Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle Escorted Tour from London

Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle in one day gives you two very different views of the monarchy. At the Palace, you walk through glittering State Rooms used for official ceremonies. At Windsor, you explore a working royal castle, St George’s Chapel, and sweeping views over the town. The contrast is the real treat.

I like the convenience of having admission and coach travel arranged, and I like the chance to see Buckingham Palace during its summer opening, when the royal family is away from its official London rooms. The catch is time: this is a full 9.5-hour day with a lot of walking, and the transfer from the Palace to the Windsor coach is on foot, not by bus.

Key points to know before booking

• Buckingham Palace is visited in the morning, with about two hours for the State Rooms and an audio guide.
• Windsor Castle is largely self-guided, using its free multimedia tour rather than a guide walking you through every room.
• You walk 10 to 15 minutes from Buckingham Palace to the Evan Evans office for the afternoon Windsor departure.
• Windsor can feel rushed, especially if you want to complete the audio tour, visit St George’s Chapel, and see the grounds.
• Guides can make a major difference. Ruth, Deborah, Ursula, Godfrey, Lesley, and Eileen have all been singled out for strong commentary and friendly service.
• The tour starts at 9:15 a.m. and ends around 6:30 p.m. at Victoria Station, with no hotel pickup or lunch included.

Two royal residences, two very different visits

This outing works because Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle tell different parts of the royal story. Buckingham is formal and polished, a palace built for ceremonies, receptions, and state occasions. Windsor feels older, more fortified, and more connected to the long sweep of English royal life.

You do not get a leisurely day at either site. Instead, you get a practical way to see both without arranging separate admission, finding a Windsor train, and managing the return trip yourself. That convenience has real value in London, especially if you are short on time.

Still, you should understand what you are buying. This is not a private guided tour with a historian beside you at every turn. The included tour assistant helps coordinate the day, and some guides provide excellent commentary on the coach, but the palace visits themselves are mainly self-guided.

Buckingham Palace and the 19 State Rooms

The day begins at 9:15 a.m. in front of The King’s Gallery entrance at Buckingham Palace. Arrive early. One unhappy start described a late meeting and confusion at the entrance, while another visitor missed the Palace portion after arriving only a few minutes late. This is not the place to test London traffic or your ability to find the right gate at the last second.

Inside, you follow the route through 19 State Rooms. These rooms are used for official entertaining and ceremonial occasions when the Palace is active. The White Drawing Room is a major highlight, with a large crystal chandelier and a formal design that gives you a clear sense of royal presentation.

The Music Room has a special role in state visits, while the Throne Room has been used for formal royal photographs. These are not ordinary family rooms. They were built to project ceremony, rank, and control, and the route lets you see how architecture, art, and furniture work together to create that effect.

The Palace visit lasts about two hours and includes admission. You explore at your own pace with an audio guide rather than following a tour leader through each room. That setup is useful if you like to pause for details, but it also means the quality of the experience depends on how carefully you listen and how much time you spend in each room.

The grounds add to the appeal. One strong account praised the gardens and the feeling of getting a small glimpse into royal life. You will not see the entire Palace or all its working areas, but the State Rooms offer a rare public look inside one of London’s best-known buildings.

Security is airport style. Bags larger than 45 by 20 by 30 centimeters are not allowed, so bring only what you need. This rule matters because a large day bag can slow you down or force you to make other arrangements before entry.

The walk between the Palace and the Windsor departure

After Buckingham Palace, you are not taken directly to the coach. You walk to the Evan Evans office, where the Windsor portion departs at 1 p.m. The walk takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and you should arrive by 12:45 p.m. for check-in.

This transfer is one of the tour’s weak points. The route gives you time to find lunch, but it also creates a long gap between the two royal visits. Some people appreciate the chance to eat and stretch their legs. Others find the walk awkward, especially after standing and walking inside Buckingham Palace.

The coach does not meet you at the Palace exit. That is important to understand before booking. Give yourself plenty of time to leave the grounds, find the office, check in, and buy lunch. Do not assume that the group will wait for anyone who gets delayed.

The office is described as roughly a 10 to 15 minute walk away, though the total route can feel longer after a morning on your feet. Use the break wisely. Eat something simple, refill your water, and keep your ticket and meeting instructions handy.

The coach ride to Windsor

The Windsor section departs at 1 p.m. in a superior coach with Wi-Fi and USB charging listed as included. In practice, the USB charging may not always work, so bring a charged phone and do not depend on the bus to rescue a low battery.

The drive is more than a transfer when you have a good tour leader. Ruth, Godfrey, and Deborah were praised for adding useful commentary on the road, while drivers such as Yassim and Robin earned warm marks for friendly, capable service. Ruth’s distinctive umbrella and lively style helped make her easy to find and memorable for the group.

That said, the amount of commentary can vary. Some outings include a mini tour of London sights and entertaining stories. Others provide little information beyond basic directions. If the educational side matters most to you, treat the coach commentary as a welcome extra, not the main reason to book.

Traffic can cut into your Windsor time. London roads may be slow, and a delayed return can make the end of the day feel longer. The overall schedule allows for transport, but it does not leave much spare time at the castle.

Windsor Castle, a working royal stronghold

Windsor Castle is the older, larger-feeling half of the day. It has been a royal home for almost 1,000 years and remains one of the King’s official residences. At more than 10.5 hectares, it offers far more than a quick photo stop.

