Fastest ~40-55min by train
| 🚆 Train | ~55min | South Western, Waterloo-Eton Riverside, no change |
| 🚆 Train | ~40-50min | GWR Paddington-Slough then shuttle to Eton Central |
| 🚗 Car | ~45min-1h+ | 34km via M4/A30, limited pricey parking |
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Windsor, home to the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, is one of the easiest day trips from London — barely 40 minutes to an hour by train, with two different routes to choose from and no need for a car. Here is how to get there, which station to use, and how to make the most of a short day out.
The quickest way: South Western Railway from Waterloo
The simplest route is a direct South Western Railway train from London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside, taking about 55 minutes with no changes. Trains run roughly twice an hour through the day, and the station sits a short walk from the castle gates across the river. This is the route most visitors use, since Waterloo is well served by the London Underground and there is nothing to work out at the other end.
No reservation is needed — these are ordinary commuter-style trains where you simply turn up and travel, and off-peak return tickets are usually the best value if you are not travelling in the early morning or early evening.
The alternative: GWR from Paddington via Slough
The other option is Great Western Railway from London Paddington to Slough, then a short shuttle train onward to Windsor & Eton Central. Including the change, this takes about 40–50 minutes in total — often slightly quicker than the Waterloo route once you factor in the fast main-line leg to Slough, though it does involve switching platforms. Windsor & Eton Central is the station closer to the castle's main entrance and to Eton itself, just across the Thames.
Which station you should aim for often comes down to where you are starting from in London: Paddington and the west end suit the GWR route, while Waterloo and south London suit South Western Railway.
Is there a direct bus?
Coach and bus options exist but are a poor substitute for the train on this particular route — with London traffic and no motorway shortcut, a road journey to Windsor typically takes noticeably longer than either rail option and rarely saves money. Local bus links from Heathrow and around Berkshire are useful once you are already in the area, but for the London leg the train is simply the better tool. The calculus is similar to other short hops out of the capital, such as London to Brighton, where the train is the obvious default and the bus mainly suits the very budget-conscious.
Driving to Windsor
Windsor is about 34 km west of central London, roughly 45 minutes to over an hour by car depending on traffic on the M4 or A30, and often much longer at peak times. The town's central streets are narrow and largely pedestrianised near the castle, and parking is limited and not cheap, so most visitors driving in use one of the park-and-ride style car parks on the edge of town. Unless you are combining Windsor with other stops that make a car genuinely useful, the train is the far less stressful choice.
Which should you choose?
For almost everyone, the train wins outright — it is quick, frequent, needs no booking ahead, and both routes drop you within walking distance of the castle. Choose Waterloo–Windsor & Eton Riverside if you are starting south of the river or near Waterloo; choose Paddington–Slough–Windsor & Eton Central if you are in west London or want the station nearer the main castle entrance. Save the car only for onward plans, such as combining Windsor with the Cotswolds or other stops around Berkshire.
Practical tips for the day
- Windsor Castle is a working royal residence, and opening days and the Changing of the Guard schedule vary — check before you travel if either is the point of your visit.
- Eton, with its famous school, is a short walk across the river bridge from Windsor & Eton Central and pairs naturally with a castle visit.
- Windsor is also a common stop for travellers heading further west, and it is easy to combine with an onward look at London to Oxford if you have more than a day to spare.
- If you are coming from Heathrow rather than central London, Windsor is close enough that a taxi or local bus can make sense instead of routing back through the city first.
- Travellers building a wider itinerary around southern England sometimes pair Windsor with London to Stonehenge or London to Bath, both also easy day trips by train from the capital.
Windsor is a purely domestic hop, so none of the usual cross-border planning applies — but if Windsor is one stop on a longer UK-and-Europe trip, it is worth reading up on how seat reservations work before booking any longer-distance legs that do require one.
Frequently asked questions
Which London station should I use for Windsor?
Waterloo for a direct South Western Railway train to Windsor & Eton Riverside, or Paddington for GWR to Slough with a short connecting train to Windsor & Eton Central. Both take roughly 40 minutes to an hour.
Do I need to book train tickets in advance?
No, reservations are not required on either route — these are turn-up-and-go services, though off-peak tickets are usually cheaper than travelling at rush hour.
Is it cheaper to drive to Windsor than take the train?
Usually not once you count fuel, tolls where applicable, and Windsor's limited and pricier town-centre parking. The train is generally the more practical and often cheaper option.
Can I visit Windsor as a half-day trip from London?
Yes. With a journey time under an hour each way, many visitors comfortably see the castle and town centre within a half day, though a full day allows a more relaxed pace.
Sources and further reading:
- Rail-route details cross-checked with The Man in Seat 61.