🇬🇧 London Waterloo

Standard

#9 Busiest Train Stations in the World #6 Train Stations with the Most Platforms #2 Busiest Train Stations in Europe

Quick Facts

Country	🇬🇧
Type	Standard
Coordinates	51.501865, -0.111126
Timezone	Europe/London
Connections	0
UIC Code	7055980

About London Waterloo

London Waterloo is the largest railway station in the United Kingdom by number of platforms, handling an enormous volume of commuter and regional traffic to Surrey, Hampshire, and the South West of England. Originally opened in 1848, the station was comprehensively rebuilt in the early 20th century and features the iconic Victory Arch entrance commemorating railway workers killed in World War I. International Eurostar services operated from here until 2007, when they transferred to St Pancras International.

Frequently Asked Questions

Waterloo station is served by the Jubilee, Northern, Bakerloo, and Waterloo & City Underground lines, connecting passengers to Canary Wharf, the City, and the West End in minutes. It is also within walking distance of the South Bank and the Tate Modern.

South Western Railway operates from Waterloo to destinations across Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, and Devon, including Guildford, Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, and Exeter. South Western services also reach Windsor, Richmond, and Kingston upon Thames.

A left-luggage facility is available inside the station, typically open from early morning until late evening. For longer-term storage, several third-party luggage storage services operate nearby and can be booked online in advance.

London Waterloo has 24 platforms, making it the largest railway terminus in the United Kingdom by number of platforms. This capacity allows it to handle over 100 million passenger journeys per year.

The station is exceptionally busy during weekday rush hours between 07:30-09:30 and 17:00-19:30, so travelling slightly outside those windows reduces congestion significantly. Checking your departure platform on the real-time boards before heading to the gateline also saves time.