The St. Pancras Railway Station, London, named for a nearby church, is located on Euston Road and is juxtaposed between such other London landmarks as King's Cross railway station, the Regent's Canal, and the British Library.
The building of St. Pancras was completed in 1868, and served the Midland Railway as its southern terminus for routes running through London towards such destinations as Yorkshire and the East Midlands. Besides functioning as a international rail transportation hub, the St. Pancras station is a prime example of classic Victorian architecture. William Henry Barlow designed the train shed, a single-span structure which was the largest in the world in at the time of its opening. George Gilbert Scott was the designer for the Midland Grand Hotel, which was built at the front of the station. Both structures are considered jewels of Victorian architecture.
From its earliest days serving rail travellers on the Midland Railway, and, later, surviving a demolition planned in the 1960's, the St. Pancras station has evolved into an expanded, remodeled space which hosts continental traffic, domestic rail service, and underground and bus connections.
European connections are offered via the Channel Tunnel and High Speed 1, allowing travelers high-speed international access to such destinations as Paris, Lille, and Brussels.
A high-speed rail route is provided from St. Pancras to Kent, and is operated by Southeastern. Domestic rail service from St. Pancras to Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Derby–and smaller destinations in between–is provided by East Midlands Trains.
Air travellers can connect with the Thameslink route via First Capital Connect service, with trains heading south to Gatwick Airport, and north to Luton Airport.
St. Pancras is also a stop on the London Underground mainline route. The tube station is actually known as King's Cross/St. Pancras, as the two train stations can each be accessed via a walkway connecting the two sites. This availability makes still more destinations a convenient possibility for the traveller.
With 3 different bus stops located at St. Pancras, bus service is also easy to utilize.
In addition to the St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel and a shopping centre, this railway station boasts a variety of on-site restaurants and bars, with menus ranging from fine dining options to casual take-away fare. Venues on site are located on the Grand Terrace, in the main arcade (next to international rail service), and in the Circle area (near domestic train service and the shopping centre).
