Setting the Scene
The All England Lawn Tennis Club Championships 2025 at Wimbledon is more than a showcase of world-class tennis; it is a masterclass in delivering exceptional guest experiences. Each summer, over half a million people navigate London’s transport network to arrive at the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), journey that can be as complex as it is exciting.
For the last couple years, the AELTC has collaborated with You. Smart. Thing. (YST) to deliver the Championships Journey Planner – designed to highlight the most sustainable journey for every visitor, enabling them to embrace the motto “Be an Environment Positive Champion!”
This innovative tool doesn’t give generic travel instructions. Instead, it is configured to provide real-time, on-the-day journey options, factoring in transport diversions, road closures, shuttle buses, and even stakeholder-specific access routes. Whether you’re chancing The Queue in a bid to grab a Grounds Pass, hold a coveted Debenture Centre Court seat, or are arriving as a Ballot ticket holder or an AELTC Member, the journey planner provides personalised travel advice based on ticket type, accessibility needs and your start location/travel time.
The UK-based YST team put the journey planner to the test, travelling to AELTC from across the country to ensure the software delivered accurate, seamless, and stress-free journeys.
So, how did the Championships Journey Planner perform?
Screenshots of Wimbledon Journey Planner (mobile and desktop) and You. Smart. Thing. Analytics Suite Dashboard view.
Emma’s Park & Ride Journey from Stratford-upon-Avon
Emma, Head of Client Development, opted for the Championships Park & Ride service.
The travel assistant not only suggested this option but also provided clear timings, step-by-step directions to the Park & Ride hub, and shuttle schedules. What really stood out was the interactive map overlay. Combined with the curated journey options and detailed access routing, the Wimbledon branded map overlay clearly marked the P&R drop-off point near Gate 12, along with the walking route to her ticket-specific access point.
The seamless car-to-court transition made for a stress-free and highly efficient journey.
The Championships Journey Planner can be accessed on mobile or desktop. Below is a screenshot of Emma’s Championships Park & Ride journey. The journey option provides step-by-step navigation as well as overall journey time and carbon footprint to encourage sustainable travel behaviour.
Screenshot of Emma’s Journey: Championships Park & Ride journey option.
Luke’s Public Transport Journey from Huntingdon
Luke, a Sustainability Consultant, regularly travels to London from Huntington and would normally switch at Finsbury Park, battling through rush-hour congestion and multiple Tube changes.
However, the Wimbledon travel assistant offered him a smarter route – he stayed on the first overground train all the way to Clapham Junction, then hopped onto two short underground connections.
Result? He avoided the busiest Tube interchanges, skipped rush-hour chaos, and arrived in a calmer, more enjoyable way. The travel assistant highlighted the option of taking the Championships Shuttle bus from Wimbledon station to the AELTC site. Though a free and convenient option, Luke decided the weather was ideal for a pre-tennis stroll.
“It was a much better journey – less stressful and surprisingly quicker than my usual route.”
Screenshot of Luke’s Journey: Public Transport and shuttle service journey option.
Andrew’s Rail Journey from Leamington Spa
Andrew Steele, YST’s Chief Operating Officer, took a National Rail journey, guided by the travel assistant.
What made the tool invaluable was its live updates on train times, potential delays, and real-time connections, making sure his trip remained on schedule without any last-minute surprises.
Images of Andrew’s Journey: From Leamington Spa to Southfields St, London (District Line).
Alex’s Ride from Peckham
For those travelling within London, the journey planner promotes active travel options. Alex, a Sustainability Consultant based in Peckham, chose to travel by bike, following the assistant’s cycling-friendly route suggestions.
This option reflected YST’s and the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s commitment to sustainability, offering eco-friendly alternatives alongside traditional public transport routes.
Screenshot of Alex’s Journey: Cycle all the way journey option.
Recognising the increased popularity of shared bike schemes AELTC worked closely with 3rd party providers to ensure cycling was a realistic and attractive travel choice. The travel assistant offered clear cycle journey information directing cyclists to the dedicated cycle parking spaces close to the main entrance.
Electric bike rental companies providers prevented cyclists from ending their ride outside of the dedicated cycle parking, not only to make cycling experience as consistent as possible, but also limit disruption in residential areas.
Images: Designated ‘personal bikes’ and ‘hire bike’ parking.
Sustainability beyond travel
For the YST team, testing the Championships Journey Planner firsthand ensured confidence in the accuracy and quality of the advice being given to thousands of visitors each day. It also was a brilliant day out of the office!
Wimbledon’s commitment to sustainability extends far beyond travel. As highlighted on the official Wimbledon Sustainability webpage, the AELTC recognises it has “a meaningful role to play in helping to protect the environment, today and for the future.” Guided by its core values—Heritage, Integrity, Respect, and Excellence—the Club is dedicated to ‘leave a lasting and positive legacy’.
The Championships travel assistant is a prime example of the innovative solutions AELTC has implemented to achieve net zero operational emissions.
Editors Notes
