King's Cross Station
King's Cross Station
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Top ways to experience King's Cross Station
The area
Address
Neighborhood: Kings Cross
How to get there
- King's Cross St. Pancras • 2 min walk
- Euston • 9 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
10,000 within 3 miles
Attractions
2,773 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- caseyEdinburgh, United Kingdom1,977 contributionsPlatform 9 3/4I love the structure of this station, is very impressive and easy to navigate. Here you will find the Harry Potter shop and a chance to get in line to pose for a photo at platform 9 3/4. I visited the Giraffe stop for a full English breakfast and a hot tea before my train. The only negative is its absolutely baltic so make sure to wrap up if your waiting around for your train for a while.Visited November 2023Traveled soloWritten November 17, 2023
- Madan Gopal MBengaluru, India8,445 contributionsFor all connections.The hotel where we stayed is at a walkable distance from this station.This is most convenient to explore near and far away cities and towns. Well connected trains and also underground metro also have international connections. I used to go there almost every morning for a leisurely stroll. Superb, vibrant and always active.Visited December 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten January 8, 2024
- ChrisHinckley, United Kingdom1,053 contributionsOkWe got a train into this station and used it to go back to the train station we had come from. The place was reasonably busy when we arrived and seemed clean. Location is good with a tube station here also. For the return journey the train information wasn't communicated and we had to guess the platform the train would be leaving from. When it came to boarding quite a few people went early and were asking some staff which were near to the train where it was going. The outside area could have been cleaner.Visited December 2023Traveled with familyWritten January 20, 2024
- Aygun AbbasovaUnited Kingdom361 contributionsYou have to see the Platform 9 3/4As a harry potter fan, most of you probably know this station. I came on New Year's Eve and this station was great. This place is also not used for foreign train trips. I learned this after arriving here, it is a very big and clean station, and it also has a lot of cafes and restaurantsVisited March 2024Traveled with friendsWritten March 27, 2024
- Jean PhilippeLondon, United Kingdom5 contributionsGood train station but super loud and endless audio announcements. Many quieter places around the station.Nice train station with great businesses inside, surroundings also very good. I wanted to have a 30 min having a coffee, enjoying the inside upstairs terrace, and having a remote meeting session. Would have been a 5 stars (good terrace and wifi) except for.. the endless audio announcement of all trains, stops and so on; and very loud. So I advise against going there except if you love train announcements. There is a reason why airports have stopped those endless announcements, to increase quality time of passengers. It seems the company running King's Cross station has not understood it. In an age where people rely on their phone and displays in the station, no need for those announcements, they are unnecessary and experience ruining noise.Visited June 2024Traveled soloWritten June 18, 2024
- BraindamagedbaronNewark-on-Trent, United Kingdom1,583 contributionsKings Cross Station necessityIt's a train station, in London. You get precisely what you expect. Crowds, noise, rudeness, the occasional smile and trains, lots of them. It's a lovely building, no doubt. Much improved over recent years, but, it's still a train station. If you want aeroplanes and flight terminals, this certainly isn't the place for you. However, if you want a horrifically overpriced sandwich, a lack of decent seating around the place and hoards of people in differing states of contentment, varying wild from mild happiness, to hurried eagerness and onto to simmering anger, Kings Cross is just the job. Get in, get out, go elsewhere.Visited June 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten August 30, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
2,311 reviews
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46
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48
Daniel C
Middlesbrough, UK162 contributions
Jul 2019
Once your train arrives at the station and you leave the train you'll see the several trains coming in and out and hundreds of people coming and going. It may seem slightly over overwhelming at first but just because it's large doesn't mean it's difficult to get through. On the outside you are in the middle of the city and there is a convenient underground station just a hundred meters away. There are also several restaurants and shops in the station on two levels, whether you want a newspaper, a meal or just some quick supplies. On the outside if you turn left you will find a McDonalds and all in this area you'll find several restaurants and fast food places. The station looks fancy, modern and new, but if you're a Harry Potter fan you'll also have to look for Platform 9 & 3/4, a shot dedicated to selling Harry Potter, you'll especially enjoy this if you're not from the UK since you can bring some British magic back to your home country with you.
