Essential info on travel and accommodation and more for MCM London Comic Cons at ExCel in 2025
What, where and when is MCM London Comic Con 2025?
• MCM Comic Con at ExCeL is the largest con in the UK, attracting around 130,000 visitors
• It takes place at the ExCeL Centre to the east of London. The postcode is E16 1XL
• There are usually two a year. In 2025, it’s 23-25 May and 24-26 October.
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What’s on at MCM London Comic Con 2025?
Comic Cons are fabulous fan fests, whether you love cosplay, roleplay, gaming, celebs, movies, Lego, TV, superheroes or shopping.
The Cosplay Central stage will feature expert panels as well as the popular Cosplay Masquerade and Casual Cosplay Showcase (both on Saturday & Sunday) for showing off your cosplay creations.
You’ll also find mega stage shows, celebrity ‘panels’, how-tos, about a billion photo opps; you can play Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox til your eyes water, and buy more cool art and artefacts than you have room for.
Meet your friends, make new ones (yes there will be someone there who adores that obscure anime you thought only you watched) and soak up the chilled and friendly vibe.
What time is MCM London Comic Con 2025 open?
Friday
Priority Entry Tickets: 10am to 6pm
General Entry Tickets: 12pm to 6pm
Saturday
Priority Entry Tickets: 9am to 7pm
General Entry Tickets: 11am to 7pm
Sunday
Priority Entry Tickets: 10am to 5pm
General Entry Tickets: 12pm to 5pm
Buying tickets for MCM London Comic Con 2025
Tickets for the October 2025 event are on sale now.
Weekend ticket £95
Friday
Priority Entry Tickets: £35
General Entry Tickets: £25
Kids 4 and under go free!
Saturday
Priority Entry Tickets: £45
General Entry Tickets: £35
Kids 4 and under go free!
Sunday
Priority Entry Tickets: £37
General Entry Tickets: £27
Kids 4 and under go free!
Book tickets by clicking here.
How do I get to MCM London Comic Con 2025?
You can get to ExCeL easily using planes, trains or automobiles. Or by bus or coach.
There are bus stops and two Docklands Light Railway (DLR) train stations close to ExCeL, while London City airport is a few minutes away.
ExCeL is in east London between the River Thames and the A13 (Newham Way), about 10 miles inside the M25 motorway (exit at Junction 30).
There’s an online tool to help you plan your ExCeL road, bus or rail trip here.
Getting to MCM London Comic Con 2025 by train & tube
ExCeL is easily accessible by train.
Trains to Custom House (for ExCeL) DLR Station take approximately*…
3hrs from Manchester Piccadilly and Leeds
45 mins from Central London
2hrs 30 mins from Bristol Temple Meads
3hrs 45 mins from Newcastle
6hrs from Edinburgh Waverley
5hrs 30 mins from Glasgow Central
All journeys require a change of train in central London.
*Depending on time of day and service.
Getting to ExCeL from central London
The Jubilee Line and the DLR offer the quickest routes to ExCeL from central London.
On the Jubilee Line – change at Canning Town onto a Beckton-bound DLR train.
Custom House – for ExCeL’s west entrance – is two stops away. Prince Regent – for ExCeL’s east entrance – is three stops away .
Alternatively, take the Circle, District or Metropolitan lines to Tower Gateway tube station, and pick up the DLR from there.
DLR trains from Tower Gateway to ExCeL (nine stops) take 17 mins and run every six to 12 minutes.
DLR trains run from 5.30am to 12.30am, Monday to Saturday, and from 7am to 11.30pm on Sunday. DLR prices are the same as the Tube.
Custom House station is a two-minute, covered walk to the exhibition halls.
For train prices and bookings, check out thetrainline.com here.
MCM London Comic Con by bus and coach
National Express coaches do not run directly to ExCeL.
Most coaches will terminate at Victoria Coach Station in central London. You can take a number 11 bus from Victoria to Bank tube station and then catch the DLR to Custom House (with one change).
London bus routes 147, 241, 300 and 473 run to ExCeL.
Driving to MCM London Comic Con
Located to the east of London, and close to Britain’s motorway network, ExCeL is relatively easy to drive to from most places in the country.
The A13 Newham Way is the nearest major road, from which you access the ExCeL site.
Pop the car park postcode (below) into your sat nav or phone, and on arrival at the ExCeL site you’ll pick up signposts.
There are three ExCeL car parks:
Royal Victoria Car Park – E16 1AL. Approximately a five-minute walk from the venue. (1.9m height limit)
Orange Car Park – E16 1XL. This multi-storey car park (1.9m height limit) is underneath Excel, and is ideal for those with mobility issues. Use this one if you are travelling from the west via the Blackwall Tunnel, Limehouse Link, A12 or from central London.
