If you’re looking for an easy day trip from London by train, Windsor might genuinely be one of the best options – and I can’t believe it took me this long to finally visit.
I’ve lived in London for years. Windsor is practically on my doorstep. You can reach it in less than an hour, and on some routes the journey takes around half an hour.
And yet somehow, I had never been. Shame on me.
I finally fixed that with a Sunday day trip from London to Windsor, and I completely fell in love with it. Between Windsor Castle, the historic streets, Eton just across the river and a very good pub lunch, it’s the kind of place that feels like you’ve properly escaped London without spending half your day travelling.
And if you visit in summer 2026, there’s another reason to go: Windsor Castle has just opened its newly redesigned Venus Garden to visitors.
So, if you’re planning a Windsor day trip from London, here’s how I’d spend it.
How to Get to Windsor for this day trip from London by Train
One of the best things about visiting Windsor from London is just how easy it is.
There are two main train options from central London:
London Paddington to Windsor & Eton Central
This is generally the quickest option. You travel from Paddington to Slough and change there for the short connection to Windsor & Eton Central. Depending on the service and connection, the journey can take around 30 minutes.
London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
This is a direct train, so there’s no need to change. The journey is longer, usually around an hour. But it can be a convenient option depending on where in London you’re travelling from.
Both Windsor stations are right in the centre, so you absolutely do not need a car for this day trip.
That is probably what surprised me most. This isn’t one of those “easy day trip from London” where you then spend another 40 minutes getting from the station to the thing you actually came to see.
You arrive and you’re basically there.
Windsor Castle dominates the centre of town, with shops, restaurants, pubs and the River Thames all within walking distance. Eton is just across Windsor Bridge too, making the whole area incredibly easy to explore on foot.
If you want a day trip from London less than one hour away, Windsor should be very high on your list.
What to Do on a Windsor Day Trip from London
You could easily fill an entire day in Windsor without trying to squeeze in too much.
My advice is not to rush it.
Come in the morning and walk around Windsor and Eton. Have a proper lunch and give yourself plenty of time for Windsor Castle. The castle was by far the highlight of my trip. It deserves much more than a quick stop for a photo outside.
Visiting Windsor Castle
You obviously can’t come to Windsor for the first time and skip Windsor Castle.
But I’ll admit something: I expected to enjoy it. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did.
Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, with almost 1,000 years of royal history. William the Conqueror began building the original fortress at Windsor around 1070, choosing its position high above the River Thames partly to protect the western approach to London.
What began as a Norman fortress gradually became a royal palace, and Windsor Castle has now been home to 40 monarchs.
That history becomes much easier to understand once you’re actually inside.
The scale of the place is incredible, but what I loved most was that Windsor Castle doesn’t feel like one historical period frozen in time. Different monarchs have changed. Expanded and rebuilt parts of it over centuries. You’re essentially walking through layers of British royal history.
The castle has survived everything from medieval conflicts and the English Civil War to two world wars and the devastating fire of 1992.
Today, it remains an official royal residence as well as one of the most important historic attractions in the UK.
What to See Inside Windsor Castle
Give yourself enough time here because there is a LOT more to Windsor Castle than the exterior you see in photographs.
One of the main highlights is the State Apartments, where you can walk through magnificent ceremonial and historic rooms filled with works from the Royal Collection.
There’s also Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, one of the most famous dolls’ houses in the world, and St George’s Chapel, one of the most important examples of Gothic architecture in Britain.
St George’s Chapel is also the burial place of several British monarchs, including Henry VIII, Charles I and Queen Elizabeth II.
Then there are the castle grounds themselves.
Walking around them was probably when it really hit me that this wasn’t simply another historical attraction. People have been living, working, celebrating, mourning and making history within these walls for almost a thousand years.
But there was one part of my visit that felt particularly special because of when I went.
The Newly Redesigned Venus Garden at Windsor Castle
If you’re visiting Windsor Castle in summer 2026, do not miss the Venus Garden.
I visited only about a month after it opened to the public in its newly redesigned form.
Formerly known as the East Terrace Garden, the space has been transformed according to the vision of King Charles III and officially reopened as the Venus Garden on 16 July 2026. For summer 2026, it is included as part of the standard Windsor Castle visit until 13 September.
And there is a fascinating idea behind the new design.
The garden takes inspiration from the orbit of Venus around the Sun. When Venus’s path is traced over eight years, it creates a five-petalled, flower-like pattern. That geometry inspired the layout of the new planting beds and hedge-lined pathways.
The redesign combines formal planting with wildflower meadows, sculpted yew hedging and a new collection of trees including ornamental pear, dogwood and crab apple.
But the garden itself isn’t actually new.
Its history stretches back centuries. The site was once associated with Charles II’s bowling green before George IV created a formal garden here in the 1820s, when he was transforming Windsor Castle and his private apartments. Different generations of the Royal Family have changed the garden since then.
That contrast is what I loved about it.
You’re standing inside a nearly 1,000-year-old castle, in a garden with its own centuries of history, looking at a completely new interpretation of the space.
The garden also sits beneath the castle’s famous east facade, giving you a perspective of Windsor Castle that isn’t normally part of the standard visitor route.
If you’re planning your visit specifically because you want to see the Venus Garden, check the current opening information before travelling, as its public opening is seasonal rather than year-round.
Where to Have Lunch in Windsor: The George in Eton
Before visiting the castle, we crossed over towards Eton for lunch at The George.
It’s a really convenient stop during a Windsor day trip because you can have lunch and then walk back towards Windsor Castle afterwards rather than losing time travelling somewhere outside the centre.
I won’t go into the entire menu because this isn’t a restaurant review, but I will say this:
I went on a Sunday and had one of the best Sunday roasts I’ve had in my life.
And I take a Sunday roast very seriously.
They also have a fantastic selection of brewery beers, which made it exactly the kind of pub I wanted to find on a day like this.
If you’re doing Windsor on a Sunday, I’d absolutely consider stopping here for lunch before heading to the castle.
My Perfect Windsor Day Trip from London Itinerary
If I were planning the day again, I’d keep it simple:
Morning: Train from London to Windsor and explore Windsor town centre.
Late morning: Walk across Windsor Bridge and have a wander around Eton.
Lunch: Stop at The George in Eton – especially if you’re visiting on a Sunday and can try the roast.
Afternoon: Spend a few hours properly exploring Windsor Castle, including the State Apartments, St George’s Chapel and, when open, the Venus Garden.
Late afternoon: Walk around Windsor, stop somewhere for a drink or coffee and enjoy the town without rushing back to London.
Evening: Take the train back to London – unless, like me, you start wondering why you didn’t just stay overnight.
Is Windsor Worth Visiting as a Day Trip from London?
Absolutely.
In fact, Windsor has gone straight onto my list of best easy day trips from London.
It’s close enough that you don’t need to wake up at an offensive hour, easy enough to visit without a car and interesting enough that you can fill an entire day without feeling like you’re desperately looking for things to do.
And Windsor Castle alone is worth making the journey.
I genuinely fell in love with both the castle and the town, which is slightly annoying because now I’m wondering why on earth it took me this many years to come here.
The good news?
It’s less than an hour from London.
So I really have no excuse not to go back.
And next time, I’m definitely leaving space for another meal at The George and a few more beers.
For research purposes, obviously.
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