1/2 Day Tour to Windsor Castle

[6moreyears]

We are staying a few nights post cruise at the Radisson Blue Edwardian, Heathrow. (Aug 18) We would like to go to Windsor Castle. We are limited on time and would like to do a 1/2 day(afternoon) ~ 4 - 6 hrs. tour of Windsor. Are there any tours that pickup at the Heathrow hotels? We prefer something where we are not navigating our way to Windsor. We'll be doing that the other 2 days as we are heading into London.

[John Bull]

By road, Windsor is only about 9 miles / 20 minutes from your Heathrow hotel.

The main draw at Windsor is the castle - private guides aren't permitted - the castle has its own guides and audio-guides, so a "tour" would be a waste.

But altho it's only 9 miles, by public transport it's complicated & time-consuming.

So the best compromise is to pre-book a taxi to Windsor and either pre-book the return, or for more flexibility at higher cost just take a cab from the rank at Windsor back to your hotel. 

Cheaper and IMHO more personable if you book with a Windsor taxi operator rather than an airport operator. Best-known is Royal Windsor Taxis   https://www.royalwindsortaxis.co.uk/ or google "taxi Windsor UK".

 

Buying your Windsor castle tickets in advance will avoid a line at the gate.

The changing of the guard is at 11am most days, so you'd miss that - but afternoons are less-crowded (though August will be busy).

The official website is https://www.rct.uk/visit/windsor-castle

The town centre (right by the castle) is small & interesting. For a 10 - 15 minute each-way walk, cross the River Thames on the pedestrianised bridge & a straight walk to Eton School, where a high proportion of Britain's prime ministers & other famous people were educated. School's out in August, I don't know if tours are available then but when they are  I think you have to pre-book.

 

JB  

[6moreyears]

Thank you! good information.

[josh_hutchings]

I'm not sure of a tour company per say, but id allocate 8 hours for windsor castle minimum. 1 hour travel each way, queue, etc food, plus i think the tours are timed? depending on what tour you choose of course

[susierailroad]

On 7/22/2019 at 6:43 PM, John Bull said:

By road, Windsor is only about 9 miles / 20 minutes from your Heathrow hotel.

The main draw at Windsor is the castle - private guides aren't permitted - the castle has its own guides and audio-guides, so a "tour" would be a waste.

But altho it's only 9 miles, by public transport it's complicated & time-consuming.

So the best compromise is to pre-book a taxi to Windsor and either pre-book the return, or for more flexibility at higher cost just take a cab from the rank at Windsor back to your hotel. 

Cheaper and IMHO more personable if you book with a Windsor taxi operator rather than an airport operator. Best-known is Royal Windsor Taxis   https://www.royalwindsortaxis.co.uk/ or google "taxi Windsor UK".

 

Buying your Windsor castle tickets in advance will avoid a line at the gate.

The changing of the guard is at 11am most days, so you'd miss that - but afternoons are less-crowded (though August will be busy).

The official website is https://www.rct.uk/visit/windsor-castle

The town centre (right by the castle) is small & interesting. For a 10 - 15 minute each-way walk, cross the River Thames on the pedestrianised bridge & a straight walk to Eton School, where a high proportion of Britain's prime ministers & other famous people were educated. School's out in August, I don't know if tours are available then but when they are  I think you have to pre-book.

 

JB  

The suggestion to stop by Windsor Castle enroute to central London hotel is super but I have two questions.  We will have luggage, so would it be impossible to find a method of storing them while visiting the Castle?  Also, what method could we use to get to our London hotel from Windsor?  It seems apparent that it would be  best to go straight to the hotel and discover Windsor another day.  Whatdayathink? 

[phabric]

International Friends www.internationalfriends.co.uk go on embankment and disembarkment days to/from London, certain London hotels, LHR hotels and to/from Southampton and Dover.

 

We took them from Southampton and was dropped off at our London hotel.  We stopped at Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle.  At Windsor,  the people going to London hotels switched to a small coach. 

 

Purchase tickets for Stonehenge and Windsor Castle through them to save time.

Edited September 22, 2019 by phabric

[GrJ Berkshire]

11 hours ago, susierailroad said:

The suggestion to stop by Windsor Castle enroute to central London hotel is super but I have two questions.  We will have luggage, so would it be impossible to find a method of storing them while visiting the Castle?  Also, what method could we use to get to our London hotel from Windsor?  It seems apparent that it would be  best to go straight to the hotel and discover Windsor another day.  Whatdayathink? 

Windsor is not enroute to Central London, its the other way ! So this is not a Great idea.

[John Bull]

13 hours ago, susierailroad said:

The suggestion to stop by Windsor Castle enroute to central London hotel is super but I have two questions.  We will have luggage, so would it be impossible to find a method of storing them while visiting the Castle?  Also, what method could we use to get to our London hotel from Windsor?  It seems apparent that it would be  best to go straight to the hotel and discover Windsor another day.  Whatdayathink? 

