How to get to Hampton Court from London: train, boat, bus and parking

Hampton Court Palace sits on the Thames at the edge of south-west London, about 12 miles from Charing Cross. It’s further out than the Tower or Kensington Palace, but it’s easy to reach. The quickest way is the train from Waterloo. In summer there’s also the slow, lovely option of a boat up the river, the same way Henry VIII travelled. This guide covers every route, with what to expect when you arrive.

By train from London Waterloo

This is the way most visitors arrive, and for good reason. South Western Railway trains run from London Waterloo to Hampton Court every 30 minutes, and the journey takes about 35 minutes. Hampton Court is the last stop on its own branch line, so you can’t miss it.

The trains call at Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, New Malden, Berrylands, Surbiton and Thames Ditton. If you’re coming from elsewhere in London, changing at Clapham Junction or Wimbledon is often quickest.

Hampton Court station is in Travelcard Zone 6, and Oyster and contactless payment work all the way. From the station, cross the bridge over the Thames and the palace gates are in front of you: about 200 metres, or a five-minute walk.

For the journey home, trains leave Hampton Court for Waterloo at 24 and 54 minutes past the hour from Monday to Saturday, and at 5 and 35 minutes past on Sundays. Check before you travel, because weekend engineering work sometimes means a replacement bus for part of the way.

Tip: arriving by train may get you two-for-one entry through National Rail’s Days Out Guide. Check the current terms before you go.

By river boat

For two centuries the river was the main road to Hampton Court. Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey came by royal barge, and you can still arrive by water in the summer months. Public boats run in the warmer season only. Approximate journey times are:

• From Westminster: about four hours, with Westminster Passenger Services.
• From Richmond: about two hours, with Turks Launches.
• From Kingston: about 45 minutes, also with Turks Launches.

Four hours is a long time on a boat, so many people go one way by river and come back by train. The trip from Richmond is the best compromise: it passes Ham House, Teddington Lock and some of the prettiest stretches of the Thames. Timetables change each season and can depend on the tide, so check with the operator before you plan your day around it.

If you have your own boat, you can moor along Barge Walk beside the Privy Garden or near Kingston Bridge. The first 24 hours are free, then it costs £8 for each further 24 hours, up to 72 paid hours. You register online and pay by phone or online.

By bus

Several London buses stop outside the palace gates:

• From Kingston: routes 111, 216, 411, 461 and 513. The 111 and 216 leave from Kingston town centre, at stops P2 or R.
• From Richmond: route R68.

The 111, 216, 411 and R68 take Oyster, contactless and the Freedom Pass. Hampton Court has no Underground station. If you’re coming by Tube, the nearest stations are Richmond (District line) and Wimbledon (District line), with a bus or train from there. From Richmond the R68 is a slow but scenic ride.

By car, and where to park

Hampton Court is on the A308, close to the A3 and the M25. Use the postcode KT8 9AU for satnav.

The palace car park

The car park on the palace grounds costs £1.80 an hour, paid by card at touch-screen machines or through the Glide app. Spaces are first come, first served, and it fills early on sunny weekends, in school holidays and on event days. The bays fit standard cars only. There are 10 Blue Badge bays near the entrance, and Blue Badge holders park free. There are no working electric car chargers at present.

If the palace car park is full

• Hampton Court Green, across the road and 500 metres from the entrance: also £1.80 an hour, by card or PayByPhone. Motorhomes and campervans should use this one.
• Walton Road car park, KT8 0DL: 151 spaces, about 20 minutes’ walk away or a short ride on the 411 bus.
• Bushy Park: free parking about 15 minutes’ walk away, through the Lion Gate.
• Kingston town centre: large multi-storeys, including the Rose (417 spaces), Seven Kings (1,062) and the Bittoms (303), with buses 111 and 216 to the palace.

Hampton Court and the ULEZ

The palace sits right on the edge of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone. The palace entrance is outside the zone, and the car park and private roads aren’t charged. The car park exit is left-turn only, heading away from London, so most drivers won’t pay unless their journey takes them back into the zone in a non-compliant vehicle. If you’re unsure, check your vehicle on Transport for London’s website before you travel.

During the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in early July, the palace car park is reserved and the roads are busy, so take the train if you can.

By bike or on foot

National Cycle Network Route 4 follows the Thames along Barge Walk, right past the palace. It’s a flat, beautiful ride from Kingston, and from Richmond with a few detours. There are bike racks to the left of the main entrance and in the car park by the Rose Garden. Bikes aren’t allowed in the gardens or courtyards.

Walkers can follow the Thames Path. Kingston Bridge to Hampton Court along Barge Walk is about two miles, with the palace’s Home Park on one side and the river on the other. Or enter through Bushy Park and walk down the mile-long Chestnut Avenue to the palace’s Lion Gate.

From Heathrow, Windsor and beyond

• From Heathrow: Hampton Court is about 10 miles from the airport. A taxi takes around 25 minutes. The 111 bus runs from Heathrow Central bus station through Hounslow and Hampton to the palace gates, which takes about an hour.
• From Windsor: about 15 miles by road. There’s no direct train, so most people drive or join a tour that covers both, such as the coach and private car trips below.
• From outside London: drivers from the M25 should leave at junction 12 (M3) or 10 (A3) and follow the brown signs. Train travellers from the south-west can change at Surbiton, two stops from Hampton Court.

When you arrive

Whichever way you come, you’ll enter through the Trophy Gates on Hampton Court Road and walk up the long approach to the Great Gatehouse, Cardinal Wolsey’s original entrance. Collect or show your ticket on the way in. Allow ten minutes from the main gate to the start of the palace route, and a little longer on busy days. The Tiltyard Café, near the maze, is the place for lunch.

Hampton Court has been a day trip from London since long after the Tudors left. Queen Victoria opened the palace to the public in 1838, and when the railway arrived in 1849 Londoners came in their thousands, by train and by river, just as visitors do today.

Day trips that take you there

If you’d rather not navigate at all, a tour that includes transport is the simplest option:

• Windsor Castle and Hampton Court by coach, with an optional palace ticket.
• A private car tour of Hampton Court and Windsor, with door-to-door pickup in London.
• A guided bike tour from Hampton Court along the river.

Arriving early? Home Park, just east of the palace, is free and opens at 7am. It’s a lovely walk before the palace opens.

Coming for the ice rink in December? Trains are the easiest option; the palace car park fills up at weekends.

Questions people ask

How long does it take to get to Hampton Court from central London?

About 35 minutes by train from Waterloo, plus a five-minute walk. By car it’s usually 45 minutes to an hour from central London, and much longer in traffic.

Is there parking at Hampton Court Palace?

Yes. There is a pay-and-display car park on the palace grounds at £1.80 an hour, with an overflow car park on Hampton Court Green. Both fill up on busy days.

Can you get to Hampton Court by boat?

Yes, in summer. Boats run from Westminster (about four hours), Richmond (about two hours) and Kingston (about 45 minutes). Many visitors go one way by boat and return by train.

Which station is closest to Hampton Court Palace?

Hampton Court station, about 200 metres away across the river. It is in Zone 6 and takes Oyster and contactless.

Is Hampton Court in the ULEZ?

The palace is on the boundary. The palace car park and private roads aren’t charged, but check your own route and vehicle on TfL’s website.

Once you’re there, make the most of it: see what your ticket includes, find your way through the maze, and read about the ghosts said to walk its galleries. Our visitor guide has a suggested route through the palace.

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