London Charing Cross

Bicycle

If you want to take your bicycle on the train, please check with the train operator first. Visit National Rail for more information.

Bicycle parking

There are bicycle racks available at the front of the station. Bikes are left at owner’s risk – make sure yours is securely locked. British Transport Police bicycle security advice.

You can hire a bike from Transport for London (TfL), as part of their cycle hire scheme. More information on the charges can be found at TfL cycle hire.

Bicycles on TfL services

For more information, please visit TfL.

Information for Cyclists

Please visit our Information for Cyclists page for tips on cycling and storing your bikes safely at our stations.

Bus

There is a bus station at the front of the train station on The Strand and access to these are step free.

When departing Charing Cross, we are happy to assist you to your connecting bus. Please let a staff member know if you wish to do this. We’re unable to collect you from arriving buses at the station. All buses are accessible except Heritage routes 9 and 15.

For more information on buses, please visit TfL.

Car

Our pick-up and drop-off point is located on the station forecourt, postcode for sat nav is WC2N 5HS. There is a bay on the forecourt reserved for Blue Badge holders picking-up or dropping-off passengers.

Note: Due to limited space and to avoid traffic congestion you will be unable to wait at our drop-off and pick-up point.

Car park

There is no public car park at the station.

London Underground

Lines serving Charing Cross Underground station:

• Bakerloo
• Northern

For more information please visit TfL Underground.

The entrance to the Underground station is on the left of the ticket office down the stairs or the escalator. Please note there is no complete step free access from the main station concourse to London Underground Platforms.

Embankment underground station

To get there, turn right onto The Strand and take the first right down Villiers Street – the station is about 250 metres ahead.

Lines serving Embankment:

• District
• Circle
• Bakerloo
• Northern

Taxi

An accessible taxi rank is located on the cobbled station forecourt, there is a pavement to the side. Our team is available to help passengers who need assistance from the taxi rank. To access the taxi rank, follow signs from the station.

The taxi rank is a designated TfL taxi rank operating black cabs, all of which are wheelchair accessible. Some of the newer ‘black cabs’ are also fitted with induction loops and intercoms for hearing aid users.

We offer assistance to passengers who need help accessing our facilities and train services. Our Passenger assistance team have access to wheelchairs and passenger assistance vehicles to help us assist you in and around the station.

What services are included?

Our Passenger assistance team can aid with:

• offering a helping hand to the station
• support when boarding, finding a seat, or alighting the train
• meeting you from your train and taking you to your next train or the exit
• arranging a ramp to assist you on or off your train
• assistance relating to a non-visible disability
• advising on the accessibility of other stations across the network for your onward journey
• carrying your bag(s) – up to three items of luggage as per the National Rail Conditions of Travel.

When arriving at the station by train where it is the terminating stop for the train, our aim is to meet you on time. Sometimes it may take us a little longer because we often assist more than one passenger per train, but we have a service commitment to not exceed 5 minutes from arrival and 10 minutes during disruption.

If you arrive at the station much earlier than your planned departure time, you may have to wait for assistance staff to become available.

London Charing Cross is a busy station for Passenger Assistance bookings. Because our station is so busy, we do recommend that you book in advance wherever possible. Pre-booked assistance can be booked up to 2 hours in advance of travel.

Booked assistance

There are several ways you can book assistance. You can contact the Southeastern Railway for your journey via their website.

Alternatively you can visit National Rail. You can also book assistance using the Passenger Assist app.

Turn up and go

As well as booking in advance, you can ask for assistance on the day that you are travelling. Assistance services are available at all times the station is open. You may need to wait until staff are available to help, but our policy is to make it happen. You can ask any member of staff at the station or go to our assisted travel information kiosk at the times it is open, which is located at the Southeastern information desk.

Where to go when you arrive at the station

We have an assisted travel lounge located on the main concourse.

Our assistance reception can help you:

• Check-in for assistance you have booked in advance.
• Make a ‘turn up and go’ request for assistance.

There is a comfortable heated seating/waiting area exclusively for the use of passengers requiring assistance.

