If you’re a Potterhead, then you probably know about Platform 9 3/4. But did you also know that you can visit Platform 9 3/4 outside Harry Potter studio tours and in the real station it was filmed in? Yes, a Platform 9 3/4 isn’t actually possible, but you can still take the iconic Platform 9 3/4 photo with the trolley and your Hogwarts house scarf in the station that Platform 9 3/4 is based in! Not only that, but you can also check out the filming locations from Harry Potter close by! So if you’re visiting London, here’s everything you need to know about visiting Platform 9 3/4 in Kings Cross Station.
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What is Platform 9 3/4?
Platform 9 3/4 is probably the most famous train platform in the world, especially for Potterheads. It’s the train platform where Harry Potter and his friends boarded the Hogwarts Express to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
In Harry Potter, the only way to get on the platform is to run through the wall between platforms 9 and 10. For us muggles, we obviously can’t access Platform 9 3/4 through that method. But you can still visit Platform 9 3/4!
Where is Platform 9 3/4 Located?
Platform 9 3/4 is located at King’s Cross Station in London. But because the real platforms 9 and 10 in King’s Cross Station are separated by tracks, the wall between platforms 4 and 5 was used as Platform 9 3/4 during filming.
But you can still visit Platform 9 3/4 at the station right next to the Harry Potter Shop! The opening hours are currently:
- Monday – Saturday: 8am-10pm
- Sunday: 9am-8pm
- Bank holidays: 9am-8pm
How to Visit Platform 9 3/4
📍King’s Cross Station, N1 9AP.
To visit Platform 9 3/4, you’ll need to find your way to King’s Cross Station. This is not to be confused with Kings Cross St Pancras Underground Station or St Pancras International Station. To visit Platform 9 3/4 via the tube, get off at Kings Cross St Pancras Underground Station, which is on the Piccadilly, Northern, Victoria, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines and make your way to King’s Cross Station.
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The visit Platform 9 3/4 via bus, hop on any of these bus route numbers: 10, 17, 30, 45, 46, 59, 63, 73, 91, 205, 214, 259, 390 and 476.
The key feature that differentiates Kings Cross Station from Kings Cross St Pancras is that King’s Cross Station has a huge departure board with orange letters. Once you see the departure board, follow the signs towards platform 9, 10 and 11. You’ll see Platform 9 3/4 on the right and the Harry Potter shop next to it. More often than not, you’ll find people lining up to get a picture with it.
Is Platform 9 3/4 Free?
Yes, visiting Platform 9 3/4 is completely free! It’s in the main concourse area of King’s Cross Station so you won’t encounter any ticket barriers. Regarding taking photos with the trolley, you can take your own photos on a phone or camera for free too. Alternatively, you can get professional photos taken and buy them if you would like to. They charge £9.50 for one professional photo, £15 for two and £20 for three. For an extra special souvenir, you can also print your photo(s) onto Harry Potter style keyrings, and magnets.
💡Important to note: The professional photographer will not be able to take a photo on your own phone or camera, so it’s worth bringing along a friend or family member or even asking the person behind you if they can kindly take your photo for free.
The Harry Potter Shop
After you visit Platform 9 3/4 and take your photo with it, you’ll be guided straight into the Harry Potter shop. It’s the first ever Harry Potter shop that has opened outside of a themed attraction. And the opening ceremony featured Warwick Davis who played Professor Flitwick and Griphook in the Harry Potter films!
This is the place to splurge on all things Harry Potter related. There are souvenirs, games, Hogwarts uniforms, books, sweets, stationery and pretty much anything you can imagine a Harry Potter shop would have. There’s even a wand section where you can choose the wand that suits you!
And if by any chance your flight back from London is at Heathrow Airport, there’s also a Harry Potter shop you can visit at Heathrow Terminal 5!
What to Do When You Visit Platform 9 3/4
Platform 9 3/4 Photo + Harry Potter Shop
Did you ever really visit Platform 9 3/4 if you didn’t take the iconic photo with the trolley? This is certainly something to tick off the bucket list for Potterheads all over the world. To prepare for your photo, you’re provided with all 4 Hogwarts House scarves and a wand to choose from.
