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NOTE: Windsor Castle is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Do You Need to Book Windsor Castle Tickets in Advance?
Updated March 2026
Forty miles west of London, on a steep chalk cliff above the Thames, stands the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Windsor Castle has been a royal home and a working fortress for nearly a thousand years, founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century as one of a ring of strongholds controlling the approach to London, and continuously inhabited, modified, and cherished by every English and British monarch since. The scale of the place is the first thing that surprises most visitors: thirteen acres of towers, courtyards, chapels, apartments, gardens, and medieval walls, all of it in continuous royal use. The State Apartments hold one of the finest concentrations of art in the Royal Collection, including major works by Holbein, Rubens, Rembrandt, Canaletto, and Van Dyck. St George's Chapel, one of the supreme achievements of late Gothic architecture in England, is the burial place of eleven monarchs including Henry VIII, Charles I, and Queen Elizabeth II, whose tomb in the King George VI Memorial Chapel draws visitors from across the world since her death in 2022. Queen Mary's Dolls' House, the most elaborate miniature residence ever constructed, sits in its own purpose-built room within the castle. And the Changing of the Guard, performed at Windsor since 1660, remains one of the great ceremonial spectacles that Britain does unlike anywhere else. This guide covers everything you need to know before you go, including how to make the visit from London as a day trip.
At a Glance
How Early to Book:
Book 2-3 weeks ahead of visit.
Through the end of the calendar year.
Best Times to Visit:
Mid-morning to noon are usually the least busy, especially on weekdays. Note the castle is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Changing of the Guard Ceremony runs at 11am on most days.
Ticket price:
£32 for adults when pre-booked online, £36 otherwise.
Where to Book:
Landmark Address:
Do You Need to Book Windsor Castle Tickets in Advance?
Yes, and booking online in advance is both cheaper and smoother than buying at the door. Advance booking saves £4 per adult ticket and guarantees your chosen entry time. Walk-up tickets are available at the castle entrance, but during busy weekend and holiday periods they may sell out or require a wait that makes the early part of your visit more rushed than it needs to be.
Book through the official Royal Collection Trust website. This is the only officially authorised booking platform. Third-party sites cannot sell official RCT tickets, and any tickets purchased through third parties that claim to be official Windsor Castle tickets are not from the castle directly and may carry additional charges.
The £1 ticket scheme: During certain months of the year, visitors receiving Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, Personal Independence Payments, Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, or Child Tax Credit can purchase admission for £1. This is available from the Royal Collection Trust booking page. Documentation confirming benefit receipt must be presented at the castle entrance.
The 1-Year Pass: Your admission ticket can be converted into a 1-Year Pass on the day of your visit, allowing unlimited re-entry to Windsor Castle for a full year from the date of purchase. A £2 transaction fee applies when pre-booking a return visit using the pass. For visitors who live within travelling distance of Windsor, or who plan to return to London on a future trip, this is one of the most generous annual pass schemes at any British royal attraction.
What is included: Your admission ticket covers the State Apartments, St George's Chapel (except Sundays, when it is open for worship only and not for tourist visits), Queen Mary's Dolls' House, the Moat Room, the Semi-State Rooms when seasonally open, access to the castle precincts and grounds, and the free multimedia audio guide in 12 languages. The Changing of the Guard ceremony is also included in your ticket if it takes place on the day of your visit, as it happens within the castle precincts.
The Semi-State Rooms, the richly decorated private apartments damaged in the 1992 fire and fully restored, are open seasonally from autumn through spring. They are currently open until 29 March 2026. After this date they close for the warmer months. If you are visiting in winter or early spring and the Semi-State Rooms are a priority, book before 29 March.
Cancellation: Tickets can be cancelled up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund through the RCT booking system.
Windsor Castle Opening Hours and Entry Information
Windsor Castle is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This is a firm, year-round closure and is the most important operational fact to know before planning your visit. Many visitors arrive from London on a Tuesday or Wednesday without realising this and find the gates closed.
