Runners and spectators in this year’s London Marathon are being urged to be prepared by checking their travel plans.

To help everyone get to the race and back home, Transport for London is advising people to plan their journeys in advance by going to www.tfl.gov.uk/marathon.

There will be free travel on the Tube, buses, London Overground, Tram and DLR for all runners, race officials and on-duty St John Ambulance volunteers from early morning until 5pm. All you need to do is show your race number, officlials course pass or tabard.

There will be a staggered road closure of the route and approach roads. South of the Thames between Blackheath and Deptford will close from 06:00. North of the river from Canary Wharf to Parliament Square including, The Highway, Tower Bridge, The Lower Route, Victoria Embankment, Westminster Bridge, Southwark Bridge (both directions) and all approach roads from 08:00. A staggered road reopening programme will be operating throughout the day starting at approximately 11:00. Roads are expected to be fully reopened by 7pm.

London Buses

Buses travelling down roads affected by the Virgin London Marathon will either be diverted or will not run the full length of their route until later in the day. Routes affected on the day are:

1, 3, 11, 12, 15, 15H, 24, 25, 29, 42, 47, 51, 53, 54, 78, 87, 88, 89, 91, 96, 99, 100, 108, 115, 122, 129, 132, 148, 159, 161, 177, 178, 180, 188, 199, 202, 211, 225, 244, 277, 286, 291, 341, 343, 344, 380, 381, 386, 422, 453, 469, 472, 486, C10, D3, D6, D7, D8, P12, RV1.

London Underground

To help Londoners and visitors travel smoothly around the city on Marathon day, all Tube lines will be serving central London as usual. However, Hammersmith & City line trains (and Circle line trains to Hammersmith) will not be stopping at Paddington station, although Bakerloo and District line trains, and Circle line trains towards High Street Kensington, will serve the station normally.

Planned engineering works, on Saturday April 21 and Sunday April 22 mean there will be no District line service between Turnham Green and Richmond.

Docklands Light Railway

Trains will be as frequent as every two and a half minutes. Travellers on the DLR will be able to connect with Bank, Tower Hill, Canning Town, Canary Wharf and Stratford Tube stations.

London Overground

London Overground services between Highbury & Islington and New Cross/ Crystal Palace/ West Croydon will run enhanced services every 15 minutes and every five minutes between Dalston and Surrey Quays until 10pm.

London River Services

You can enjoy a relaxing view from the river as you boat between piers near key race points including Greenwich, Masthouse Terrace, Greenland, Canary Wharf, St Katherine’s, Tower Hill, Embankment and Westminster. Timetables for river services are available at London Underground stations, TfL piers or online at www.tfl.gov.uk/river

Barclays Cycle Hire

The following docking stations will be suspended from midnight to 10pm on Sunday April 22 due to their locations being along the race route: � Tower Gardens

� Lower Thames Street

� Embankment (Savoy)

� Whitehall Place

� Embankment (Horse Guards Avenue)

� Northumberland Avenue

� Curlew Street

� Nesham Street

� Jubilee Plaza – Canary Wharf

� Upper Bank Street – Canary Wharf

� Montgomery Square – Canary Wharf

Although all other docking stations will remain available, due to expected congestion in central London it may be difficult to replenish some stations as necessary. Customers are advised to go to our website to check the cycle availability. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14808.aspx

Avoiding the crowds

Greenwich town centre and the Tower of London are best avoided if you want to miss the crowds. Tower Hill and Westminster Tube stations also get very busy. Greenwich Foot Tunnel will be closed north to south on Marathon Day between 10:30am and 12:30pm. Alternative arrangements will be in place on the DLR from Island Gardens.

The finish line

Charing Cross, Embankment, Green Park, Westminster and St James’s Park stations and Embankment and Westminster Piers are all close to the finish line. People can meet up with runners after the race at designated areas in Horse Guards Road and on Horse Guards Parade.

Passengers are advised to check before travelling via the following options:

� The TfL website www.tfl.gov.uk using Journey Planner, accessible from your computer or internet-enabled mobile device;

� Information on posters, leaflets and Rainbow boards at Tube Stations; and

� The 24 hour London Travel Information line on 0843 222 1234. You pay no more than 5p per minute if calling from a BT landline. There may be a connection charge. Charges from mobiles or other landline providers may vary.