Windsor Castle Taxi Tour from Southampton Port
The oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, Windsor Castle is the official residence of the British Royal Family and one of England's most visited attractions. A full day from Southampton Port is well worth the drive.
Windsor Castle Taxi Tour from Southampton Port is a private chauffeured tour to the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Drive time is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes each way via the M3 and M25; total tour duration is 8 to 10 hours, making this a full-day cruise window only. The vehicle is a wheelchair-accessible 2025 Volkswagen Caddy Maxi, parking and waiting time are included, and the trip is suitable for passengers with cruise windows of 9 hours or more.
- State Apartments
- The official rooms used by the Sovereign for ceremonial occasions; open to the public except when in royal use.
- St George's Chapel
- A 15th-century Gothic chapel within the castle, burial place of ten monarchs including Henry VIII and Elizabeth II.
- Changing of the Guard
- A ceremonial transfer of the King's Guard outside the castle; runs to a published schedule that varies by season and royal events.
- The Long Walk
- A 2.65-mile straight avenue through Windsor Great Park leading to the castle, providing the postcard view of the south front.
Mentioned in this guide: Windsor Castle, Berkshire, Windsor Great Park, Royal Collection Trust, St George's Chapel, State Apartments, Eton College, Hampton Court Palace, William the Conqueror, M3, M25, A308, Daves Taxis, Volkswagen Caddy Maxi, Southampton Port.
Windsor is one of the most rewarding cruise tours I run, but it has a hard floor of about 9 hours of cruise window because the M3-M25 corridor is genuinely unforgiving on a deadline. Allow 1 hour 45 minutes drive each way as a working baseline; in school holidays or with M25 incidents that can stretch to 2 hours 30. Castle tickets are time-slotted and need booking weeks ahead in summer. If you have the window, it's magnificent — a working palace rather than a museum, with the State Apartments still in use for genuine royal events. If your cruise window is tight, Highclere or Bath are smarter calls.
— David Plomer, Owner and Driver, Daves Taxis Southampton
Windsor Castle has been a royal residence for over 900 years. It’s a working palace, not just a museum, which means the experience feels genuinely alive. The State Apartments, St George’s Chapel and the Changing of the Guard ceremony (when running) make for a full and memorable day.
Top Highlights
- Windsor Castle: State Apartments, Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, and St George’s Chapel. Tickets from the official Royal Collection Trust website
- Windsor Great Park — 5,000 acres of parkland, free to explore. The Long Walk offers a famous view back to the castle
- Windsor town — attractive riverside town with good restaurants and independent shops
- Eton, a short walk across the bridge; the famous college and its distinctive high street
Practical Information
- Drive from Southampton Port: approximately 1 hour 45 minutes each way
- A full day is recommended, allow at least 3–4 hours at the castle
- Book castle tickets well in advance, especially in peak season
- Can be combined with a stop at Hampton Court Palace on the way back
Common Questions
Windsor is a full-day destination only — minimum 9 hours of cruise window. The drive is 1 hour 45 minutes each way via the M3 and M25 in normal traffic, and you need 3-4 hours minimum at the castle to do it justice. With the cruise-safe buffer that's 9 hours of cruise window as the floor. Tight cruise windows are better served by Bath, Highclere or Stonehenge. If your window is shorter than 9 hours, I'll be straight with you about that before you book.
Yes — weeks ahead in summer. Tickets are time-slotted and the popular morning slots sell out fastest. Book via the Royal Collection Trust website; entry is around £35 for adults. The State Apartments and St George's Chapel are included; the Semi-State Rooms are only open in the autumn/winter season. Check the castle's opening calendar — the castle closes occasionally for state events, sometimes at short notice.
Possibly — the ceremony runs to a published schedule but is subject to weather and state events, and it doesn't happen every day. The Royal Collection Trust publishes the schedule online for the current season. If it matters to you, check before booking and we can time the visit accordingly. Even if the formal ceremony isn't running, the Guard's presence around the castle is still visible throughout the day.
The State Apartments have a step-free route via a lift accessible from the lower ward. St George's Chapel has step-free access at the south entrance. The castle precincts are mostly flat with the exception of the path up from the lower ward, which has a gentle incline. The Long Walk in Windsor Great Park is a flat surfaced avenue, comfortable for wheelchairs. The town centre is flat and accessible.
Hampton Court is a natural detour on the way back — it sits between Windsor and Southampton roughly on the M25/M3 route, and a 30-45 minute walk through the gardens makes a good break before the drive back. London is more difficult; Windsor + central London in one cruise day is tight even on a 10-hour window because of M25 traffic. I'd recommend choosing one. The honest call: Windsor alone, with a Hampton Court detour if there's time.
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