As one end of the world’s first underground railroad, London's Paddington Station has a long history. The first rail service to Paddington Station came in 1838 with the construction of the Great Western Railway. This line provided passenger service between Taplow and London. Over the years, the facilities were expanded with a new station serving both passengers and freight constructed in 1854.
In 1863, underground trains began serving Paddington Station. The station was the end of the western lines of the Metropolitan Railway. At this point, Paddington Station began service as a transfer point between the underground trains of urban London and the aboveground trails providing service to other cities. Paddington, as it’s known to Londoners, continues to provide that service today with about 44 million passengers passing through the station each year.
The underground services at Paddington Station connect to all sectors of the city through connections with the Metropolitan line. Passengers may need to change trains between lines depending on their planned destination.
One of the principle destinations for passengers utilizing Paddington Station is Heathrow International Airport. London passengers utilize the underground to reach Paddington where they can change to the Heathrow Express for direct service to the airport. Other destinations with direct high-speed train service from Paddington include Reading, Swindon and Bath, England. Local trains also serve the suburbs of west London with common destinations of Slough, Maidenhead and Oxford.
Paddington Station is also served by the London bus system providing further transportation connections.
Travelers at Paddington Station can also stop and enjoy the accommodations. The historic Great Western Hotel stands directly across from the station and has offered lodging for nearly as long as the station has existed. The station also provides easy access to St. Mary’s Hospital. St. Mary’s is one of the larger hospitals in the greater London area. Visitors to Paddington will also find numerous restaurants, pubs and other hotels.
Visitors to the station may also want to take a few minutes to enjoy the architecture and monuments of the station. A glass roof supported by wrought iron arches covers the train platforms of the original station that are still in use. The facility includes a number of memorials including one placed in 1922 to commemorate the employees of the Great Western Railway that perished during World War I.
