Charing Cross railway station facts for kids
| London Charing Cross | |
A Southeastern train stops at London Charing Cross station.
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 Charing Cross
Location of Charing Cross in Central London
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| Location | Charing Cross |
|---|---|
| Local authority | City of Westminster |
| Managed by | Network Rail |
| Station code | CHX |
| Number of platforms | 6 |
| Accessible | Yes |
| Fare zone | 1 |
| Toilet facilities | Yes |
| Key dates | |
| 1864 | London Charing Cross station opened. |
| Other information | |
| Lists of stations | |
| Other websites |
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Charing Cross station is a very busy train station in central London. It's located in the City of Westminster. This station is one of 18 major stations managed by Network Rail. Trains that use Charing Cross are operated by Southeastern. It's one of London's busiest train stations.
The station gets its name from the famous Charing Cross area. This is a central road junction in London. The front of the station faces The Strand, a well-known street. The other end of the station is at the start of Hungerford Bridge. All trains going to or from Charing Cross cross this bridge. You need a ticket to get to the platforms.
The original station building opened on January 11, 1864. It was built where an old market, called Hungerford Market, used to be. The station has a large roof made of wrought iron. This roof arches over the six platforms.
A year later, on May 15, 1865, the Charing Cross Hotel opened. This hotel gave the station a fancy front. It was built in the Renaissance style, like old French buildings.
At the same time, a copy of the Eleanor Cross was put in front of the station. This copy is based on a real cross from the 13th century. The original cross was in Whitehall but was taken down in 1647. In London, official distances are measured from where the original cross stood. This is now marked by a statue of Charles I, not from the replica cross at the station.
Contents
History of Charing Cross Station
Building the Station
Charing Cross station was built by the South Eastern Railway. They wanted a station closer to the heart of London. The company bought the land where Hungerford Market was. This market was pulled down to make space for the new station.
The station was designed by Sir John Hawkshaw. It was built with a large, arched roof. This roof was made of iron and glass. It covered all the platforms. This design was common for big train stations at the time.
The Charing Cross Hotel
The Charing Cross Hotel was built right in front of the station. It was designed by Edward Middleton Barry. The hotel's design was very grand. It made the station look very impressive from the street. The hotel and station opened around the same time.
The Eleanor Cross Replica
The replica of the Eleanor Cross is a famous landmark. It stands in the station forecourt. The original Eleanor Crosses were built by King Edward I. He built them to mark the places where his wife, Queen Eleanor, rested on her funeral journey. The replica at Charing Cross reminds people of this history.
Getting Around Charing Cross
Charing Cross is a busy transport hub. Many people use it every day. It connects to other parts of London and beyond.
Platforms and Trains
The station has six platforms. These platforms are where people get on and off trains. Southeastern trains run from Charing Cross to many places in Kent and East Sussex. These trains are used by commuters and people traveling for fun.
Connecting to the Underground
Charing Cross station is very close to Charing Cross tube station. This is a London Underground station. It allows people to easily switch between main line trains and the Tube. This makes it easy to travel all over London.
Gallery
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Charing Cross concourse
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Platform 4, Charing Cross
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The Cross in the station forecourt
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Victorian replica of the Eleanor Cross at Charing Cross
Related pages
| Preceding station |  National Rail |
Following station | ||
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| Terminus | Southeastern South Eastern Main Line |
Waterloo East | ||
Images for kids
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Trains to and from Charing Cross go over Hungerford Bridge to cross the River Thames.
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The front entrance of Charing Cross station in a 19th-century print. The Charing Cross is in front of the Charing Cross Hotel.
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Express train to Hastings in 1957, showing the station roof before its late 1980s reconstruction
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Cross section through Embankment station from 1914 showing the various London Underground lines beneath Charing Cross
See also
In Spanish: Estación de Charing Cross para niños
