A day trip to Windsor from London: how to do it

Windsor sits about twenty miles west of London, and it is actually closer to Heathrow than it is to the capital, which makes it one of the most useful day trips in the south of England. You can be standing beneath the walls of the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world before lunch, and back in London in time for dinner. It also works nicely as a bookend to a longer UK trip, tacked onto the start or end of a stay near Heathrow rather than added as a separate excursion.

Getting there by train

There are two railway stations in Windsor, and both are a three to five minute walk from the Castle, so the choice really comes down to which London terminus suits you. From London Paddington, Great Western Railway runs to Slough, where you change onto a short branch shuttle for the final leg into Windsor & Eton Central. The whole journey takes roughly thirty to thirty five minutes, with services running about every fifteen to thirty minutes, so you are never waiting long even if you miss a connection.

From London Waterloo, South Western Railway runs direct to Windsor & Eton Riverside, no change required, in around fifty five minutes. It is a slightly longer ride but a simpler one, and the Riverside station has the edge for atmosphere, since you step out almost onto the Thames.

Contactless pay-as-you-go has been spreading across South East commuter stations, so tapping in and out may well work on these routes now; check before you travel. Otherwise buy a ticket in advance, since Advance fares are usually the cheapest option, and a Railcard, if you are eligible for one, knocks a third off. Either way, verify current fares and times before you set off, as both can shift.

From Heathrow and by coach

If you are flying in or out of Heathrow, Windsor is a natural stop. First Bus Route 8 runs direct between Terminal 5 and Windsor, up to every thirty minutes, and takes up to about an hour depending on traffic. A taxi will cost roughly £25 to £45, though it is worth checking the current rate, as these things move.

There is also a coach option from central London: Reading Buses London Line 702 runs from London Victoria and calls at Windsor, as well as Legoland, which is handy if you are combining the two. It will take longer than the train, but it is a reasonable choice if you would rather not deal with a station change or simply prefer one seat for the whole journey.

How long you actually need

The Castle itself takes about three to four hours to do properly, covering the State Apartments and St George's Chapel, and the town around it is compact and entirely walkable, so a day trip is a genuinely practical way to see Windsor. You do not need to stay over to get the full experience of the Castle and the old town.

That said, Windsor rewards a longer stay if you want to add Legoland, wander the Great Park, cross over to Eton, or catch something at the Theatre Royal in the evening. None of that is essential for a first visit, but it is worth knowing the options exist if you find yourself charmed and reluctant to leave on the last train.

A suggested one-day plan

Start early. Windsor gets coach parties through the day, and arriving for opening hours buys you a calmer first hour inside the Castle walls. Head straight for the State Apartments, then St George's Chapel, bearing in mind it closes to visitors at 4pm and is shut entirely on Sundays, so plan your day around that if you are visiting then. If the season and day of the week line up, the Changing of the Guard is worth timing your visit around, though it requires a Castle ticket and runs to a schedule set by the Household Division, so check before you build your morning around it.

After the Castle, walk the Long Walk, the long tree-lined avenue running south from the Castle into the Great Park, for the view that appears on every postcard of the place. In the afternoon, a Thames boat trip with French Brothers is a pleasant way to see Windsor from the water, with either a forty minute or a two hour option, mainly running from spring to autumn. Finish by crossing the bridge into Eton, a short and pleasant walk, where the college museums are free to visit on Sunday afternoons if your timing allows.

Practical tips

Book Castle tickets online ahead of time rather than turning up and queuing; it saves time and the Castle does occasionally close at short notice for state occasions, so it is worth checking its status the day before you travel. Starting early is not just about the light, it genuinely helps you get ahead of the coach parties, who tend to arrive mid morning.

If you want a proper meal rather than a quick lunch in town, the two best gastropubs nearby, The Greene Oak and The Loch and The Tyne, are both a short drive out of Windsor rather than a walk, so they suit those with a car more than train day trippers. For a straightforward day trip, though, Windsor's compact centre means you can see the essentials without ever needing to go far from the Castle gates.