Seasonal opening hours:
1 March to 31 October: 10:00am to 5:15pm (last admission 4:00pm)
1 November to 28 February: 10:00am to 4:15pm (last admission 3:00pm)
The entrance to the State Apartments closes 30 minutes after the last admission time. Plan your visit so that you arrive well before last admission; entering the State Apartments in the final 30 minutes before they close does not give adequate time for a satisfying visit.
St George's Chapel has its own separate hours within the castle visit. It is closed to general visitors on Sundays, when it is open for worship only. On other days of the week it is open as part of the standard castle visit. Chapel-specific closures are occasionally announced at short notice for services, funerals, or other religious observances.
Further provisional closures are listed on the RCT website and are updated regularly. As Windsor Castle is a working royal palace, the entire castle or the State Apartments can be closed at short notice when needed for official functions. Visitors with non-refundable travel arrangements should check the provisional closures page as close to their visit date as possible. Visitors who have booked tickets for a date that is subsequently closed are entitled to a refund or rescheduling through the RCT.
The castle is open on all other public holidays (including bank holidays) unless specifically listed as closed on the RCT website.
Getting to Windsor from London
Windsor is one of the most rewarding and manageable day trips from London, and two main rail routes connect the capital with the town, placing the castle at a distance that makes a comfortable half-day or full-day visit entirely realistic.
By train from London Waterloo (most direct option):
South Western Railway operates a service from London Waterloo directly to Windsor and Eton Riverside station, with no change of train required. Services depart half-hourly on weekdays and hourly on Sundays. Journey time is approximately 55 to 60 minutes. Windsor and Eton Riverside station is around a 10-minute walk from the castle entrance; follow the signs for Windsor Castle from the station exit up Castle Hill.
By train from London Paddington (fastest option):
Great Western Railway operates services from London Paddington to Windsor and Eton Central station, changing once at Slough. Services depart every 10 to 15 minutes from Paddington to Slough, with frequent connections to Windsor. Total journey time is approximately 35 to 40 minutes including the change, making it the faster of the two London routes. Windsor and Eton Central station exits directly onto Windsor town centre, a five to eight-minute walk from the castle.
Fare comparison: Off-Peak day return fares from both Waterloo and Paddington are the most practical ticket type for a day trip. Advance fares may be available if you book a specific train; check at nationalrail.co.uk or gwr.com for current prices.
By coach: National Express operates direct coach services from London to Windsor, typically taking around 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes depending on traffic. The Green Line 702 bus also runs between London Victoria and Windsor. Coach services are generally slower than the train and less predictable in journey time, but are useful for visitors who prefer not to change trains or who are arriving from areas better served by coach.
By car from London: The M4 motorway serves Windsor, with Junction 6 providing direct access to the town. The journey time from central London is typically 45 to 60 minutes off-peak, but extends considerably in peak-hour traffic. There is no parking directly at Windsor Castle. The nearest public car parks to the castle are on King Edward Court (St Leonard's Road) and River Street, both a short walk from the castle entrance. Parking in Windsor town centre is metered and limited; arriving by train removes the parking problem entirely.
Once in Windsor: The town centre is compact and entirely walkable. The castle entrance is at the top of Castle Hill, clearly visible from both train stations and from the main shopping streets.
What is the Best Time to Visit Windsor Castle?
Early weekday mornings (Thursday and Friday are the most practical weekdays, given the Tuesday and Wednesday closure) are the quietest time for the castle. Arriving at opening at 10:00am on a Thursday or Friday gives you the State Apartments, St George's Chapel, and Queen Mary's Dolls' House in the calmest conditions of the visiting day. Coach tour groups typically arrive later in the morning, and the gap between opening and their arrival is the most comfortable window for moving through the State Apartments at your own pace.
A practical strategy for Changing of the Guard days: You can watch the Changing of the Guard at 11:00am, then get your ticket stamped for re-entry, leave the castle for lunch in Windsor town, and return later when the coach tours have departed for a more relaxed visit of the State Apartments. The ticket allows re-entry on the same day with a stamp from the gate staff.
