barminski

We fly into Heathrow Sept. 7, International flight arrives at 5:30 a.m.. Will be purchasing a London
Pass at airport. Would it be wise to see Windsor Castle that a.m. since the airport is close by?
We will be staying at a hotel close to Kings Cross and that appears to be 30 miles from Windsor Castle.
Realize we will have some jet lag but have done this before, getting off a plane and touring all day,
then crashing that early p.m. Staying in London Thurs. and leaving on Sunday.

Also, any ideas of best way to get from Windsor Castle from Heathrow. Believe we will be coming in on Terminal B. Need public transportation bus or train. Prefer the easiest means of transportation.
Thank you for your help.
Kathy

Scootoir

This outlines some options: http://www.windsor.gov.uk/visitor-in...irport-layover

For me the easiest is a taxi.

thursdaysd

Forget the London Pass, not a good deal. If you are visiting places that charge admission, like the Tower, you should look into the two-for-one deals that come with a transport pass bought at a main line station. Otherwise just get an Oyster card.

https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/oyster?cid=oyster

There is no Terminal B at LHR, maybe you meant Terminal 3. Info on luggage storage at LHR:

http://www.heathrow.com/airport-guid...s/left-baggage

dotheboyshall

Many tour groups tend to arrive as the castle opens.

The best way to get to Windsor is by a WINDSOR based taxi company as the bus option takes too long.

They'll even look after your luggage for you if you are returning to Heathrow

thursdaysd

Although I try to avoid one-nighters, it might be nice to spend the first night in Windsor.

Mimar

dotheboyshall makes a good point. You'll have your luggage to drag around Windsor -- if they let you do that at the castle.

We did the bus once; it was a long ride but direct. An airport taxi was very expensive.

Maybe rethink this idea.

PalenQ

What kind of day would it be at Windsor after being jet-lagged potentially sleepless for a long time - I'd go to Kings X hotel and spend day in London- then go for a leisurely time in Windsor some other day.

Sticking bags at Heathrow is expensive and time going to Windsor and back (very expensive by cab says mimar) - and there is a lot more to Windsor IME than the castle - Eton right across the Thames and its tony prep school - Windsor Great Park and a thriving regional town. I'd spend a whole day there at leisure, not potentially dragging your tired bodies around a probably crowded castle interior.

Kings x to Windsor is easy by train - take short Tube or bus ride over to Paddington Station for frequent trains.

1st day after all-night flight -head to hotel refresh or nap and orient yourselves to London.

texasbookworm

With barely 2 full days (who knows how long you will actually have or how you will feel on the first day), I'd rethink the Windsor idea at all, and as said above, definitely forget the London Pass idea.

Group by neighborhood 2-3 main sites per day for your 2 whole days. Don't put anything on day of arrival that you'd be devastated to miss, but there's plenty to choose from in that area, both inside and outside.

If Windsor really is at the very tip top of your personal list (and it is worth seeing--I just wouldn't go on a first visit to London for 2.5 days--but I don't know your personal background/details/preferences), then go via train one of your whole days. Be in line at the castle well BEFORE ticket office opens, as, like said above, hordes of tours seem to arrive right at opening. Allow at least one whole long morning for this.

Or see the Tower of London which is on the top of my recommendation list--and is in the city.

barminski

Thank you for all of the great suggestions. I agree that we should wait for Windsor Castle on another day when we are rested. Appreciate all of the valuable advice.

HappyTrvlr

If you want to visit Windsor Cadtle from London it is fairly easy by train out of Paddington Station.

PalenQ

Or for a more scenic ride but long trains to Windsor also go from Waterloo station - can join them in Richmond by tube too I think - goes along Thames at points and serves Windsor & Eton Riverside station, right under the castle- Windsor Central from Paddington is also close to the castle. No changes required from Waterloo - one simple change I believe from Paddington.

barminski

I have done some calculating and would like your opinion again on London Pass. I know many of you said it is not worth it. Please look at this flexible itinerary.
Day 1 in London- go to some free museums
Day 2 - Westminster Abbey cost 17 pounds, Kew Gardens: 15 pounds
Day 3 - Tower of London: 24.80, Saint Paul's Cathedral: 16 pounds
Day 4 - Have the morning to do one more tourist attraction before leaving hotel and going to Heathrow to rent car.
Cost: 90.90 Pounds - London Pass
Spent 73.00
Lost of 17.90
The one motivation I have for a London Pass is for the Fast Tract. When we were in Paris we did not purchase a Louvre ticket in advance and the line to purchase a ticket was extremely long, so long that we gave up.
I am wondering if we will experience the same problem in London, long lines,
waiting up to an hour to get into popular attractions. Has anyone ever experienced the Fast Tract. Does it eliminate an hour wait? Thank you again for your time to respond.

thursdaysd

You said "we" in your OP. Did you look at the two-for-one pricing?

