Planning a trip to London soon? Are you a big Harry Potter fan? If you answered ‘yes’ to both those questions, then you’re probably planning to stop by Platform 9 3/4 during your time in the center of the Harry Potter universe.
I know it’s difficult to choose from the literally endless amount of Harry Potter themed activities based in London and the U.K., but I always recommend taking the time to visit Platform 9 3/4 because it’s free and one of the more “realistic” experiences based on the Harry Potter universe you can do in London.
I love knowing a little bit of what to expect when I’m going somewhere new, and I also love going in prepared with a few tips and tricks- especially in popular tourist areas like Platform 9 3/4 and King’s Cross. Read the following information, tips and tricks I have ahead of your trip to catch the Hogwarts Express!
Where is Platform 9 3/4?
Platform 9 3/4 is located in the main concourse area of King’s Cross Station. When you enter the front doors (seriously, you won’t be able to miss the entrance), walk toward the back of the concourse, and you will find the trolley, photo opportunity and shop on the righthand side.
The official address of King’s Cross Station (where Platform 9 3/4 is located) is Euston Rd, Kings Cross, London N1 9AL, United Kingdom. This address will bring you to the front of the world-famous station.
When is Platform 9 3/4 Open?
It’s important to double check the hours before making a trip to King’s Cross specifically for the trolley photo. The King’s Cross photo station hours are Monday – Saturday 8am-10pm and Sunday 9am – 9pm. The wall and Platform 9 3/4 sign without the trolley is also available from 6am – 8am and 10pm – 12pm for you to take your own photos without staff assistance, but this does mean the trolley will not be available and if you’re alone or wanting group photos, there’s no trained staff member to help you get the perfect shot.
What is the Platform 9 3/4 Experience?
Once you arrive at Platform 9/4, there will almost definitely be a line of other wizards trying to catch the Hogwarts Express (wanting their photo with the trolley). People in the line range from excited, wizarding world-obsessed superfans to business professionals in town looking for a fun picture to show their friends. Depending on what time you go, the line could be a 10 minute wait or upwards of an hour. It really just depends on timing. I went in the very early days of January around 8 a.m. and had to wait around 15 minutes.
Once you’re done “queuing,” (Brits’ favorite word for waiting in line) one of the two Platform 9 3/4 employees will ask which house scarf and wand you would like- this was the most surprising aspect of the experience for me. I had no idea that there were scarves and wands there for people to use! They’re really authentic, and the employee stands out of frame to whisk the scarf up mid-shot! The other Platform 9 3/4 employee will take your photo with a professional camera, but if you have a traveling companion with you, they’re more than welcome to take a photo too. I also was happy there were two employees because this means you could *probably* be fine to leave your personal items sitting right next to him/her if you’re on your own without anyone else to hold your belongings.
After you’ve gotten your picture, you can go straight into the shop and purchase your image! They are very high quality and a nice 5×7 size. The professional photos also come in a decorative paper “frame.” Read more about the photo options in the following section of this post.
How Much Money Does Platform 9 3/4 Cost?
The experience itself is completely free. I will say I would have done this picture or not picture, (that might be limited to very intense HP fans) and you can always have your traveling companion take a phone-quality photo for you. My husband and I bought the photos because they really aren’t that expensive, and we wanted something fun to mark our honeymoon with. The professional photo costs only £9.50. They also have offers including 2 photographs for £15 and 3 photographs for £20. They also offer a key ring and magnet set as well as a glass frame.
How is the Platform 9 3/4 store?
I was pleasantly surprised by the Platform 9 3/4 gift shop. There were items there I had never really seen before, and the clothing items were cuter than a lot of the tacky Harry potter items I have seen. We went to the Harry Potter Universal Studios Experience directly after our visit to King’s Cross, so I decided not to get anything at this store thinking there would be way better merchandise at the studio tour. However, I ended up regretting this decision! The items at the studio tour were more run-of-the-mill and on the tacky side if you don’t mind me saying. If you see something you like, go for it here and don’t hold back! I also wanted to quickly mention the shop sells online as well.
What else is there to do around King’s Cross?
King’s Cross is in a great area of London! There’s so much to do, and this is actually the area my husband’s apartment was when he studied abroad in London a few years ago. I’ll include a few things here that are pretty convenient to the station, but it’s fairly centrally located and you’ll really be able to get almost anywhere you need to go easily from here!
Shopping
There’s actually some shopping within the station, almost like what you would find at a major airport. Coal Drop’s Yard also looks really neat.
Eating
– Dishoom at King’s Cross, Dishoom is my favorite restaurant of all time. While we ate at the location in Edinburgh, I am almost certain each location would be amazing. With the wait times we experienced, it might be good to have a couple different locations on standby!
British Library
Visit Before the Warner Brothers Studio Tour–
We went just before catching the train to the Warner Brothers Studio experience, so it’s definitely convenient and doable if that is on your list as well!
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I hope this helped you feel more prepared for your visit to Platform 9 3/4! I highly recommend going for this experience if you’re trying to narrow down what to do in London.
