Clapham Junction is the UK's busiest interchange station and one of the busiest in Europe, serving a constant stream of trains to London terminuses and to the south. The station opened in 1863 as part of the extension of the railway network to the south coast, and a number of Victorian buildings and details remain. The red-brick Brighton Buildings at the southwest entrance feature original signage from the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway.
Both the southern exits from the station lead onto St Johns Hill, a popular shopping and nightlife street with a number of pubs, bars and restaurants. A ten minute walk from the station will take you to Battersea Arts Centre, a theatre and performance space that is also home to the annual Battersea Beer Festival. Clapham Junction is also close to three of south London's best known green spaces: Clapham Common, Wandsworth Common and Battersea Park.