The Changing of the Guard schedule: The ceremony takes place in the Lower Ward of the castle at approximately 11:00am on most days, Monday to Saturday. It takes place most frequently from April to June. Outside this period it occurs less regularly, and the full schedule is published at the Household Division website. Weather conditions can affect the ceremony; in heavy rain it may be cancelled or reduced. Arriving inside the castle precincts rather than watching from the street gives the closest view of the procession. Arriving at least 30 minutes before the 11:00am start is advisable for a good position.
Sundays offer a slightly different visit since St George's Chapel is closed to general visitors. If visiting St George's Chapel is a priority, plan a non-Sunday visit. If you specifically want to attend a Sunday choral service at the chapel, you are warmly welcome as a worshipper at no charge, but this is a very different experience from the tourist visit.
Seasonal considerations: The castle is open year-round and is rewarding in every season.
In summer (June to August), the State Apartments are at their most visited. Arriving at opening is essential to see the most popular rooms in comfortable conditions. The castle grounds and terraces are magnificent in warm weather, and the Long Walk south through Windsor Great Park is at its most inviting.
In winter (November to February), visitor numbers are lower, the Semi-State Rooms are open (providing access to some of the most richly decorated interiors in the castle), and the State Apartments are occasionally decorated for Christmas in December, with a large tree in St George's Hall sourced from Windsor Great Park. The combination of lower crowds and the winter decorations makes December a particularly atmospheric time to visit.
Spring (March to May) offers the best overall balance of comfortable visitor numbers, pleasant weather for the outdoor sections of the visit, and the peak Changing of the Guard schedule from April onwards.
Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, covering 13 acres with over 1,000 rooms. It has served as a home to 40 monarchs, survived WWII (allegedly targeted for Hitler's personal use), and features a 2.65-mile driveway.
Is Windsor Castle Worth Visiting?
For visitors who want to understand the living institution of the British monarchy rather than simply observe its exterior iconography from outside, Windsor Castle is the most compelling day available anywhere near London. The combination of the castle's physical scale, its unbroken royal occupation from 1066 to the present, the art in the State Apartments, the Gothic architecture of St George's Chapel, and the particular weight that comes from knowing that Queen Elizabeth II's tomb is a ten-minute walk from the entrance gate makes it a different kind of experience from a standard heritage visit.
The State Apartments are the formal ceremonial rooms still used by King Charles III for state visits, investitures, and official functions, and they contain one of the finest concentrations of paintings, furniture, armour, and decorative objects in any royal building open to the public in the world. Works by Holbein, Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Canaletto, Gainsborough, and Reynolds hang alongside carved woodwork by Grinling Gibbons, Sèvres porcelain from the French royal collection, and royal armour including an etched gold suit made for the young Henry VIII. The Waterloo Chamber, commissioned by George IV to celebrate the Allied victory over Napoleon, is a single room lined with portraits of every Allied leader and sovereign who contributed to the victory, painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence, and is one of the great ensemble painting commissions in British history. These rooms are not recreations; they are functioning state rooms through which the business of the monarchy still passes, and the sense of a living institution rather than a preserved monument is palpable throughout.
St George's Chapel is the burial place of eleven British monarchs including Henry VIII (and Jane Seymour), Charles I, George III, George IV, George V and Queen Mary, George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II, whose tomb in the King George VI Memorial Chapel is the most visited single spot in the building. The chapel is also the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior order of chivalry in the world, and the heraldic banners of current Garter Knights hang above the stalls in the quire, providing a vivid connection between medieval tradition and the present day. Architecturally, the chapel is among the supreme achievements of English Perpendicular Gothic: a nave of soaring stone tracery and fan-vaulted side aisles, great west window, and the exquisite Order of the Garter stalls beneath their canopies. Attending a sung service here as a worshipper, free of charge, is one of the most atmospheric religious experiences available in southern England.
