London St Pancras International Voyage Tips and guide

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London St Pancras International (station codes: STP / SPX) is a major international rail interchange and shopping destination in London. It is the British capital's only international station, with Eurostar services connecting the city with destinations in mainland Europe. St Pancras is also served by domestic intercity trains from Gatwick and Luton airports, the East Midlands, South Yorkshire and Kent, stopping services from the East and South East of England, and the London Underground. It is in Camden, next to London King's Cross station and half a mile (800 metres) from London Euston station, termini for the two major railways to Scotland and Northern England.

London St Pancras International is a large station with 13 mainline or international platforms, and two further platforms for stopping Thameslink route services. The National Rail station ranks among Britain's busiest, with 35.96 million passenger entries and exits between April 2023 and March 2024, according to the Office of Rail and Road. This was in addition to 24.48 million entries and exits at next-door King's Cross and 36.19 million at Euston, less than half a mile away.

Every National Rail station in the UK has a three-letter station code similar to IATA codes used for airports. St Pancras uniquely has two station codes: STP for the domestic station, and SPX for the international area managed by Eurostar. Only the former can be used on the National Rail journey planner.

Passports and luggage checks are required for international travel between St Pancras and destinations in mainland Europe.

St Pancras houses a range of gift shops, small supermarkets, restaurants and pubs, including a small number of outlets in the international departures area, beyond passport control.

The mainline station opened in 1868, built by the Midland Railway Company. During its construction, the St Pancras burial ground was shut to make way for the new line, with the St Pancras and Islington cemetery opened as its replacement in East Finchley. Novelist and poet Thomas Hardy, the Far from the Madding Crowd and Jude the Obscure author who was tasked with excavating the St Pancras Old Church graveyard in the 1860s, stacked graveyards at the base of an ash tree in the Old St Pancras Churchyard. Known as the Hardy Tree, it fell in 2022 after storms that year.

Engineers William Henry Barlow and Rowland Mason Ordish led the station's design and layout. Its Victorian gothic frontage in Euston Road is the work of George Gilbert Scott. Built as the Midland Grand Hotel and completed in 1876, it is today the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London.

Before St Pancras came along, King's Cross (now King's Cross St Pancras) was a station on the original Metropolitan Railway. The line opened between Paddington and Farringdon in 1863, now part of the Metropolitan, Circle, and Hammersmith and City lines.

London St Pancras International is in the London Borough of Camden. For Transport for London (TfL) ticketing purposes, the station lies in fare zone 1.

• National Rail station information page.

Rail services depart from different areas of the station:

• Platforms 1-4: East Midlands Railway services to Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Bedford, the East Midlands and Yorkshire.
• Platforms 5-10: International services operated by Eurostar to Lille Europe, Paris Nord, Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel-Zuid, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
• Platforms 11-13: Southeastern services to Stratford International and destinations in Kent.
• Platforms A and B: Thameslink services to destinations throughout London, the East of England and the South East, including Bedford, Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, St Albans City, Peterborough, Cambridge, Stevenage, Gatwick Airport, Horsham and Brighton.

Six London Underground lines serve King's Cross St Pancras, beneath both St Pancras and King's Cross stations:

•  CIR  Circle line to Hammersmith, Shepherd's Bush Market, Paddington, Edgware Road, Baker Street, Great Portland Street, Euston Square, Farringdon, Barbican, Moorgate, Liverpool Street, Aldgate and Tower Hill, in a roughly circular route around Central London. Beyond Tower Hill, trains continue around towards Edgware Road through The City, Westminster, South Kensington and Paddington. Some journeys may be completed quicker using other lines.
•  H&C  Hammersmith and City line to Hammersmith, Shepherd's Bush Market, Paddington, Edgware Road, Baker Street, Great Portland Street, Euston Square, Farringdon, Barbican, Moorgate, Liverpool Street, Aldgate East, Whitechapel, Mile End, West Ham and Barking.
•  MET  Metropolitan line to Uxbridge, Ruislip, Rayners Lane, parts of Buckinghamshire (Amersham, Chesham and Chalfont and Latimer), parts of Hertfordshire (Chorleywood, Rickmansworth, Watford, Croxley and Moor Park), Harrow-on-the-Hill, Wembley Park, Finchley Road, Baker Street, Great Portland Street, Euston Square, Farringdon, Barbican, Moorgate, Liverpool Street and Aldgate. Some journeys may require a change at Baker Street.
•  NOR  Northern line to Edgware, Brent Cross, Golders Green, Hampstead, High Barnet, Mill Hill East, Highgate, Archway, Kentish Town, Camden Town, Euston, Angel, Old Street, Moorgate, Bank, London Bridge, Borough, Elephant and Castle, Kennington, Oval, stations in Clapham, stations in Tooting, South Wimbledon and Morden. Change at Euston for Northern line to Goodge Street, Tottenham Court Road, Charing Cross, Embankment, Waterloo, Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station.
•  PIC  Piccadilly line to Cockfosters, Wood Green, Finsbury Park, Arsenal, Russell Square, Holborn, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Green Park, Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge, South Kensington, Gloucester Road, Earl's Court, Hammersmith, stations in Ealing, Rayners Lane, Ruislip, Uxbridge, stations in Hounslow and Heathrow Airport. Piccadilly line services generally run slower and less frequently than the Victoria line.
•  VIC  Victoria line to Walthamstow Central, Blackhorse Road, Tottenham Hale, Seven Sisters, Finsbury Park, Highbury and Islington, Euston, Warren Street, Oxford Street, Green Park, Victoria, Pimlico, Vauxhall, Stockwell and Brixton. Victoria line services generally run faster and more frequently than the Piccadilly line.

