Here's your print-out-and-keep guide for all the essential info to make sure you're not left high and dry on the day.

Carnival organisers have come up with a Carnival Code to help you make the most of the event. Here are the main points:

• Keep drinking water or soft drinks to keep your fluid levels up
  
• Try to eat before you get to the carnival.
  
• Wear comfortable shoes: injuries to feet and ankles from street litter are very common
  
• Stay aware, pickpockets will be attracted to the large crowds
  
• Keep hold of all your property, especially whilst travelling. Lost items may cause a security alert and could disrupt services
  
• Congestion may cause delays to your bus journey or cause some stations to be closed temporarily
  
• Please be patient, our staff will be doing their best to get you to and from the Carnival
  
• If you are travelling only a short distance it may be quicker to walk
  
• Arrange to meet friends before entering the Carnival area - please don't arrange to meet outside/ inside stations
  
• Check arrangements for your return journey before leaving for the Carnival - if you move around the area you may find your return journey easier from another station or bus stop

If there is a medical emergency, dial 999 with the following information:

• The exact location where help is required - look out for street names, road junctions and landmarks
  
• The number of patients and their age/sex
  
• What's wrong - do they have chest pains, are they breathing, unconscious or bleeding?
  
• If possible get someone to signal where the ambulance staff are needed

TUBE SERVICES

The key Tube lines serving the Carnival area, the Central and Hammersmith & City lines, will run as normal with some extra services. Normal Saturday services will run on all lines except on the Central line, where extra trains will run on all sections, and the Hammersmith & City Line, where extra trains will run on some sections.

The following lines will be affected by planned engineering works:

Northern line - no service between Camden Town and East Finchley, and between Finchley Central and Mill Hill East on both days.

Piccadilly line - no service between Acton Town and Uxbridge all weekend including Monday.

District line - no service between Ealing Common and Ealing Broadway on both days.

Waterloo & City - no service

There are no services in and out of King's Cross National Rail station on Sunday 27 August. For more information contact www.nationalrail.co.uk or call 08457 484950. King's Cross St Pancras Tube Station will be open.

STATIONS IN THE CARNIVAL AREA:

Ladbroke Grove station - closed on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday 27 & 28 August

Latimer Road station - closed on both days at 2330.

Notting Hill Gate station - no interchange on both days between the Central and Circle/District lines. On Sunday and Monday the station will be 'exit only' between noon and 7pm. On Monday the Circle and District lines will not stop from noon to 7pm. Bayswater station or Paddington Hammersmith & City line station can be used as alternatives.

Royal Oak -

Sunday 29 August: Until 11am - normal service
11pm to 6pm - way out only
From 6pm - closed

Monday 30 August: Until 11am - normal service
11am to 6pm - way out only
From 6pm - closed

Westbourne Park

Sunday 29 August: Until 11am - normal service
11am to 6pm - way out only
From 11.30pm - closed

Monday 30 August: Until 11pm - normal service
11am to 6pm - way out only
From 11.30pm - closed

Lancaster Gate station is closed until early November 2006 while essential lift and station improvement works are carried out.

BUS SERVICES

Two special express routes, 36X and 436X, will be running between south London and the Carnival on both Carnival days. Numerous other bus routes will run close to the Carnival but will not enter the immediate Carnival area due to some road closures.

The routes serving the area are; 7, 18, 23, 27, 28, 31, 36, 52, 70, 94, 148, 295,316, 328 and 390. Routes 23, 27, 94, 148 and 390 operate a 24 hour service.

Night routes will operate throughout Sunday and Monday night - N7, N18, N28, N31, N36, N52 & N207.

Bus routes 6, 15, 187, 205, 220, 274, 414 and 436, all operate within a comfortable walking distance.