Charing Cross Railway Station is a railway station in central London in the City of Westminster. Although it is managed by National Rail, the operations of all regular trains using the station are managed by Southeastern, which provides the majority of commuter/regional services to South East London and Kent. It is the London terminus of South Eastern Main Line. Also known as London Charing Cross, it is the fifth busiest rail terminal in London. The station has an office and shopping complex above it which is known as Embankment Place. Located adjacent to the road junction of Charing Cross, the station’s name is based on this junction. The Strand is situated in front of the station whereas the northern end of Hungerford Bridge lies on its other end. All trains serving the station cross at this bridge. Accesses to all platforms of the station are controlled by ticket barriers. However, there are no barriers at the bridge entrance which is only open to passengers at the time of morning rush hours.
In order to honour the historic moment when the hamlet of Charing became the official centre of London, a monument was erected just opposite the station to honour the place where Queen Eleanor’s body rested when it was being taken to Westminster. Around 1290, Edward I, husband of Queen Eleanor, erected 12 Eleanor crosses to mark the route that was taken by her body to be buried in Westminster Abbey. The last of the crosses stood on the south side of Trafalgar Square until 1647. This is the point from which distances to London are still measured. Ever since the Charing Cross Railway Station opened in 1864, the replacement Eleanor Cross has been standing there. It is an important landmark of the city as millions of people walk past it while going to or coming from West End.
Two London Underground stations serve Charing Cross giving access to the Northern and Bakerloo Underground lines. The station is just a couple of hundred metres away from Trafalgar Square and National Gallery. The two Underground stations, Charing Cross and Embankment, are at either end of the station and they have an Oyster Out of Station Interchange. The Charing Cross Railway Station is just a few metres away.
Previously, Embankment was known as Charing Cross whereas the present Charing Cross was known as Trafalgar Square (Bakerloo Line) and Strand (Northern Line) stations. These two were clubbed under the new name when they were connected by the new Jubilee line station in 1979. The name change signified that Strand and Trafalgar Square were nearer to the station than Embankment. For a short period, “Charing Cross Embankment" and "Charing Cross Strand” were the names of the stations. Ever since the extension of the Jubilee line was diverted to Westminster and onwards south of the River Thames in 1999, there are no services to the Jubilee line platforms.
Guests staying at boutique hotels in London can find luxurious accommodation in a unique style and close proximity to important railway stations such as Charing Cross station and to the important places of interest in the city.
In order to honour the historic moment when the hamlet of Charing became the official centre of London, a monument was erected just opposite the station to honour the place where Queen Eleanor’s body rested when it was being taken to Westminster. Around 1290, Edward I, husband of Queen Eleanor, erected 12 Eleanor crosses to mark the route that was taken by her body to be buried in Westminster Abbey. The last of the crosses stood on the south side of Trafalgar Square until 1647. This is the point from which distances to London are still measured. Ever since the Charing Cross Railway Station opened in 1864, the replacement Eleanor Cross has been standing there. It is an important landmark of the city as millions of people walk past it while going to or coming from West End.
Two London Underground stations serve Charing Cross giving access to the Northern and Bakerloo Underground lines. The station is just a couple of hundred metres away from Trafalgar Square and National Gallery. The two Underground stations, Charing Cross and Embankment, are at either end of the station and they have an Oyster Out of Station Interchange. The Charing Cross Railway Station is just a few metres away.
Previously, Embankment was known as Charing Cross whereas the present Charing Cross was known as Trafalgar Square (Bakerloo Line) and Strand (Northern Line) stations. These two were clubbed under the new name when they were connected by the new Jubilee line station in 1979. The name change signified that Strand and Trafalgar Square were nearer to the station than Embankment. For a short period, “Charing Cross Embankment" and "Charing Cross Strand” were the names of the stations. Ever since the extension of the Jubilee line was diverted to Westminster and onwards south of the River Thames in 1999, there are no services to the Jubilee line platforms.
Guests staying at boutique hotels in London can find luxurious accommodation in a unique style and close proximity to important railway stations such as Charing Cross station and to the important places of interest in the city.
Services at the Charing Cross Station go over the Hungerford Bridge to cross the River Thames. There is high frequency of trains between Charing Cross and London Bridge calling at Waterloo East. No services to/from Charing Cross will call at London Bridge between January 2015 and September 2016. The typical off-peak services from the station are two trains per hour on each of these routes from Dartford via Bexleyheath; Gravesend via Sidcup; Gillingham via Lewisham and Woolwich Arsenal; Hayes avoiding Lewisham; Sevenoaks via Orpington; Turnbridge Wells via Sevenoaks; and Hastings via Turnbridge Wells. However, only one train per hour is the frequency on Dover and Canterbury West, dividing at Ashford International and Ramsgate via Dover and Canterbury West, dividing at Ashford International. Southeastern’s fleet of Class 375 and Class 376 Electrostars and older Class 465 and Class 466 Networkerunits are used for the services.
A post-modern office and shopping complex, known as Embankment Place, covered most of the area over the British Rail platforms in 1990. Gradually the entire 1906 roof was replaced by this complex. However, the rear two spans of the structure next to the existing concourse roof were kept as they were to become a part of a bigger waiting area. Moreover, the original retaining side walls of the station that had once been its support have been retained. A large area of the Embankment Place complex is being occupied by PricewaterhouseCoopers at present.
The station’s 150th anniversary was celebrated in April 2004. The highlights of the celebrations were a Kentish farmers market, staff dressed in period costume, a guided walking tour and the unveiling of the new waiting room mural that was produced by a local school.
The nearby Underground stations are Embankment Underground station and Charing Cross tube station. The railway stations in the area are Charing Cross railway station and Blackfriars railway station. The nearby car parks are St Martins Lane NCP and Q-Park Trafalgar. The other railway stations in the vicinity are Paddington Railway station, St Pancras International Station and King’s Cross Railway station.
There are many sights and attractions near Charing Cross railway station that include The Strand Gallery, Cenotaph, St Martin in the Fields and many more. Leisure activities near the station include The Sanctuary, ESPA Life at Corinthia, Victoria Embankment Gardens and many more.
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