London Stadium: No Bag Bigger Than A4, and Nowhere to Leave One

No bag bigger than a sheet of A4. And there is nowhere to leave one.

“No bag larger than A4 will be allowed entry.”

“Large bags are not permitted and there are no left luggage facilities.”

Read those two lines together and the consequence is absolute. A rucksack is not a problem you solve at the gate. There is no cloakroom, no locker, no desk. You either took it home first or you are not going in.

The stadium’s own advice is blunter still: “Avoid delays – please don’t bring bags to the venue.”

All visitors may be searched. Have your coat open and remove your hat at the search area. Some events carry their own additional search policies.

There is no parking, and the roads shut three hours early

London Stadium offers no general parking of any kind. On event days there is no access to Stadium island for non-ticket holders, and road closures are in place from three hours before each match. Stratford is the recommended arrival point, with stewards, signage and planned closures moving crowds between the station and the ground.

The closures listed cover Montfichet Road, Pool Street, Carpenters Road, Sidings Street and Marshgate Lane beside the stadium. Westfield Stratford City car parks A, B and C stay open throughout, which is the practical fallback for anyone who must drive.

Blue Badge spaces, by application only

During the football season West Ham United allocates 49 spaces to Blue Badge holders for each home match, applied for by emailing accessibility@westhamunited.co.uk. Six of those are held for visiting supporters at every match.

The designated Blue Badge car park is on the Marshgate Lane side of Bridge 3, at the north west exterior of the stadium, and is stewarded. Street parking is also available to Blue Badge holders in dedicated bays or a vacant residents’ bay, under Newham Council’s rules, and both badge and clock must be clearly displayed.

There are accessible drop-off areas at Westfield Stratford, at the entrance to each car park, and a complimentary accessible shuttle runs from platform 13 at the Jubilee line end of Stratford station.

There is a £1.90 fee on every ticket

Introduced in May 2025 and charged on top of the ticket price.

“We’re introducing a £1.90 Sustainability and Restoration Fee on event tickets.”

The stadium says it funds energy efficiency, environmental work and essential maintenance: roof solar powering all major events, LED floodlights and spectator lighting, kiosk and air handling controls, decarbonising the heat network by at least 10 per cent, and structural and infrastructure upgrades.

It is not optional and it is not part of the advertised seat price, so a £60 ticket is £61.90. For a family of four that is £7.60 you did not budget for.

The stadium runs on 100 per cent renewable electricity, holds zero-waste-to-landfill status and an Excellent BREEAM rating.

You cannot drink in sight of the pitch at a football match

A legal restriction rather than a house rule, and it surprises visitors from outside England.

“Alcohol may not be consumed in view of the pitch at Association Football Matches.”

So the drink stays on the concourse. You finish it before you go to your seat, every time, which is why the concourse empties in a rush just before kick-off.

It applies to football only. At a concert or an athletics meet the rule does not bite.

A second one, which catches people leaving: “No alcohol may leave the island site.”

The island closes to everyone without a ticket

Worth knowing if you were meeting someone there, or walking through the park.

“There will be no access to Stadium island for non-ticket holders on event days. Road closures will be in place from three hours prior to each match.”

Three hours is a long cordon. If a friend is meeting you without a ticket, the meeting point has to be in Stratford or elsewhere in the Olympic Park, not at the ground.

Eighty-eight per cent of people arrive without a car

The stadium publishes the figure and it explains the whole arrival experience.

“Public transport venue (less than 1 in 8 – 12% – travel by car to events).”

Stratford is the recommended gateway, a 15 minute walk, handling 58 trains an hour across the Central and Jubilee lines, the DLR, the Elizabeth line and national rail.

On event days there are stewards, directional signage and strategic road closures to move crowds. Driving is not the plan the venue has built for.

A free accessible shuttle runs from platform 13

Specific, free, and almost unpublicised.

“London Stadium offers a complimentary accessible shuttle service from platform 13 at the end of the Jubilee Line for guests with accessible requirements.”

It departs from inside Stratford station near the Jubilee line at platform 13, which saves the 15 minute walk entirely.

The what3words addresses are worth saving

Unusually useful at a venue this size, where “meet me at the stadium” is meaningless.

The stadium publishes a what3words address for each key point:

Box Office and Ticket Collection: ///slap.water.habit

Gate 1 Entrance: ///smiles.ship.visual

Security Reception: ///curving.force.regime

Hospitality Entrance: ///glove.again.buddy

Bridge 1: ///laws.wages.ladder. Bridge 2: ///global.roof.dishes. Bridge 3: ///sing.farm.gave. Bridge 4: ///frost.inch.common. Bridge 5: ///slang.club.globe.

Bridge 4 Lift: ///longer.doors.rust. Bike Rack at Bridge 4: ///spare.keep.match.

London Marathon Community Track Entrance: ///hammer.pillow.cook

Five bridges is the reason this matters. Picking the wrong one adds a long walk around the island.

Free wifi, and it is filtered

Join LSFreeWIFI and enter your details. It covers the concourse and the bowl.

