Public bus from Bath Rd. hotel to Windsor Castle?

[jspirit]

For last day after a cruise before we fly home, we will stay overnight near LHR. On a Saturday, is there an easy way to take a local bus from a hotel on Bath Road to Windsor Castle? Is it less than an hour drive and about 5 pounds return pp?

Seems like a nice way to end the holiday ... thanks for any suggestions.

[handfordr]

There is no direct bus from the Bath Road to Windsor Castle and the Bath Road is a long road so bus routes available will depend on what hotel you are staying at.

The number 81 bus goes all along the Bath Road to Slough about every 10 minutes. At Slough Bus Station there are plenty of buses across the River Thames to Windsor.

 

Unless you are staying at the Premier Inn Bath Road, Ramada or Travelodge Central you can get the 423 bus, one about every 20 minutes, FREE to Terminal 5.

From Terminal 5 the number 77 bus goes to Windsor Castle about every 30 minutes and takes about 45 minutes. There is also another bus from T5 that goes to Eton.

The 77 bus goes very close to Runnymede (place Magna Carta signed), get off at the Bells of Ouzely pub, then its a 5 minute walk.

Havn't got a clue about price but 5 GBP sounds about right, you might be able to get a rover ticket for that price too if you want to visit Runnymede (but not for the Red London buses 81, 423 etc around Heathrow - different bus companies).

 

The going rate for a local taxi is 25 GBP each way.

Buses keep going to late evening.

[jspirit]

There is no direct bus from the Bath Road to Windsor Castle and the Bath Road is a long road so bus routes available will depend on what hotel you are staying at.

The number 81 bus goes all along the Bath Road to Slough about every 10 minutes. At Slough Bus Station there are plenty of buses across the River Thames to Windsor.

 

Unless you are staying at the Premier Inn Bath Road, Ramada or Travelodge Central you can get the 423 bus, one about every 20 minutes, FREE to Terminal 5.

From Terminal 5 the number 77 bus goes to Windsor Castle about every 30 minutes and takes about 45 minutes. There is also another bus from T5 that goes to Eton.

The 77 bus goes very close to Runnymede (place Magna Carta signed), get off at the Bells of Ouzely pub, then its a 5 minute walk.

Havn't got a clue about price but 5 GBP sounds about right, you might be able to get a rover ticket for that price too if you want to visit Runnymede (but not for the Red London buses 81, 423 etc around Heathrow - different bus companies).

 

The going rate for a local taxi is 25 GBP each way.

Buses keep going to late evening.

 

Thanks Handfordr,

We were thinking of the Premier Inn Bath Rd... maybe need to find one with easier access to Terminal 5 so that we can take the direct #77 bus.

OR... maybe just stay in Windsor overnight . We have a 3 pm flight the next day so should be plenty of time to get back to Heathrow.

By chance, would you know if the National Express bus from Southampton to Heathrow makes a stop in Windsor? I tried searching that but so far nor sure of the correct answer.

[handfordr]

No National Express Bus goes to Windsor, first stop after Heathrow is normally either Basingstoke or Winchester.

 

Not sure of your criteria for choosing a hotel, the Premier Inn is a kind of mid-range hotel, not cheap not expensive.

The Ibis and Holiday inn Express are alternatives similar to the Premier Inn. The Holiday Inn Express Heathrow is a lot closer to Windsor. The Ibis, you can pick up the 423 bus.

If you're coming at the weekend some of the hotels you think are too expensive might surprise you will low rates. The Sheraton Heathrow being one.

One Heathrow hotel that is often overlooked is the St Giles which putting two and two gether and making five might work for you is the St Giles Hotel Feltam.

It is situated next to Fetham railway station which has direct commuter trains to Windsor Riverside. Going the other way there are 4 or 5 trains an hour into London's Waterloo Station.

From Feltham Station you can get the 285 bus which runs a 24x7 schedule about every 10 minutes to Heathrow Central Bus Station where the National Express Southampton buses start from. Cash fare is 2 GBP and bus journey is about 20 minutes.

[newport dave]

The Sheraton Heathrow has a bus stop across the road from it. Catch the 350 for free to terminal 5(next stop 5mins max). Then the 77 direct to Windsor.

[jspirit]

good info- thanks both!

[jspirit]

The HI Express you mentioned, H., is it the one on London Road?