Queen Mary's Dolls' House is the most elaborate miniature residence ever built, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1924 as a gift to Queen Mary, consort of George V. Built to a scale of 1:12, it replicates a grand Edwardian residence in astonishing detail: working electric lights, running water, functioning lifts, a wine cellar stocked with real vintages from Berry Bros, a library with over 200 books written in miniature by authors including Thomas Hardy, Rudyard Kipling, and Arthur Conan Doyle, and a garage holding six miniature limousines. On busy days, access to the Dolls' House may be limited and queues can form; visiting early in the day gives the best chance of seeing it comfortably.
The Moat Room provides the most useful overview of the castle's architectural development, with three large-scale bronze models showing how the castle looked at key moments across its nine-century history. It is a valuable first stop before exploring the rest of the site.
The Semi-State Rooms (open seasonally, currently until 29 March 2026) are the private apartments severely damaged in the 1992 fire and subsequently restored over five years to their 19th-century appearance using George IV's original designs. The Crimson Drawing Room, the Green Drawing Room, and the White Drawing Room are among the most richly decorated interiors in the castle, blending classical, Gothic, and rococo styles with outstanding English and French works of art from the Royal Collection. These rooms are not always open; checking their availability before your visit is worthwhile if they are a priority.
How Much Time Should I Spend at Windsor Castle?
Plan for 2.5 to 3 hours to see the main highlights, using the multimedia audio guide. For a more thorough visit including the Changing of the Guard, Queen Mary's Dolls' House without a queue, the Semi-State Rooms when open, and the Long Walk in Windsor Great Park, allow three to four hours inside the castle plus additional time in the town.
A rough guide:
Moat Room and orientation: 10 minutes
State Apartments (main sequence of rooms including Waterloo Chamber): 45 to 60 minutes with the audio guide
Semi-State Rooms (when open): 20 to 30 minutes
Queen Mary's Dolls' House: 15 to 25 minutes (longer if there is a queue)
St George's Chapel: 20 to 30 minutes
Castle precincts, North Terrace, and grounds: 15 to 25 minutes
Changing of the Guard (if scheduled on your day): 30 to 45 minutes
The audio guide, included free with all tickets, is available in 12 languages and covers the State Apartments and St George's Chapel with expert commentary on the history and contents of each room. It is well produced and significantly enhances the visit for most visitors, particularly in the State Apartments where the density of objects and historical significance would otherwise be difficult to absorb.
The Changing of the Guard Ceremony at Windsor Castle
The Windsor Castle Changing of the Guard has taken place since 1660, making it one of the longest-unbroken ceremonial traditions in Britain. The ceremony involves the new guard marching from Victoria Barracks in Windsor town, proceeding via Sheet Street and High Street, and entering the castle through the Henry VIII Gate into the Lower Ward, where the formal handover takes place. A band typically accompanies the guards, though this is subject to weather conditions.
Timing: The ceremony takes place at approximately 11:00am. Check the exact schedule on the website before your visit, as it does not occur on every day of the year and the frequency varies by season. It happens most days from April to June, less regularly outside that period.
Viewing: You can watch the ceremony from inside the castle precincts with your admission ticket, which gives a close-up view of the procession through the Lower Ward. You can also watch the guard march along Windsor High Street for free from the pavement outside the castle. For the closest view of the full ceremony including the handover, being inside the castle is significantly better.
Practical advice: Arrive at least 30 minutes before 11:00am to find a good position inside the Lower Ward. The ceremony lasts approximately 30 to 45 minutes. On days when the Changing of the Guard is scheduled, the castle is busier than usual in the late morning; building this into your visit timing avoids the worst of the midday concentration.
Audio Guide and Guided Tours at Windsor Castle
The multimedia audio guide is included free with all admission tickets and is available in 12 languages. It covers the State Apartments, St George's Chapel, and other key areas with commentary drawing on the expertise of Royal Collection Trust curators. The guide is an audio device collected at the castle entrance and returned at the exit; standard wired headphones are compatible, or you can use the earphones provided.
