Visiting Windsor Castle

If you go to the chapel first - well worth going and very special, best IMHO when the sun is shining so the stained class stands out - be aware that it is relatively near the way out, and very close to the location of the changing of the guard, and to reach the state rooms (very impressive and why many people go) you will retrace your steps somewhat uphill and around the outside of the castle.

When you get to the state rooms there are two side by side entrances. The left hand one takes you to the doll houses (not your everyday doll houses) and special exhibitions and then the state rooms. The right hand door takes you directly to the state rooms.

How is best to get to Windsor will to a degree depend on where you are staying in London.

I generally prefer the shorter First Great Western train journey from Paddington, changing at Slough for the little shuttle to Windsor and Eton Central over the much slower Southwest Trains Waterloo to Windsor and Eton Riverside journey. Riverside is further from the castle, too.

If you are in London during a First Great Western strike (this weekend and next week for the current round, likely to be more leading up to the new trains being received from Japan) the Southwest Trains route might be easier.

Please also make some time to just enjoy the atmosphere in the town of Windsor itself. Windsor is a favorite of mine--could be because the weather was a fine mist in the Autumn when the leaves were changing, and I have some great photos as a result. Also helps that there were only a handful of people in the chapel when I was there, but all in all, a memorable day.

Thank you for this information. Nigel, we are staying at the Park Plaza Westminster which is apparently a short walk to Waterloo and Westminster stations.

What would be the best way to get to Windsor from the Heathrow Airport?

Sherry

The hotel has more words in the name - Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel.

It isn't in Westminster at all, rather south of the River adjacent to Waterloo Station. They call it that because you can see the bridge from some of the rooms.

If you are adjacent to Waterloo it would be silly to spend half an hour to 40 minutes to get to Paddington to save 20 minutes. Use the Southwest train from Waterloo to Windsor and Eton Riverside and walk up to the Castle.

Sharon,

I hope that Sherry doesn't mind you piggybacking.

From Heathrow there are a few buses which go direct to Windsor. If you would prefer not to use a bus a taxi will take you there in just a few minutes.

Nigel, thank you for your response. We will follow your suggestions. I appreciate you helping us. Should we prebuy our tickets online for Windsor Castle? We will also try to take in one museum, either the British Museum or the Imperial War Museum. Any tips or suggestions?
Thank you
Sherry

Hi Sherry:

I visited Windsor Castle in 2012 and was one of the first persons to participate in a tour that included a climb up the Round Tower. This part of the castle had been closed to the public for over 40 years, and reopened in 2012. You get breathtaking views of the town of Windsor; its kind of like the London Eye of the town. While you can bring a camera to the top you cannot aim it towards that part of the castle where the Queen and her family reside.

https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/event/conquer-the-tower-tour

I just returned from Windsor just over a week ago, we took the Waterloo to Windsor train and it was a big commuter train that took twice the time as the Paddington train, so I would not recommend it at rush hour.
If you stay at the Travelodge, then the Central station is the best way to arrive, it's all on the same level as the hotel's main entrance. If you arrive by taxi, they drop you off at street level and if it's after 7PM, the shopping plaza it's connected to closes their lift, and there's no signs telling you anything other than heave your luggage up 3 flights of stairs to get into the hotel.
I learned from a nice employee the next day that if you call their main lobby phone #, they'll activate their lift down to those floors by special request. We arrived at Riverside station, after long walk found no taxi drivers in their cars, went to pub for dinner and to ask them to call us a taxi. Terrible ride to worse place where finally a fellow guest offered to carry up our suitcases.
My daughter's debit credit card did not work for the hotel payment, she had the funds, it was probably because she did not have a chip card, her bank wasn't offering it yet. Glad that I prepared and got 2 of mine as chip cards before we went. That was what I heard on one of Rick Steves' travel talks on you tube.
I overheard a man being told that he could not go into the castle late in the day because he bought his tickets through some other vendor. When you buy them through the royal web site, you can get in at like 3 and 4PM, but not when they're sold by someone else.
The hop on hop off bus was OK but not great, went all through Dachet for some reason unknown to me, and saw a bit of Eton, but it was an odd bus, the narration didn't match up to what we were seeing very often. It does get you out to the Farm Store, but not great if you have limited time.
They started up a large photo display around a green out from of St George's Hall for the longest reining monarch event that happened while we were there, and it will be up til the end of Oct. Otherwise the public is never allowed up there, so soon is a good time to go.
Good prices on many side streets' shops, and in pubs/restaurants. Very good resources, and great castle of course.
Good luck!
Alison