Harry Potter: Warner Bros. Studio Tour
Make a day trip of your visit to Platform 9 3/4 by visiting the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour too! You can take a bus transfer to the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour from Kings Cross after you take your photos at Platform 9 3/4!
Visit St Pancras International Station
After you visit Platform 9 3/4, there’s another magical place in Kings Cross that you can visit. Remember in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets when Ron and Harry hopped in a Ford Anglia to fly to Hogwarts? Well, the backdrop of this scene is located outside of St Pancras Station! The exterior of St Pancras was used to make it look as if it was Kings Cross Station. This is probably because it just looks so magical and pretty!
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Visit 12 Grimmauld Place
Remember 12 Grimmauld Place, the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix? Well, the real filming location is in Claremont Square! After you visit Platform 9 3/4 take a 20 minute walk down Pentonville Road to Claremont Square to see the magical property!
If you’ve got time, there are a bunch of other Harry Potter filming locations in London to check out too, including the Reptile House in London Zoo and the Leaky Cauldron Pub entrance at Leadenhall Market!
Things to Know for When You Visit Platform 9 3/4
Expect a long wait
It’s estimated that about 2 million people visit Platform 9 3/4 every year! With it being such a popular tourist attraction, expect to wait a long time to get your Platform 9 3/4 photo taken. The queue roughly takes about 45 mins to an hour, and in some extreme cases, you’ll probably wait longer. When I say the queue can get extreme, I’m not kidding. It can get so long that the rest of the queue has to stand outside King’s Cross Station!
Previously, the Harry Potter shop offered a VIP Photo Pass that allowed you to jump the queue. However, as of 2024, it is not on their website and they don’t seem to offer it anymore. So to avoid waiting for hours, the best option is to try visiting earlier on in the day. If you can visit as soon as it opens, even better!
The Full Hogwarts Experience at Platform 9 3/4
If you happen to be in London on September 1st you can get the full Back to Hogwarts Day experience at Kings Cross. 1000s of Potterheads gather in King’s Cross Station on September 1st to mark the departure of the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9 3/4, dressed in Hogwarts house robes and waving their wands. The main highlight of Back to Hogwarts Day is the countdown to 11am to see the Hogwarts Express on the Kings Cross departure board and hear the boarding announcement!
But that’s not all. From September 1st-3rd, King’s Cross is filled with all things Harry Potter where you can enter giveaways, take different photos, drink Butterbeer and more!
Platform 9 3/4 FAQs
What is the Platform in Harry Potter?
The platform in Harry Potter is Platform 9 3/4 in King’s Cross Station! This is the platform that Harry and his friend get on to go on the Hogwarts Express to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Is Platform 9 3/4 real?
In the wizarding world, yes, Platform 9 3/4 is real. But in the muggle world, unfortunately, no. It’s physically impossible for there to be a Platform 9 3/4 because of the way that train platforms are made. The closest thing we’ve got to Platform 9 3/4 in the muggle world is in the concourse area of King’s Cross which is part of the Harry Potter shop.
What station is Platform 9 3/4?
Platform 9 3/4 is in King’s Cross Station! This is not to be confused with St Pancras Station or Kings Cross St Pancras Underground Station which are also in King’s Cross.
What are the opening times for visiting Platform 9 3/4 for pictures?
It’s the same as the opening times for the Harry Potter shop:
• Monday – Saturday: 8am-10pm
• Sunday: 9am-8pm
• Bank holidays: 9am-8pm
Outside of these hours, you can still visit Platform 9 3/4, however, you’ll only see the Platform 9 3/4 plaque and not the trolley.
Where can I buy a Platform 9 3/4 VIP Pass?
As of 2024, there doesn’t seem to be a Platform 9 3/4 VIP Pass on the Harry Potter Shop website anymore. My best advice is to visit Platform 9 3/4 very early in the morning to avoid the long queues!
How to Visit Platform 9 3/4 in London: In a Nutshell
Visiting Platform 9 3/4 is a great experience for Potterheads. It’s as simple as heading down to Kings Cross station and waiting in line to get your photo taken next to the trolley then visiting the Harry Potter shop! If you want to avoid waiting in a long queue just make sure to arrive early!
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