Free Warden-led precinct tours run regularly during the castle's opening hours, covering the castle's
Windsor Castle-authorised Blue Badge Guides are welcome to guide groups within the castle precincts, but not inside the castle buildings. Groups with their own Blue Badge Guide should note this restriction.
Children's trails for ages 7 to 11 are available as free downloads from the RCT website and provide an engaging route through the castle keyed to the collection and the building's history.
Where Should I Eat at and Near Windsor Castle?
The Undercroft Café is the on-site café and one of the most historically characterful places to eat at any royal palace. Located in the ground floor of Windsor Castle, in the medieval undercroft of St George's Hall which served as the castle's main wine cellar for centuries, it serves barista coffee, cakes, sandwiches, and light hot meals throughout the castle's opening hours. The medieval stone vaulting of the space gives it a character that a purpose-built café cannot replicate. No advance booking is required.
The Castle Tea Room provides a second, lighter option for ice cream and snacks within the precincts.
Windsor town immediately below the castle is an excellent destination for lunch before or after the visit, with a range of cafés, pubs, and restaurants in the streets around Castle Hill, the High Street, and the riverside areas.
The Crooked House of Windsor (51 High Street) is one of the most photographed buildings in the town, a timber-framed 17th-century house that leans visibly to one side due to subsidence, now housing a small café. Its curiosity value is matched by its coffee.
The Two Brewers (34 Park Street) is a traditional English pub near the Long Walk entrance to Windsor Great Park, popular with both locals and visitors, serving pub food and a good selection of ales. It is particularly well positioned for visitors who want to combine a castle visit with a walk in the park.
Windsor town broadly has a range of mid-range restaurants, cafés, and chain restaurants in the streets between the two train stations and the castle. The riverside area near Windsor Bridge, looking across to Eton on the opposite bank, has several cafés and restaurants with pleasant Thames views.
Eton, a five-minute walk across Windsor Bridge, is considerably quieter than Windsor and has several independent cafés and restaurants on Eton High Street that offer a calmer alternative to the most tourist-facing Windsor options.
Accessibility at Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is largely accessible, and the Royal Collection Trust has made significant investment in access provision, though the castle's medieval architecture and topography present some inherent challenges.
The site is mostly step-free with ramps, lifts (staff-assisted), and accessible toilets throughout. Motorised wheelchairs and scooters are permitted if lift-compatible. Free manual wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Some cobbled surfaces and slopes exist, particularly in the castle precincts between the different wards. The RCT publishes a photo journey (available as a PDF from rct.uk) to help visitors with accessibility requirements plan their route through the site before arriving.
The castle is situated at the top of a steep hill, long distances have to be covered, and much of the site is outdoors. Visitors with significant mobility limitations should factor these practical realities into their planning. The most accessible approach to the castle entrance is via Castle Hill from the town centre; both train stations are flat walks from this point.
Free companion tickets for one essential carer accompanying a disabled visitor are available online at the time of booking the disabled visitor's ticket, or at the ticket desk with supporting documentation.
The audio guide is available in British Sign Language.
Rules and Practical Information
Photography for personal, non-commercial use is encouraged in the outdoor precincts and grounds. Photography and filming are not permitted inside the State Apartments, St George's Chapel, or Queen Mary's Dolls' House, in order to protect the historic interiors and the artworks. This applies to all cameras and smartphones. Visitors should be prepared to put their devices away before entering the State Apartments.
Bags: Large bags, backpacks, and prams must be stored in the free cloakroom before entering the State Apartments. No size limit is stated for the cloakroom, but all large items must be deposited before proceeding to the main visitor route. Baby carriers are recommended for tight internal spaces; prams can be taken around the grounds but not inside the buildings.
Pushchairs must be checked in near the entrance to the State Apartments. Baby-care facilities are available around the castle site.
Umbrellas may need to be folded and stored during parts of the visit. Follow the instructions of castle staff.
Smoking and vaping are not permitted anywhere within the castle precincts.
Dogs and pets are not permitted inside the castle. Assistance dogs are welcome with appropriate documentation.
