Waterloo Station Size: 25 Acres, 250m Concourse, 24 Platforms

London Waterloo is Britain's largest and busiest station by floor area and passenger volume.

Key Metrics

• Area: ~25 acres (10 hectares)
• Main concourse: >250m (820 ft) long
• Platforms: 24 (numbered 1–24, though 13–14 don't exist historically)
• Waterloo & City Line: Separate deep-level platforms (2) — "The Drain"
• Annual entries/exits: ~100M (pre-COVID); ~60M (2023 recovery)

Layout

Main station: Terminal platforms (1–16) under vast arched roof (1922 reconstruction). Former Eurostar platforms (20–24) now domestic. Concourse spans full width, linking Underground (Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern, W&C), retail (200+ units), and Network Rail offices.

Comparison

Larger than Victoria, Liverpool Street, King's Cross. Only Paris Gare du Nord and Tokyo Shinjuku exceed its throughput globally.