King's Cross St Pancras Station

Opened in 1863 as a station of the Metropolitan Railway, King's Cross St Pancras Station handles tens of millions of passengers each year. From here, passengers can connect to St Pancras Railway Station, which provides frequent, fast Eurostar connections to the centre of Paris in as little as 2 hours and 15 minutes.

London's biggest interchange Underground station

King's Cross St Pancras Station is still the largest interchange station on the entire Underground network, and an important stop for many commuters and tourists. Today, people can use the Victoria, Northern and Piccadilly lines to travel to the West End, and the Hammersmith & City line to travel to the City. St Pancras Railway Station and King's Cross Railway Station also provide regular rail services to various destinations across the UK.

Nearby St Pancras Railway Station

This railway station could quite easily win a competition for Britain's greatest Victorian landmark. It was Sir George Gilbert Scott, the distinguished 19th-century English architect, who was commissioned to design the station in the 1860s. He had already accomplished many architectural feats during his career, from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the Albert Memorial.

The Italian Gothic-inspired building is overlooked by an enchanting clock tower and houses one of the most spectacular hotels near King's Cross St Pancras Station, the St Pancras Renaissance London Hotel. This high-end venue, which was originally the Midland Grand Hotel from 1873 to 1935, reopened as a hotel in 2011, having been converted into railway offices from 1935 to 2011.

Others places to stay

There are plenty of other sophisticated hotels near King's Cross St Pancras Station as well. For an affordable, tastefully designed venue, choose the well-presented Albion House Hotel with its attractive interior décor, or consider the charismatic Park Grand London Kensington for something more luxurious.

Shops nearby

In just a short Tube or bus journey, you can explore the famous department stores of Oxford Street, Britain's most popular shopping street. King's Cross is also famous for being the location of the fictional Platform 9 3/4 of the award-winning Harry Potter books, where Hogwarts students must run into the magical wall to transport themselves from the Muggle World to the Wizarding World. The station is now the home of the Harry Potter Shop, which is modelled on Garrick Ollivander's wand shop and is a must-see for all fans of the series.

Where to eat in the area

You can enjoy excellent authentic Indian cuisine at the Indian Lounge on Gray's Inn Road, or treat yourself to some delicious and affordable British classics at the Thyme at Premier Inn restaurant. King's Cross is also revered for The Parcel Yard restaurant, which serves more tantalising British recipes in a stylish gastropub setting.