 

 

I'll respectfully disagree with Josh's advice on time at the castle - was "8 hours" a typo, Josh?

IMHO a couple of hours is long enough, another hour would perhaps be better.

 

For those like the OP who are lodging near Heathrow my suggestion makes sense because they can check in at their airport hotel first..

 

But for those like yourself whose destination is central London it's more difficult/ expensive because of that luggage.

You'd need to

 

...book a private transfer through to central London with a stop (2 hrs?) at Windsor and the luggage remaining in the car while you explore Windsor & the castle.

 

.... or book a separate transfer Southampton to Windsor, store luggage in Windsor, then a second transfer (or train) to central London.  This involves storing luggage at the castle ( I don't know of anywhere else in central Windsor) - they don't like lots of luggage, but there's no actual maximum. https://www.rct.uk/visit/windsor-castle/practical-information#/

 

-  a hybrid of those options. Private transfer to Windsor, luggage to remain in the car while you explore ( 2 to 2.5 hrs driver's waiting time), then return to the car to collect your luggage & take the train into central London

 

- if you want to also include Salisbury & Stonehenge, phabric's suggestion of the International Friends' door-to-door Southampton ship to London hotel coach tour-transfer with stops at Salisbury, Stonehenge & Windsor has a great deal of merit.

https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_to_london_shared_bus.html

But I see that their timetable has been revised to include more time in Salisbury (used to be just a 15 minute photo-stop) at the expense of time in Windsor (45 minutes for Windsor castle is dire, plus any delay en-route would cut into that time).

If you go for this option definitely buy your Stonehenge admission tickets with your coach tickets - those Stonehenge entrance tickets are "anytime", whereas you have to nominate a half-hour arrival time-slot f you buy tickets direct.

 

- or if you have a half-day to spare in London, your own thoughts of visiting Windsor from London make life easier and cheaper.

Very easy by train https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

Direct half-hourly service from London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside, journey time just under an hour, return fare £12.70. 

This is also the same train that you'd take into London from Windsor following a private transfer from ship to Windsor.

 

Decisions, decisions 

 

JB 

Edited September 22, 2019 by John Bull

[susierailroad]

Thank  so much for your very good information. I do believe we will opt for the last suggestion of simply taking a train from London out to Windsor. I appreciate the train scheduling information. Once we depart the train in Windsor, is the castle  within walking distance of the train station?   Again, very appreciative of your information. 

[John Bull]

39 minutes ago, susierailroad said:

Thank  so much for your very good information. I do believe we will opt for the last suggestion of simply taking a train from London out to Windsor. I appreciate the train scheduling information. Once we depart the train in Windsor, is the castle  within walking distance of the train station?   Again, very appreciative of your information. 

 

A three-minute walk 

 

JB 

 

[FLKrewzer]

John Bull,

I am also interested in visiting the Castle, but my hotel is in Southampton - the Best Western Chilworth Manor. Any suggestions for transport to/from?  Also, any suggestions to/from port to hotel?

Thank you for your help!

 

[John Bull]

13 hours ago, FLKrewzer said:

John Bull,

I am also interested in visiting the Castle, but my hotel is in Southampton - the Best Western Chilworth Manor. Any suggestions for transport to/from?  Also, any suggestions to/from port to hotel?

Thank you for your help!

 

 

That's a tough one - there are no direct public transport links to Windsor from Southampton, and to compound that Chilworth Manor is just outside the city limits in semi-rural countryside five miles from either Southampton central station or Southampton Parkway (airport) station or Eastleigh station - all London-bound trains stop at all three, and are direct to London Waterloo.

You would need a taxi from Chilworth Manor to any of those stations, fare about £10? e/w for the car (not per person)

At Waterloo you change to a Windsor train.

 

Ticketing is a bit complicated. because of the ludicrous pricing system.

From Eastleigh to London Waterloo & back is cheapest at just £8.50 each-way  (or about £13 e/w from Southampton central) - but buy separate one-way tickets because for this journey they're cheaper than return tickets. Journey time to Waterloo is about 90 minutes. Those prices  are for advance tickets (available from about 10 weeks out). There are about 3 trains per hour to London Waterloo - those cheap advance tickets are only available for a proportion of them (but still plenty of choice) and you must specify the train time - miss the train that you booked and your ticket is trash, you'll have to pay the full walk-up fare of £44 one-way 

 

At Waterloo you change to a direct train to Windsor & Eton Riverside, half-hourly service, journey time just under an hour. For this journey return tickets are cheaper at £12.70. One price, no restrictions on what time trains you use, no advantage in buying in advance. The station is a 3-minute walk from the castle.

You would need to take a train back from Windsor that ties in with the Waterloo to Eastlleigh ticket that you've pre-purchased

 

Common-sense says that through-tickets from Eastleigh to Windsor should be cheaper, but they're significantly more expensive. 

