Two palaces in one day can be magical. This escorted tour gets you into Buckingham Palace’s State Rooms and takes the stress out of getting to Windsor with a coach plus Wi‑Fi. You then use the Windsor site at your own pace with a free multimedia tour, which is a nice way to keep control of your day.

One catch: this is a tightly timed day, and you’ll do some walking—especially the 10–15 minute transfer on foot between Buckingham and the Windsor departure point. If you hate long days, build in extra patience for crowds and connections.

Key Points to Know Before You Go

• State Rooms access at Buckingham Palace with a ticket already handled for you (including major rooms like the White Drawing Room and Throne Room).
• Free multimedia tour at Windsor Castle, plus extra seasonal rooms like the Semi-State Apartments from October to March.
• St George’s Chapel can be a timing deal-breaker on Sundays, since it’s closed to visitors then.
• Security at Buckingham Palace is real: airport-style checks, and bags larger than 45cm x 20cm x 30cm aren’t permitted.
• Small group feel for a big day with a maximum group size of 53.
• Guides can make or break the experience, and some tours have featured lively coaching and strong commentary on the coach and en route.

A Royal Day Trip Built Around Tickets and Coach Logistics

This tour is best understood as a convenience package. You’re paying for three things: admission to two top sites, coach travel to Windsor, and a guided handoff that keeps you from buying tickets and planning routes on the fly. For a first London visit, that’s worth real money. For repeat visitors, it can feel more like transportation than a history lecture all day.

The schedule is the spine of the trip. You start at 9:15 am at the King’s Gallery entrance area at Buckingham Palace, then you move on to Windsor Castle for a self-paced visit with audio/multimedia. The day ends at Victoria Station around 6:30 pm. That means you’ll be running on daylight hours and tour timing more than “wander until you’re done.”

On the plus side, the coach includes Wi‑Fi and USB charging and you get on-board commentary that’s meant to put London landmarks into context. On the best-run days, you’ll feel that the guide and driver are “working.” On rougher days, you’ll still benefit from the handled tickets, even if the story-telling feels lighter than you hoped.

Entering Buckingham Palace State Rooms: What You’ll See

Buckingham Palace is one of the few working royal palaces, and the experience you get here is focused on the Summer Opening State Rooms when the palace is available for visitors. The standout is how formal the rooms feel compared with the palace’s street-facing exterior. Inside, you’re moving through ceremonial spaces designed for official entertaining.

You’ll get access to 19 State Rooms during the open season. The ticketed highlights you should expect to recognize from British royal lore include:

• White Drawing Room, known for the crystal chandelier setting the tone for high ceremony.
• Music Room, used historically for hosting during State Visits.
• Throne Room, famous as a backdrop for major royal photographs.

You also get something practical: time at Buckingham that isn’t a scramble. The stop is about 2 hours, and you’re not responsible for entry lines or ticket purchase. That’s a big deal here, because Buckingham Palace security and entry procedures can slow you down if you show up unprepared.

Security and bag rules at Buckingham Palace

Plan like you’re going through an airport. There’s an airport-style security check, and bags larger than 45cm x 20cm x 30cm aren’t permitted. If you travel with a big backpack, it’s worth packing smarter before the day starts. This is one of the easiest ways to protect your schedule and avoid last-minute stress at the gate.

The Windsor Castle Side: Self-Paced Touring That Works

Windsor Castle is an entirely different vibe from Buckingham. Buckingham feels like the stage set for modern monarchy and ceremony. Windsor feels like the long-term home—built for history to stack up over centuries.

You’ll spend about 1 hour 30 minutes at Windsor Castle, and the tour gives you a free multimedia tour. That matters because Windsor is huge. Even if you only see the core areas, you want a guide that helps you keep moving and makes what you’re looking at make sense.

State Apartments and the art of royal taste

The State Apartments are among the main draw, with furnishings and artworks tied to the Royal Collection. The details here aren’t random decoration. The rooms reflect changes in royal preferences over time, especially under Charles II and George IV.

Expect to see:

• Historic rooms connected to the castle’s changing occupants
• Artwork that’s meant to be viewed in the exact setting where it was collected or commissioned

St George’s Chapel: a quick but big stop

St George’s Chapel is where the emotional and historical weight hits fast. You can visit the chapel site that was in the spotlight for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018. It’s also the final resting place for monarchs, including Henry VIII and Charles I.

One practical note: St George’s Chapel is closed to visitors on Sundays. If your trip happens on a Sunday, that affects what you can do during this stop. Windsor is still worth it, but the “major headline moment” may not be accessible on that day.

You might also get lucky. If the King is in Windsor during your visit, you may see the Royal Standard flying from the flagpole of the Round Tower.

Seasonal bonus: Semi-State Apartments

From October to March, you may also be able to visit the Semi-State Apartments, which served as private rooms of George IV in the 19th century. If you’re traveling in winter months, this is one reason the Windsor portion can feel richer than the calendar-average visit.

The Bus Ride and On-Board Commentary: Helpful, But Not Guaranteed

The coach ride has two jobs: move you efficiently and set context so the sites don’t feel like random monuments. The tour description promises on-board commentary, and in the strongest experiences the driver and guide make the ride feel like a mini-tour.

In real life, the quality can vary by who’s running the day. Some guides have been praised for telling entertaining stories and calling out what you should look for when you’re traveling through London. Names that came up include Ruth (including Ruth with an umbrella), Deborah, Ursula, and Godfrey. Drivers have also been singled out—Yassim is one name you’ll see connected to a friendly, smooth ride, along with Robin in another account.

