We are returning to London for a week in June and plan to visit Windsor Castle. We were last there around 1985, so we are guessing it is much busier now. We plan to arrive at the castle early, in order to avoid long lines.
Is there such a thing as the least-busy day to visit the castle? Is Saturday or Sunday to be avoided?
Thanks for your help!
Kirk
You can purchase entry tickets online for a specific date & time, &, whee, bypass the enormous walk-up line. We were there in August, & this saved us from both stasis & sunstroke (on a bright English summer day - you never know).
The tickets can also give you a year's free return entry!, if you sign a brief form near the exit.
Be forewarned that there's no food available in the Castle's grounds, save ice cream & boxed chocolates in the shops. I'd have given my kingdom for a tea room.
Standard advice from their website is to avoid mornings because that’s when the large coach groups tour the Castle, and they leave by around midday.
Then again, if it’s a weekday afternoon in June you are likely to run into school groups. That’s what happened to me. One of the docents said that school groups abound in June because exams are done and they are filling time until the end of term. (Don’t know if this explanation is accurate).
What Emma said.
We just picked a week day. We were there on a Monday, and it was still busy.
As for what Stewart&Vicki said, if you are hungry after seeing the castle, there are lots of cafes, pubs, and restaurants in Windsor a block or two from the Henry VIII Gate. We found a Cornish pasty shop in the train station (lots of shops in there) and they had great coffee, too.
We were at Windsor Castle this past June. Definitely buy your tickets ahead of time. We were able to bypass an amazingly long line! Saved so much time. There is a bottleneck to go through security and have bags checked.
We visited on a weekday and it was busy. There were lots of school groups, but to us, this added to the charm. My three kids enjoyed seeing British school children on field trips and liked listening to them.
Definitely eat before you enter or bring snacks with you.
THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP!
GUESS WE WILL GO EARLY SATURDAY AND HOPE FOR A SHORT LINE....AT LEAST THE TUBE TRAFFIC SHOULD BE LIGHTER ON A SAT. MORNING.
CHEER,
KIRK
Kirk, I can see you are excited when you get an answer, but in both of your posts you SHOUT when you note your answer.
ALL CAPS is considered SHOUTING.
If you don't shout we hear you just as loudly, and more happily.
ALL- CAPS DESIGNATES THE END OF A POST IN THE STATES AND EXPRESEES ONE'S GRATITUDE TO THE CONTRIBUTORS.
Kirk, I’m sorry but I have to disagree with you. I live in the states, all caps...is considered shouting not end of a post!! All caps is rude, for one’s gratitude say thank you!!
Kirk, I've never heard such a thing, and I spend a great deal of time on the internet in the US. All caps are hard to read.
If you plan on taking the South West Rail train from Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside for Windsor Castle, my sincere advice is to watch the news and these Forums and plan on going on a day that is neither a strike day nor a day before or after. There are ongoing labour problems on South West Rail very similar to those last year on Southern and strikes are frequent.
Always published in advance.
At the moment labour issues are much less publicly demonstrated on Great Western Railway who are the company providing the services between Paddington and Windsor & Eton Central via Slough.
Not only is the journey from Paddington faster even with the simple cross platform change at Slough, at the moment it is more reliable.
This past summer I got there early - huge long lines. Advance ticket line not as bad as walk up but still long. I left, went for a long walk along the river, went to Eton, went shopping. Went back. Lines were even longer than before. I guess you could try late in the day, just a couple hours before closing. But I expect it stays bad all day. Buy advance tickets and be prepared to wait.
ALL- CAPS DESIGNATES THE END OF A POST IN THE STATES AND EXPRESEES
ONE'S GRATITUDE TO THE CONTRIBUTORS.
No -- it does not says this American and you know that too. :-)
Caps are screaming and if you purposely keep using caps, you might lose valuable advice from those who are turned off by the screaming. Can't say you weren't notified.
Rail maintenance works, if required, are undertaken at weekends and may result in a bus replacement service, which will be slower. These works are published several weeks, not months in advance.
Every day will be busy in June.
ALL- CAPS DESIGNATES THE END OF A POST IN THE STATES AND EXPRESEES ONE'S GRATITUDE TO THE CONTRIBUTORS.
That's the first time I've ever read such an explanation!
JC....the explanation for all caps from Kirk is....bull!!!! It’s considered yelling and rude here in the states.
JC....the explanation for all caps from Kirk is....bull!!!! It’s considered yelling and rude here in the states.
Yes I know, I was just trying to be a bit more polite! ; )
Garter Day might be something to be avoided, that's in June....
-Alison
Agree, caps is shouting.
Anyway, my guess is June will be busy any day. I was there last week and was in the ticket line less than 10 minutes. While there were others there, we walked right into the state apartments and the chapel. No lines, no crowds, great!
The Dolls' House with the famous miniature dollhouse inside is closed indefinitely for restoration,
