Top quark production at the LHC (single top and tt cross sections)

With the large number of top quarks produced at the LHC, top quark physics enters an era of precision and properties measurements. This article reviews the recent advances in top quark cross section measurements performed by ATLAS and CMS using data recorded in 2011 with integrated luminosities up to 5~fb$^{-1}$. They include precision inclusive cross sections, the establishment of challenging channels, first differential cross section measurements and single top production.