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Hampton Court and Richmond

we are based in the tower hotel and wanted to go to hampton court and then to richmond.

on second thought it seems to me that it would take almost all day, am I correct?

also, just going to richmond to walk around and eat -would that be worthwhile as a half a day trip? or are there better options

or is that trip doable in half a day?

Is going from Hampton Court to Richmond by boat is bad idea?

I have looked online and it takes 1 hour 45 minutes - which seems very very slow - almost similar to walking speed.

Is there another boat route one could take in the area? or another way to take in the scencery. (of course walking, but I don't think some people in our group can walk that much) e.g. a bus line or something that is scenic?

as you can see I am not quite sure on how to plan this day on London.

I would appreciate your suggestions, feedback and clarity!

Posted by
3938 posts

We stayed for 2 weeks in the town next to Richmond and did a nice walk along the Thames to eat and stroll around Richmond several times. Richmond is a charming, historically and architecturally interesting town and I hope you get to spend some time there. For the same reason you mention, the slowness of the boat trip to HCP, we haven't done this journey but have taken a bus each time we've visited HCP. There are some nice pubs along the Thames in Richmond and a popular ice cream shop near the green where people were often playing cricket.

Posted by
4684 posts

Hampton Court and Richmond are on different railway lines out of Waterloo and travelling between the two by train is fairly complicated. The R68 local bus route will take you between the two in just under an hour - not wholly scenic, but you do see the river a few times.

Posted by
32519 posts

When I go to Hampton Court Palace (fairly frequently, I'm a member) I always allow almost all of a day. I just can't do what I want to do in much less than about 4 hours plus lunch. Even harder if it is your first time. It isn't cheap and there is an awful lot to see, both inside and outside.

Posted by
239 posts

You can get between them quite quickly. Get a bus to Kingston -- 411, 216 or 461 -- then change to the 65. That's about half an hour, certainly no longer than an hour even if you're unlucky with the traffic. The 65 is a nice route too, going across Ham Common then through Petersham, along the meadows into Richmond.