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Windsor Castle: a day trip to the King's other home

William the Conqueror chose the hill at Windsor about 1070 for one of a ring of castles round London. Forty monarchs have used it since, and it is where the King spends most weekends.

What it is
Day trip
Time to allow
5 to 7 hours
Cost
Ticket and train fare
Best time
A day the State Apartments are open

London this week

    Why Windsor Castle is worth it

    The castle covers more than five hectares and has about a thousand rooms. Its outline, the Round Tower on its mound with a long wall of towers to either side, is mostly the work of George IV in the 1820s, built round a medieval core.

    Inside the walls is St George's Chapel, begun in 1475, one of the finest late Gothic churches in England and the home of the Order of the Garter. Eleven monarchs are buried in it, among them Henry VIII, Charles I and Elizabeth II.

    In 1992 a fire burned for fifteen hours and gutted more than a hundred rooms. They were restored in five years, and the work was paid for in part by opening Buckingham Palace to visitors.

    What to see

    1. The State Apartments

      The rooms used for state visits: the Waterloo Chamber, St George's Hall with the shields of every Garter knight on its ceiling, and paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck and Holbein.

    2. St George's Chapel

      A fan vault over the nave, the banners and helmets of the Garter knights over the stalls, and in a small side chapel the black stone under which Elizabeth II lies with her husband and her parents.

    3. Queen Mary's Dolls' House

      Built in the 1920s by the architect Edwin Lutyens at a scale of one to twelve, with running water, electric light, a wine cellar and a library of tiny books written for it.

    4. The Changing of the Guard

      On set days a detachment marches up the High Street with a band and changes guard inside the castle. It is easier to see here than in London.

    5. The Long Walk

      A straight avenue four kilometres long that runs from the castle gates into the Great Park. Walk ten minutes down it and turn round.

    6. Eton

      Across the footbridge over the Thames, ten minutes from the castle, is the High Street of Eton and its school, founded in 1440.

    How to do it well

    • The castle is closed on some days of the week, and the State Apartments or the chapel can close for royal events. Check the day before you buy a train ticket.
    • The chapel is closed to visitors on Sundays, when it is open for services only.
    • Trains run from Paddington, changing at Slough, in about half an hour, and direct from Waterloo in a little under an hour. Both stations in Windsor are five minutes from the gate.
    • Buy the castle ticket ahead and arrive early: the security check at the entrance is slow by late morning.
    • Allow three hours inside, and take the audio guide, which is included.

    Where it is

    Address

    Windsor, Berkshire, about 35 kilometres west of central London

    Nearest station

    Train from Paddington to Windsor and Eton Central, or from Waterloo to Windsor and Eton Riverside

    Tickets and tours: Windsor Castle

    Windsor Castle: common questions

    How do you get to Windsor Castle from London?
    By train. From Paddington, change at Slough for Windsor and Eton Central, about half an hour in all. From Waterloo a direct train reaches Windsor and Eton Riverside in under an hour.
    How long do you need at Windsor Castle?
    About three hours for the State Apartments, the chapel and the Dolls' House. With the journey it makes a day out of London, or a long half day.
    Who is buried at Windsor Castle?
    Eleven monarchs lie in St George's Chapel, among them Henry VIII, Charles I, George VI and Elizabeth II, who was buried there in 2022 beside Prince Philip.
    How much time do you need for Windsor Castle?
    Allow 5 to 7 hours. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.

    What visitors say about Windsor Castle

    Rating from Google

    4.7

    64,833 ratings on Google

    Google's figures as read on 8 October 2026.

    Read every review on Google

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