Royal Festival Hall

Royal Festival Hall is a large concert, dance and discussion venue in Southbank, London, England. The hall is used for classical music concerts, mainly symphonic performances featuring leading British and foreign orchestras and the most famous soloists.

History

RFH London was built as part of the Britain festival for the London County Council, and officially opened on 3 May 1951.

Over the years, famous artists such as Haruomi Hosono, Fuse ODG and The Outlook Orchestra have performed at one of the world's largest concert venues. Free events are regularly held in the foyer, and every day in the hall you can enjoy performances by chamber ensembles and musicians representing different countries. Among them are performers of folk and jazz music, and the hall also hosts meetings with poets and actors.

There are especially many concerts at the Royal Festival Hall around Christmas.

The Royal Family at the Royal Festival Hall

In 2022, the Royal Family attended the Remembrance Festival at the Royal Festival Hall. The event is organised by the British Royal Legion (a charity that provides financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the armed forces and their families) and is dedicated to those who have died as a result of military conflict.

The late Queen Elizabeth attended it regularly as long as her health permitted. She last attended in 2019, and her husband Philip in 2017.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, the current King of England Charles and his wife Camilla, have all been to the Royal Festival Hall and are likely to continue the tradition.

Where is the Royal Festival Hall located?

The Royal Concert Hall is located on the south bank of the Thames, near Hungerford Bridge, in the London borough of Lambeth in Southbank, London, England.

Seating plan at the Royal Festival Hall

The Royal Festival Hall concert hall has several seating levels:

• Stalls – the first level, closest to the stage.
• Balcony – above the stalls, consisting of several rows.
• Boxes – small isolated areas with a limited number of seats, located on the sides of the hall.

In addition to the concert hall itself, the building houses:

1. a registration desk and ticket office;
2. a bar;
3. a banquet café;
4. the Skylon restaurant;
5. the National Poetry Library;
6. a relaxation room for event participants.

Capacity of the Royal Festival Hall

The Royal Festival Hall has a capacity of 2,700 seats. The hall is designed to host concerts in a variety of formats, including chamber music. The audience enjoys impeccable acoustics.

How to get to the Royal Festival Hall

There are various ways to get to the Royal Festival Hall: by underground, bus, train, boat, bicycle or taxi. Choose the most convenient option for you, plan your visit to the event in advance and think through your route.

Nearest underground stations

The nearest underground stations to the concert venue are Waterloo and Embankment.

By train

The closest train stations to the Southbank Centre are Waterloo, Waterloo East and Blackfriars on the south bank of the Thames and Charing Cross on the north bank.

By bus

Over 20 different city bus routes pass within 0.5 km of the concert hall.

Buses 1, 26, 59, 68, 76, 139, 168, 172, 176, 188, 243, 341, 521, N1, N68, N171, N343 and X68 stop on Waterloo Bridge and 100 metres away from it.

Buses 76, 77, 211, 381, 507 and N381 stop 0.5 km from the hotel on York Road.

By boat

The RB1 river bus runs to the concert venue. Get off at London Eye Pier. On weekdays, river transport departs every 20 minutes.

Thames Clippers river buses accept Oyster cards.

By car

There is an exit to the ring road near Centre Square.

Belvedere Road is closed to westbound traffic, so parking in this area may be difficult. To reach your destination, follow Chicheley Street and turn east onto Belvedere Road. It is much more convenient to get there by public transport.

Royal Festival Hall parking

You can find a free parking space near the Royal Festival Hall online using the ParkBee app. When you arrive, simply scan the QR code at the entrance. In the app, you can change the booking date, time and vehicle registration number. There is also an option to choose per-minute parking, in which case you will only be charged for the time you spend in the car park.

One of the nearest underground car parks is located at South Bank.

Address: APCOA, South Bank, 51 Cornwall Road, London Borough of Lambeth, London, SE1 9PU

It is only an 11-minute walk to your destination. Parking costs only €7 for 2 hours. For 12 hours of parking, you will have to pay €22, for 24 hours – €26, for 8 hours – €16, and for 4 hours – €11.