East Car Park – E16 1FR. Ideal if you are travelling to ExCeL from the east, via the M11, M25 and A13.
All parking is pay and display and costs £25 (Blue Badge: £20). Cards and cash are accepted.
Taxi services for MCM London Comic Con
The following firms serve London and ExCeL.
Uber
Excel Cars London
Carrot Cars
Getting to MCM London Comic Con by air
London City Airport
This international airport next to Excel is a hub for 12 airlines flying from over 50 destinations.
The best way to get from London City Airport (LCY) to ExCeL, without a car, is to take the number 473 bus. This costs £2 and takes 12 minutes.
You’ll find more airport details here.
Other airports
London Gatwick Airport is one hour away by train, Underground and DLR.
London Heathrow Airport is one hour and 30 minutes away by Underground and DLR.
London Stansted Airport is one hour and 30 minutes away by train, Underground and DLR.
London Luton Airport is one hour and 40 minutes away by train, Underground and DLR.
Where to stay: MCM London Comic Con 2025
Hotels at ExCeL London
Hotels very close to the ExCeL are relatively expensive, these include:
Travelodge London Docklands Central from £120
Crowne Plaza London Docklands from £300
Good Hotel London from £250
Novotel Excel London from £359
Double Tree by Hilton from £250
Other Hotels close by
Prince Regent Hotel Excel London from £190
Ibis London Docklands Canary Wharf from £295
Sunborn London from £347
Parking at the hotels may cost extra, and if you have to drive from the hotels to ExCeL, you’ll pay multiple parking fees.
NOTE: All hotel prices may vary throughout the year.
Who can go to MCM London Comic Con 2025?
Everyone’s welcome at Comic Con, young or old: families, friends and fiends, plus singles, seniors and superheroes. ExCeL has excellent facilities for visitors with mobility issues, too.
MCM London Comic Con: Food & drink
There’s a huge range of food and drinks available at ExCeL, including treats from Costa, Upper Crust and Subway, plus pizza and Chinese, Indian and Mexican-style foods.
As you’d expect, all charge a premium as they have a captive audience. If funds are tight, take your own food, as there’s plenty of space to sit down and eat in comfort.
MCM London Comic Con: Cosplay weapons/props and confiscation
MCM reserves the right to reject/confiscate any cosplay weapons or props it feels may cause a nuisance or danger at ExCeL. Metal blades (sharp or blunt), working projectile weapons and wooden or metal bats & paddles are all forbidden. Confiscated items that can be legally returned to you, should be collected when you leave the event. For full details, click here.
Fixing your cosplay at MCM London Comic Con 2025
The Cosplay Central area at MCM Comic Cons have Cosplay Repair Stations, manned by a team of volunteers stocked with glue, tape, needles and threads, staples, and all those other crafting essentials. There is also a changing area and washrooms where you can fix your make-up, but there is no longer baggage storage, instead head to the cloakrooms (see below). Occasionally, you’ll see a good Samaritan, like this cosplayer, who’ll help to fix any rogue costumes.
Cloakrooms & loos
There are cloakrooms at ExCeL where you can leave coats, bags, and even your Steyr Pflager Katsumata Series-D Blaster! (Blade Runner, obvs!).
Each item left costs £1, but there is no overnight storage. One cloakroom is in the west end of the venue on level 0 by N4/S4 and one in the east end on level 0. Cloakrooms are open during show hours.
Lost Property at ExCeL
If you think you’ve lost something at ExCeL London, simply complete the lost property form here, and cross your fingers.
Cashpoints at ExCeL
There are cash points (ATMs) all around the venue (though withdrawal fees apply). There are two Note ATMs near the west entrance, near Costa, and another Note ATM in the centre of the boulevard between entrances S6 and N6. There are also Barclays and Note ATMs located on level 0 between N4 and S4. Nearby, Tesco Express also has an cash machine.
Smoking at ExCeL
Smoking and vaping are not allowed inside ExCeL, but smokers can head outside.
Praying at the ExCeL
ExCeL has a multi-faith prayer room, accessed through the grey door next to the S9 entrance on the boulevard.
“Go ahead. Make my day”
At Comic Con, it’s great to compliment cosplayers on their costumes. Go on, just do it… ‘Positivity breeds content’.
Click here for more details on MCM London Comic Con 2025
Author:
John Sootheran
John’s a cosplay photographer and videographer who visited his first con in 2017, and has been to numerous London, Birmingham and Manchester events since.
He finds the cosplay vibe addictive and is one of the team to launch worldofcosplay.com.
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