Warwick Castle Map and Getting There
Two things about getting to Warwick Castle catch people out, and neither is the postcode. The first is that the cheap car parks are a ten to twenty minute walk uphill from the entrance. The second is that the site inside the walls is 64 acres with a one-way tower route in the middle of it, so the order you walk it in decides how much of it you see. Here is the ground, outside and in.
The castle’s own site map
Three things to find on it before you arrive: the East Front, which is where you go in; Pageant Field along the river, which is where the flying display is watched from; and the river island, which is where the trebuchet stands and is the farthest point from the gate.
Where it is
Warwick Castle, Warwick, Warwickshire, CV34 6AH
Less than two miles from junction 15 of the M40, and about a mile from Warwick railway station. The what3words reference for the Stables Car Park entrance is ///dull.direct.cigar, which is the fastest way to point a satnav at the right gate rather than at the middle of the town.
The car parks, and the walk from each
| Car park | Price | Notes | what3words |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stables Car Park | £10.00 | Closest to the entrance. EV charging on site. | ///dull.direct.cigar |
| Stratford Road | £7.50 | On an incline; allow 10–20 minutes to walk up. EV charging, with reservable chargers. | — |
| Overflow field | £7.50 | Opens when the others fill. The same walk, on grass. | — |
| Coaches | No charge | Coach parking is free. | — |
The Stables Car Park is the one to aim for if the walk matters. It costs £10.00 against £7.50 for the others, and the difference buys you the shorter approach. If you are arriving with small children, a pushchair or anyone who tires, that difference of £5 or less is the best value on the whole approach.
Both Stables and Stratford Road have EV charging, and the chargers at Stratford Road can be reserved. Coaches park free.
Getting here by train, road and coach
| Journey | How | How long |
|---|---|---|
| London Marylebone to Warwick | Direct train | about 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Birmingham Snow Hill to Warwick | Direct train | under 40 minutes |
| Warwick railway station to the castle | On foot | about 15 minutes, roughly a mile |
| Junction 15 of the M40 to the castle | By car | less than two miles |
| Stratford Road car park to the main entrance | On foot | 10–20 minutes, uphill |
| Warwick to Stratford-upon-Avon | By car | about 25 minutes |
| Warwick to Kenilworth Castle | By car | about 15 minutes |
| Warwick to Oxford | By car | about 1 hour 10 minutes |
Arriving by train sidesteps the car parks entirely. London Marylebone runs direct in about an hour and three quarters and Birmingham Snow Hill in under forty minutes, and the walk from Warwick station is roughly a mile through the town — which takes you past the Lord Leycester Hospital and the Collegiate Church of St Mary on the way.
How the grounds are laid out
The site divides into three. The courtyard holds the East Front, the Great Hall and State Rooms and the entrances to both towers. The mound and gardens sit to one side: the Conqueror’s Fortress, the Peacock Garden and the walk down towards the water. The riverside is Pageant Field, the Mill and Engine House and the island.
Walk them in that order and you climb while you are fresh and finish on flat ground. Walk them backwards and you will be doing 540 steps at four in the afternoon.
Coaches, drop-offs and blue badges
Coaches park free, and they set down close to the entrance rather than in the field car parks, which is one of the quiet practical advantages of arriving on a day trip. There is also a drop-off zone near the main entrance for guests with mobility requirements — speak to the parking team on arrival and they will point you at it rather than sending you up the hill.
Blue Badge holders have a limited number of reserved spaces, and charges apply to those as to everything else. Because the number is limited rather than generous, arriving early is worth more here than at a car park with plenty of room. The accessibility page has the full picture, including the step counts inside the walls.
Finding the castle from the town
Warwick is small and the castle is signposted from everywhere in it, but the approach worth taking is Mill Street. It is a short lane of old houses that ends at the river with the towers directly above you, and it is outside the paying area. If you are early for your entry slot, spend the time there rather than in the queue.
Before you set off
Book the entry online rather than at the gate and you save £5 a head. Warwick Castle guided tour options remove the drive and the parking from the problem altogether. Visiting Warwick Castle has the hours and what to bring, accessibility has the step counts, and Warwick Castle Tours compares every way in.