Arrive before last admission. Last admission to the State Apartments is one hour before closing. Visitors who arrive at or after last admission will be unable to complete the full visit route. Arriving 90 minutes before closing is a practical minimum for a meaningful visit.
What Else is There to Do Near Windsor Castle?
Windsor Great Park begins immediately to the south of the castle via the Long Walk, a three-mile tree-lined avenue stretching from the castle's George IV Gate to the equestrian statue of King George III (the Copper Horse) on Snow Hill. The walk is free, takes approximately 45 minutes each way, and provides one of the finest landscaped approaches to any royal building in England. The park itself covers 4,800 acres and contains the Savill Garden, the Virginia Water lake with its cascade and Roman ruins, and a network of woodland and parkland paths that reward a longer afternoon visit.
Eton College is a five-minute walk from Windsor across Windsor Bridge. The famous school, whose alumni include multiple British prime ministers and a substantial portion of the British establishment, has parts of its historic buildings open to the public. Guided tours of the college can be booked in advance through the Eton College website. The High Street of Eton village, lined with independent bookshops, cafés, and antique dealers, is worth a stroll in its own right.
Legoland Windsor is approximately three kilometres from Windsor town centre and is one of the most popular family theme parks in the UK, specifically designed for children aged 2 to 12. It is a full separate day in its own right and should not be combined with Windsor Castle on the same day. Book in advance through the Legoland website.
Frogmore House, in the grounds of Windsor Home Park adjacent to the castle, is the location of Frogmore Cottage (residence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex) and Frogmore House, a 17th-century royal residence used for private royal functions and opened to the public on a limited number of days each year. The Royal Mausoleum in the Frogmore gardens holds the remains of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Opening dates for public visits are announced by the Royal Collection Trust; check the website for any announced visit days.
Final Tips for Visiting Windsor Castle
Do not visit on a Tuesday or Wednesday. The castle is closed on both days every week without exception. Many visitors arrive without knowing this. Check your visit date and make absolutely certain it falls on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday.
Book online to save £4 per adult ticket. The saving is immediate and the process takes five minutes. Do not pay more at the door.
Check the provisional closures page before you go. The castle closes at short notice for state visits and royal occasions, and the RCT website maintains a current list of affected dates. Five minutes of checking eliminates the risk of a wasted journey.
Go to the State Apartments before the Changing of the Guard. The guard ceremony happens at 11:00am. Arriving at 10:00am and spending the first hour in the State Apartments before returning to the Lower Ward for the ceremony gives you the best of both in the quietest conditions. The Dolls' House queue also builds during the ceremony period; seeing it first avoids the delay.
Use the audio guide from the very first room. The State Apartments contain a density of objects, portraits, and historical associations that are difficult to absorb without context. The free multimedia guide is the most practical tool for making the visit legible and is worth collecting at the entrance before you proceed to the first room.
See St George's Chapel even if royal tombs are not your primary interest. The Gothic architecture is extraordinary in its own right, and the experience of standing in the nave of one of the finest Perpendicular Gothic buildings in England, in a room where centuries of the kingdom's history lie beneath the floor, is different from any other architectural experience in the region. Allow 20 to 30 minutes minimum.
Use the re-entry stamp if combining the castle with Windsor town. Your ticket allows you to leave and re-enter on the same day if your ticket is stamped at the gate by staff before you leave. This makes it practical to watch the Changing of the Guard, exit for lunch in Windsor, and return in the afternoon when the morning's coach tours have moved on.
Convert your ticket to a 1-Year Pass. If there is any realistic possibility of returning to Windsor within the next twelve months, the pass costs only £2 in transaction fee and provides unlimited re-entry. For visitors who live in or regularly pass through the region, or who plan a future London trip, it is one of the best-value museum passes in the country.
Take the train from Paddington via Slough if speed matters. The Paddington to Windsor Central route via Slough takes approximately 35 to 40 minutes, making Windsor reachable for a half-day trip rather than requiring a full day's commitment.
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