How to Get to Henley Royal Regatta?
About an hour from London, in a small town that fills to bursting for six days: train, chauffeur, helicopter or boat, every arrival is planned.
Last updated 5 October 2026 · 4 min read
Henley-on-Thames lies in Oxfordshire, about an hour from London. By train, Great Western Railway links London Paddington to Henley, usually with a change at Twyford, and enhances its service during the regatta; the station is in the town centre, within walking distance of the enclosures. By car with a chauffeur, Henley is 13 miles from junction 8/9 of the M4 and 16 miles from junction 4 of the M40; drop-off is on the A4130, five minutes' walk from the enclosures, and the regatta's car parks are booked with a label. Temporary helicopter landing sites are operated by private operators near Henley during the week. By the Thames, a few moorings along the course can be booked — and go quickly.
The overall answer: a small town, six busy days
Henley is a small town, and the regatta draws a large crowd there every day. Roads and trains fill up in the morning, around the time the enclosures open, then in the late afternoon and evening.
The right arrival is therefore not necessarily the fastest on paper, but the one that is easiest to predict. We coordinate everything, from the point of departure to the enclosure entrance, with margins.
By train: Paddington, Twyford, and the walk to the river
Great Western Railway serves Henley-on-Thames from London Paddington, with a special timetable during the regatta. The journey usually involves a change at Twyford, from where a short branch line runs to Henley. The station is in the town centre; you walk to the enclosures, crossing the bridge.
It is often the steadiest arrival on busy days, with two peaks to plan for: the morning towards Henley, and the end of the day towards London. A chauffeur can drop you at Paddington and another wait for you at Henley; we arrange both.
By car with a chauffeur
From London, Henley is reached via the M4, junction 8/9, then about 13 miles by road, or via the M40, junction 4, about 16 miles away. During the regatta, car parks are booked in advance with the regatta — with a label to be received before the day of the visit, without which entry is refused — or bought on arrival, as space allows; they open at 7.30am and close at 9pm, with no overnight parking.
A dedicated chauffeur remains the simple way to enjoy the day: drop-off is on the A4130, five minutes' walk from the enclosures, and the chauffeur collects you whenever you decide. For a group, a second vehicle avoids waiting.
By the Thames, by helicopter, by jet
Arriving by river is a lovely way to reach Henley — from Marlow or a house downstream, for example. During the regatta, moorings along the course are limited in number, are booked through the regatta's services and go quickly; navigation is controlled during racing. The Fawley Meadows restaurant hospitality packages also include a cruise along the course.
During the week, temporary helicopter landing sites are operated by private operators near Henley; from London, the flight avoids the busy roads, subject to the weather and the day's permissions, always backed by a road option. By private jet, Heathrow, about forty kilometres away, and Farnborough, a business aviation airport, are the practical choices; we coordinate the flight, the welcome and the transfer.
| Option | Strengths | To plan for |
|---|---|---|
| Train — Paddington, change at Twyford | Regular, station within walking distance | Crowds in the morning and evening |
| Car with chauffeur | Door to door, drop-off on the A4130 | Car park booked with a label, regatta-day traffic |
| Boat on the Thames | Arrival by river | Mooring booked early, navigation controlled during racing |
| Helicopter — temporary landing site | Avoids the busy roads | Permissions and slots, weather, road option as a fallback |
| Private jet — Heathrow or Farnborough | Followed by a coordinated transfer | Slots booked early |
The return, and the days without racing
The return is prepared as carefully as the arrival. On weekdays, racing continues until around 7.30pm; on Sunday, the last race is at 4.30pm, followed by the prize-giving — according to the 2026 timings. Leaving a little before or a little after the crowd is often the calmest way home.
On days without racing, the same chauffeur takes you into the Oxfordshire countryside, to Oxford or to London. Our guide Where to Stay for Henley Royal Regatta? explains how the choice of address removes a good share of the journeys.
Key points
Train from Paddington, chauffeur via the M4 or the M40, a boat on the Thames, a helicopter to an authorised landing site, a jet to Heathrow or Farnborough: each route has its place, and all are planned ahead. TGZ Conciergerie, an independent house with no affiliation to Henley Royal Regatta, and no official status whatsoever, coordinates the arrival, the transfers and the chauffeur on site, on quotation.
Frequently asked questions
From Paddington, with Great Western Railway, usually with a change at Twyford; an enhanced service runs during the regatta. Henley station is in the town centre, within walking distance of the enclosures.
Yes, provided you have booked a mooring: they are limited in number along the course during the regatta and go quickly. We arrange the boat, the crew and the mooring, subject to availability.
Yes: during the week, temporary landing sites are operated by private operators near Henley. We book the flight and the slot, and always plan a road option should the weather require it.
On the A4130, five minutes' walk from the enclosures, according to the regatta. The regatta's car parks are booked in advance, with a label to be received before the day of the visit.
Heathrow, about forty kilometres away, or Farnborough, dedicated to business aviation. We coordinate the welcome and the transfer by car or helicopter.
It is the simple way to enjoy several regatta days when staying outside Henley: a departure timed around the traffic, a drop-off as close as possible to the enclosures, a return at your convenience, and journeys to the countryside or London on the other days.
No. TGZ Conciergerie is an independent house, with no affiliation to Henley Royal Regatta and no official status whatsoever. We arrange the logistics — trains, chauffeurs, boats, helicopters, flights — through our own channels, on quotation.
Take it further
An arrival settled, by road or by river
Tell us where you are leaving from and who is travelling with you: train from Paddington, chauffeur, boat, helicopter or jet, we compose the arrival with its fallback plan, then the week's journeys — on quotation, with one point of contact.