London Victoria station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Victoria Station

The Grosvenor Hotel, the frontage of the Brighton Main Line platforms
Victoria Station Location of Victoria Station in Central London
Location	Belgravia
Local authority	City of Westminster
Managed by	Network Rail
Station code	VIC
Number of platforms	19
Fare zone	1
National Rail annual entry and exit
2004–05	48.047 million
2005–06	47.860 million
2006–07	66.749 million
2007–08	77.462 million
Other information
Lists of stations	DLR Underground National Rail Tramlink
Other websites	Departures Layout Facilities Buses

Victoria Station is a very important place in London, England. It's a huge hub where you can catch National Rail trains, London Underground (Tube) trains, and even long-distance coaches. It's located in the City of Westminster and is the second busiest railway station in London, right after Waterloo.

Victoria Station is in Travelcard Zone 1, which is the very center of London. It was named after Queen Victoria, a famous British queen.

Getting Around by Train

The main train station is officially called 'London Victoria'. It has two main parts, almost like two separate stations joined together.

Trains to Kent and Beyond

The eastern side of the station has platforms 1 to 8. This part is for trains heading to places like Kent. These trains travel on the Chatham Main Line.

Trains to Surrey and Sussex

The western side, with platforms 9 to 19, is for trains going to Surrey and Sussex. This includes popular destinations like Gatwick Airport and Brighton. These trains use the Brighton Main Line.

It's quite rare for trains to switch between these two sides. This is because the tracks are set up in a special way. Sometimes, if there are problems on the Brighton side, some trains might use the eastern side instead. For example, the Gatwick Express sometimes uses the Chatham side tracks to keep running smoothly.

A very special train, the Venice Simplon Orient Express, also leaves from Victoria Station. It departs from Platform 2, which is the longest platform at the station.

Most platforms have special gates called ticket barriers. You need your ticket to go through them. However, platforms 13 and 14, where the Gatwick Express usually leaves, don't have these barriers.

Riding the London Underground

The London Underground station is located just north of the main train station. It's the busiest Tube station in the whole system! Millions of people use it every year.

There are two main areas where you can buy tickets and enter the Tube. The newer area is closer to the main train station and serves the Victoria line. The older area, a bit further north, serves the District line and Circle Line. These two ticket areas are connected by an underground walkway.

Victoria Line

The Victoria Line is a deep-level Tube line. It's known for being very fast and direct. From Victoria, you can go to places like Pimlico or Green Park.

District and Circle Lines

The District and Circle Lines are shallower Tube lines. From Victoria, you can travel to Sloane Square or St. James's Park.

Future Plans

There are plans for a new Tube line called the Chelsea-Hackney Line, also known as Crossrail 2. If it's built, Victoria would also be a stop on this new line, connecting to places like Sloane Square and Piccadilly Circus.

Tube Station Pictures

• 

  This is the northbound Victoria Line platform. It was being updated when this photo was taken in 2008.

• 

  Here's the southbound Victoria Line platform.

• 

  This is a "roundel," the famous symbol you see on Tube platforms.

Coach and Bus Travel

Victoria Station isn't just for trains and the Tube; it's also a major hub for buses and coaches.

Victoria Coach Station

About half a mile southwest of the railway station is the Victoria Coach Station. This is the biggest coach station in London. From here, you can catch long-distance coaches to almost anywhere in the UK and even to mainland Europe. Many sightseeing tours also start here.

Victoria Bus Station

Right outside Victoria Station, you'll find the Victoria Bus Station. This is where London's famous red buses stop. There are many bus routes, with hundreds of buses passing through every hour during busy times. You can find special maps, called 'spider maps,' that show all the bus routes, just like Tube maps.

Green Line Coach Station

Another coach station nearby is the Green Line Coach Station. This station offers long-distance coach services by companies like Green Line Coaches and Greyhound UK.

Images for kids

• 

  Victoria Station in 1897, showing the separate Brighton (left) and Chatham (right) stations.

• 

  The approaches to Victoria Station in 1912. The line leading to the station is top right, the 'Brighton line' (shown in green) is bottom left and the 'Chatham line' (pink) bottom right. The connection to the GWR and LNWR (purple) is top left.

• 

  Plan of Victoria Station as it was in 1888. The 'Chatham' side was rebuilt in 1906 and the 'Brighton' side in 1898–1908

• 

  The London Chatham and Dover Station as rebuilt by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway.

• 

  The Eastern side in 1958

• 

  The Brighton side concourse in 1955

• 

  The Central side in 1961 with train from Tunbridge Wells West

• 

  The Golden Arrow leaving Victoria Station, 1953

• 

  Gatwick Express service at Victoria in 2003

• 

  Lines on the floor of the concourse leading to various facilities.

• 

  A 360° sphere view of the station concourse

See also

In Spanish: Estación de Victoria para niños