Please note: we can only provide assistance on the station premises to/from Charing Cross London Underground, the taxi rank and the nearest bus stops located on the Strand.

Assisted travel lounge opening hours

• Monday to Saturday: 06:30 to 22:00
• Sunday: 07:30 to 22:00

Outside of these times, passenger assistance services are still available, by speaking to a member of staff on the concourse.

We recognise that all passengers will benefit from changes to make the railway more accessible. Our aim is to make continuous improvements to the accessibility of our services and stations for all our passengers. We have developed Station Guides for older and disabled passengers.

Autism Friendly Guide

We have produced a guide to help autistic people confidently and independently travel by train.

Sunflower Scheme

You may choose to wear the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard to indicate that you have a hidden disability and that you may need a little extra help or time. This is something that our station staff, along with people at many other venues are being trained to recognise.

Induction loops

Located at the Southeastern Railway information desk.

Tactile paving/panels

Tactile paving/panels are used to help passengers with visual impairments to detect the platform edges at our stations. These are comprised of bumps that are detectable with a walking cane, by guide dogs and/or felt underfoot.

At London Charing Cross all of our platforms are fitted with tactile paving/panels.

Step-free access

London Underground access

There is no complete step free access from the main station concourse to London Underground Platforms. 

Step-free access to platforms 1-6

All platforms have level access from the main concourse.

Please note: We do recommend that wheelchair users and others who are unfamiliar with the station seek assistance from a member of our team.

Station operating hours

• Monday to Saturday: 04:30 to 00:50
• Sunday: 06:30 to 00:46

Charring Cross is London’s most central station and there are times when the station can become congested. Our station teams manage passenger flow during busier times. Off-peak times are when the station is least busy – these are normally during the week after 09:30, before 16:00 and after 19:00.

Food, drink and shopping

Search for food, drink and shopping outlet opening hours and services at London Charing Cross station on our station retail directory page.

For information about food and drink facilities on trains, visit National Rail.

Assisted Travel Lounge Opening Hours

• Monday to Saturday: 06:30 – 22:00
• Sunday: 07:30 – 22:00

Outside of these times, passenger assistance services are still available, by speaking to a member of staff on the concourse.

Cash machines

There are three ATM machines located on the station concourse.

Lost property

At the station

Lost property found at the station it will go to the Left Luggage office, located on the concourse near the Trafalgar square exit. To report a lost item online, visit the lost property website. Please provide as much information as you can, to help the lost property officers locate your item.

Lost property counter hours:

Monday to Sunday: 07:00 to 23:00

On board a train

If your item is found onboard a train and taken off at a train operators station it will be handled by their lost property teams. Visit Southeastern Railway | lost property for more information.

Luggage and baggage storage

You can pre-book storage for your heavy, awkward or high-value luggage. The Left Luggage office is located on the concourse near the Trafalgar square exit. For more information visit Excess Baggage.

Photo booths

There is a photo-booth in the Trafalgar Square Exit near to the left luggage.

Seating

There is lots of seating available across the station, all with access to customer information screens.

• Main concourse.
• Platforms: Seating is available conveniently located at key points.

Showers

There are no shower facilities available.

Telephones

You’ll find payphones at the Trafalgar Square Exit near to the left luggage facilities. There is also a BT textphone in the Central Exit to the Strand.

Toilets, including accessible toilets

Toilets including accessible toilets and baby changing facilities are located by the central exit to the Strand. Baby changing facilities are located in the same place.

Accessible toilets

Accessible toilets can be accessed using a Radar key. If you don’t have a Radar key of your own, please speak to a member of station staff or one of our cleaning team who will open for you.

Trolleys

There are no luggage trolleys in the station.

Water fountain

The water fountain is located in the centre of the concourse.

Wheelchairs

Wheelchairs are available for passenger use with the help of one of our team. Visit the passenger assistance section on this page.

WiFi

Free public WiFi. To connect, select the network ‘#FreeStationWiFi’ – this will bring up the landing page. Accept the terms and conditions and click ‘Connect’. For troubleshooting, visit our free station WiFi page.