Question about railway from Windsor to London

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk

The site above will tell you all the train times & fares from any station in Britain to any other. In the FROM box, if you type in Windsor > the 2 stations appear - Central > which you would use to reach Paddington (which is not on the outskirts of London). Using this route, you would go the short hop to Slough (pronounced SLOU) and then change to another train for Paddington. Using this route on a weekday, the cheaper off-peak fares kick in with the 9.42 departure. You can also use this route to reach places further away to the west by getting to the main line at Slough. Bath would be at the top of my list with perhaps Oxford second.
http://www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com/default.xmas.aspx

The other departure station from Windsor is Riverside. Using this route into London, you stay on one train all the way to Waterloo. The cheaper fares on this route kick in with the 9.21 departure. In both cases, you are likely to find that on Saturdays, you can use the early trains at the cheaper fare.

If you are going on longer journeys - such as Bath, it is cheaper to pre-book ahead (even the day before), in order to get the cheapest fares. You could do this on-line or actually at any British Rail station. (Use the site above to figure out what you should be paying).
http://visitbath.co.uk

On some of the longer routes, you can get cheaper fares by splitting the tickets at stopping points en-route - even though you stay on the same train. On the run to Bath, Swindon seems to be such a point where split tickets will be cheaper. This site will advise you of split points:> http://www.splityourticket.co.uk

At stations, you will find 2 for 1 booklets with vouchers in the back. When you arrive in London, Bath etc. keep your tickets - DO NOT put them into a gate machine but go to staff & say you wish to retain your used ticket and they will open the barrier gate. Now, with proof of rail travel, use the 2 for 1 vouchers for attractions:> http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

http://www.windsor.gov.uk

The total journey is the same length in time, give or take a few minutes whether you go via Waterloo and Paddington (neither of which is in the outskirts of London, but both are towards the edge of Zone 1).

If travelling in peak time though it might be a bit less of a crush to travel from Windsor & Eton Riverside to Waterloo rather than from Windsor & Eton Central, as going via Paddington involves a change at Slough onto a train already full of commuters from further west. It is fractionally more expensive to do this though. At Waterloo change onto the Waterloo and City line to Bank/Monument and take the District line to Tower Hill.

If you aren't already equipped with an Oystercard etc for your round London travel buy an anytime day travelcard from Riverside for £25.40 (adult fare - children 5-15 half price). This covers your travel for the day within London, and so you could easily stop off somewhere else after the Tower. It may well be cheaper even if you do have an Oyster.

Hi, I always visit Windsor when visiting England. It's best would leave from Windsor Eton Central it's across the street from the castle. You will walk pass the Harte and Garter Hotel, when you get to the corner of the hotel turn to your left and walk down the pedestrian walk way the train station is a 3 minute walk. It is a 35 minute train ride into London going to Paddington station.
When you purchase your ticket ask for a return ticket (which is a round trip ticket). Have fun!!!!

Don't attempt to use the Oyster for the train journey to and from Windsor. It is well outside the Oyster area.

If you have a central London Travelcard you can get tickets to and from the boundary of that card (won't save a lot) or you can get a Travelcard from Windsor which allows you a trip into London, unlimited transportation within all 6 zones of London transport, and a trip back.