London’s Victoria Coach Station is an active railway to the south of the ritzy Buckingham Palace that contains two separate railways combined into one. And if you’re arriving in London by air or train there’s a good chance that you’ll make your way through this major hub.
A few fun facts about Victoria Coach Station to know upon your visit:
- It wasn’t named after Queen Victoria. Rather, it was named after the actual street where it resides, Victoria Street
- It once held a cinema called the Victoria Station News Theatre, back in 1933. Sadly, it closed decades later in 1981.
- The station was a terminus during the First World War where trains would carry soldiers into the area to and from France. You can find a commemorative plaque on Platform 8
Here are five ways to kill time near London’s Victoria Coach Station
As you make your way in and out of the area, be sure to find Victoria Coach Station luggage storage so that nothing is holding you back.
Visit the Grosvenor Hotel
While you have time to kill if you are short on time but have just enough to do one thing then it’s worth heading to the Grosvenor Hotel for a drink or quick bite. This hotel is right next to Victoria Coach Station and is worth the visit because it was originally built in 1861 before being renovated only in the 1890s.
Take a stroll through one of the many parks
London is known for its parks—there are just so many! If you have time to kill, grab a book, laptop, or just your travel companion for some good conversation and head to any one of these parks nearby:
- Chester Square
- Easton Square
- Ecclestone Square
- Warwick Square
Any one of these parks will provide you with the calm and clarity amid all of your hectic travel plans.
Head to Strutton Ground
Very close to Victoria Street is a cobblestone marketplace called Strutton Ground where locals and visitors alike can be seen killing time. It is busiest on weekdays, because of the local workers during the lunchtime breaks, and contains numerous stalls and shops worth peaking into.
Say hello to Little Ben
Not to be confused with the beaming tower heard around the world, Big Ben, Little Ben is right outside of Victoria Station and acts as a smaller model of his big brother. It’s a cast iron replica, at the crossroads of Vauxhall Bridge Road and Victoria Street, right in central London. If you’re headed in or out of Victoria Station you won’t miss it.
Explore a restaurant in London
There are some delicious restaurants in London that are worth trying. If you’re in the area and have enough time to kill, here are a few recommendations:
- For Indian food head to Bengal Village—Best of Brick Lane, located at 75 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL
- If you enjoy seafood then you’ll want to try J Sheekey, located at 28-52 St Martin’s Court, London WC2N 4AL
- For more European flair, head to The Ledbury, , located at 127 Ledbury Road, London W11 2AQ or The Wolseley, located at 160 Piccadilly, Street, James’s, London W1J 9EB
- Those who enjoy Asian-Fusion will really like Inamo Covent Garden, located at 11-14 Hanover Place, London WC2E 9JP
- Then there are, of course, the British classics of Restaurant Story, located at 199 Tooley Street, London SE1 2JX, and St. John Restaurant, located at 26 St John Street, Barbican, London EC1M 4AY
- To be more on the casual side, head to Padella, located in Borough Market at 6 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TQ
- If you love Greek food, try Alexander The Great Restaurant, located at 8 Plender Street, London NW1 0JT
- Those who enjoy a delightful chophouse should head over to Blacklock Soho, located at 24 Great Windmill Street, London W1D 7LG
- For some North African fare, take the time to stop into The Barbary, located at 16 Neal’s Yard, London WC2H 9DP
But before you go be sure to stop at a Victoria Coach Station luggage storage spot, so that you don’t have to carry your extra baggage in and out of any one of these restaurants.
Conclusion
And Victoria Coach Station luggage storage has plenty of options so you can be on the go. You can easily drop off your luggage on Sutherland Street, Victoria, near Pimlico Station, at Victoria Station, on Buckingham Palace Road, in South Kensington, at St. James’s Park Station, at Knightsbridge, around Piccadilly, near the Shepherd’s Market, around Leicester Square, at Oxford Circus or Oxford Street, at the Covent Garden, on Old Brompton Road, at Vauxhall, inside Charing Cross Station, at Battersea, near Mayfair Market, on Gloucester Road, at Grosvenor Square, near Lambeth North Station, at the Bond Street Station, the Broadwick spot, and so many more. What’s even better is that many of these Victoria Coach Station luggage storage spots are available 24/7 so that you can easily drop-off and pick-up your items at your convenience.