This post provides information about how to get from London to Hampton Court Palace, including directions and tips on how to get there by train, boat, bus, or car.
Our tour guides are always being asked about the best and most historic places to visit in and around London, and this is usually one of the first attractions they mention!
In addition to providing a few of their best suggestions, this post will also include helpful advice from our London Travel Tips Facebook Group.
Overview
Hampton Court Palace is located southwest of London near the river Thames.
Although it isn’t directly in the city center, you can reach this historic site using public transportation. The easiest option is to take the train from Waterloo Station to Hampton Court Station.
We will cover how to do that in much greater detail below, including information about how much time it will take, how much tickets cost, and which train to take.
In addition to this option, there is also a shuttle bus from Windsor Castle to Hampton Court Palace which will take you between the two landmarks with ease.
Alternatively, you can also take a public bus from London, and we’ll provide more information about that in the following sections.
They also offer river cruise services which will bring you to this historic site during the warmer months.
From April to October, you can take a cruise from Richmond to Hampton Court Palace.
If you’re closer to Westminster and Big Ben, there is also a river cruise service that will take you to Hampton Court Palace, but it’s much slower at around 3-4 hours in length.
If time is of the essence, we recommend using the tube or shuttle bus.
Don't forget to check our London Travel Tips group on Facebook for tips on how to get to Hampton Court Palace, what to see there, and other helpful advice!
Open Hours
Hampton Court Palace is open daily with the exception of December 24th - 26th. Here are the timetables you can expect throughout the year:
- March - November: 10 am - 6 pm
- November - March: 10 am - 4.30 pm
The last admittance is approximately 1 hour before closing, so shave an hour off the closing time to get a sense of when you can visit.
How to Get to Hampton Court Palace by Train
This is undoubtedly one of the easiest ways to travel between London and Hampton Court Palace because the National Rail has a train station a mere 5-minute walk from this historic site.
All you have to do is head to one of the many train stations in London and get a ticket to Hampton Court Palace.
Train fare to the Hampton train station should be £8.50 per person, and they offer service from Waterloo Station in London every 30 minutes.
If you’re traveling from the center of London, it should only take about 30-35 minutes to get here.
Purchase train tickets to Hampton Court Palace or learn more.
Unfortunately, there is no London Underground station near this landmark, so you won’t be able to get there just using the tube.
That said, if you’re trying to save money on admission to Hampton Court Palace, it’s worth noting that if you use the National Rail to get there, you can take advantage of their 2-for-1 deal and get tickets for 50% off!
Check our post on the London 2 for 1 Deal to find out more about that offer.
Alternatively, you can also check our post about Hampton Court Palace tickets and offers for even more ways to save money on admission.
Here's a helpful travel tip!
One of our Facebook Group members recommends taking the train to Hampton Court Palace and then catching the Thames River boat back to Westminster.
After a long day of walking around the palace, a relaxing cruise is the perfect way to get back to London!
How to Get to Hampton Court Palace by Boat
During the warmer months of the year, there are riverboat services available from Westminster to Hampton Court Palace.
This service is offered at least twice per day from April - October, and they provide return tickets as well.
This service is definitely intended for people who want to enjoy some sightseeing on a Thames river cruise, because tickets for this option are a bit more expensive than trains or buses, and you can expect it to take 3-4 hours just to get there.
If you want to add a 3-hour cruise to your day trip to Hampton Court Palace, this might actually be a somewhat affordable form of transportation.
Here are the prices you can expect to pay:
One-Way/Single-Ride Tickets
- £22/Adults
- £12/Children
- £17/Seniors
- £56/Family (2 Adults + 2 Children)
Return Tickets
- £30/Adults
- £12/Children
- £17/Seniors
- £56/Family (2 Adults + 2 Children)
Purchase tickets or learn more here.
Here's a helpful travel tip!
This member from our London Travel Tips group on Facebook notes that while taking the boat there seems nice, it takes a much longer time to get there than taking the train.
A 3 hour journey to the palace means you're missing out on potentially up to 2 hours of touring the palace!
Keep this in mind when deciding how to get there, and keep an eye on the other tips our Facebook group members have suggested in this post.
How to Get to Hampton Court Palace by Bus
This is one of the most affordable ways to get from London to Hampton Court Palace, but it’s not necessarily the most straightforward method.
There is currently no direct bus from London to Hampton Court Palace, but there are a group of public buses you can take to reach the destination.
You should only need one ticket, but you can also use an Oyster Card and similar passes as well.
The first bus you’ll need to take is the 22 from Green Park to Richmond Bus Station, which should take 35-45 minutes.
Then you can take the 65 to Cromwell Road Station, and the 411 from there to Hampton Court Palace.
Alternatively, you can also take the 9 to Ravenscourt Park Station and then the 190 to Richmond Bus Station and continue on to the 65 and 411.
The total travel time should be between 60-90 minutes on average.
This method of travel takes a bit more time than the train, but it’s faster than the boat, and it’s the least expensive option.
For more information on how to get a ticket, check our post covering both the Oyster Card and the Travelcard.
Here's a helpful travel tip!
Some members of our Facebook Group note that buses take a bit longer than trains. You can easily get caught in traffic on a bus, but trains won't have to stop as often!
How to Get to Hampton Court Palace by Car
If you have a car or decide to rent one, you can take the M25 from London and get off either at exit 10 or exit 12 onto the A307 or A308.
Hampton Court Palace is on the A308 and there are plenty of signposts indicating where to go from here.
The only problem with this method is that there is very limited parking available at Hampton Court Palace, and it’s offered on a first come/first serve basis.
In other words, if you plan to arrive later in the day, there might not be any parking available.
Hampton Court Palace parking on-site is £1.60 per hour and they only accept credit cards. You can also use the Glide app to pay for parking.
If you can’t get parking at the palace, try one of the following options instead:
- Hampton Court Train Station (200m away)
- Hampton Court Green (500m away)
- Bushy Park (15-minute walk)
- Kingston upon Thames
- Take bus 111 or 216 from Kingston Town Centre to Hampton Court Palace
As you can see, if you can’t manage to park on-site, one of the closest options is actually the Hampton Court Train Station. That begs the question: if you’re going to end up at the train station anyway, why not just take the train?
NOTE: We typically advise against driving to Hampton Court Palace from London, because the train is literally quicker than the drive.
If you don't need to bring anything with you, and you have no plans to do anything else either before or after your trip, consider taking the train instead of driving.