Can't help with the lines, it's been years since I did one of the fee-for-entry main attractions.

bilboburgler

Well, it depends, hour long queues sound a bit odd, but get to the Tower when it opens and queuing will be minimal. Queue for Kew... well I guess there might be a five minute rest. Really not like Paris at all. The only long queues I see are for Mdm Tusauds and frankly it is a waste of time to visit let alone queue.

We get someone come to Fodors who wants to buy a London pass about every two months. It normally is not worth it compared to the two-4-one deals. So if there is more than one of you forget it.

thursdaysd

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...r-get-both.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...4-1-offers.cfm

You will want two one day paper travel cards to get the two-for-one deals.

maitaitom

"If you want to visit Windsor Cadtle from London it is fairly easy by train out of Paddington Station."

We took the 8:22 train from Paddington Station to Slough (changed trains) and arrived at Windsor & Eton station about nine. PIcked up some coffee, and took the leisurely walk to Windsor Castle. Lines were long to buy tickets, so get your tickets online before you leave. We were the first four people in the castle, so we did not have to fight any crowds. As they say, Easy Peasy!" Here's our morning with photos.

<B>http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/chapter-three-windsor-castle-crazy-night-london-town-founding-fathers-visit/</B>

)

Scootoir

Barminski,

I would not recommend the London Pass but would definitely try for 2for1 offers. I received a lot of help from Fodorites for our London trip last year and we visited many of the same places you did. If you arrive at the Tower when it opens the lines shouldn't be bad. There were several ticket booths open and we were able to use the 2 for 1 there. We went straight to the Jewel Tower then visited the rest at our leisure. Only the Tower, St. Paul's and Kew (from your list) are on the Fast Track and don't expect Kew will have long lines.

This thread will have information on the travel card and 2 for 1 offers: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-card-help.cfm
If you can arrange for a hotel in Windsor to hold your bags on your arrival day and then after the castle take the train into London and you should have the 2 for 1 option for entrance tickets in London.

Sberg

Just came back from London. Best tip is to buy tickets online the night before you go somewhere. I had my ticket in hand when I went to Windsor and I walked by a huge line and right in. I took the train there with no issues. Buy tickets for Tower of London, Westminster, Churchill Museum etc. the same way. Saves a lot of time. My hotel printed the tickets out for me with no issue. Have fun and pack an umbrella.

barminski

maitaitomi - what beautiful photographs, thanks for sharing. I have done a little research on the 2-4-1 and would like to make use of it. We will not being using the national rail our entire time in England. I see that a Travelcard may be an option for 2-4-1. Has anyone used this card? From what I read, one can use it on the tube, is that your understanding. The complex area I don't understand is how to get 2-4-1 using the Travelcard. I am thinking I will buy a paper Travelcard each day and if I use the tube to go to and from the outing, say for instance, Tower of London, then I receive the discount? Looked on daysoutguide and it appears that a 1 day Travelcard (Zones 1 &2) is 17 pounds, does that sound right. There are 2 people traveling, my husband and I. We wanted to go to Windsor Castle but will have to do that on our way back to airport the day before we leave.
Guess we will have to pay the full price tube fare from Heathrow to Kings Cross (close to our motel). Not sure it is worth buying an Oyster Card. Read somewhere where you can combine Oyster Card and Travlecard. Not sure a Travelcard is worth it with going to five 2-4-1 attractions. Thank you again for always helping this poor old soul out! Ha, I am not that old.

janisj

>>Has anyone used this card?<<

Yes MANY of us have. Did you read the threads thursdaysd linked?

>>where you can combine Oyster Card and Travlecard<<

That gets confusing for visitors. A 'travelcard' is simply a fare category -- like a 7-day zone 1 & 2 travelcard can be loaded on an Oyster.

However that is not the travelcard we are talking about here. What you want to get the 2for1 discounts are <u>PAPER</u> travelcards bought in a train station.

If you are traveling from and to Heathrow on the tube then you will want to buy Oysters at the airport with enough 'pay-as-you-go' £ loaded on them to cover the trips both ways (you buy them from machines but there are guides there to help you) and then when you get to Kings Cross you can but your daily PAPER travel cards.