As the Tube is a rapid transport system designed with short journeys in mind, the trains are not as comfortable as a mainline train. However, there will almost always be seats available and luggage space is provided if you are travelling to King's Cross St. Pancras.

Ticketing: The Tube is a closed system and nearly all stations have ticket barriers. Penalty fares are in force for those caught without a valid ticket for the zones they are travelling through. An example fare for travel from Zone 6 (Heathrow Airport) to Zone 1 (the zone the station is in) is:

Travelcards (day, or period tickets which allow unlimited travel on all of London’s public transport, not just the Tube) are available and will almost certainly provide better value if you plan on using London’s transport system more than a couple of times. The cheapest option for anyone spending a longer time in London will probably be to get an Oyster card (a Transport for London travel smartcard) or to use a Contactless credit or debit card, which is always cheaper and easier than paying fares in cash. However, the Oyster card can only be returned (including getting back your deposit) after 25 hr or more of purchase. Also, your card amount is not allowed to be above £10, otherwise you need to register online to return the card. See London#By public transport and Transport for London’s website for more information on Oyster cards and other available fares.

International services are operated by Eurostar to  France (Lille and Paris),  Belgium (Brussels) and the  Netherlands (Rotterdam and Amsterdam).

The international departures concourse lies towards the south of the station, with an entrance in Pancras Road near the taxi drop-off. It is about three minutes' walk from the station's Euston Road entrance, into the main shopping arcade and on the right. A queuing system may operate during busy periods.

Eurostar operates a ticket office and ticket collection services in the international departures concourse, with digital tickets also available from https://www.eurostar.com/.

A valid ticket is required to cross passport control, which you will scan at the ticket gates.

An airport-style security check is required for you and your luggage, with metal detectors and bag scanners.

You will then have your passports checked twice at St Pancras - first to leave the UK and then for entry into France. A French check is required to enter the Schengen Area, which includes Belgium and The Netherlands. It is possible to bypass UK exit checks with the premium SmartCheck service.

A small departures area lies beyond passport control, with a tax-free shop, The Station Pantry (snacks and drinks), a Pret A Manger café and toilets.

Escalators to the platforms - above the departure lounge - open shortly before departure. Check screens in the lounge for updates.

Eurostar trains are almost 400m long. Check tickets for boarding information.

Passengers travelling with Eurail and Interrail passes require a seat reservation, which you can book for an Interrail fare.

Domestic trains are part of the National Rail network.

East Midlands Railway services depart from platforms 1-4 on the first floor, towards the northern end of the shopping arcade. Destinations include: Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering, Corby, Market Harborough, Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway, Beeston, Nottingham, Long Eaton, Derby, Chesterfield, and Sheffield, plus a small number of services to Lincoln via Newark Castle.

Trains to Luton Airport Parkway are operated under the Luton Airport Express brand. You can use your Contactless bank card to touch in at St Pancras and touch-out at Luton Airport Parkway, without a ticket (and vice-versa). A paper or mobile ticket is required for travel on other routes.

Southeastern Javelin (high-speed) services depart from platforms 11-13 on the first floor, towards the north-eastern end of the station, on the King's Cross side of the building. Destinations include: Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Gravesend, Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Sittingbourne, Faversham, Whitstable, Margate, Ramsgate, Sandwich, Deal, Dover Priory, Canterbury West, Ashford International, Folkestone and Folkestone West.

You can use your Oyster or Contactless card to touch in at London St Pancras International and touch out at Stratford International. A paper or mobile ticket is required for travel on other routes.

