======Westminster Station======
=====Location Information=====
  * **Type:** [[London Underground]] station
  * **Location:** [[Westminster]], [[London]], [[England]]
  * **Owner/Residents:** [[Muggle]] transport authorities
  * **Key Features:** White-tiled interior, escalators, automated ticket barriers, proximity to the visitors' entrance of the [[Ministry of Magic]]
=====Description and History=====
[[Westminster Station]] is a busy [[Muggle]] transport hub located in central [[London]]. Described in the books as having a white-tiled interior, it is part of the extensive [[London Underground]] network. Access from the street level is via a flight of dirty stone steps, leading down into the bustling station.
As a place of advanced [[Muggle]] technology, it proved to be a source of great fascination for wizards unfamiliar with non-magical life. [[Arthur Weasley]], for instance, was completely baffled by the automatic ticket machines and the electronic turnstiles, which he referred to as "barriers with slits in them." His attempts to navigate these barriers required the assistance of both [[Harry Potter]] and a [[Muggle]] station guard.
The station serves as a key travel point for those on the [[District Line]] of the [[Underground]].
=====Role in the Story=====
[[Westminster Station]] plays a significant role in //Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix// as the means by which [[Harry Potter]] and [[Arthur Weasley]] travel to Harry's disciplinary hearing at the [[Ministry of Magic]]. Choosing to travel by [[Muggle]] public transport was a security measure to avoid drawing unwanted attention.
The journey through the station provides a moment of comic relief, showcasing Mr. Weasley's enthusiastic but clumsy interactions with the [[Muggle]] world, which temporarily distracts Harry from the anxiety of his impending trial. Upon exiting the station, they emerge onto a broad street lined with impressive buildings, from which they locate the secret visitors' entrance to the [[Ministry of Magic]]—a disguised red telephone box. This establishes the station as the primary public gateway for visitors needing to access the [[Ministry]] without using magical transport like the [[Floo Network]].
=====Known Areas Within=====
  * **Ticket Hall:** The main area upon entry, containing [[Muggle]] ticket machines and the electronic barriers that [[Arthur Weasley]] found so confusing.
  * **Platforms:** The station includes platforms for various [[Underground]] lines, most notably the [[District Line]] which Harry and Mr. Weasley used.
  * **Escalators and Stairways:** A network of moving stairs ([[escalators]]) and traditional staircases connects the different levels of the station.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix//, filming took place at the actual [[Westminster Station]]. The station was closed for an entire day on October 22, 2006, to accommodate the production. (film)
  * The cinematic depiction of the station features a far more modern, metallic, and Brutalist architectural style compared to the simple "white tiles" described in the novel, reflecting the real-life station's appearance after its late 1990s redevelopment. (film)