Trooping the Colour, the King's Birthday Parade, is held each June at Horse Guards Parade in Westminster, with crowds lining The Mall. The date for 2027 has not been announced yet. It is usually a Saturday in June: in 2026 the King's Birthday Parade took place on Saturday 13 June, preceded by the Major General's Review on 30 May and the Colonel's Review on 6 June, all starting at 10:00, according to the Household Division. The 2027 dates will appear on the same page when they are set.
The transport point every visitor needs to know is stated plainly by the organisers: vehicles are not allowed in Whitehall or the surrounding Horse Guards areas, and there is no parking or drop-off there, so spectators must be dropped off and walk. That shapes the whole morning. Elly8.net plans Trooping the Colour transportation around it: a car to a set-down point outside the closed area, the walk in, and a chauffeur waiting at an agreed spot for the end of the parade or after the flypast. London prices are fixed and all-in, and they do not change for the day.
How do you get to Trooping the Colour by car?
By car to a set-down point outside the closed area, then on foot. The Household Division says vehicles are not allowed in Whitehall or around Horse Guards and there is no parking or drop-off, so spectators are dropped off and walk. Spectators can take up positions from 9 a.m. and the parade starts at about 10:20.
Horse Guards Parade is only about 2.2 km (1.4 mi) from Mayfair, a few minutes on a quiet morning. On parade day the short distance is the easy part. The Mall, Horse Guards Road and Whitehall are taken over by the procession and the crowds, and the streets around them fill early with spectators walking in from every side. A chauffeur's job that morning is to get you to the right edge of the closed area at the right time, then to be in the right place when you come out.
We agree the set-down and pickup points when you book, and confirm them once the road arrangements for 2027 are announced. For seated ticket holders, the point is chosen for the stand entrance on your ticket; for spectators on The Mall, it is chosen for the stretch where you plan to stand.
The parades and the timings
The Household Division describes three parades in the series, each on a Saturday:
| Parade | Timing | Tickets | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major General's Review | Usually about two weeks before the King's Birthday Parade | £10 | Rehearsal parade |
| Colonel's Review | Usually about one week before | £15 | Rehearsal parade |
| The King's Birthday Parade | A Saturday in June; 13 June in 2026 | £30, seats by ballot | RAF flypast at 1.00 p.m. on this day only |
All three begin at 10:00 at Horse Guards Parade, with the parade itself starting at about 10:20, and spectators can take up positions from 9:00. Seats for the King's Birthday Parade are allocated by ballot, with up to four tickets per application, through the official ticket site; seats for the two reviews are sold through the same site. Anyone without a seat can watch from The Mall or the edge of St James's Park overlooking Horse Guards, where the Household Division notes that troops may partly obscure the view.
The RAF flypast at 1.00 p.m. is the moment many visitors stay for, which means the busiest exit of the day comes after it. Plan the pickup for that, not for the end of the parade.
Arriving in London
Most North American visitors land at Heathrow; some arrive at Gatwick, London City or Stansted, and private aircraft often use Farnborough. All five are on the fixed London price list to Mayfair, per vehicle and all-in:
| Airport | Distance to Mayfair | Business Sedan | First Class Sedan | Executive Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heathrow (LHR) | 16 mi (26 km), about 35 min clear | US$195 | US$345 | US$510 |
| London City (LCY) | 10 mi (16 km), about 38 min clear | US$155 | US$275 | US$405 |
| Gatwick (LGW) | 41 mi (66 km), about 71 min clear | US$340 | US$595 | US$885 |
| Stansted (STN) | 40 mi (64 km), about 84 min clear | US$335 | US$590 | US$875 |
| Farnborough (FAB) | 40 mi (64 km), about 65 min clear | US$335 | US$590 | US$875 |
The chauffeur tracks your flight, meets you in the arrivals hall with a name board and helps with the bags, with complimentary waiting after a tracked landing. Do not plan to land on parade morning and go straight to Horse Guards: immigration queues, the drive and the walk in leave too little margin before the 9:00 opening. Arrive the day before. More on airport transfers, meet and greet and private jet and FBO transfers.
Prices for parade day
A parade morning in central London is usually booked by the hour, so the chauffeur can drop you, wait and collect you whenever the flypast crowd thins. London rates, per vehicle and all-in:
| Package | Business Sedan | Business SUV | First Class Sedan | Executive Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| By the hour, as directed (3-hour minimum) | US$105 per hour | US$135 per hour | US$170 per hour | US$210 per hour |
| Private city highlights tour | US$420 | US$540 | US$680 | US$840 |
| Evening out & event night (5 hours) | US$525 | US$675 | US$850 | US$1,050 |
| Full-day chauffeur (8 hours) | US$775 | US$995 | US$1,255 | US$1,550 |
A typical booking runs from an 8:00 hotel pickup to a 1:30 p.m. collection after the flypast, about five and a half hours by the hour, or the Full-day chauffeur if lunch and an afternoon in town follow. Prices include the chauffeur, vehicle, taxes, standard gratuity and airport meet and greet. Parking, tolls and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost, and so is the Congestion Charge, which Transport for London applies from 12:00 to 18:00 at weekends, so a Saturday afternoon in the zone carries the daily charge. Read about hourly chauffeur service and event transportation.
