Waterloo Station London

Waterloo Station, London

London Waterloo Station opened in 1848. — London Waterloo Station opened in 1848; here the main shopping concourse and clock

Waterloo Station in London is the busiest railway station in the capital.

Situated south of the River Thames in the London Borough of Lambeth, the station is close to some of London's major attractions such as the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.

Waterloo station is the busiest railway station in the UK in terms of passenger numbers and one of the busiest stations in Europe. Altogether, the station serves over 40 million passengers annually. It also has the largest number of platforms of any station in the UK with 24.

It serves as a major transportation hub, connecting London with the South West of England, including cities like Southampton, Bournemouth, and Exeter, as well as parts of Surrey, Hampshire, and Dorset.

The Victory Arch, the station's main entrance, was constructed by James Robb Scott. — The Victory Arch, the station's main entrance, was constructed by James Robb Scott and commemorates Britain's involvement in World War I

History

The station was originally opened in 1848 by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) and has since undergone significant expansions and renovations. The station's name comes from the nearby Waterloo Bridge, which was named to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

The Victory Arch, the station's main entrance, was constructed by James Robb Scott and commemorates Britain's involvement in World War I and the loss of over 500 Waterloo Station staff in the conflict.

Eurostar, the high-speed rail service that connects London with mainland Europe, formerly operated from Waterloo station. However, in 2007, the Eurostar terminal was relocated to St Pancras International Station, which is now the primary station for Eurostar services.

Waterloo is the busiest station in the UK. — Waterloo is the busiest station in the UK

Trains

London Waterloo is the terminus for trains towards the south coast and the south-west of England.

Presently regular trains are operated by South Western Railway.

There are trains to Woking via Clapham Junction, Basingstoke, Salisbury, Axminster, and Exeter St David's in Exeter, via Yeovil Junction in Yeovil.

Other destinations from Waterloo are Weymouth via Basingstoke, Southampton Central and Bournemouth on the South West Main Line. There are also trains from Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour, Hampton Court, Guildford, Leatherhead and to Windsor & Eton Riverside for Eton College and Windsor Castle.

Nearby London Waterloo East Station has trains to southeast London, Kent and parts of East Sussex. All regular services are operated by Southeastern.

Some of the 24 platforms at London Waterloo. — Some of the 24 platforms at London Waterloo

Tube Lines

Waterloo Underground Station is a tube station on the Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern and Waterloo & City underground lines.

This makes it easy for passengers to transfer between mainline and underground services, improving connectivity across the city.

The station is in Travelcard Zone 1.

On the Bakerloo Line the preceding station is Embankment, the following station towards Elephant & Castle is Lambeth North. On the Jubilee Line the preceding station is Westminster, the following station towards Stratford is Southwark. On the Charing Cross Branch of the Northern Line the preceding station is Embankment, the following station is Kennington heading towards Battersea Power Station. The Waterloo & City Line connects Waterloo and Bank with no intermediate stops.

Trains from Waterloo connect to Woking, Southampton, Bournemouth, and Exeter. — Trains from Waterloo connect to Woking, Southampton, Bournemouth, and Exeter

Buses

Buses that call at or close to Waterloo Station include the numbers 1 (Canada Water Bus Station to New Oxford Street), 11, 59, 68, 76, 77, 139, 168, 172, 176, 188, 211, 243, 341, 381, C10 (Canada Water Bus Station to Victoria Station) and night routes N1, N68, N171 and N381.

South Western train at Waterloo Station in London. — South Western train at Waterloo Station in London

Nearby

The station's central location makes it close to various popular tourist attractions. These include the London Eye, the Southbank Centre, as well as the Old Vic and Young Vic theatres. Also close by are The London Dungeon, Sea Life London Aquarium and the Imperial War Museum.

The Graffiti Tunnel (Leake Street) is a pedestrian tunnel under Waterloo Station covered in legal street art & graffiti.

The entrance to Waterloo Underground Station. — The entrance to Waterloo Underground Station

Facilities

The station has an array of facilities to cater to the needs of commuters and travelers. It houses numerous shops, restaurants, cafes, and amenities like rest rooms and waiting areas.

The ticket offices are opposite platforms 16-17.

There are ATMs, free public WiFi and a lost property office at 12 Lower Road, London SE1 8SE.

Hours: Monday to Friday: 4.30 am to 1.05 am; Saturday: 4.30 am to 1.50 am; Sunday: 5.30 am to 1.05 am.

There are are branches of Boots, Burger King, Costa, Foyles, Lush, Marugame Udon, M&S, Starbucks and WH Smith.

Waterloo Rd, London SE1 8SW

The National Windrush Monument at the station. — The National Windrush Monument at the station

Hotels near Waterloo Station

There are several places to stay near Waterloo to suit all budgets. Close to several of London's attractions, including the London Eye, The National Theatre, Royal Festival Hall and The Hayward, visitors have a wide choice of accommodation.

Here are some of the very best hotels near Waterloo Station: The Bankside Hotel is a five-star property on Blackfriars Road.

In addition further nearby hotels are the Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo with three stars, H10 London Waterloo with four stars, and the NOX Waterloo.

Sea Containers London is a five-star property overlooking the River Thames.

More accommodation options near Waterloo can be found here.