Written June 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
isobel w
Dumfries and Galloway, UK215 contributions
Oct 2021
Have visited this station fairly frequently and never had any issues, is always clean inside and outside, some food outlets and loads of travel boards. I now generally always book a hotel near the station as you can get about anywhere in London and is always handy when returning home to be staying nearby.
A tip for travelling to Kings Cross, i do not know if this works for every area, but certainly works for me. If you purchase a train ticket to Dartford it works out cheaper than purchasing a ticket for Kings Cross and you would have to get off at Kings Cross to change and head for Dartford anyway.
A tip for travelling to Kings Cross, i do not know if this works for every area, but certainly works for me. If you purchase a train ticket to Dartford it works out cheaper than purchasing a ticket for Kings Cross and you would have to get off at Kings Cross to change and head for Dartford anyway.
Written October 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Penny T
Edmonton, Canada99 contributions
Jan 2020
Gave ourselves an extra 40 minutes to grab a snack and look around the train station and I'm so glad we did - there was a huge line to visit Platform 9 3/4 but we were able to have a look at it from the side. The station is tidy and clean, there's plenty of little snack shops - we snacked on flat whites & vegan sandwiches from Caffe Nero and a vegan pie from the Cornish pie shop. The station staff were super helpful at showing us where to go and when to to be at our platform, they really went out of their way to assist us newbies. Really nice experience for weary New Years Day travelers.
Written January 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael B
Bellflower, CA24,492 contributions
Dec 2019
King's Cross railway station, also known as London King's Cross, was designed by the Lord Mayor of London's younger brother Lewis Cubitt in 1850. It was built as a hub for the Great Northern Railway, with 12 platforms underneath the impressive roof that was modelled after the riding school of the Czars of Moscow.
One of the first passengers of importance who used this station regularly was Queen Victoria on her trips to Balmoral castle in Scotland.
We use this station a lot, when coming to town from Cambridge. The new Western Concourse opened in 2012 followed by the fully restored original Victorian entrance a year later.
There are lots of coffee houses and eating places scattered around the whole station. A great place to sit and people watch.
TIP: Pay attention when using this station as there are many new entrances, and over 300 meters of new passageways.
Thanks for reading. I’ll appreciate a thumbs up below if you’ve found this helpful.
One of the first passengers of importance who used this station regularly was Queen Victoria on her trips to Balmoral castle in Scotland.
We use this station a lot, when coming to town from Cambridge. The new Western Concourse opened in 2012 followed by the fully restored original Victorian entrance a year later.
There are lots of coffee houses and eating places scattered around the whole station. A great place to sit and people watch.
TIP: Pay attention when using this station as there are many new entrances, and over 300 meters of new passageways.
Thanks for reading. I’ll appreciate a thumbs up below if you’ve found this helpful.
Written November 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
T.Thorn
United Kingdom2 contributions
Jun 2020
It sounds a bit strange to say that you have favourite train stations, especially if you are a twenty two year old woman that considers herself fairly sociable and normal, but I do. As far as my top ten goes, King's Cross St Pancras is definitely up there. Ok, technically it's two train stations, but for arguments sake I'll just refer to them by their official shared title and explain why it (they) are so great. First and foremost, a real effort has been made to maintain the original architecture in both buildings. High glass ceilings and long open spaces are beautifully preserved and all the shop fronts have been toned down to bring them into line with the old building. St Pancras in particular has some lovely modern statues, the kissing couple being my favourite, which make them space a pleasant place to pass through.
The shared nature of these stations is great for local, national and international transport. Tube lines and train lines meet at the same place and it is effortlessly convenient to skip between British stations in to London and over to Paris and Brussles. A great example of transport at its best!
The shared nature of these stations is great for local, national and international transport. Tube lines and train lines meet at the same place and it is effortlessly convenient to skip between British stations in to London and over to Paris and Brussles. A great example of transport at its best!
Written June 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jydeoo
Lagos, Nigeria2,311 contributions
Jun 2019
The station has two sets of platforms, 1-8 and the rest. Make sure you are on the right side. Upon arrival and having your tickets ready, keep scanning the display boards, to know which platform your train will depart from. Once certain, best you go towards that platform, at stay close until boarding time.
