The Best Running Routes in Central London

Below are some of the best running routes in the heart of the city, from the Thames Path on both banks to Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, and the Royal Parks. Most connect into each other, so it’s easy to extend a run or combine routes if you want a longer effort. Even for those of us who are a bit navigationally challenged, it’s almost impossible to get lost here.

Before you head out, remember that the Southbank is like a tourist obstacle course at the weekend, so plan your runs for early mornings and weekday evenings if you can.

For routes across the rest of the city, see our full London running guide.

Thames Southbank: Westminster Bridge to London Bridge

Distance: 4km one way, 8km return | Difficulty: Beginner | Start: Westminster station (Jubilee/District/Circle) | Terrain: Flat, paved |

The best running route along the Thames in London travels between Westminster Bridge and London Bridge on the Southbank. It’s a flat, well-surfaced stretch of around 8km that takes in some of the city’s best scenery, including the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe, and the London Eye. You’ll pass under several bridges along the way, which are useful landmarks for splitting the run into segments (‘only two bridges to go!’).

While this is certainly an iconic route, it’s also a busy one. Crowds make it difficult to run here without playing a game of dodge-the-tourist from mid-morning to mid-afternoon and on weekends. Heading out early or late on weekdays allows you to avoid the busiest periods and soak up those incredible views.

Toilet facilities along the route can be found in The Royal Festival Hall of the Southbank Centre and the nearby National Theatre.

Thames North Bank: Embankment

Distance: 3.4km one way, extendable in both directions | Difficulty: Beginner | Start: Blackfriars station (Circle/District) | Terrain: Flat, paved |

The Embankment is usually a bit quieter than the Southbank, which makes it better for uninterrupted running. It’s the place to go if you want to avoid bottlenecks from tourist attractions while sticking close to the river on a flat, paved path.

Cleopatra’s Needle - a ~3,500-year-old Egyptian obelisk - makes a useful midpoint if you’re doing an out-and-back run, and Waterloo Bridge at the western end is the natural crossing point if you want to combine this with the Southbank for a loop of 8km.

The stretch is extendable in both directions - east towards Tower Bridge adds around 2km; west towards Westminster adds roughly 2.5km - so it works as a standalone run or as the quieter half of a longer effort. Toilet facilities are available from 7am to 8:30pm near Embankment Tube station within Victoria Embankment Gardens, but there is a small charge for using them, so make sure you take a way to pay in case you need a quick pitstop.

Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens

Distance: 3.2km (Serpentine lake loop) | 10.5km (full perimeter of both parks) | Difficulty: Beginner | Start: Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly line) | Terrain: Flat, mix of tarmac and compacted gravel |

Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are connected by West Carriage Drive. Together, they give you 10.5km of perimeter path or a 3.2km loop around the Serpentine lake if you want something shorter. The latter option is flat and easy to follow, making it ideal for tempo runs where speed is the main focus rather than mileage.

If you're unfamiliar with the area and can't decide which route to try first, the Diana Memorial walkway is a waymarked route that passes through both the park and the gardens - starting here is an excellent way to get your bearings. You could also join parkrun, a free 5k event that happens in Hyde Park every Saturday at 9am. The course is mostly flat, so it’s a good opportunity to set a PB.

Hyde Park opens at 5am and closes at midnight year-round, while Kensington Gardens opens at 6am. Closing times vary seasonally - check the Royal Parks site before planning an evening run. Both parks have cafes, kiosks and toilet facilities.

If you want to race in the parks rather than just train in them, the Royal Parks Half Marathon uses this area as part of its course. Find it on Find a Race.

St James's Park and Green Park

Distance: 2-4km | Difficulty: Beginner | Start: St James's Park station (District/Circle) or Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly) | Terrain: Mix of paved paths and compacted trail |

This flat, well-lit route connects St James's Park to Green Park, passing close to Buckingham Palace. It forms part of the Royal Parks Half Marathon course (one of the most stunning races in the city) and is well-placed for anyone based near Westminster or Victoria who fancies popping out for an easy lunchtime run. If you're considering signing up for the race, running here will give you an advantage by getting you familiar with part of the route.

Three laps of St James's Park add up to roughly 5km, perfect for beginners or anyone wanting to do intervals. The park is open 24 hours and has two on-site cafes. It gets busy during peak tourist hours; if you find it stressful dodging crowds, the best times to go are early morning or late evening. That will give you a better chance to enjoy the wildlife, too - the park is home to pelicans, herons, and a surprisingly large Parakeet population.

Green Park is a bit quieter with a few moderate hills. Running anticlockwise is the harder option here because of a hill that runs from the Piccadilly end down to St James's Palace - great if you want to challenge yourself, not so much if you want to avoid getting sweaty before you head back to work. Green Park opens at 5am and closes at midnight.

Practical notes on running in central London

Early morning is the quietest time to run in central London, especially on routes that follow the river. The Southbank at 7am on a Sunday is a completely different experience to the same stretch at 11am - it's worth setting an alarm for, if you can face getting up at that time.

For kit, road shoes are fine for all routes in this guide. A lightweight waterproof jacket is a worthwhile investment - this is London, it will inevitably rain - and if you're running after dark, reflective gear is a must.

Drinking water is available in some of the parks. In Hyde Park, the Freeman Family drinking fountain is near Cumberland Gate, and in Green Park, the Watering Holes fountain is near the Bomber Command Memorial.

Because central London gets incredibly busy, it's worth keeping one ear free when crossing junctions, or using bone-conduction headphones if you'd rather not compromise on audio.

Central London running events

Craving the motivation boost that comes with booking a race? Central London has plenty to offer.

The Royal Parks Half Marathon route goes through Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, St James's Park and Green Park each October, delivering 13.1 miles of stunning scenery and legendary landmarks. Run the Thames Bridges covers the Southbank and crosses several bridges mentioned in this guide, available in both 10K and half-marathon distances.

For a free weekly 5k event, Hyde Park parkrun happens every Saturday at 9am. Bushy Park parkrun in Teddington is also worth the trip out if you want a change of scene - it's the original parkrun and still one of the most popular in the world.

Find more London running events on Find a Race.