Getting to a venue and home again safely

Plan both journeys before you go out

Decide how you are getting home before you decide what to wear. Clubs and private parties often finish late, sometimes after public transport has stopped, and many are on industrial estates or outside town centres where taxis are scarce in the small hours.

• Check the venue's address and how long the journey takes at the time you'll be leaving, not the time you'll be arriving.
• If you plan to drink, book a licensed taxi or private hire car for the journey back, or save the number of a licensed local firm.
• If you are relying on the last train or bus, set an alarm for when you need to leave.
• Keep enough money or credit for the journey home somewhere separate from everything else.

Our city guides name each venue and its area, with local transport, police and health services for that city; check the venue's own website for the address and opening times.

A simple timeline for the night

Planning is easiest if you split the night into four moments and know what you need at each.

Choosing how to travel

The right option depends on whether you're drinking, how late you'll leave and how far out the venue is.

In the UK, private hire cars and minicabs must be booked in advance; only licensed black cabs and hackney carriages can be hailed in the street. Never get into an unbooked car that pulls up offering a ride. If you share a booked car with someone, make sure you know who is being dropped off first.

Driving there

Driving gives you control over when you leave, and plenty of people stay on soft drinks all night. If you drive:

• Don't drink at all. Even one drink can leave you unsure whether you're over the limit, and the limit in Scotland is lower than in the rest of the UK.
• Park where the venue tells you to, in its own car park if it has one, not on residential streets.
• Keep the car locked with nothing on show.
• Remember that a car outside a venue is not part of the night. Whatever the theme, everything happens inside, on private premises, and anything sexual in a car where the public could see it can lead to arrest.

Our explainer on what dogging means covers why the scene moved off the roadside and indoors.

Tell someone, without telling them everything

Tell one trusted friend where you'll be, roughly when you expect to leave and how you're getting home. You don't have to say what kind of venue it is. Agree that you'll message when you're home, and what they should do if you don't.

Here's an example of a message that covers everything without oversharing:

"Out tonight at a private party, [venue name and address]. Leaving about 1.30, taxi booked. I'll text when I'm home. If you haven't heard by 3, call me, then call the venue."

If you're meeting people for the first time, send your friend their name or profile and the plan too.

What to carry

Carry little, and keep it close:

• Photo ID, which most venues need to see at the door.
• A charged phone, plus a small power bank if you can.
• One bank card and some cash. Leave other cards at home.
• Condoms and anything else you need for the night.
• Keys, with no address attached.

Leave expensive jewellery and watches at home. Not every venue has lockers, so check the venue's own website. Our privacy guide explains what else is worth leaving behind.

Meeting people from online before a night out

If you've arranged to go with people you met online, meet them first somewhere ordinary and busy, such as a café or a bar, before going anywhere private. Make your own way to the venue rather than accepting a lift, and don't go to an unknown address first "for a drink". Real people on the scene understand this and won't push.

Be wary of anyone who asks for money, deposits or explicit photos before you meet. Our guide to spotting fake events and scams covers the common tricks.

Drinks during the night

Keep your drink with you and in sight, and don't accept drinks you didn't see poured. If you or a friend suddenly feel far more drunk than you should, feel confused or sick, or lose time, tell staff straight away and get medical help. Our safety guide covers drink spiking and looking after friends in more detail.

If something goes wrong

Your first move depends on where you are. In every case, getting to people and light comes before anything else.

• Danger or emergency: call 999 in the UK, 911 in the US and Canada, or 000 in Australia. In the UK, if you call 999 from a mobile and can't speak safely, stay on the line and press 55 when prompted.
• At the venue: tell staff. They can call for help, get you a taxi and keep someone away from you.
• On the way home: head for somewhere busy and lit, such as a station, a petrol station or a takeaway, and call someone.
• Phone dead or lost: ask staff at the venue or a nearby business to call a licensed taxi for you, and use the cash you set aside.
• After an assault: you can get medical care and confidential support whether or not you report to the police. Our guide to consent in practice lists helplines by country.

If a venue on our list made getting home harder than it should have been, for example by refusing to call a taxi or ignoring a problem, let us know through the contact page.