flyingpam3

We will be in London in mid-February. We were thinking of going to the Windsor Castle as per a recommendation of a friend. I've read lots of other posts and I am still utterly confused. My first question is how do we get there? We'll be staying in South Kensington. Is it possible to take the tube? Also, how long will it take to get there? My second question is what exactly is there to do once we get there? I read a post stating that the Drury Inn is worth stopping at for scones. Any help pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks - Pam

BabsB

Hi Pam, I don't know if you are interested in taking a tour bus to Windsor Castle but thought I would mention the tour my son and I took in August. It was with Golden Tours and we went to Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stonehenge in one day. It was an all day trip but very enjoyable and we felt that we had plenty of time at each stop. I decided a tour was the easiest way for us to see all three places in one day. Check out www.goldentours.co.uk. It is tour #203 under out of London Tours. Have fun.

janisj

Windsor is more than 20 miles west of London - the tube doesn't go there. You need to take the train. Either from Paddington w/ a change at Slough, or from Waterloo w/o a change.

There is a LOT about Windsor Castle in any guide book and on its website. It is a massive medieval castle, home of the Queen, amazing chapel w/ tombs of Henry VIII, Charles I and many other royals.

From London you want to plan at least a half day to travel to Windsor, visit the State Rooms/Queen Mary's Doll House/St Georges, and get back into London. Consider it most of a day's trip.

henneth

From South Kensington Underground station take the tube to Paddington main line station and the train to Slough, cross the platform and take the branch line train to Windsor. Although direct trains run from London Waterloo, the service is quicker from Paddington (albeit with one change of trains) and the views of Eton Chapel and the Castle are better as one arrives at the destination (leftside window).
I would consider a tour company if one was heading further afield or to an area with less frequent public transport but for Windsor (the Castle, the town and nearby Eton School) I'd go independently by train and allow a half day or more to enjoy the place.

janisj

I definitely wouldn't recommend trying to squeeze Windsor, Bath and Stonehenge into one day -- even by guided tour. People who say they had plenty of time doing so (sorry Babs) don't have any idea how much they missed.

Tallulah

It's an easy daytrip but it is a day in itself, I wouldn't suggest trying to fit much else, just plan something nice when you get back to London.

GeoffHamer

From South Kensington, the simplest is to take the District Line tube to Richmond, then catch a Windsor train from there.
Whichever route you take, the cheapest is to get a one-day travelcard for six zones, then buy a day-return train ticket from the boundary of zone 6 to Windsor (do this before boarding the train, at Richmond, Paddington or Waterloo). The two railway lines to Windsor have separate stations but both are very close to the castle.

cpd

Agree with so many who think you should take your time and make a day of it. My mother and I explored the castle at a leisurely pace, had lunch and spent about an hour walking thru the shops in Windsor. Lovely day without being rushed.

Micheline

I agree that you need a full day and as Henneth mentioned try to see Eton. It is so interesting to see the students in their uniforms (tuxedos?). We had a car and it was the longest 20 miles we ever drove.

sandykins

Two years ago we went directly to Windsor Castle upon arrival in the early morning at Heathrow. If jet-lag is not a major problem for you and you like to jump into sightseeing the first day, you can save time and money by taking the Airoute bus 50b from Heathrow's central bus station. This trip takes only 30 to 40 minutes. At the end of the day, we took same bus back to Heathrow and thence to our hotel by tube.

An alternative is to go by train from Richmond tube station (District line) to Windsor & Eton Riverside. The trip is about 30 minutes. If you have a tube Travelcard, you can pay just a supplement to the Travelcard. Also ask about the castle-and-train saver ticket

Another alternative is to go by coach (Green Line 700, 701, 702), 020-8668-7261, from Victoria Coach Station, Bulleid Way, Stop 1. the coach also picks up and drops off at various locations, including some of the bigger hotels.

flyingpam3

I agree with making a day of it. I would rather thoroughly visit one location. I remember reading from another post that everything closes about 5. Should we stick around for dinner there or at that point head back into London? What about a nice lunch spot? Is the Drury Inn as good as one person had said?

gawr0008

q

flyingpam3

If you go directly from the airport (we arrive at 9am) what do you do with your luggage?

janisj

If you do as sandykins suggests -- they returned to LHR before heading into London. There are left luggage facilities at the airport where you can check your bags while you go to Windsor.

But a lot depends on how well you travel - jet lag can be a real problem. Being outside is a good way to recover. Just depends on if you want to deal w/ the extra travel on your arrival day.

flyingpam3

Even for us that may be too much for a first day I had tenatively plannned on going to the hotel to freshen up, lunch, the V&A, maybe the TKTS booth, and dinner. But at any point we can abandon that plan if we get exhausted. If we went to Windsor we'd be committed for the day. A great option to keep in mind though! Keep the suggestions coming

janisj

flyingpam: I'd really re-think your plans for the first day.

V&amp;A - a <b>fabulous</b> museum and you should visit it for sure sometime during your trip. But most travelers find staying outside in fresh air is a better way to deal w/ first day jet lag. Going to a major museum is hard.

And TKTS only sells tickets for the same day. So if you go there you would be going to a play on your first night. Most likely you won't remember anything of the second act -- and the snoring will REALLY annoy those sitting near you

A good plan for the first day is the open top hop-on-hop-off bus tour. You get the benefits of being outside but also not having to walk miles if you are too tired. And if you do feel up to it you can get off along the route to visit some attraction(s). Then an early-ish dinner and to bed around 9:00-10:00 p.m.

nini

We had lunch at a restaurant right on the Thames and it was very good. I cannot remember the name but it was part of a small hotel (looked like a great place to stay) and was on the left side of the street as you would be heading to Eton. At the time we were there(May) dining was available on the terrace overlooking the Thames.

Anglophile

A visit to Windsor is one of my favorite things to do when in London. It definitely calls for a half-day, at the least, and a whole day if you want to see any of the town or nearby Eton.

There is another thing to be aware of that I don't believe has been posted yet. If there is an official event taking place at the castle, such as a state dinner, reception, etc, the main part of the castle will be closed to the public. I've had this happen several times, and it can be quite disappointing. Main London tourist offices, such as the one at Victoria Station, often have the closure list, but it can still be a crapshoot.

In any case you can still visit St Georges Chapel, one of the most beautiful and historic Gothic churches in the realm. Also if you get there at the right time, you can view the Windsor version of the changing of the guard. Not as splashy as the one at Buck House, but well worth a half hour of your time.

I'd be interested to know if any posters know a website to check or a telephone number to inquire as to Windsor closures.

janisj

Yes, the Royal residences website lists closings and partial closings.

http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/de...icle&amp;ID=34 and click on &quot;Visiting&quot;.

Of course un-expected events like funerals won't be on there - but it has the scheduled closures of the castle and St Georges for the rest of the year.

Anglophile

Many thanks, Janisj. We haven't been to the UK in several years now, alas, but I'll certainly bookmark this site for future reference. I hope the webmasters keep the list as complete as possible.