My countdown is on ... less than three weeks until we leave!! My hubby wants to see a castle, so we’re planning to visit Windsor on one of the days we’re in London. Which Windsor train station is better? They both seem super close to the castle area. I know there’s a hill somewhere — possibly unavoidable?—but we’re in pretty good shape so hills are no problem.
Thanks in advance!
Depends where you are coming from, two totally different railway lines.
Windsor & Eton Riverside has direct trains from London Waterloo.
Windsor & Eton Central has trains from London Paddington. The trip is slightly quicker, but it requires a change of trains at Slough. It is also slightly further up the hill.
The real decider is which London station is easier to get from your hotel, Paddington or Waterloo. Time saved getting to the starting station will outweigh any advantage of one of the Windsor stations.
Note too that the routes are not interchangeable in the sense you can't buy a return ticket and arrive at one and return from the other.
Thank you both! We are staying near Paddington Station, so I'm basing all of our trips from that station. Good to know which destination to book.
I like leaving from Paddington Station better. As you exit the train turn to your left, walk up to High Street and there is the castle across the street. After touring the castle, if you walk back to High Street (you will be at the corner where the statue of Queen Victoria is) turn left follow the road and you will get to Windsor Great Park. If you go into the park and walk up to the gates you will have a great view of the royal resident part of the castle. The road you see in the park is called The Long Walk which is the private road for the royals to use to enter and exit the castle.
Do you need to make the train reservations to Windsor from Paddington in advance? Or can you purchase tickets on the day of travel?
Thanks for any help.
These are both commuter routes. No reservations possible, just buy a "Day Return" at the station on the day.
Thank you - good to know!
Pay on the day return - bought at Paddington station to Windsor & Eaton Central is £11.70 (off peak) > which means 9.20 or later on weekdays. You will need to change at Slough for the Windsor branch line. www.nationalrail.co.uk
Windsor & Eton Central is MUCH closer to the castle, it's on the hill, up most of the way. Just a short walk out of the shopping area (covered, if it's raining etc) from that train station and you should be able to see the castle. If you're already at Paddington, that will be super easy for you. Slough is a very small station, not a big deal to do a change there at all. Not crowded during the times I've been there.
Lots of good little shops, right near that train there's several nice places to eat for good prices as well.
I also took the hop on hop off bus tour too, but I don't know that it was the greatest way to spend time there. I would have rather spent the time in the castle.
The first time I went, I had taken the green coach bus over there, which was a very comfy way to go from Victoria Station to Windsor, it stops at the top of the hill right near the castle gate. So that's another nice option that has no changes, few crowds (usually... unless it's LegoLand time) :)
Have a fun trip!
-Alison
The bus referred to by Alison is the Green Line route from Victoria to Windsor. Note that this leaves from a smaller bus station that is on the other side of the road from the main Victoria Coach Station. The trip out through west London is normally fairly fast, but there's a chance of heavy traffic delays in the rush hour, even though a daytrip will see you travelling against the main flow.