Would this be easy to get from here to Windsor Castle , and from this hotel to Terminal 3 the next morning? Good rate .I really appreciate the help! Thanks!

[handfordr]

The HI Express you mentioned, H., is it the one on London Road?

Would this be easy to get from here to Windsor Castle , and from this hotel to Terminal 3 the next morning? Good rate .I really appreciate the help! Thanks!

 

Yes its called Holiday Inn Express Terminal 5 (although its 3 miles from T5!), London Road

 

You might find this bus map of the Heathrow - Windsor buses useful. The Holiday Inn Express is marked as the Quality Hotel

on this map. They've just finished refurbishing this hotel after its switch from the Quality.

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/berkshire_thames/journey_planning/maps/

 

Timetables for the various routes are here

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/berkshire_thames/journey_planning/airport_services/timetables.php

 

Nearly all the National Express buses from Heathrow to Southampton stop at Terminal 5 after leaving Heathrow Bus Station so you might find it easier to go to T5 for that, (though check National Express timetablles as the odd one doesn't stop at T5.

As well as the local buses the Holiday inn Express has dedicated airport terminal buses. One goes to Terminal 1 & 3, the other goes to Terminal 4 & 5. Each runs about every 30 minutes.

The Hoppa Buses as they are know cost 4 GBP each way per person, the local buses are about half that.

The local buses to Heathrow Central don't go the terminals 1 and 3 they go to the bus station where the National Express buses also start.

[maryann2]

You might try Hotwire or Priceline to bid on a 4 star Heathrow Airport hotel. The Marriott Heathrow/Windsor comes up frequently. I stayed there in May and will be staying again in October. It is a risk of course as you don't know what hotel you will get. The bus stops outside the hotel to Windsor 71 or Greenline 701/702. I did this myself in May. They have free tours and the day I went, a Sunday, they had a brass band playing and people sitting around listening. I paid $62 plus tax so total of $81.82/night.

There is a carvery over the road for an English roast and also for breakfast. If you look on their website, if you did not want to take the risk of bidding, they also have some good deals. The hoppa bus also stops there.

[handfordr]

You might try Hotwire or Priceline to bid on a 4 star Heathrow Airport hotel. The Marriott Heathrow/Windsor comes up frequently. I stayed there in May and will be staying again in October. It is a risk of course as you don't know what hotel you will get. The bus stops outside the hotel to Windsor 71 or Greenline 701/702. I did this myself in May. They have free tours and the day I went, a Sunday, they had a brass band playing and people sitting around listening. I paid $62 plus tax so total of $81.82/night.

There is a carvery over the road for an English roast and also for breakfast. If you look on their website, if you did not want to take the risk of bidding, they also have some good deals. The hoppa bus also stops there.

 

While Priceline is a good option for Central London personally I would caution against using Priceline bidding for Heathrow.

You may get the Marriott Windsor but then again the Crowne Plaza is another favourite Priceline hotel which is very remote.

The main point is that Heathrow hotels have room rates that are often 'loss leaders' and the actual room rate is often a small part of the overall outlay. All the big hotels have the Hoppa Bus which for 2 people is 16 GBP to and from Heathrow, places like the Marriott Crowne Plaza typically charge 15-20 GBP for breakfast and double that for diner.

 

The Marriot Windsor is probably the best case scenario bidding on Priceline as there are local buses and alternatives to the hotel for food and drink. The Crowne Plaza requires a 15 minute walk to a poor pub if you don't want the cost of you evening meal to be about the same as the price of your room.

 

The Travelodge Langley which is opposite the Marriott Windsor and has the carvery mentioned above has rooms for 19-50 GBP and the Holiday inn Express Terminal 5 500 yards up the road has been doing rooms with breakfast for 50 GBP (about $US80) and unlike Priceline the 20% sales tax is included and there are no admin charges.

 

Most of the mid-range hotels like the Ibis and Premier Inn are currently charging around $100 or less with all taxes paid and no admin charges.

The Ibis also has the option of free transfers to the airport.

Basically the place to be at Heathrow is along the Bath Road where you can escape the hotel for food and drink and don't necessarily need the expensive Hopppa Buses for transfers.

[jspirit]

Very helpful, thanks for all the input. So, sounding like I should stick with the HI Express T5? Close enough to both Windsor Castle in the afternoon, and the next morning flight from T3?