In July 2026, I was heading out to Helsinki to board my 9-day Baltic cruise on the Norwegian Sun. In between my flights from the US to Finland, I found myself with an eight-hour layover in London’s Heathrow airport. Rather than kill time wasting away in a mediocre airport lounge, I snagged the opportunity to squeeze in another vacation within my vacation! Since central London can be a bit of a haul and there can be an overwhelming amount of things to do when you’re there, Windsor is the perfect place to spend a long layover! Here are my top tips for visiting Windsor during a layover at Heathrow airport!
Arrival, Immigration & Bag Storage
Upon touching down at London’s Heathrow airport, you’ll have to iron out a few “logistics” before starting your layover adventure. Unless you’re flying in from another airport in the United Kingdom, you’ll have to clear immigration to leave the airport. Heathrow uses e-gates for immigration. Therefore, if your passport has a chip in it (as most do), you’ll likely be through very quickly. As of February 2026, be sure you’ve also obtained your ETA visa for travel to the UK! After you’ve cleared, follow signs for the airport exit and baggage claims to get to the arrival hall.
Tip: At the baggage claim belts, walk up to your airline’s desk and confirm your checked bag will be sent to your final destination. There are some times you will need to pick up your checked bag and re-check it during connections, so best to confirm this before you leave the area!
You will then want to confirm the terminal that your connecting flight is leaving from. If you’re lucky, your arrival and departure will be in the same terminal (if you booked the flight on one itinerary and the airlines codeshare, this will likely be the case!). If you’re departing from a different terminal, you will want to bring all of your carry-on bags to that one for storage while you’re in Windsor. There are free shuttles between terminals, so just follow the signs if you need to transfer. For bag storage, I used Excess Baggage Company, which operates in terminals 2, 3, 4, and 5. Both drop off and pick up were incredibly easy! You pay a flat rate per item based on the number of hours you need. I had a carry on and backpack stored for about six hours, and the total came to £30.
Tip: Do not lose the receipt they give you at drop off! You will need this to claim your bags on the return.
Getting to Windsor
There are several ways to get to Windsor from Heathrow, but the easiest (and most time-efficient) is by car. Public transportation will save you money, but it involves transferring from a bus to a train, which can add unnecessary stress to your day. Instead, opt for either a taxi or an Uber directly from the terminal. A taxi is easiest, as they are lined up right outside the airport and the line moves quickly. However, taxis charge a flat rate of £55 to Windsor rather than a metered fare. An Uber will save you money, but it requires a decent walk to the rideshare pickup area. I took a taxi to Windsor and an Uber back to the airport. The Uber cost less than £30, so I’d highly recommend taking an Uber in both directions! I definitely spent more than necessary, so learn from my mistakes.
Arriving in Windsor
Windsor is not a large town, so getting dropped off anywhere central will be perfectly okay! If you set your drop off to be at the Windsor Castle, you’ll be dropped off around here, which is a central and an easy starting point. If you’re visiting during the day and traffic may be busy, a great alternative drop off point is at the Windsor & Eton Riverside train station. This is where I had my Uber pick me up leaving town back to the airport, and it was great to dodge all of the traffic in town. Another option would be to be dropped off just across the river in the town of Eton. It’s a very small town and a short walk into Windsor, so you could spend some time exploring and squeeze in even another destination besides just visiting Windsor during a layover!
No matter where you arrive, the streets are incredibly easy to navigate on foot and you can get right to exploring.
What to do in Windsor
After arriving in Windsor, spend some time walking the streets and exploring the town. Windsor is not big and won’t take you long to cover, but taking time to do a slow stroll will be a great intro to this charming town. Peascod Street is a great first stop. This long thoroughfare is home to tons of coffee shops, stores, and restaurants. I snagged an iced latte at Black Sheep Coffee and also couldn’t resist getting a glazed donut at Krispy Kreme across the street.
Marks & Spencer is down the block, which is always a must-stop for me on all my UK visits! Not only is it a department store, but their food hall has so many fun snacks and goodies to try! If you’re visiting on a weekend in the summer, expect pop-up stalls on the street, too! Vendors will be selling everything from fresh produce to handcrafted goods. A great souvenir opportunity!
Popping off of Peascod Street and heading in the direction of the main train station, you will find many more local shops. I spent a couple hours this morning hitting the boutiques right as they were opening! Oliver Bonas, Temptation, Søstrene Grene, and Sweaty Betty were some of my favorites!
Windsor Castle
But the star of Windsor? The Windsor Castle, of course! Be sure to book your ticket online in advance by clicking here. You’ll need to choose a timed entry, but you can enter the queue fifteen minutes before your scheduled time. If you’re visiting on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday, be sure to plan to watch the changing of the guards ceremony at 11:00 am! I actually had my castle entry ticket for 11:00 am, but didn’t enter until closer to 11:30 am so I could catch the parade and ceremony! Line up along the street outside the castle (around here) about twenty minutes before to get a good viewing point.
Once you’ve entered the Windsor Castle grounds, take your time exploring both the inside and the beautiful grounds. I spent about two hours total here, which was plenty of time to move quickly but also take it all in. Don’t miss Queen Mary’s Dollhouse exhibition when touring the State Apartments! The State Apartments are self-guided, but you can choose a free audio guide if you choose. Since I was on a time crunch on a layover, I opted to self-guide and read info cards when something sparked my interest. The Venus Gardens out in the back are stunning and are not to be missed!
Saint George’s Chapel is also such a highlight and can’t be missed during your Windsor Castle visit! This is the church where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married in 2018. The iconic front steps, checkerboard floor in front of the altar, and stunning gothic architecture are absolute highlights. This is also the final resting place of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, among many other former monarchs.
The Long Walk
After touring the Windsor Castle grounds, don’t miss strolling down The Long Walk! This straight, tree-lined walking path is over 2.5 miles long and connects Windsor Castle with the Copper Horse statue of King George III at Snow Hill. It’s a stunning and peaceful walk and a perfect way to end visiting Windsor during a layover!
Returning to Heathrow Airport
Getting an Uber back to Heathrow airport will be your easiest option and will save you a lot of money compared to catching a taxi. I called an Uber just outside of the center of town at the Windsor & Eton Riverside train station. The station has a designated pick-up and drop-off area so it’s very easy and safe to catch a ride from here. Otherwise, taxis will be lined up one after the other outside the Windsor castle, around here. Once you get back to Heathrow, head back to Excess Baggage Company to pick up your luggage and head to security. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time, of course, to wait in those lines and navigate the terminal. Finally, make sure to spend a minute once you return to Heathrow to celebrate maximizing your layover!
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