Windsor Day Trip from London, England
Want to plan the perfect Windsor day trip from London, England.
This guide contains everything you need to know! Windsor is a town just west of London that is best known for Windsor Castle, one of the most important residences of the British royal family.
Windsor is one of the best day trips from London because of its proximity to the city. You can even visit Windsor as a quick half-day trip from London. If you leave in the morning, you can be back in the city by mid-afternoon. Of course, it’s also possible to spend more time in Windsor if you want to.
Windsor also combines nicely with some other nearby destinations if you want to enjoy a full-day trip to some of England’s other top sites. (I’ll talk more about options for this at the end!)
Here’s everything you need to know about taking a day trip to Windsor from London…
⭐ Short on time? These are the top tours and activities I recommend. If you book directly through a link on this page, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Stay to Wander!
Best Tours to Windsor, England:
- Half-day tour to Windsor Castle
- Full-day tour to Windsor, Stonehenge, and Oxford
- Full-day tour to Windsor, Stonehenge, and Bath
How to Get to Windsor
You have two main options for getting to Windsor: taking the train or taking a tour.
You could also theoretically drive yourself, but unless you’re a local, I would not go to the trouble of renting a car in London (expensive, lots of traffic, stressful if you aren’t used to driving on the opposite side of the road) just for a day trip, and especially just for a day trip to Windsor.
Visiting Windsor independently by train is very easy, and the most cost-effective option.
You can take the Tube most of the way to Windsor. Just hop on the Elizabeth Line and ride it all the way to the last station, Slough. From Slough, you’ll need to transfer to the Great Western Railway and take it one stop to the final stop, Windsor & Eton Central. From there, it’s a five-minute walk to the castle.
Another option is take the Great Southern Railway from Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside, which is another station in town that is about a ten-minute walk from the castle.
Depending on where you’re staying in London, one option might be faster than another. If you’re close to Paddington Station, the first option is quicker (about 50 minutes) while if you’re close to Waterloo, the second option might be faster overall (about an hour and 10 minutes.)
Regardless of which option you choose, it will cost you about £10 each way. You don’t have to buy any tickets in advance, you can just tap to pay at the station with your credit or debit card.
Another option is taking a tour to Windsor. These typically include round-trip coach bus transportation from central London. I’ll talk more about the best tours later on in this guide.
How to Visit Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is the main attraction in Windsor.
Dating back to the 11th century, this castle was built by William the Conqueror and is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Over the centuries, it’s survived sieges, battles, and fires. The castle has also been renovated and expanded by various kings and queens of England.
Today, visitors can access the State Apartments, St. George’s Chapel, and several other parts of the castle and its ground, as well as watch the Changing of the Guard ceremony.
You’ll want to book your tickets online in advance of your visit because it’s cheaper than getting tickets the day of (£30 vs. £33) and tickets can even sell out at busy times of the year.
When you buy a ticket, you will need to choose a time slot for your visit. The castle opens at 10 AM and the last admission is at 3 PM or 4 PM depending on the season (with closing one hour and 15 minutes later.)
It’s also important to note that the castle is closed every Tuesday and Wednesday, and St. George’s Chapel is closed on Sundays. There are also various closures throughout the year for holidays, state events, and other private ceremonies, so check the schedule in advance to plan accordingly.
How Much Time Do You Need?
I recommend setting aside at least three hours for your visit the Windsor Castle. First, your entry ticket includes a multimedia guide that is worth listening to/watching in every room.
After touring the castle and its grounds, I also recommend heading over to The Long Walk. This pathway offers an iconic view of Windsor Castle, and it’s one of the parts of the Windsor Castle grounds that is open to everyone. The Long Walk is about a 10-minute walk from the castle when you leave.
Once you’re done visiting the castle, you might want to allot another hour to get lunch or do some shopping in Windsor. The town itself is very touristy, but it still has some quaint little streets to explore. Everything is also very walkable — nothing is more than 10 minutes from the castle or the train stations.
There’s honestly not a ton to do in Windsor, which is why most people make it into a half-day trip. Another option is combining a visit to Windsor with another destination or two for a full-day trip.
Best Tours to Windsor and Beyond
Now let’s talk about the best tours to Windsor (including multi-destination tours.)
If you just want to visit Windsor Castle, this half-day tour from London is a good option. It includes round-trip transportation by coach bus from London, entry to Windsor Castle, and a live guide.
However, since it’s so easy to visit Windsor Castle on your own by train and your entry ticket includes a multimedia guide, I would recommend that because it’s the cheaper option.
But if you want to visit multiple destinations in one day from London, a tour is your best option because you don’t have to worry about the logistics and can make the most of your time.
One of the most popular tours is this full-day trip that includes Windsor, Stonehenge, and Oxford. In addition to touring Windsor Castle, you’ll visit the mysterious Stonehenge monument in Salisbury and then finish the day in the beautiful university town of Oxford, where you’ll have a walking tour.
Another option is this full-day trip that includes Windsor, Stonehenge, and Bath. The first two destinations are the same as the tour above, but you’ll finish your day in the charming, historic town of Bath. Here, you can visit the well-preserved ancient Roman baths that the town is named for.
Is Windsor Worth a Day Trip?
I definitely think that Windsor is worth a day trip from London.
If you’re short on time, it would actually be my number one recommendation for a day trip from London since you can easily visit Windsor in a half-day and return to the city by mid-afternoon.
I really enjoyed my day trip to Windsor. Even though I found the price for Windsor Castle to be a bit steep at £30, I ultimately thought it was worth it to see this historic place. One thing to note is that you can’t take photos or videos inside the State Apartments or St. George’s Chapel, only on the grounds outside.
Aside from spending a few hours to tour Windsor Castle and its grounds, the town of Windsor is also worth some time to have lunch or do some shopping before getting on the train back to London.
Day Trip to Windsor from London
This guide showed you how to plan a Windsor day trip from London.
As I mentioned, I’d recommend doing this day trip independently by taking the train from London because it’s the most affordable option and gives you the most flexibility during your visit.
However, a tour is another option, and the best option if you want to combine a visit to Windsor Castle with a visit to other destinations in England such as Stonehenge, Oxford, or Bath on a full-day trip.
Enjoy your trip to Windsor!
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