King’s Cross Station is one of the most important real-life landmarks to feature in the Harry Potter Books. Unsurprisingly it has become quite a pilgrimage for fans over the years, so of course someone has created a tourist installation and gift shop to give those fans something more to look at than a train station.
I visited it back in 2018. When we arrived, we found an immense queue for the photo booth part of the experience. So immense, in fact, that it had to be cut in half, with lots of people sent to line up outside before being allowed to join the formal queue. When we got to the photo booth itself, it turned out to be the classic platform sign and half a luggage trolley imbedded in the wall, as though passing through to the platform where the Hogwarts Express awaits. The staff offered props (such as a house scarf and your choice of wand), then snapped my picture. After that, we were free to proceed into the gift shop which was a veritable Gringotts vault of HP merchandise and had highlights from the soundtrack playing at all times.
The main downside to this experience is that it is quite simple: the trolley isn’t actually in the barriers between the right platforms (because that barrier doesn’t exist). Also, fans of the movies will be disappointed as the famous scenes were actually shot in the station across the road, St Pancras (pay that one a visit, it’s a very nice station). I personally think the atmosphere makes up for these factual drawbacks but it’s something to keep in mind.
Next, the queueing. It does take forever and you do have to be conscious of the people actually there to catch trains. However, there was a really nice atmosphere and sense of comradery while we were standing in line and the staff were friendly so I didn’t mind overly much. When we got inside, I was fast tracked to the front (thanks to my white cane) so I have to give the staff extra bonus points for their attitudes to disabled visitors. Also, you don’t need to queue or take a photo just to access the shop.
The shop itself was also difficult to get around due to the limited space and sheer number of people but I didn’t really notice that either due to the wealth of awesome merchandise on display. Unfortunately, the prices are quite steep (as with most potter products). However, there were several fairly affordable options like pins, keychains, pens and wizarding luggage tags to be had for under £10.
So, was it worth it? While the photo op might be a little silly, I actually had fun posing. They also get major kudos for allowing people to take their own photos, so you can actually have the experience without shelling out for the glossy professional prints (if this is what you’re after, then you can also go early in the morning or later in the evening to take photos without the staff there). The staff were also very sweet and excited – I definitely felt like they were intent on making sure each visitor had a good experience, even though they needed to keep people moving. I also loved spending a long time in the shop, deciding what to buy and soaking up everyone else’s excitement.
I would absolutely recommend this experience. It certainly has its faults but I love it primarily for how easy it is to access. Unlike Universal or the Studio tours, you can just drop into King’s Cross in passing and enjoy the magic. Providing you go into it with reasonable expectations, it’s a very fun way to spend an hour with other fans.