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Car, train, coach and taxi information |
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This page features a variety of travel choices to and from Windsor and London as well as Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick airports. Prices and times must be obtained from the relevant train or bus and coach companies as we could not keep them up to date here. Where possible links are provided in the text. If any link fails to work, please tell us so we can update the changes. (To contact us, please email Thamesweb.)
Please note that Windsor has two train stations. Windsor Central (sometimes known as Windsor Royal Station) serves London Paddington, Slough and the West Country. Windsor and Eton Riverside serves Waterloo Station just south of the river in London. If the information you require is not here, or elsewhere on The Royal Windsor Web Site, please click below to email your question to us.
Ticket Prices
and Train Times The Train Line or National Rail Enquiries |
Windsor is to the west of London, near to the M4 Motorway and only 20 minutes or so from West London, subject to traffic. Follow the signs from anywhere within London towards 'M4 and the West'.
Until you are actually on the motorway itself, avoid the nearside lane, as you may find yourself leaving the main road out of town as there are two, 'two lane flyovers' before the motorway starts and the nearside lane exits at both.
Windsor is south of the M4 at the Slough Central junction. Junction number 6. The junction numbers are in black squares on every motorway direction sign as you approach each junction.
As you approach Windsor you will have good views of the castle ahead and to your left. After leaving the motorway, you will be approaching over Eton College land, and Eton College Chapel can be seen clearly on the left. The Flood Relief Scheme is also clearly visible near the motorway.
Shortly thereafter you will cross the River Thames. Be ready to take the first slip road left just a few yards after the bridge and follow the signs to the town centre.
In the event that the M4 is closed, as can sometimes be the case late at night for the elevated section as it leaves London, follow signs to the west using the A4. This is the old coach route out of London from Victorian times and before. The A4 passes to the north of Heathrow Airport. You will be signposted back to the M4 at the first available junction after you have passed the closed section.
You will arrive at Heathrow at one of three areas. The Central Area Terminals 1, 2 or 3, or on the south side at Terminal 4, or on the west side at Terminal 5.
The M4 passes close by Heathrow Airport to the north and is most convenient for drivers using the Central Area. Follow the signs to M4 for London (to the east) or the west (Reading and Bristol). The M25 junction is to the west, see below.
A30 - it is also possible to leave London (and Heathrow) using the A30 via Staines which runs to the south of the airport and is adjacent to Terminal Four (4). The A30 is the old road to the city of Salisbury, Exeter and the counties of Devon and Cornwall, finishing up at Land's End. On the A30, at Staines/Egham, you must follow signs to Old Windsor and Windsor, as you cross Runnymede (Magna Carta) following the river. You will enter Windsor across the famous Long Walk with great views of the Castle to your right. BUT stopping at this point is strictly prevented and vehicles cannot turn onto or drive on the Long Walk.
Terminal 5 is on the western side of the airport and is close to the M25 motorway which encircles London. A short distance north is the M4 for east and westbound traffic, and to the south is the A30 (see above) and M3 which runs from London and the south west including Portsmouth, Southampton and Bournemouth. For Windsor we suggest either the A30 or the M4, but for preference we suggest the A30 route as the chance of congestion, after a short stretch on the M25, is less as you drive from Staines/Egham through Runnymede and Old Windsor into Windsor itself.
The quickest way to Windsor from London is via Paddington to Slough (22 mins) where you change for Windsor. (Platform 1).
There are good views of Eton College and the Castle as you approach from the north-west on the raised brick arches, crossing the river Thames on Brunel's 'Bowstring' Bridge. Windsor Central Station is directly below the Castle walls.
London/Waterloo may be more convenient for some people but takes longer (50-55 minutes). There is a direct service every half hour with some good views as you approach Windsor from the east. Soon after leaving Datchet Station you will cross the river at 'Black Potts Bridge' (1849) where The Flood Relief Scheme joins the river. You then approach Windsor across the Home Park with views of the Castle to the left.
Windsor and Eton Riverside Station is only a five minute walk or so from the Castle, BUT, the walk from the Station is rather steeper than from the Central Station (Paddington line) as you are walking up almost from river level.
The 'GREENLINE' bus service operates direct from Victoria in London to Windsor and on to Legoland and Bracknell. Click here for Greenline buses. Check for Scheduled Services for 700/701/702. There are a variety of stops at which you can catch the bus in London but beware, there are two places in Victoria where buses leave from. The Colonnades is a shopping centre in Victoria. It is opposite Victoria Coach Station, on Buckingham Palace Rd. 'Greenline' have stops in front and behind the Colonnades building.
The most convenient stop in central Windsor is at the Parish Church. This is right by the castle. The bus continues on to Legoland after calling in Windsor.
There is not a direct train service from Heathrow to Windsor but there are two indirect train services. The first is the Heathrow Express to Paddington (not cheap) and then to Windsor via Slough as above.
The second is a coach link to Feltham Station where you will be able to connect with the Waterloo - Windsor Riverside service.
Bus services from the Bus and Coach Station in the centre of Heathrow are few and far between, but there is a service from Heathrow to Windsor via Slough and a service operated by The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidnhead direct to Windsor via Datchet. The service departs from the bus station in Heathrow's Central Area every half hour. We have not been advised when the service starts and stops in the morning or evening. The RBWM Bus page is here.
The most economical method of getting to and from Windsor from a time point of view is to book a taxi ahead of your arrival time. Windsor Taxi firms are listed here Please click for taxis.
Gatwick Airport is some distance from Windsor, to the south of London whereas Windsor is to the west. The journey time by car is therefore around one hour (50 miles). It is not recommended that you use London based taxis from Gatwick as it would be excessively expensive. We suggest that you contact Windsor based taxi firms listed here.
Gatwick Airport to M23 [TRAFFIC Info - Tel 401100], M25 signposted Heathrow then join the M4 motorway, signposted The West and Slough, then A355, signposted Windsor. You could leave the M25 at Staines (before reaching the M4) and take the road to Windsor via Old Windsor, passing through Magna Carta country at Runnymede. The AA provide an excellent Route Planner service here.
If you need to use public transport I suggest the following route by train which should take around two hours.
Gatwick Airport by train to Clapham Junction, change and by train to Windsor & Eton Riverside. National Rail Enquiries
Stansted Airport is some distance from Windsor, to the north and east of London whereas Windsor is to the west. The journey time by car is therefore well over one hour and involves using the M11 motorway towards London, then the M25 anti-clockwise and the M4 west to Slough and Windsor. If you need to use public transport I suggest the following route by train which should take around two hours. The AA provide an excellent Route Planner service here.
Stansted Airport by train to London Liverpool Street then by Underground or taxi to London Paddington then by train to Slough and change to train for Windsor & Eton Central. For detailed information and ticket prices National Rail Enquiries