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London Victoria
One of the busiest rail stations in the country, Victoria can be pretty stressful to travel through, especially at rush hour. So we've put together a few tips to help make it a bit more bearable...
Got to the station with just minutes to spare before your train leaves, only to face massive queues at the ticket office and out-of-service ticket machines? Don't despair! Head for the station reception office, found to the left of the main ticket office (if you are facing it). This office sells tickets too, but very few people realise this - so it can be a handy way to bypass the queues!
Don't miss your train by getting stuck in a cashpoint queue. The queues for the cashpoints on the main concourse can be very long. If you need cash in a hurry, avoid these and walk around to the left of WH Smith. Tucked away here under the stairs is a Royal Bank of Scotland cash machine. Because it's not in such an obvious place, there's usually not much of a queue - saving you valuable minutes.
If you've got some time to kill before your train and fancy a quiet drink away from the commuter chaos, make your way to the Thistle Hotel to the right of the station (if you are facing the departure boards). The hotel has a pleasant bar that's a civilised alternative to the pubs on the station - so you can start your journey in a relaxed mood! (Bonus tip: at the hotel entrance there's also a bureau de change with another little-used cashpoint!)
Victoria is a convenient base from which to visit nearby tourist attractions such as Buckingham Palace. If you'd like to explore a bit of the capital before checking in or making a connection without being weighed down by baggage, there's a left luggage facility adjacent to platform 8.
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