London Day Trips: 4 Days Off the Path
Four days: the same 3-day plan , Windsor, the Warner Bros Studio Tour, and Oxford, plus Cambridge as a distinct fourth day. Need a fifth, the 5-day version adds a combined Bath and Stonehenge day on top of exactly this spine.
Book these before you go
- Warner Bros Studio Tour (Day 2), zero walk-up tickets exist, ever; book at wbstudiotour.co.uk or check availability on GetYourGuide .
- Windsor Castle (Day 1), GBP 32 advance versus GBP 36 at the door, book at rct.uk .
- King’s College Chapel (Day 4), GBP 16.50 weekday, cheaper with the early-bird discount at kings.cam.ac.uk .
- Check hotel rates near King’s Cross on Booking.com , the one terminus this route uses that the first three days don’t.
The four days at a glance
| Day | Focus | Travel time from London | One-way transport |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Windsor Castle | 22-28 min (Paddington) or 55 min (Waterloo) | Great Western Railway or South Western Railway |
| 2 | Warner Bros Studio Tour | About 20 min to Watford Junction, then a shuttle | London Northwestern Railway (Euston) |
| 3 | Oxford | 51 min to just over an hour | Great Western Railway (Paddington) |
| 4 | Cambridge | 45-49 min | Great Northern / LNER (King’s Cross) |
Day 1: Windsor Castle
Paddington to Slough, change for Windsor & Eton Central, about 22 to 28 minutes total from around GBP 6, or a direct Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside run of about 55 minutes from around GBP 13. Entry is GBP 32 booked in advance, GBP 36 at the door. Confirm the week you’re going at rct.uk ; a working royal residence can close rooms at short notice.
Day 2: Warner Bros Studio Tour
There are no walk-up tickets to the Warner Bros Studio Tour, ever, so this day only works if it’s booked weeks ahead. Entry-only tickets start around GBP 56. The cheap route in: Euston to Watford Junction, about 20 minutes, then the dedicated shuttle bus for a GBP 3 return fare, contactless or card only, roughly every 30 minutes.
Day 3: Oxford
Great Western Railway from Paddington, 51 minutes to just over an hour. There’s no single “Oxford ticket”: Christ Church’s Great Hall runs about GBP 22.50 to 24.50, while the Divinity School, the actual Hogwarts-infirmary filming location, is a separate GBP 3 ticket capped at 15 minutes. See the full Oxford breakdown for the rest of the day.
Day 4: Cambridge
King’s Cross direct, about 45 to 49 minutes, trains every 6 to 10 minutes. King’s College Chapel runs GBP 16.50 on weekdays, GBP 17.50 on weekends, cheaper with the early-bird discount for booking a week ahead at kings.cam.ac.uk . Punting on the Cam, shared or chauffeured, costs roughly GBP 12 to 20 per person, and it’s the signature activity here.
Why does Cambridge get its own day instead of pairing with Oxford?
Because Oxford to Cambridge is roughly two and a half hours with no quick direct rail link, even though each is under an hour from London on its own. Splitting them across Day 3 and Day 4, rather than trying to see both in one push, is what actually keeps this route realistic.
Is four days enough to see both college towns properly?
Yes, for the marquee stops in each. Oxford’s Christ Church, Divinity School, and Covered Market fit one day; Cambridge’s King’s College Chapel and a punt on the Cam fit the other. What neither day allows is broad college-hopping beyond the headline sights, since most colleges keep tight, term-dependent hours.
Pack a change of socks for Cambridge if punting is on the plan; falling in isn’t rare, and self-punting rewards a sense of humor more than skill.