Thameslink services depart from platforms A and B, which lie beneath the terminal building down two sets of escalators. Destinations in London include: Brent Cross West, West Hampstead Thameslink, Kentish Town, New Barnet, Finsbury Park, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, Elephant and Castle, Wimbledon, Sutton, Peckham Rye, London Bridge, East Croydon, Greenwich and Abbey Wood. Beyond London, major destinations include: Brighton, Horsham, Gatwick Airport, St Albans City, Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Bedford, Stevenage, Peterborough and Cambridge.

You can use your Contactless card (touch in, touch out) on much of the network, but not all of it. Check before you set off, because a paper or mobile ticket may be required instead.

Next door, London King's Cross (KGX), has the following National Rail services:

• Grand Central - destinations in Yorkshire and the North East, including Peterborough, Wakefield Kirkgate, Halifax, Bradford Interchange, York and Sunderland.
• Great Northern - destinations in the East of England, including Stevenage, Peterborough, Cambridge, Ely and King's Lynn.
• Hull Trains - destinations in Yorkshire, including Doncaster, Selby and Hull.
• LNER - destinations in the East Midlands, North East and Scotland, including Stevenage, Peterborough, Lincoln, Leeds, York, Durham, Newcastle Central, Edinburgh Waverley, Dundee and Aberdeen.
• Lumo - destinations in the North East and Scotland, including Stevenage, Newcastle Central and Edinburgh Waverley.
• Thameslink - destinations in the East of England, including Stevenage, Peterborough and Cambridge.

King's Cross is next to St Pancras on its east side; you simply walk out of one station, cross the narrow Pancras Road, and enter the other.

Nearby London Euston (EUS) has the following National Rail services:

• Avanti West Coast - destinations in the West Midlands, North West, North Wales and Scotland, including Milton Keynes Central, Birmingham New Street, Crewe, Llandudno Junction, Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Oxenholme Lake District, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Haymarket/Waverley.
• Caledonian Sleeper - destinations in Scotland overnight, including Glasgow Central, Edinburgh Haymarket/Waverley, Fort William, Inverness and Aberdeen.
• London Northwestern Railway - destinations in the South East and Midlands, including Watford Junction, Hemel Hempstead, Tring, Milton Keynes Central, Northampton and Birmingham New Street.
•  LIO  London Overground (Lioness line) - destinations in north-west London including Queen's Park, Wembley Central, Harrow & Wealdstone and Watford Junction.

Euston is west of St Pancras and around a ½-mile (800-metre) walk along Euston Road. It is signposted. It's possible to catch the Tube between the two, but this will more than likely take longer than walking.

Coach route A8 is operated by National Express direct from London Stansted Airport into Pancras Road (Stop T).

Most coaches into London arrive into London Victoria Coach Station. Use London Underground Victoria line  VIC  from Victoria to King's Cross St Pancras, a journey which takes around 10 min.

London Bus routes into St Pancras include:

• 17 from Archway, Holloway, Gray's Inn Road, St Paul's Cathedral and London Bridge
• 30 from Hackney Wick, Dalston, Islington, Regent's Park, Baker Street and Marble Arch
• 46 from Paddington, Hampstead, Kentish Town, Camden Town, Chancery Lane and St Bartholomew's Hospital
• 63 from Honor Oak, Peckham, Elephant and Castle and Blackfriars
• 73 from Stoke Newington, Islington, Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street
• 91 from Crouch End, Holloway, Russell Square, Holborn and Trafalgar Square
• 205 from Paddington, Baker Street, Regent's Park, Islington, Shoreditch, Liverpool Street and Bow
• 214 from Highgate, Kentish Town, Camden Town, Islington and Moorgate
• 259 from Edmonton Green, Tottenham, Finsbury Park and Holloway
• 390 from Archway, Tufnell Park, Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Street, Marble Arch and Victoria
• 476 from Northumberland Park, Tottenham, Stoke Newington and Islington

There are several bus stops near the station, including in Midland Road, Pancras Road and Euston Road.

St Pancras International has 315 car parking spaces, off Pancras Road. It is on the pricey side, with a £7.50 charge for up to 20 minutes and £50 for 12-24 hours.

St Pancras International lies in the Congestion Charge zone. A £15 daily charge is payable between 7AM–6PM M–F and 12PM–6PM Sa–Su. Charges also apply on bank holidays, except Christmas Day and New Year's Day. You can pay the Congestion Charge on the Transport for London website. Some drivers may also need to pay the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which operates 24/7 except Christmas Day, if their vehicle does not meet certain environmental standards. You can pay the ULEZ on the Transport for London website.