To avoid rushing, plan to be on board the train at least five minutes before departure. The train doors close a little (1 or 2 minutes) before the departure time stated on your ticket.
To avoid rushing, plan to be on board the train at least five minutes before departure. The train doors close a little (1 or 2 minutes) before the departure time stated on your ticket.
Written May 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wildcat7400
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia1,172 contributions
Nov 2019
We walked from St Pancras International Train Station & crossed the road to King’s Cross Station for a quick dinner. King’s Cross Station was built in 1852 & was once the largest railway station in Britain. Now, it has developed into one of the busiest & attractive underground stations following a restoration project in 2007. There’s free WiFi too.
However, for tourists like myself, the most important thing is to visit Harry Potter’s 9 3/4 Platform inside the building. The famous Platform 9 ¾ can be found on the wall on the concourse level. There was already a long queue of both children & adults waiting to take a photo. We didn’t stand in line but just managed a photo or 2 with all the others in the background. There’s also a Harry Potter Shop nearby. Hardcore fans will totally be spoilt for choice.
There are also many shops & eateries for you to check-out. We went to Wasabi Sushi & Bento for a quick Japanese meal which was surprisingly delicious! I wouldn’t mind spending the day doing some shopping at this tube station.
However, for tourists like myself, the most important thing is to visit Harry Potter’s 9 3/4 Platform inside the building. The famous Platform 9 ¾ can be found on the wall on the concourse level. There was already a long queue of both children & adults waiting to take a photo. We didn’t stand in line but just managed a photo or 2 with all the others in the background. There’s also a Harry Potter Shop nearby. Hardcore fans will totally be spoilt for choice.
There are also many shops & eateries for you to check-out. We went to Wasabi Sushi & Bento for a quick Japanese meal which was surprisingly delicious! I wouldn’t mind spending the day doing some shopping at this tube station.
Written October 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Orator11
Singapore, Singapore7,538 contributions
Nov 2022 • Couples
We took the LNER train from King’s Cross in London to Edinburgh and it was a comfortable 4 hr 45 min ride.
Book a few months in advance if possible to get discounted fares. We also reserved our seats near the luggage racks on the quiet cabin, which was H in our case. The cabin was not too full or noisy.
The seats were comfortable and there was free wifi and power sockets under the chair, which was great. You can order a sandwich and drink right from your seat by scanning the QR code and paying online.
We were fortunate that the planned industrial action that day was postponed a couple of days later.
Do turn up earlier if you want to visit the Harry Potter shop, as queues are usually long. The station also has many food options if you prefer to buy something to eat on the journey.
Book a few months in advance if possible to get discounted fares. We also reserved our seats near the luggage racks on the quiet cabin, which was H in our case. The cabin was not too full or noisy.
The seats were comfortable and there was free wifi and power sockets under the chair, which was great. You can order a sandwich and drink right from your seat by scanning the QR code and paying online.
We were fortunate that the planned industrial action that day was postponed a couple of days later.
Do turn up earlier if you want to visit the Harry Potter shop, as queues are usually long. The station also has many food options if you prefer to buy something to eat on the journey.
Written November 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kes515
Louth, UK36 contributions
Feb 2022 • Family
It’s a beautiful station. The staff mostly I found friendly and if they weren’t able to advise then they found someone who could or pointed us in the direction of someone who could. The assisted travel team were brilliant in helping to board the train. When I arrived after a very vague call saying that my train had been cancelled the staff found all of the right information for me, informing me that it was the connecting train that had been cancelled and looked at other possibilities and when it was deemed that there was no other way home from the connecting station they chased the information on what needed to be done, which was board the original train to the connecting station and make ourselves known so that a taxi could be arranged to get us back to our final train destination in order to reach our connecting coach, as somehow in this day and age when a train has been cancelled, the replacement transport doesn’t actually accommodate wheelchair access! Who’d have thunk it, eh? Either way, the staff at Kings Cross couldn’t have done more to help and reassure me as a terrified anxiety ridden wheelchair user on their first time travelling far away without their carer since being in a wheelchair!
