Everything you need to know about London Paddington Station
We often talk about the hotels close to Paddington station, the best restaurants around the area of Paddington London, and the assortment of experiences you can enjoy when you stay close to Paddington.
But how about the station itself? In this blog, we introduce the history, stories from, and information you need to know about London Paddington station.
History of Paddington Station
Overlooking Paddington Station, here at The Chilworth Hotel, Paddington is more than just home. It is a site of culture, of history, and of architectural excellence — with the main structure and design still apparent even after decades of modernisation and upgrades following WW2 damage and rebuilding work.
Paddington station was first constructed in 1838 though the main bulk of the building was built around 1854. Since then, it has been a main transport hub in London and has long served visitors who want to travel to Heathrow, Reading, Southwest England, South Wales, and of course within London itself.
Interestingly, the station was first announced by Brunel in 1833 to create a direct link between Bristol and London. Paddington was to be built as the home of this direct trainline, which would be referred to as the Great Western Railway. The first service from GWR departed from Paddington station in 1854.
Stories from inside Paddington Station
We cannot talk about Paddington Station and not mention Paddington Bear. One of the notable things about London, and something that makes up the content of many tours around the city and beyond, it its presence in books and fictional movies — with Paddington up there as one of the most famous set with the backdrop of the hotels close to Paddington.
You can make the most of these tours by booking in advance, or by chatting to your hotel concierge about the best experiences.
A Guide to the Station
Paddington may be the name of the station, but over the years it has become a hub of activity with some of London’s top hotels close to Paddington Station, some of the best restaurants situated around Paddington London, and tourists flocking to the area thanks to its proximity to exhibition row (for the museums) and the local green spaces (Regents Park).
The station itself is home to a number of railway lines today, as well as linking to a series of underground routes on the Bakerloo line, Circle line, District Line, and Hammersmith & City line. This means that not only does Paddington station and its surroundings boast their own local attractions, but they also keep Londoners and visitors well connected to other areas of the city.
Paddington is, in short, a great place to call home during your trip to London — making travel inside and outside of London easy to manage and even easier to navigate. Visit our website to find out about the best Paddington Hotel special offers available now.