King’s Cross station was built in 1852 for the Great Northern Railway at the time of huge rail expansion in the UK. With arched glass windows and a modern restoration that includes a huge white net-like roof over the concourse built by John McAslan + Partners, the station is architecturally impressive and worth a visit even if you don’t have a train to catch.
The area around the station was once famous for its seedy reputation, but a multimillion-dollar investment program has transformed the district in recent years and now you’ll find sleek cafés, stylish stores, and excellent restaurants. The station became famous around the world when it was featured in the Harry Potter books as the departure point for trains to Hogwarts. Harry Potter tours, taking visitors to see Platform 9 ¾, are now very popular with tourists.
King’s Cross station is located on Euston Road in north Central London. It is served by taxi, Tube at the King’s Cross St. Pancras stop (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly, and Victoria lines), and by multiple buses, including number 91 from Trafalgar Square and number 390 from Hyde Park. Guided tours with transport included visit the station frequently. Hop-on-hop-off buses also stop at King’s Cross.
King’s Cross ticket offices are open from very early in the morning until after midnight. Shops and restaurants in the surrounding area and within the station concourse have variable opening hours.
Home to more than 150 million books and periodicals, many of which are first editions and rare titles, the British Library is a must-visit for any book lover. It contains a copy of every book, newspaper, and magazine printed in the UK and Ireland. In the center of the library is the 6-story “King’s Column” filled with volumes from King George III’s personal library.