June Saturdays are busy across London, and the parade weekend sits in the same weeks as the summer's racing, tennis and garden-party season. Reserve as soon as you have your ballot result or know which parade you will attend; cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup.
Families, guests and official visitors
Trooping the Colour is a family occasion for many visitors, and children make the logistics matter more. The walk from the set-down point, the wait before the parade and the crowd afterwards are all easier when the car is waiting at a known spot with water and space for a stroller. A business SUV takes the family and the bags; an Executive Sprinter seats up to 12 passengers for a larger party or several families travelling together. See group transportation.
Embassies, regimental associations and companies hosting guests often bring visitors to the parade. Several cars can book under one reference with staggered pickups, and the desk can sign an NDA on request. For official visitors, see government and diplomatic transportation; Elly8.net provides transportation, not security. Companies can open a corporate account with monthly invoicing, and agencies can book clients through travel-agent accounts. Hotels arranging cars for guests can use hotel accounts.
The honest alternatives
For most of central London, walking or the Underground to the edge of the area is genuinely the quickest way in on parade morning, and we would rather say so.
| Option | Cost | Best for | Weak point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking from a nearby hotel | Free | Guests staying in St James's, Mayfair or Westminster | Longer walk with children or mobility needs |
| Underground to a nearby station | TfL fare | Solo travellers and couples | Crowded stations before and after |
| Licensed black cab | Metered, under TfL's published fares | One-way trips | Hard to find near the route after the flypast |
| Rideshare | Set by the app | Off-peak trips | Pickups blocked by closures; surge after the event |
| Elly8.net chauffeur | From US$105 per hour | Families, older guests, groups, VIP visitors | Still a walk from the set-down point |
Black cab fares are set by Transport for London, and the Underground serves several stations within walking distance of Whitehall and The Mall. If you are fit, staying nearby and travelling light, walk. A chauffeur is worth it for families with young children, older guests, anyone with mobility needs who wants the shortest practical walk, groups who want to stay together, and visitors coming in from outside central London. Compare on chauffeur vs taxi and chauffeur vs Uber and Lyft.
The rest of the week in London
Parade weekend is a good time to see the city. The Private city highlights tour, from US$420 in a business sedan, can follow the parade on the Saturday afternoon once the crowds disperse, or run on the Sunday. The Windsor Castle and Cotswolds day trip (10 hours) runs from US$970 in a business sedan to US$1,935 in an Executive Sprinter, and the evening out and event night package from US$525. All London prices are on the London car service page.
Visitors who continue their trip often go on to Edinburgh, Dublin, Paris or Amsterdam; Elly8.net covers each of them, and also Manchester. For a chauffeured transfer between cities, see city-to-city car service. Flights and hotels are booked through our travel partner BookingWorldwide.net; Elly8.net books the car.
How booking works
Rides in London are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Partner vehicles are four model years old or newer, and seven or newer for Rolls-Royce, Maybach and Bentley. Elly8.net is a member of LWD, LAI, HWD and VWD: LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory.
- Enter your hotel as the pickup, with your flight number for airport legs, and note which parade you are attending and, if seated, the stand on your ticket.
- Choose the vehicle: business sedan, business SUV, First Class sedan or SUV, or Executive Sprinter, and book by the hour for parade morning.
- Press Reserve now on the London price list, or use the web booker for any address not on the list. Confirmation arrives by email, and the desk confirms the set-down and pickup points once road arrangements are announced.
Frequently asked questions
When is Trooping the Colour in 2027?
The 2027 date has not been announced yet. The King's Birthday Parade is usually held on a Saturday in June; in 2026 it was on 13 June, with the Major General's Review on 30 May and the Colonel's Review on 6 June. The Household Division publishes the dates on its Trooping the Colour page.
Can a car drop us at Horse Guards Parade?
No. The Household Division says vehicles are not allowed in Whitehall or the surrounding Horse Guards areas, and there is no parking or drop-off, so spectators are dropped off and walk. Your chauffeur sets you down at an agreed point outside the closed area and meets you at another afterwards.
What time should we arrive?
Spectators can take up positions from 9:00, and the parade begins at about 10:20. For seated ticket holders or a good spot on The Mall, plan to leave your hotel early enough to be walking in by 9:00. The RAF flypast is at 1.00 p.m. on the King's Birthday Parade only.
How much is a chauffeur for the morning?
By the hour, from US$105 in a business sedan to US$210 in an Executive Sprinter, with a 3-hour minimum. A morning from an 8:00 pickup to a collection after the flypast is typically five to six hours. Parking, the weekend Congestion Charge and extra waiting are billed at cost.
How do we get tickets for the stands?
Seats for the King's Birthday Parade are allocated by ballot, with up to four tickets per application, through the official ticket site run for the Household Division. Tickets for the Major General's Review and the Colonel's Review are sold through the same site. Elly8.net books the car, not parade tickets.
Is it easier to walk?
For fit visitors staying nearby, often yes. A chauffeur helps most for families with young children, older guests, anyone with mobility needs and groups, because the car waits at a known point rather than leaving you to search for a taxi near the route after the flypast.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancel more than 72 hours before pickup and it is free. At 72 hours or less the fee is 10%, at 48 hours or less 50%, and at 24 hours or less, or a no-show, 100%. Refunds go to the original card.