Here’s the way to protect yourself: don’t book this expecting a full guided narrative inside every room. The Windsor Castle portion is explicitly self-paced with the multimedia tool. At Buckingham, you’ll be following a schedule, and a lot of the “interpretation” will come from the rooms themselves, plus whatever the tour provides on arrival.

If you want constant commentary, you might feel underfed on day-of details. If you want a smooth route with tickets handled, this still works.

Timing, Walking, and the Logistics That Can Feel Like the Main Attraction

This tour is long enough to notice. Start time is 9:15 am, and you end around 6:30 pm at Victoria Station. You’re not just visiting two famous places—you’re also traveling between them, checking in, and assembling back at meeting points.

The biggest “watch the clock” moment is the break between Buckingham and the Windsor departure. After Buckingham, you’ll need to get to the Windsor portion meeting point. The transfer between Buckingham Palace and the Evans tours office is not provided, and it’s a 10–15 minute walk. That can feel like more than it sounds, especially in crowds, heat, or if you’re carrying bags that you can’t put away.

Windsor timing: you may not finish everything slowly

Windsor Castle is built for lingering. You can get through the core areas, but the stop is about 1 hour 30 minutes. The free multimedia tool is great, but if your goal is to listen to every track without rushing, you might feel squeezed. Traffic on the way can also cut into your time, and London roads can be unpredictable.

Some people reported that they felt rushed inside Windsor, especially when traffic reduced the time available. That’s not something you can fully control, so plan with a mindset of choosing the areas and moments you care about most.

Walking shoes matter more than you think

You should assume you’ll walk a fair amount. Even if the coach handles the distance, you’re dealing with palace grounds, streets, and walking from the Buckingham area to the check-in point for the Windsor departure. Pack shoes you can handle for several miles worth of movement across the day.

What You’re Paying For: Value at $172.25 Per Person

At $172.25 per person, the value hinges on how you weigh three elements: admission, transport, and time saved.

Admission tickets are included for:

• Buckingham Palace State Rooms
• Windsor Castle
• St George’s Chapel (as part of the Windsor area stop)

That means your money isn’t just paying for a bus. You’re also paying for convenience: someone coordinates entry, and you’re not planning two major ticketed visits back-to-back.

The coach adds value in a city where traffic and transit complexity can derail plans. You also get Wi‑Fi and USB charging onboard, which sounds small until you’re trying to use maps or keep your phone battery alive.

Where value can drop is when expectations are too high about guidance. Some experiences have felt like the “guided” part is light, with staff focusing more on logistics and entry than on delivering deep commentary in each room. If you want a continuous guided lecture, you may feel the price is too high for what you experience.

My take: if you’re the kind of traveler who wants the easiest route to the essentials—two palaces, tickets handled, coach transport—this price can feel fair. If you want a slow, deeply explained Windsor with plenty of time for every room and audio segment, you may wish you had a different format.

Who This Tour Suits Best

This tour is a good fit if you:

• Want two iconic royal sites in one day without building a route from scratch
• Prefer coach travel over managing public transport with luggage and time pressure
• Like having tickets handled, and you’re fine with self-paced exploring at Windsor

It may be a weaker fit if you:

• Want constant, in-depth guidance inside every room
• Get frustrated by long days, traffic delays, and “meet here, then walk there” logistics
• Are traveling on a Sunday (because St George’s Chapel is closed to visitors then)

Also note the physical factor. The tour indicates moderate physical fitness. That doesn’t mean you need to be an athlete, but it does mean you should be ready for walking and pacing.

Should You Book This Buckingham and Windsor Day Trip?

Book it if your top priority is access and convenience. The chance to see Buckingham Palace State Rooms and Windsor Castle in one day, with admission handled and coach transport included, is exactly what many first-time London visitors need.

Skip or rethink it if your top priority is a slow, fully guided Windsor experience. With an hour and a half at Windsor plus the need to get moving after Buckingham, you may feel rushed—especially if traffic runs long. And if you want heavy commentary throughout the entire day, you could find the style more logistical than interpretive.

My practical checklist before you go

• Pack for security at Buckingham: don’t show up with oversized bags.
• Bring comfortable walking shoes and water planning (lunch isn’t included).
• If Sunday is your travel day, treat St George’s Chapel as potentially off-limits.
• Set expectations: Windsor is largely self-paced with the multimedia tool, so plan to pick what you want to hear rather than trying to do it all.

FAQ

What is the duration of the tour?

It runs about 9 hours 30 minutes.

What time does the tour start?

The start time is 9:15 am.

Where do I meet the tour?

You start at the King’s Gallery entrance area at Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA.

Where does the tour end?

It ends at Victoria Station in London, around 6:30 pm.

Are tickets included for Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle?

Yes. Admission to Buckingham Palace State Rooms and Windsor Castle is included, and St George’s Chapel entry is also included as part of the Windsor stop.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included.

Will I have audio or multimedia at Windsor Castle?

Yes. Windsor Castle includes a free multimedia tour.

Is St George’s Chapel open every day?

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

Is there a limit on bags at Buckingham Palace?

Yes. Bags larger than 45cm x 20cm x 30cm are not permitted, and security is airport-style.

Do I get hotel pickup or drop-off?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, and you should plan to get to the meeting point yourself. Also, there is no transfer between Buckingham Palace and the Evan Evans tours office, which involves a 10–15 minute walk.