Roads to St Pancras International include:

• - from Farringdon, The City and Elephant and Castle. Connecting routes include , and
• London Inner Ring Road - from Paddington, Marylebone, Islington, Shoreditch and Whitechapel. Connecting routes include , , , , and
• - from Tufnell Park and Holborn. Connecting routes include
• which includes Pancras Road - from Camden Town and Kentish Town. Connecting routes include and
• - from Holloway. Connecting routes include and

See also: Cycling in London

Bicycles are widely used to get around London.

A major cycleway runs directly to the west of St Pancras station, in both directions either side of Midland Road. Cycleway 6 is a direct connection to the station building from Kentish Town, Elephant and Castle, Blackfriars, Farringdon and Bloomsbury.

Transport for London's Santander Cycles hire scheme operates throughout Central London, with docking stations near St Pancras at:

• Argyle Street - opposite St Pancras International, across Euston Road
• Birkenhead Street - opposite King's Cross Station, across Euston Road
• Goods Way - near King's Cross Granary Square, north-east of St Pancras International
• Ossulston Street Somers Town - west of the British Library
• Pancras Road - north of St Pancras Station

Map of London St Pancras International

Passengers bound for mainland Europe should leave enough time to complete pre-departure checks. This includes:

• airport-style luggage checks, including luggage scans and metal detector gates
• passport checks by UK authorities
• passport checks by French authorities

For Eurostar Standard and Eurostar Plus passengers, gates close 30 minutes before departure. Eurostar recommends most passengers arrive 75 minutes before their train.

There is seating once you have cleared security, but this can become full at peak times. If you are travelling during the morning or evening peaks, prepare to stand or lean. There is a Pret A Manger café, a shop and The Station Pantry, which stocks snacks and drinks.

There is limited station seating but there are several cafés and pubs in the station building.

There are several places to find food and drink at St Pancras International, from chain coffee like Costa (Upper Grand Terrace, near the East Midlands Railway platforms 1-4) to high-end drinking at Searcys Champagne Bar and Brasserie (Grand Terrace on the first floor).

Coffee shops include day-to-day chains and boutique stores. Among them are:

• Benugo opposite The Circle, ground floor
• Costa Coffee at Upper Grand Terrace, near the East Midlands Railway platforms 1-4
• EL&N Café in The Arcade, ground floor
• Gail's bakery and coffee shop in The Circle, ground floor
• Grind in The Arcade, ground floor
• Pret A Manger in The Circle, ground floor, or at Upper Grand Terrace, near the East Midlands Railway platforms 1-4
• Starbucks in The Circle, ground floor

Bars in the terminal building include:

• Barrel Vault on the ground floor on the eastern side of the station, roughly opposite King's Cross Station.
• Betjeman Arms in the south-eastern corner of The Grand Terrace, first floor
• Searcys Brasserie and Champagne Bar in the Grand Terrace, first floor

There are also bars nearby in St Pancras Square, on the opposite side of Pancras Road to the station.

You can find food and drink beyond passport control in the international departures lounge, including at:

• Pret A Manger - a coffee shop chain serving a range of toasties, wraps, salads, pastries and hot drinks
• The Station Pantry - a small shop serving snacks and drinks
• World Duty Free which predominantly sells souvenirs but also stocks a small number of snacks and drinks

The Arcade at St Pancras features a range of shops, including fashion, souvenirs and gifts.

There are a series of high-street chains throughout the station including Boots, M&S (Marks and Spencer) and WHSmith. Also find FatFace clothing, Levi's jeans, Accessorize, Calvin Klein and MAC Cosmetics.

There are several iconic British brands in the building, including Hamleys toy shop, Hatchards - one of the capital's oldest bookshop brands, since 1797 - and Fortnum & Mason high-end hampers, food and drink.

A full list of outlets is on the St Pancras International website.

For international passengers, a World Duty Free souvenir shop lies beyond passport control.

There is a cluster of budget hotels nearby in Bloomsbury, as well as some splurge hotels in this corner of Camden. Great Northern Hotel is the oldest of London's railway hotels, built by the namesake railway company for the King's Cross station and opened in 1854, while St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel is the rebirth of the former Midland Hotel that operated the space 1873–1935, inside the heritage-listed St. Pancras station building. The latter is definitely outside the budget of many travellers, but for architectural aficionados this is one hotel that should be stayed in at least once in a lifetime. The real budget option is YHA London St Pancras.

If you don't need to sleep close to the station, there are hundreds of options elsewhere, easily in reach on foot or by public transportation.

The train station and its environs attracts pickpockets and luggage thieves. Unattended luggage is not permitted. As much as possible, keep one hand on your bags, your valuables securely out of sight, and look alert.

• Bloomsbury and Camden are obvious places to visit for travellers trapped here.