Victoria  | |
|---|---|
| London Victoria | |
 Victoria Station in Westminster, London | |
  Victoria Location of Victoria in Central London | |
| Location | Victoria |
| Local authority | City of Westminster |
| Managed by | Network Rail |
| Owner | Network Rail |
| Station code(s) | VIC |
| DfT category | A |
| Number of platforms | 19 |
| Accessible | Yes[1] |
| Fare zone | 1 |
| OSI | Victoria  |
| Cycle parking | Yes – platforms 7–8 & 17–18 |
| Toilet facilities | Yes |
| National Rail annual entry and exit | |
| 2018–19 |  74.716 million[2] |
| – interchange | 5.800 million[2] |
| 2019–20 | 73.559 million[2] |
| – interchange | 5.756 million[2] |
| 2020–21 | 13.791 million[2] |
| – interchange | 1.385 million[2] |
| 2021–22 |  36.776 million[2] |
| – interchange | 3.296 million[2] |
| 2022–23 | 45.564 million[2] |
| – interchange | 3.268 million[2] |
| Key dates | |
| 1 October 1860 | Opened by Victoria Station and Pimlico Railway |
| 1860 | Leased to London Brighton and South Coast Railway |
| 25 August 1862 | Separate station opened for London, Chatham and Dover and Great Western Railways |
| Other information | |
| External links | |
| Coordinates | 51°29′43″N 0°08′39″W / 51.4952°N 0.1441°W |
 London transport portal | |
Victoria station, also known as London Victoria, is a central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in Victoria, in the City of Westminster, managed by Network Rail.[3] Named after the nearby Victoria Street,[4] the main line station is a terminus of the Brighton Main Line to Gatwick Airport and Brighton and the Chatham Main Line to Ramsgate and Dover via Chatham. From the main lines, trains can connect to the Catford Loop Line, the Dartford Loop Line, and the Oxted line to East Grinstead and Uckfield. Southern operates most commuter and regional services to south London, Sussex and parts of east Surrey, while Southeastern operates trains to south-east London and Kent, alongside limited services operated by Thameslink. Gatwick Express trains run direct to Gatwick. The Underground station is on the Circle and District lines between Sloane Square and St James's Park stations, and on the Victoria line between Pimlico and Green Park stations. The area around the station is an important interchange for other forms of transport: a local bus station is in the forecourt and Victoria Coach Station is nearby.
Victoria was built to serve both the Brighton and Chatham Main Lines, and has always had a "split" feel of being two separate stations. The Brighton station opened in 1860 with the Chatham station following two years later. It replaced a temporary terminus at Pimlico, and construction involved building the Grosvenor Bridge over the River Thames. It became immediately popular as a London terminus, causing delays and requiring upgrades and rebuilding. It was well known for luxury Pullman train services and continental boat-train trips, and became a focal point for soldiers during World War I.
Like other London termini, steam trains were phased out of Victoria by the 1960s, to be replaced by suburban electric and diesel multiple-unit services; all services from the station are currently operated using electric multiple units. Despite the end of international services following the opening of the Channel Tunnel, Victoria still remains an important London terminal station. The connected Underground station, in particular, suffered from overcrowding, until a major upgrade was completed in the late 2010s.[5] The Gatwick Express service provides easy access between Central London and Gatwick Airport for international travellers.
- ^ "London and South East" (PDF). National Rail. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Estimates of station usage". Rail statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Please note: Some methodology may vary year on year.
- ^ "Victoria Station". Network Rail. 26 July 2012. Archived from the original on 11 May 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
- ^ "The history of London Victoria station". Network Rail. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ "Victoria Tube station upgrade delivers quicker journeys".