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Charing Cross

The South Eastern Railway’s terminus at Charing Cross, opened in 1864. Its great arched roof fell in 1905; since 1990 the platforms have run under Terry Farrell’s Embankment Place.

Charing Cross: section looking out from the buffer stops (schematic)123456Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)
Looking south from the buffer stops, across the river. Today’s office block over the platforms is drawn indicatively. Where the platforms sit is schematic. The train is a Southeastern Class 375. 5 px per metre.
6Platforms
1864Opened
19.8 millionEntries and exits (2024-25)
23rdBusiest station in Britain (2024-25)

Facts

Opened
11 January 1864, by the South Eastern Railway’s Charing Cross Railway
Platforms
6, numbered 1 to 6, all terminal
Routes
South Eastern Main Line; the Hastings line; south-east London’s suburban routes. Route names from Wikipedia only; all trains call at Waterloo East and London Bridge
Operators
Southeastern
Underground
Bakerloo Northern (and Embankment, at the river end)
Roof
The 1864 roof, a single bowstring span of 164 ft and 510 ft long by Sir John Hawkshaw, fell in 1905 when a tie rod snapped, and six people died. A flat ridge-and-furrow roof replaced it in 1906, most of it replaced in turn by Embankment Place in 1990
Architect
Sir John Hawkshaw (station and Hungerford Bridge); E. M. Barry (the Charing Cross Hotel); Terry Farrell (Embankment Place)
Listed
The Charing Cross Hotel, Grade II (entry 1236707); Embankment Place, Grade II since 2026
Interchanges
0.32 million (2024-25)
Managed by
Network Rail

unverified Some of these figures haven’t yet been checked against an official source or a published history. What’s in doubt ↓

Where trains go

Where trains from Charing Cross go The 13 London termini at their real positions, with each terminus's routes following the railway out of London and then splitting to the parts of the country they serve, set out by compass direction. N Clapham JunctionClapham Junction StratfordStratford Finsbury ParkFinsbury Park Willesden JunctionWillesden Junction LewishamLewisham Elephant & CastleElephant & Castle WimbledonWimbledon River Thames Charing Cross to West Kent and Hastings: Southeastern Charing Cross to North and East Kent: Southeastern Charing Cross West Kent and Hastings Sevenoaks, Tonbridge,Tunbridge Wells, Hastings North and East Kent Chatham, Ashford, Canterbury,Dover, Ramsgate PaddingtonPaddington MaryleboneMarylebone EustonEuston St PancrasSt Pancras King's CrossKing's Cross Liverpool StreetLiverpool Street Fenchurch StreetFenchurch Street Cannon StreetCannon Street BlackfriarsBlackfriars London BridgeLondon Bridge WaterlooWaterloo VictoriaVictoria Charing Cross

Charing Cross’s routes follow the railway out of London, then split to the parts of the country they reach, set at their compass bearings; point at a line to see who runs it. The other termini are the small dots; select one to open its page. Distances are true at the circle’s edge, 6 miles (10 km) out, and stretched towards the middle so the termini have room. The route colour is the map’s own: not official, and not any operator’s livery. All 13 together: the map on the Maps page.

Platforms 6

Platform plan, to scale from OpenStreetMapRiver Thames123456Platform 1. About 850 ft (258 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 2. About 850 ft (259 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 3. About 720 ft (218 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 4. About 720 ft (221 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 5. About 700 ft (214 m) long, off OpenStreetMapPlatform 6. About 710 ft (216 m) long, off OpenStreetMapN100 ft (30 m)Platforms, tracks and outline © OpenStreetMap contributors

Seen from above, to scale: the platforms, tracks and the station building’s outline (the grey line) from OpenStreetMap, the buffer stops on the left (north is marked top left). The north bank of the River Thames (the blue-grey line) is from OpenStreetMap, smoothed to within 20 ft.

Trains

The Class 465’s record names Charing Cross; the others are listed by operator.

History 6

Charing Cross: section looking out from the buffer stops (schematic)123456Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)Class 375 Electrostar (size not in our data: a typical train drawn)1864 roof, fell 1905: 164 ft (50.0 m) span
The 1864 roof, which fell in 1905, drawn dashed over today’s station at the same scale: its 164 ft span from Network Rail and Walmisley’s Iron Roofs (1888); its height is indicative.
  1. E. M. Barry’s Charing Cross Hotel is built on the Strand front.
  2. Charing Cross opens.
  3. A tie rod snaps and the roof falls; six people die.
  4. A flat ridge-and-furrow roof replaces it.
  5. Embankment Place, by Terry Farrell, is completed over the platforms (1991 in some sources).
  6. Embankment Place is listed, Grade II.

Sources 9

Show the 9 sources from Network Rail, Farrells, Wikipedia and 5 more

Where the sources disagree:

  • Embankment Place completion: 1990 (Farrells; Wikipedia says November 1990) vs 1991 (Building and BD, 2026).
  • Apex height 102 ft (31 m) is from Wikipedia only.
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