Ditto return fares Eastleigh to Waterloo 

 

The way I suggest,- buying in advance separate out & back single tickets  Eastleigh to Waterloo, then buying return tickets Waterloo to Windsor (in advance or at Waterloo station) the total train fare is only £30 per person.

 

Total journey time, including taxi & waits at stations is something over 3 hours each-way. So you would need a full day to visit Windsor from Chilworth Manor.

 

Check out those train fares & times on http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/

using the same day-of-the-week as your trip, but for around mid-November this year to see those cheap advance tickets.

----------------------------------------

There's no suitable Nat Express bus service.

Your date and timings are extremely unlikely to match Windsor coach excursions from Southampton (Southampton's not a tourist city, those excursions geared to locals), but it's worth coming back here to ask a couple of months before your trip & before you buy train tickets, because that'd be a whole lot simpler.

A pre-booked private car service would cost mebbe £200?  for 6 hours (90 minutes e/w by road  plus 3 hour wait in Windsor)

Car rental would cost about £100 ?, plus taxi to depot (Easleigh again) plus fuel.

Private car service or car rental would be more expensive but save a few hours.

 

Windsor is much easier to access from central London or Heathrow if either suits your travel plans.

Or on a Southampton ship  to Heathrow (or central London) tour-transfer https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton_to_london_shared_bus.html

And there are plenty of other places to visit from Southampton by public transport.

But Chilworth Manor isn't a convenient location - are you committed to staying there?

 

Complicated, innit 

 

JB 

 

 

[FLKrewzer]

Thank you, JB!  Complicated is correct!  I don’t think the train plan is for us. You mentioned the pre-booked private car service.  The London toolkit website is very helpful.  I will start the researching and see what will work.

Thank you, again for your information and ideas. 

Very much appreciated!

 

[John Bull]

6 hours ago, FLKrewzer said:

Thank you, JB!  Complicated is correct!  I don’t think the train plan is for us. You mentioned the pre-booked private car service.  The London toolkit website is very helpful.  I will start the researching and see what will work.

Thank you, again for your information and ideas. 

Very much appreciated!

 

London toolkit is a very useful site - but their private transfer cars are over-priced.

check www.smithsforairports.com and www.westquaycars.com and aqua cars.co.uk

All are based in Southampton and are frequently recommended by CC members

 

JB 😀

[FLKrewzer]

Just exactly what I was looking for!!

Thank you so much!!!

[MMDown Under]

Suggestion for future visitors to Windsor from Heathrow.

 

I recently stayed two nights at Ibis Styles Heathrow, between a long haul flight from Australia and a flight to Europe.

Local busses are free from Heathrow to airport hotels such as Ibis Styles. 

I caught a local bus to Windsor, arriving in time for the Change of Guard at 11 am.  A perfect relaxing day before commencing my travels.  Cost 7 pounds return.  Windsor on the Thames is a walkers' paradise, easily visited independently. 

You can leave your luggage for free at the hotel. 

[John Bull]

3 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Suggestion for future visitors to Windsor from Heathrow.

 

I recently stayed two nights at Ibis Styles Heathrow, between a long haul flight from Australia and a flight to Europe.

Local busses are free from Heathrow to airport hotels such as Ibis Styles. 

I caught a local bus to Windsor, arriving in time for the Change of Guard at 11 am.  A perfect relaxing day before commencing my travels.  Cost 7 pounds return.  Windsor on the Thames is a walkers' paradise, easily visited independently. 

You can leave your luggage for free at the hotel. 

 

Hi,

 

Did you take a bus to Windsor from near your hotel on Bath Road?

Or a  bus from hotel to terminal 5, then bus from there to Windsor (route 8 on this website) ?

https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/maps/Slough %26 Windsor TT Bklt DL Web.pdf

 

JB 

[MMDown Under]

Hi John, I took free local bus (423) near hotel on Bath Road to Terminal 5, then local bus 9 from there to Windsor and return (from my brief notes).  However from memory, I could have taken any bus to Terminal 5, as well as bus 8 (which rings a bell).

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

Hi John, I took free local bus (423) near hotel on Bath Road to Terminal 5, then local bus 9 from there to Windsor and return (from my brief notes).  However from memory, I could have taken any bus to Terminal 5, as well as bus 8 (which rings a bell).

 

 

Bus 8 rings a bell cos that's the bus from T5 to Windsor 

 

Ding ding

 

JB 

[MMDown Under]

Bus 9 is a fast route.

[John Bull]

9 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Bus 9 is a fast route.

 

 

Ooops - I'm out-of-date 

But so is First Bus' main timetable (the link in my earlier post), which makes no mention of bus 9. 

 

By trawling the 'net I found it at https://www.firstgroup.com/berkshire-thames-valley/routes-and-maps/fast-9

They describe it as a "new route".

That route is via a the attractive & historic (British sarcasm ) town of Slough instead of Old Windsor, but knocks about 15 minutes off the journey.

 

Thanks for the correction / update

 

JB 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2019 by John Bull