A complete guide for getting the train to Legoland

Legoland Windsor is a technicolour explosion of immersive kids’ entertainment. The park is so much more than just rides, this whimsical wonderland promises to draw little ones into a world of fantasy, thrill-seeking and fun.

That’s why many families head to the park every year, with many finding it easy to get the train to Legoland. Better yet, you can even enjoy 2-for-1 Legoland tickets when you travel with Avanti.

However, any Legoland veteran will tell you that pre-planning is a must, whether it’s to make the most of the day or figure out how’s best to travel there. So, when you’re wondering how to get to Legoland Windsor, here’s all you need to know.

What to expect at Legoland Windsor

A day out at Legoland Windsor will see you navigating an array of different rides, attractions, and impressive Lego brick experiences. The theme park is split up into different ‘lands’, which are all clearly signposted. However, there are free Resort Guides, as well as a free Legoland app, which can help you get the most out of your day.

It’s easy enough to walk around the theme park on foot, but there’s also a fun Hill Train. This can be a good option for tired legs, as there are some steep areas to cover.

In terms of rides and experiences, there is so much to discover. These range from the magic of Miniland, which showcases incredible Lego models of iconic destinations from around the world, to exhilarating rides, enchanting shows, and so much more.

Plan your day for maximum fun and minimal stress with the below key info:

Ages and heights

Legoland is ideal for kids between the ages of four to 11, but preschoolers can have lots of fun here, too. It’s worth noting infants under 0.9m tall go free, which is about two to three years old.

Kids under four won’t be able to go on most rides, but there’s still plenty for them to watch and enjoy. If you’ve only got kids under four, you might find it’s not worth it to visit Legoland until they’re a bit older.

Legoland has height restrictions for most of its rides, so it’s really important to check these before making your decision to book tickets. Likewise, be sure to check height restrictions before jumping into an hour-long queue!

Lots of Legoland rides require kids to be at least 1.3m tall, although some are a bit less than this. Kids under 1.3m tall can often ride if they have a responsible person who’s 16 years or older with them, though.

Tickets

Ticket prices vary depending on which day you want to visit Legoland. But one thing’s certain, you’ll save money by booking in advance.

Day tickets for the main season (which often runs until the end of October) cost around £62 if you buy them on the day. However, tickets are often almost half the cost when you buy them in advance.

Even booking online the day before you want to go could see you make a good saving!

Opening times

Opening hours for Legoland may vary from year to year. The most common opening times are from March, 10 am to 5 pm. Then from April to November, opening times are 10 am to 6 pm.

Parking

If you’re arriving by car, there’s plenty of parking at Legoland. On average, it costs £8 for the day, or £7 if you book in advance.

Rides and attractions

There’s a vast array of amazing experiences and attractions at Legoland. The rides range from thrilling roller coasters to water rides, while attractions include driving in brightly coloured Lego-style cars and immersive, 4D experiences.

There are rides suitable for a range of different ages. For example, the Duplo Dino Coaster offers a great first roller coaster experience for preschoolers. There’s also the Duplo Airport that lets little ones steer their very own helicopters.

For primary school-aged children, rides like Mia’s Riding Adventure (1.2m minimum height) provide endless thrills as kids ride horses in the air. Those over four years old are also sure to love Hydra’s Challenge, an experience that sees kids steering jet boats through the twists and turns of an exciting water ride.

The whole family will love strolling through the Enchanted Forest, a mystical, immersive walk-through, as well as Miniland, which rarely has queues and is a must for all Legoland visitors. Don’t be put off by the fact it's not a ride, as this Lego brick world is mind-blowing for kids and adults alike.

Overall, there are over 55 rides and attractions to explore, so it’s well worth downloading the Legoland app to get familiar with these before your trip.

Queues

Like any popular theme park, Legoland rides and attractions can rack up some pretty sizable queues.

You can expect to wait an hour or even more for the most popular rides at peak times (11 am - 4 pm). This doesn’t have to get in the way of you having a great day, you just need to formulate a bit of a game plan:

• Write a priority list of rides and experiences you want to go on before heading to the theme park.
• Head to your priority rides as soon as you arrive – a lot of visitors will go straight for the first rides they see, meaning those that are deeper in the park might have shorter queues earlier on in the day.
• Use the Legoland app to keep an eye on queue times throughout the day – sometimes you’ll find certain rides randomly get quieter.
• Try to intersperse longer queue waiting with easier activities that don’t require queueing to prevent little ones and adults from getting overwhelmed.
• Save some rides for after 4 pm (if things don’t get too tiring for you) as the theme park is at peak busyness from 11am - 4pm.

There is the option to buy something called ‘Reserve and Ride’, which used to be called Q-bot. This allows you to either jump queues or reserve your place in queues, so you can queue ‘virtually’ while you’re off doing something else in the theme park.

However, it’s more expensive to jump queues than reserve a spot. Reserve and Ride prices range from £15 up to £70 per person.

Food and drink

There is a range of restaurants and snack vendors throughout Legoland, serving up classic fares like pizza, pasta, burgers, paninis, and rotisserie chicken. However, it’s worth remembering that you can bring your own picnic and snacks to the theme park if that suits you better.

If you decide to bring a cool box, it’s advised to leave this in the car and get a stamp from a member of staff that lets you exit the theme park to collect your picnic when you want to eat.

There are plenty of places to buy soft drinks throughout the theme park and you can also ask for free tap water from its restaurants.

How to get from London to Legoland

When you’re planning your trip from London to Legoland, you should consider whether you’re travelling via train or car.

There are a couple of routes you can travel to reach Legoland from London by train, with each one taking the train to Windsor Eton Central or Windsor Eton Riverside. However, these stations are only a short walk away from each other.

Here are some ways to get from Legoland to London

• You can get the train from London Paddington to Windsor & Eton Central, via Slough, with a journey time of approximately half an hour
• You can also get a direct train from London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside, which takes just under an hour
• If you’re travelling from London Victoria, your trip will take just over an hour and will likely transfer to London Paddington

Once you’re at Windsor & Eton Riverside station, you’ll find a shuttle bus service over to Legoland, which takes about 10-15 minutes. It’s worth noting this isn’t a free service.

If you choose to drive, the quickest route from central London is via the A4 then M4. This takes roughly an hour although the exact time will depend on traffic as well as where you’re heading out of London from.

How far is Legoland from the train station?

Legoland is about three miles away from both the Windsor & Eton Central and Riverside Stations. The journey from the Windsor train station to Legoland takes about five minutes by car, 10 to 15 minutes by shuttle bus, and just under an hour on foot.

Is one day enough for Legoland UK?

Lots of people choose to visit Legoland for the day. But, as there’s so much to pack in, it helps to:

• Get there early, as you should aim to enter the theme park as soon as it opens
• Plan your day ahead of time, including which rides and attractions you most want to visit
• Consider buying Ride and Reserve to cut down the queuing time
• Bring some of your own drinks and snacks, these can come in handy to keep your spending down

Travel by train to Legoland with Avanti

We hope this guide helps you plan the perfect day trip to Legoland with your little ones. A bit of pre-planning and organisation goes a long way when it comes to making the most out of your experience.

Remember, that if you’re getting the train to Legoland, you should always book in advance to get the cheapest train tickets possible. You can also get Railcards to make travelling with children even cheaper, including up to 50% off your tickets with the right Railcard or a family ticket.

To make the trip even easier, you can download the free Avanti West Coast app. Search for train times, find the best fare, and save your Railcards and tickets all in one place.