The network is certified under the Friendly Wi-Fi safe standard, meaning indecent and inappropriate material is blocked. That is a reasonable thing to know if you are trying to load something and it will not open.

CCTV and body worn cameras are in use in all areas, and footage may be passed to the police.

What it is now

The 2012 Olympic Stadium, in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, owned by the Greater London Authority and central to the London Legacy Development Corporation’s climate strategy.

It is the home of West Ham United and a major athletics and concert venue. Current and announced events include the 2027 Novuna London Athletics Meet and Fontaines D.C. in summer 2027, and London has submitted its final bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships.

There are stadium tours, a community track, and a long list of event spaces for hire including The Deck, The Forge, The Royal East and The Boleyn.

How to plan it

Bring no bag, or nothing bigger than A4. There is no left luggage at all.

Budget £1.90 a ticket on top of the advertised price.

Football: finish your drink on the concourse. No alcohol in view of the pitch.

Meeting someone without a ticket: not at the ground. The island shuts to non-ticket holders and roads close three hours before.

Come by train. Stratford, 15 minutes on foot, 58 trains an hour.

Accessible requirements: the free shuttle leaves from platform 13.

Save the what3words for your bridge, because there are five of them.

Coat open and hat off at the search.

London Stadium

Address

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20

Nearest

Stratford, a 15 minute walk, on the Central and Jubilee lines, the DLR, the Elizabeth line and national rail, with 58 trains an hour

Hours

By event. Road closures around the island from three hours before each match

Booking

Online per event. A complimentary accessible shuttle runs from platform 13 at Stratford

Price

By event, with a 1.90 pound Sustainability and Restoration Fee added to every ticket

Standing

The 2012 Olympic Stadium in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, home of West Ham United and a major athletics and concert venue, owned by the Greater London Authority

How to get in

No bag larger than A4 is allowed in and there are no left luggage facilities at all, so a rucksack cannot be solved at the gate. A 1.90 pound Sustainability and Restoration Fee is charged on every ticket on top of the advertised price. Alcohol may not be consumed in view of the pitch at football matches and none may leave the island site. The island closes to non-ticket holders on event days with road closures three hours before. Fewer than one in eight visitors arrive by car. Free LSFreeWIFI is filtered under the Friendly Wi-Fi standard.

Where to go next

Wembley and the Emirates are the other big London grounds, and the O2 is the other major concert venue.

Hackney and V&A East cover what else is in and around the Olympic Park.

Questions we get asked

What bags can you take into London Stadium?

Nothing larger than A4. Large bags are not permitted and there are no left luggage facilities at the venue, so there is nowhere to leave one if you arrive with it. The stadium advises not bringing a bag at all. All visitors may be searched, with coats open and hats removed at the search area.

What is the London Stadium sustainability fee?

A £1.90 Sustainability and Restoration Fee charged on every event ticket, introduced in May 2025. It is added on top of the advertised ticket price and funds energy efficiency work, environmental initiatives and essential maintenance, including roof solar, LED floodlights and decarbonising the heat network.

Can you drink alcohol at London Stadium?

Yes, but not in sight of the pitch at football matches, where alcohol may not be consumed in view of the playing area. That restriction applies to Association Football only, not to concerts or athletics. No alcohol may leave the island site at any event.

How do you get to London Stadium?

Stratford is the recommended gateway, a 15 minute walk, served by the Central and Jubilee lines, the DLR, the Elizabeth line and national rail, amounting to 58 trains an hour. Fewer than one in eight visitors travel by car. A complimentary accessible shuttle runs from platform 13 at the end of the Jubilee line for guests with accessible requirements.

Can you go to London Stadium without a ticket on event days?

No. There is no access to Stadium island for non-ticket holders on event days, and road closures are in place from three hours before each match. Anyone meeting you without a ticket needs to do so in Stratford or elsewhere in the Olympic Park.

Is there wifi at London Stadium?

Yes, free throughout the concourse and in the bowl. Join LSFreeWIFI and enter your details. The network is certified under the Friendly Wi-Fi safe standard, which blocks indecent and inappropriate material, so some sites will not load.

Is there parking at London Stadium?

No general parking at all. On event days there is no access to Stadium island for non-ticket holders and roads close three hours before each match. Westfield Stratford City car parks A, B and C stay open throughout.

Is there Blue Badge parking at London Stadium?

Yes, 49 spaces per home match during the football season, applied for by emailing accessibility@westhamunited.co.uk. Six are reserved for visiting supporters. The car park is on the Marshgate Lane side of Bridge 3 and is stewarded.

How early do roads close around London Stadium?

Three hours before each match, covering Montfichet Road, Pool Street, Carpenters Road, Sidings Street and Marshgate Lane.

Is there an accessible shuttle to London Stadium?

Yes, a complimentary accessible shuttle from platform 13 at the Jubilee line end of Stratford station. There are also accessible drop-off areas at the entrance to each Westfield Stratford car park.