The Southbank underground car park has 500 parking spaces.

Many people book parking a few minutes' walk from the Southbank Centre shopping centre on YourParkingSpace.co.uk. The code ‘SBCENTRE21’ gives you a 20% discount.

Parking spaces are also available on the access road to Queen Elizabeth Hall (Royal Festival Hall and Hayward Gallery) and are free for blue badge holders.

Royal Festival Hall events

Several major events are planned for 2025 at the Royal Festival Hall.

• On 26 July 2025, Fuse ODG will perform.
• On 29 August 2025, The Outlook Orchestra will perform in front of the concert hall audience.
• On 13 and 14 September 2025, the band Suede will perform, during which they plan to present their new album.
• On 19 September 2025, SANAM will perform a concert featuring Bollywood classics combined with original compositions.
• On 23 November 2025, the London Jazz Festival - Adekunle Gold with Strings will take place.
• On 6 December 2025, a Stereolab concert is planned.

And this is only a small part of the planned events; the events held at Festival Hall earlier also deserve attention. Among them were concerts with song premieres and performances by popular artists who delighted the audience with their hits.

Past events

• 19.04.24 - Nightmares On Wax
• 30.05.24 - London Contemporary Orchestra
• 8.06.24 - Villagers / Hamish Hawk
• 9.06.24 - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Alexander Malofeev / Vasily Petrenko
• 23.11.24 - Imelda May.

Visitor information

Before visiting The Royal Festival Hall, check out the visitor information: ticket prices for events, available purchase options, where to stay nearby and where to eat.

Tickets

The cost of tickets to the Festival Hall London depends on the format of the event. Prices for concerts by different performers vary considerably. For example, tickets for a Suede concert cost an average of £200-340. The cost also depends on the seat you choose.

A visit to the London Jazz Festival - Adekunle Gold with Strings will cost at least £50.

The most convenient way to order tickets for events at the Royal Festival Hall London is on the Ticketmaster website. Book them in advance so you don't miss concerts by your favourite performers.

Hotels near the Royal Festival Hall

Those wishing to attend an event at the Royal Festival Hall can stay at one of the nearby hotels.

• Park Plaza County Hall London is located 500 metres from the Royal Festival Hall, next to Waterloo underground station.
• Me London By Melia Covent Garden is 650 metres from the concert hall and is located in the south of Covent Garden.
• Corinthia London is located 580 metres from Festival Hall Southbank in the prestigious Whitehall Place, close to Downing Street.
• The Wellington is 450 metres from the concert venue and a 2-minute walk from the London Eye.
• Marlin Waterloo is an excellent aparthotel in Waterloo, 770 metres from our desired location.

Where to eat near the Royal Festival Hall?

There are many good restaurants and cafés near the Royal Festival Hall.

• Las Iguanas is celebrate the flavours, pleasure and joy of Latin America every day
• Strada Southbank is an Italian restaurant offering traditional dishes, including pasta and pizza, which are cooked in a wood-fired oven. Address: 337–338 Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX.
• Wahaca Southbank is a Mexican restaurant that delights visitors with street food. The most popular items on the menu are tacos and quesadillas. Address: Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX.

• Skylon is the highlight of this establishment with its modern interior and panoramic windows offering excellent views of the city. It is recommended for all fans of traditional British cuisine. Visitors are served dishes made from fresh seasonal ingredients. Address: Belvedere Rd, Royal Festival Hall, London SE1 8XX.
• Côte Royal Festival Hall is a French restaurant with a menu featuring steaks and seafood dishes. Address: Festival Terrace, Southbank Centre.
• La Gamba is an establishment with many positive reviews, offering a wide selection of seafood dishes, including fish. Address: Unit 3, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London SE1 8XX.
• Giraffe – South Bank. A restaurant with a picturesque view of the River Thames, offering international cuisine. It is located right at the entrance to the Royal Festival Hall.

Contact details and postcode

Address: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX, United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 20 3879 9555

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 11:00, closed on Mondays.

Postcode: SE1 8XX

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