Also, I have to mention that I massively commend you on your signs near the disabled toilets that clearly say that not all disabilities are visible!! Before the chair I was considered as having invisible disabilities! The looks you get are hard to take! The feeling of being judged can even lead you to not go anywhere through fear of the judgement so I highly commend you for those signs! The only downside to having invisible illnesses is the lack of seating available in the area for those who can’t stand well or for long.
Also, I have to mention that I massively commend you on your signs near the disabled toilets that clearly say that not all disabilities are visible!! Before the chair I was considered as having invisible disabilities! The looks you get are hard to take! The feeling of being judged can even lead you to not go anywhere through fear of the judgement so I highly commend you for those signs! The only downside to having invisible illnesses is the lack of seating available in the area for those who can’t stand well or for long.
Written March 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
john l
5 contributions
Jul 2022
Just returned to Scarborough from a 7 day holiday in London .The Train from Scarborough was on-time ,and the train from York to Kings Cross was on time , It was the return trip where things went haywire. On Monday 11 July our return train to York (14.27 Grand Central Service) was cancelled no info to say why, and no info to when the next train would be. Lack of staff , lack of helpers , no trollies , The LNER staff were helpful even though it was not their train service. Three hours later a Grand Central train arrived and was due to leave for York on platform 2 showing on the info departure board. We all raced over to P2 only to find at the last the last minute the platform had been changed to P9 and we only had three minutes to get from P2 to P9 the other end of the Station. I am disabled and if it wasn't for family I would of missed the train. My main gripe the info departure board giving WRONG INFO, on platform numbers and even the tannoy was poor and not clear on info.
The train back because of the cancelation was double booked, we did manage to get back to York, and guess what? The Scarborough Train should of been on P2 at York and at the last minute again it was switched to P3 and everyone like me waiting on P2 had to race to P3. What a mess on service. We got home 4 hours late and stressed out and now I need a rest.
The train back because of the cancelation was double booked, we did manage to get back to York, and guess what? The Scarborough Train should of been on P2 at York and at the last minute again it was switched to P3 and everyone like me waiting on P2 had to race to P3. What a mess on service. We got home 4 hours late and stressed out and now I need a rest.
Written July 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is there any place for luggage keeping???
Written November 6, 2024
We will be arriving at Heathrow ,hoping to get help in a wheelchair to the underground to Kings Cross station.Then get help from the underground to the main station. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Written March 19, 2024
You should ask before you go to the airport through the airline.They will get you a wheelchair and also a lift so you can go to the airplane.
Written March 20, 2024
Tiina K
East Tamaki, New Zealand
Hi, we’re arriving in Kings Cross from Heathrow and need to meet someone before we catch the train to Hull. Where would be the best place to meet? Thanks :0)
Written June 30, 2023
Hello:
Upstairs eating area.
Written July 1, 2023
Visiting London tomorrow for the jubilee celebrations. Travelling to kings cross station, our hotel is Kensington high street. Would love advice on the best route from KC to Kensington high street. Advice would be greatly appreciated.
Written May 31, 2022
I have to pick up my 80 year old Auntie on a Sunday, is there a pick up place at Kings Cross Station?
Written October 27, 2021
Hi, I am flying into London and getting a train to York at the end of this month. My boyfriend in York is unable to pick me up until the evening, so I have about 2 hours to kill in London while I wait for my train. Does anyone know if people are allowed to wait for their trains in King's Cross with COVID-19 restrictions? If not, is King's Cross offering luggage holding still so I can walk around the city while I wait?
Written October 25, 2020
I will have little time between my arrival in London by St Pancras and the departure for Cambridge at KING'S CROSS. I would like to know where the KING trains depart to Cambridge, which platform, walk, etc.
Written June 16, 2019
Terei pouco tempo entre minha chegada em Londres pela St Pancras e o embarque para Cambridge na KING'S CROSS. Gostaria de saber onde ficam os trens da KING que partem para Cambridge, qual plataforma, andar etc.
Written June 16, 2019
Not sure what the question is?
Written March 1, 2019
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