Windsor: Castle town on the Thames
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Windsor

Castle town on the Thames

~40 min by train London Paddington £££

Getting there

  1. 1

    Paddington

    Start

  2. 2

    Train to Slough, change

    ~15 min

  3. 3

    Branch line to Windsor

    ~6 min

  4. 4

    Walk to the castle

    ~5 min

Waterloo also serves Windsor direct (about 55 min, no change), a little slower. Allow extra time on weekends for engineering work. Prices and times change: check before you go, on National Rail.

Highlights

Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
The Long Walk
The Long Walk
St George's Chapel
St George's Chapel
Eton College
Eton College
Thames and swans
Thames and swans
Windsor High Street
Windsor High Street

Perfect for

  • Short on time
  • Royal history
  • Easy with kids
  • Riverside strolls

Plan your day

  1. MorningEarly train, castle first
  2. AfternoonLong Walk and river
  3. EveningDinner, train home
Plan the journey Find a guided tour Windsor Castle

About Windsor

Windsor is a historic town in Berkshire, about 35 km (22 miles) west of Charing Cross. It sits on the south bank of the River Thames, which separates it from the smaller town of Eton.

Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the monarch, was first built in the 11th century after the Norman conquest. Monarchs have used it since the reign of Henry I, and Wikipedia describes it as the longest-occupied palace in Europe. St George’s Chapel, inside the castle walls, dates from the 15th century.

Background from Windsor, Berkshire (Wikipedia) (opens in new tab), Windsor Castle (Wikipedia) (opens in new tab), read on Nov 1, 2026.

Before you go

Windsor is about 33 km (21 miles) from central London in a straight line, measured from Charing Cross; the rail route is longer. Trains leave from London Paddington. Our rail tickets guide explains Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime tickets, railcards and split tickets, so you can work out which fare suits a day out. On the day, check National Rail for delays and engineering works before you set off.

Opening times, tickets and closures for Windsor Castle are on its official website. For sights that can need a timed ticket, see what to book ahead.

Areas to explore in Windsor

Our Windsor guide is split into 2 areas, each with things to do, places to eat, where to stay and how to get there.

  • Castle & Town: The castle, the Long Walk, the High Street and the riverside (12 things to do)
  • Eton: Eton College, its free museums and the Thames west to Dorney Lake (8 things to do)

Weather through the year

Met Office 1991-2020 averages for the Heathrow station (opens in new tab), the one we use for Windsor. Daylight is calculated for Windsor on the 15th of the month. These are averages, not a forecast.

MonthAvg highAvg lowDays with 1 mm+ rainDaylight
January8.4°C2.7°C11.58 h 19
April15.0°C6.0°C8.813 h 51
July23.9°C14.2°C7.916 h 06
October15.8°C8.8°C10.810 h 29

Every month, with sunshine and packing notes: when to go to Windsor.

Closest other day trips

Measured in a straight line from Windsor, so the journey between them will be longer. Use the journey planner to see whether a direct train runs.

For where to eat, stay and walk, see Our Windsor guide.

More day trips

Oxford~1 hr Bath~1.5 hr Cambridge~1 hr Stonehenge~1.5 hr + bus Brighton~1 hr York1 hr 46 min Bristolabout 1 hr 40 min Cardiffaround 1 hr 50 min Liverpooljust over 2 hr The CotswoldsTrain and bus Blenheim PalaceTrain and bus

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Windsor Castle, Diliff (CC BY-SA 3.0); The Long Walk, Ввласенко (CC BY-SA 3.0); St George's Chapel, Aurelien Guichard (CC BY-SA 2.0); Eton College, Martin Kraft (CC BY-SA 3.0); Thames and swans, Ввласенко (CC BY-SA 3.0); Windsor High Street, David Howard (CC BY-SA 2.0).

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