Your admission includes the State Apartments, where you see furniture, paintings, and decorative works from the Royal Collection. The rooms reflect the tastes of different royal occupants, particularly Charles II and George IV. Compared with Buckingham Palace, Windsor gives you more of a sense of a residence shaped over centuries rather than a single grand ceremonial setting.

The castle visit is self-guided. A free multimedia tour helps you understand the rooms and their contents, but you must manage your own pace. The scheduled time is about an hour and a half, though the full Windsor portion also includes time at St George’s Chapel.

This is where the schedule becomes tight. You may want to hear the entire audio program, study the State Apartments, visit the chapel, and spend time outside for the views. Doing all of that carefully can be difficult within the allotted period, particularly if crowds slow the route.

From October through March, the Semi-State Apartments may also be open. These were George IV’s private rooms and add another layer to the visit. Availability can change, and the State Apartments may occasionally close, so do not build your whole decision around seeing every room listed.

St George’s Chapel deserves first priority

Make St George’s Chapel your first stop at Windsor if the schedule allows. It is included in the castle visit and takes about 20 minutes on the stated plan, but its importance goes beyond its size.

The chapel is known around the world as the place where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married in 2018. It is also the burial place of monarchs including Henry VIII and Charles I. That combination of modern public memory and older royal history makes it one of the most meaningful parts of the castle grounds.

The chapel is closed to visitors on Sundays. If your date falls on a Sunday, you should expect to miss this part of the visit. The castle itself may still offer plenty to see, but do not assume the chapel will be available.

Look up at the Round Tower as you approach the castle. If the King is at Windsor, the Royal Standard may be flying. It is not guaranteed, but it is a small detail that can make the setting feel like a working royal residence rather than a museum frozen in time.

How much walking should you expect?

Bring proper walking shoes. The day includes indoor routes, castle grounds, the Palace exit, the transfer to the coach office, and walking between Windsor areas. Several accounts estimated more than four miles on foot, while one day reached over 16,000 steps.

You do not need an extreme fitness level, but you should be comfortable standing and walking for much of the day. This is a poor match for anyone hoping to move slowly between short transport stops or avoid stairs and long indoor routes.

The group can include up to 53 people. That size keeps the price below a private tour, but it can also mean a less personal experience and more care needed at meeting points. Keep track of the departure time yourself rather than relying only on someone else in the group.

Is the $172.25 price fair?

At $172.25 per person, the tour is not the cheapest way to visit these places. The fee covers Buckingham Palace admission, Windsor Castle admission, the coach, Wi-Fi and USB charging, and the services of a tour assistant. It does not include lunch, hotel pickup, or drop-off.

The value depends on what you want from the day. If you would otherwise struggle with London transport, prefer prearranged tickets, and want both royal sites in one day, the price can make sense. You are paying for coordination and transport as much as for guiding.

If you are comfortable booking Palace and castle admission yourself, taking the train to Windsor, and planning your own return, you may find the organized tour expensive. The tour does not give you a long private explanation inside either site, and the audio guides are already part of the attraction experience.

I would book it for convenience, not for a fully guided history lesson. The best experiences seem to come when a strong tour leader, such as Ruth, Deborah, Ursula, Godfrey, or Lesley, adds useful stories during the coach portions. But that level of commentary should not be assumed for every departure.

Who should book this royal day out?

This tour suits you if:

• You want to see both royal residences in one day.
• You prefer arranged transport over navigating London and Windsor alone.
• You are happy with audio tours and self-guided visits.
• You can walk several miles and stay on a firm schedule.
• You value included admission more than personal guiding.
• You have limited time in London and want a high-impact sightseeing day.

I would choose separate days if Windsor is a major priority. The castle has enough rooms, chapel history, art, and outdoor space to fill a full visit. Splitting the sites gives you time to read the audio material, pause for views, and avoid turning both places into a rushed checklist.

Should you book Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle together?

Book this tour if you want an efficient royal overview and do not mind a long, active day. You will see the formal State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, the older royal setting of Windsor, and the important interior of St George’s Chapel without arranging the admissions and coach travel yourself.

Skip it, or split the visits across two days, if you want detailed guiding, generous time at Windsor, or a slower pace. The biggest drawbacks are the walk to the afternoon departure, the possible traffic delays, and the limited time for Windsor’s multimedia tour.

My practical choice would be to book this combined trip only when your London schedule is tight. Arrive early, pack light, wear serious walking shoes, charge your phone before leaving, prioritize St George’s Chapel, and treat any coach commentary as a bonus. If you have the time, Windsor deserves its own day.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at The King’s Gallery entrance at Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA.

What time does the tour begin?

The stated start time is 9:15 a.m.

Where does the tour finish?

The tour finishes at approximately 6:30 p.m. at London Victoria Station.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Is lunch included?

No. You have free time between the Palace visit and the Windsor departure to arrange lunch yourself.

How do I get from Buckingham Palace to the Windsor coach?

You walk to the Evan Evans office, where the Windsor section departs at 1 p.m. The walk takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and you should arrive by 12:45 p.m.

Is Buckingham Palace admission included?

Yes. Admission to the Buckingham Palace State Rooms is included.

Is Windsor Castle admission included?

Yes. Windsor Castle admission is included, along with access to its free multimedia tour.

Can I visit St George’s Chapel on Sunday?

No. St George’s Chapel is closed to visitors on Sundays.

What size bag can I take into Buckingham Palace?

Bags larger than 45 by 20 by 30 centimeters are not permitted. You will also go through airport-style security before entering.