will not be charged if you then exit the station.  Go down the escalators and continue to walk in the same direction - do not turn left and go down the escalators towards the platforms.  Then go up the escalators and through the another London Underground gateline.  Go up the stairs and crossover the road to Palestra, take care when crossing the road as the first lane is for cyclist and they do not always stop at the lights.   It is around five minutes walk from London Waterloo East to Palestra.

Bus Routes to Palestra:

London Buses stop outside Palestra (stops SA northbound and SB southbound) on routes:

•   40 - Farringdon Road to Dulwich and
•   63 - Kings Cross (destination) and St Pancras (origin) to Honor Oak.  

Alight at the stop announced as “Southwark Station” (stop SB) on the on-board iBus system.

For further details see:  Southwark Spider Map

Getting to Palestra from Other London Stations

These routes have been tried and tested and offer a balance between journey time and convenience:

• London Bridge - Catch any National Rail train from either Platform 8 or 9 (whichever is due to leave first) to London Waterloo East, and then follow walking directions from London Waterloo East as above;
• London Cannon Street - If possible, alight at London Bridge one stop before Cannon Street and then as London Bridge above.  From Cannon Street, take Westbound Circle or District Line train to Blackfriars Underground.  The follow walking directions from Blackfriars Underground, as above.  Note whilst Southwark Underground is closer to Palestra, it is quicker to walk from Blackfriars Underground than travel further to Westminster and change onto the Jubilee Line to Southwalk.
• London Charing Cross - Catch any National Rail train from any platform (whichever is due to leave first) to London Waterloo East, and then follow walking directions from London Waterloo East as above;
• London Euston - Go to down to the Underground and catch Victoria Line Southbound to Green Park.  Then change to the Jubilee Line Southbound to Southwark.  Then follow walking directions from Southwark Underground, as above.
• London Fenchurch Street - Follow signs to walk to Tower Hill Underground.  Take Westbound Circle or District Line train to Blackfriars Underground.  The follow walking directions from Blackfriars Underground, as above.  Note whilst Southwark Underground is closer to Palestra, it is quicker to walk from Blackfriars Underground than travel further to Westminster and change onto the Jubilee Line to Southwalk.
• London Kings Cross - Follow the signs and walk across the road to St Pancras International Mainline Station.  Follow signs to the Thameslink Station - go down the escalators to Platform A.  Catch any National Rail train to London Blackfriars and follow walking directions from London Blackfriars (National Rail) as above;
• London Liverpool Street - Take Circle Line / Hammersmith & City / Metropolitan Line train to Farringdon, then cross-over the platform (no need to use the bridge) to Platform 3 and take any National Rail Thameslink train to London Blackfriars and follow walking directions from London Blackfriars (National Rail) as above.  Note there is no gate line to go through at Farringdon when interchanging between Underground and National Rail and this will be charged as one zone 1 journey on Oyster Pay-as-you-Go;  It is also possible to catch the Elizabeth Line from Liverpool Street to Farringdon and then as above.  However due to the increased amount of walking required at both Liverpool Street and Farringdon, this option may take longer than using the Underground.
• London Marylebone - Go down to the Underground Station and take the Bakerloo Line one stop to Baker Street.  Then change (it is level interchange) to Jubilee Line Southbound to Southwark.  Then follow walking directions from Southwark Underground, as above.
• Moorgate - If possible rather than continuing to Moorgate, alight at Finsbury Park on the inbound journey instead and catch Victoria Line Southbound to Green Park. Then change to the Jubilee Line Southbound to Southwark.  Then follow walking directions from Southwark Underground, as above.  However of travelling from Moorgate, catch Northern Line (City Branch) Southbound to London Bridge and then change to Jubilee Line Westbound one stop to Southwark.   Then follow walking directions from Southwark Underground, as above.
• London Paddington - Go to Paddington Underground (accessed from the Main concourse) and take the Bakerloo Line Southbound to Baker Street.  Then change (it is level interchange) to Jubilee Line Southbound to Southwark.  Then follow walking directions from Southwark Underground, as above.  It is also possible to catch the Elizabeth Line to Farringdon and then National Rail from Platform 3 to London Blackfriars (see above), however there is more walking required with this route.   Note the other alternative of using the Underground Circle Line / Hammersmith & City Line from Paddington to Farringdon and then National Rail to Blackfriars usually takes longer that the Bakerloo / Jubilee Line route detailed above.
• London St Pancras International - Follow signs to the Thameslink Station - go down the escalators to Platform A.  Catch any National Rail train to London Blackfriars and follow walking directions from London Blackfriars (National Rail) as above.  It is also possible to catch bus number 63 which departs from stop S adjacent to the taxi rank near the Thameslink station entrance.  The National Rail train will normally be quicker, however.
• London Victoria - Go down to Victoria Underground station and take any Eastbound Circle or District Line train to Westminster.  Then change to Jubilee Line Eastbound to Southwark.  Then follow walking directions from Southwark Underground, as above.

Updated Jan 2025