London is a wonderful city (don’t miss my city itinerary guide here!), but I cannot encourage you enough to get out of the city and see more of the United Kingdom’s beauty. An easy way to accomplish this is to visit one of these beautiful castles or palaces.
From Central London, these three destinations are reachable in 90 minutes or less with zero driving required! Each makes for a lovely day trip and great escape from the bustle of city life.
Know before you go
💷 Currency: Great British Pound (£) is used throughout the UK.
🕰️ Time zone: The entire UK is in one time zone, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). From late March to late October, the whole country moves an hour forward to British Summer Time (BST).
🔌 Plugging in electronics: Electric sockets in the UK are unlike those in Europe or the US. If you are visiting from outside the UK, you will likely need this universal travel adaptor.
📱 Using your smartphone: If you want to use your phone data while visiting, the easiest and cheapest solution is to purchase an e-sim for your trip.
🚘 Car rentals: Americans can rent a car in the UK with a valid US driver’s license from any state. I recommend and use Discover Cars for UK car rentals. Driving in the UK is not for the faint of heart, and I recommend checking out my guide to driving in the UK before you set out!
🚊 Train booking: All major UK cities, and many other destinations in between, can be reached by train. Check train routes, ticket prices, and get your tickets directly through Trainline.
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How To Book Train Tickets to UK Castles from London
Train tickets to reach any of these castles can easily be booked with Trainline. I use Trainline to book all of my UK train trips. Everything you need to know to reach each of the castles in this article is included below.
Windsor Castle
Why Go?
This is the best choice for fans of the British Royal Family. This castle was originally founded in the 11th century by William the Conqueror, and today it remains an active home for Royals.
Keep an eye out for the Royal Standard flying. It is flown only when the sovereign is in residence.
Unsurprisingly, you won’t get to join the royal family for tea on your visit, but there is still a lot to see here.
Highlights of the castle tour include the State Apartments where heads of state are still welcomed today, and Queen Mary’s fascinating dolls’ house. The dolls’ house was not intended as a child’s toy, but rather is an example of incredible craftsmanship in miniature. It even includes electricity, running water, and working lifts!
In addition to the regular tour, there are often rotating events and opportunities to book private after-hours tours on the official website.
How to Get There?
To avoid train transfers, catch the direct train from London Waterloo to Windsor and Eton Riverside station. This route takes approximately 55 minutes. You will have an uphill walk from the station to the castle from here.
If you’re comfortable changing trains, instead buy a ticket from London Paddington with a simple change at Slough before arriving at Windsor & Eton Central. The walk from here is a bit shorter and less of a climb. Despite changing trains, you can make this trip in only 25-35 minutes.
Hampton Court Palace
Why go?
While it’s technically a former royal palace rather than a castle, this beautiful place is an absolute must visit that every member of your family will enjoy.
Built by Cardinal Wolsey in the 16th Century, Hampton Court Palace is most famous as the favoured home of King Henry VIII. All six of his wives spent time here and it is rumoured that Catherine Howard still haunts one of the galleries.
Parts of the palace have been updated since King Henry’s time. It is fascinating to see the changes in architecture and style as you move through the palace.
This palace is also excellent for children. The palace grounds are expansive and good for letting off steam. There is also a dedicated play area called the Magic Garden and a hedge maze for young and old adventurers.
Fans of the tv show Bridgerton may also enjoy spotting several areas of the palace that served as film locations for the show. These include Fountain Court, Master Carpenter’s Court and the Privy Gardens.
How to Get There?
Catch a direct train from London Waterloo to Hampton Court station. You’ll arrive 30-35 minutes after departure and it’s just a short walk across the Thames to the palace entrance.
Reminder that if you also plan to visit the Tower of London on your trip, it may be more cost effective to purchase a Historic Royal Palaces annual membership rather than paying for the two single admissions separately.
If you’d like to spend the evening outside of London, this is a great area for it. The King’s Arms Hotel is a gorgeous hotel just outside the walls of Hampton Court Palace that provides a lovely stay. Most rooms are perfect for couples, or book their 2-bedroom suite for a family stay. We stayed here with friends who traveled in from the US and all enjoyed having a pretty and quiet place to rest before our palace visit.
More to see nearby include Bushy Park, Kingston Upon Thames and Richmond Park. You can also take a river cruise up the Thames to Richmond Upon Thames for a relaxing way to travel.
Arundel Castle
Why Go?
This castle perched on a hill in West Sussex is still home to the Duke of Norfolk and family. Originally built in the late 11thcentury, you can visit a medieval keep, 14th century chapel, expansive gardens, state rooms, and luxury bedrooms still used by guests of the family today.
Arundel Castle also runs many events in the spring and summer that are fun for the whole family. Think history days, jousts, and open-air theatre.
The town of Arundel just outside the castle is lovely and well worth a stroll before or after your castle visit. There are several vintage shops, cafes, and sweet treat sellers scattered along the historic high street.
Note that Arundel Castle is only open to visitors from 1 April to 30 October each year.
How to Get There?
Take a direct train from London Victoria to Arundel in just under 90 minutes. From the station, it’s a short 10-minute walk to the castle entrance.
Approaching Arundel Castle by train is a delight. Just before you reach Arundel station, you’ll see the castle on the hill out the right side of the train. It looks like it was plucked right out of a fairytale.
Once you walk out of the station take a left on the main road and follow it into town. You can’t miss the giant castle on the hill!
More Castles Near London (If You Rent a Car)
These can all be reached with a rental car or on a bus tour. Some can be reached by train and then taking a taxi for the last bit. As these locations are in the country, it is best to pre-book a taxi when you plan to use one.
🚘 I recommend and use Discover Cars for finding the best rates and convenient pick up points for rental cars in the UK.
If you aren’t familiar with driving in the UK, take a look at this Guide to Driving in the UK for Americans before you head out.
Hever Castle
Best known for being the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Double moat around the pretty castle.
If the weather is fine, you can take a train to Hever station and walk the 1.5 mile country footpath route to this castle.
Leeds Castle
Look for the iconic black swans at this historic castle last privately owned by an American heiress.
Highclere Castle
This castle also serves as the stately home in Downton Abbey. Because of the tv fame, this one can be harder to book tickets unless you start in advance. Guided tours like this one will provide transportation, entrance tickets, and a tour guide for your visit from London.
Dover Castle
If military history is your draw, don’t miss this castle in East Sussex. Situated right on the English Channel, this fortress has been an icon since 1066.
Blenheim Palace
This beautiful palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, and has been the set for several films.
Blenheim Palace can be reached by a combination of train and bus routes from London.
Warwick Castle
If a UK castle were to be run by Disney, this is basically what I’d expect. They have a ton of entertainment layered atop the centuries old castle.
Warwick Railway Station can be reached from London in a little under 2 hours. It’s one mile from there to the castle.
Bodiam Castle
If atmospheric ruins are more your thing, this castle is for you. It has the castle look from outside complete with moat, but the interior is a ruin.
love love castles..and how easy you describe the travel..saving this for a future dream trip!
I had no idea that you could visit these directly via train! Super helpful!
These look great. Thanks for including the transport information.