When visiting London, you’ll probably pass through King’s Cross Station while utilizing the city’s dense, interconnected web of subways and railways. King’s Cross is an old station with a great deal of history to it. For instance, on top of being one of the busiest train stations in London, King’s Cross has also played a role in one of the largest film franchises of the century.
With its larger-than-life reputation preceding it, you’ll surely want to visit King’s Cross Station while you’re in London. Before you visit, we’ve got a list of interesting facts about King’s Cross Station that the average visitor might not know.
It’s the Perfect Place to Store Your Luggage
When you arrive in London after a long flight, there’s a chance that you might still have a few hours to kill while you wait for your hotel room or AirBnb to be ready. While you could spend your time idling with your luggage, the best way to make the most of your time in London is to find a place to store your bags and start exploring right away.
As such, it can be beneficial to find King’s Cross Station luggage storage, so you can leave your bags at the station and see some fun London sights, and pick up your things when your accommodations are ready.
King’s Cross Station luggage storage is easy to book online. In fact, King’s Cross Station luggage storage companies partner with a variety of businesses in and around the train station that has extra storage facilities, so travelers can have a safe space to keep their things while they traverse the city unencumbered.
King’s Cross Station luggage storage is helpful even if you’re only going to be in the station for a few hours: while you wait for your next train, you can store your luggage and get a quick bite to eat or peruse some of the terminal shops, without having to drag all of your belongings with you. Whatever your plans are in London for the day, King’s Cross Station luggage storage can make them a breeze!
In order to book King’s Cross Station luggage storage, you’ll want to make a reservation online ahead of time for the day that you’ll require storage. Typically, travelers pay no more than five pounds per bag per day, so you can rest assured that your bags will be kept safe without breaking the bank. Once your bags are stowed, it’s time to explore King’s Cross and learn about the station’s rich history.
It’s Pretty Magical
People all around the world can recognize King’s Cross Station as the location of Platform 9 ¾ from the Harry Potter series. In the books and films, Platform 9 ¾ exists beyond a magic portal located in between platforms 9 and 10. However, fans of the series might be surprised to learn that platforms 9 and 10 are actually located in an annexed building at King’s Cross Station, far apart from each other.
But, as a tribute to the popularity of the series, a plaque dedicating Platform 9 ¾, along with a statue of a luggage trolley “disappearing” into a wall, was erected in the station. The statue has become a popular tourist destination for Harry Potter fans from all around the world. If only you could really hop on the train to Hogwarts!
It’s the Only Zero
King’s Cross Station is in a league of its own as it’s the only London railway station to include Platform 0. Platform 0 was erected in 2010 as a part of a refurbishment of the station and was built next to the existing Platform 1. Instead of renumbering all of the platforms in the station, London transportation officials decided to deem it Platform 0 instead. Platform 0 also happens to be the longest platform in the station and is primarily used for longer trains.
It’s a Major Monopoly Find
King’s Cross Station has been immortalized as one of the railroad spots on the British Monopoly board! It’s accompanied on the board by three other famous London-based railway stations: Marylebone Station, Fenchurch Street Station, and Liverpool Street Station. These stations were chosen to be on the board when British Monopoly was first created in 1935, given that they were the four London terminals of the London and North Eastern Railway at the time.
In Conclusion
No visit to London is complete without a stop at King’s Cross Station. Drop your bags off at a King’s Cross Station luggage storage and explore the wonders of Platform 9 ¾, learn more about the peculiar Platform 0, and consider picking up a copy of British Monopoly to commemorate your visit to the station. Once you’ve finished your day of exploring in and around King’s Cross Station, simply grab your bags and hop on the train to your next destination.