Maidenhead is a large riverside town in the county of Berkshire in the South East of England. It has a population of just under 75,000 people.

Understand

The constituency of Maidenhead and Windsor is the most affluent area of the UK, with house prices often exceeding those of Central London. Its position on the River Thames, surrounded by beautiful countryside, and close proximity to the capital, Oxford and Windsor is unrivalled making it a gold-mine for commuters. It is one of the safest Conservative seats in the UK; its member of parliament is Theresa May, who served as prime minister from 2016 to 2019.

Like many towns, Maidenhead has lost some of its historic charm, and the town centre is a little uninspiring and overdeveloped in some parts. It does however retain some handsome 18th- and 19th-century buildings. The area near the river, locally known as Maidenhead Riverside, however, is a picturesque contrast to this, offering stunning views of the Thames and Chiltern Hills, along with scenic walks towards the villages of Cookham, Marlow, Bray and Windsor and Eton.

Get in

By train

1 Maidenhead station is on a major train line from London Paddington to Reading, with Reading also providing connections northward and good connections to The West Country.

Maidenhead is to be connected the Crossrail in 2019 which will provide faster connections to East London.

By car

Maidenhead is situated on Junction 8/9 of the M4 providing fast connections both East to London and west to Wales. There is also the A404 which connects Maidenhead to the M40 in 15 minutes, allowing good connections north.

By plane

Generally, London Heathrow Airport (LHR ^IATA) is the best flight connection from Maidenhead. It's a 20-minute drive down the M4 or a 1-hour train journey.

London Gatwick Airport (LGW ^IATA) is also popular, as flights there are often cheaper. However, the hour-long car journey is the best way for getting to the airport, so taxi costs may be incurred.

By Taxi

There are a few reputable taxi services in Maidenhead like Maidenhead Taxis & Minibuses U want & On-Time to name a few, they will pickup and drop off locally and nationally 24hrs a day.

Get around

There are good bus links, you can get most buses from Frascati Way in the town centre, or near Boots on the high street.

Maps & Guides of Windsor & Maidenhead page contains maps for the area, including cycle routes and local facilities.

See

File:Maidenhead Railway Bridge

• 1 Maidenhead Railway Bridge. The famous railway bridge designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. (updated Dec 2015)
• 2 Boulter's Lock and Boulters Island (on the River Thames). A great spot for walks amongst relatively tame squirrels and views of Maidenhead Weir. There is also a small hotel/restaurant on the island. (updated Dec 2015)
• 3 Maidenhead United Football Club, York Road. It is the oldest continuously used senior football ground in the world. (updated Dec 2015)

Do

• 1 Maidenhead Heritage Centre, 18 Park St, Maidenhead, SL6 1SL, ☏ +44 1628 780555. Visit the heritage centre to discover the town's fascinating history. (updated Nov 2017)
• 2 Norden Farm Arts Centre, Altwood Rd, SL6 4PF, ☏ +44 1628 788997. Investigate the arts centre, which contains a theatre and arthouse cinema. (updated Nov 2017)
• 3 Odeon, 42-44 King St, SL6 1DY, ☏ +44 333 014 4501. There is a mainstream cinema in the town centre. (updated Nov 2017)
• 4 The Magnet Leisure Centre, Holmanleaze, SL6 8AW, ☏ +44 1628 685333. (updated Nov 2017)
• 5 David Lloyd Fitness Centre, Grenfell Place, SL6 1HJ, ☏ +44 345 129 6804. (updated Nov 2017)

Buy

The town centre is a fairly typical one, containing most high street shops, including Next, Virgin Megastore, Boots, Superdrug, Marks and Spencer, and TopShop.

• 1 Nicholsons’s Shopping Centre, Nicholsons Ln, SL6 1LB, ☏ +441628 783746. (updated Nov 2017)
• Robert Dyas, 24 Kings Walk, SL6 1LB, ☏ +44 844 567 2537. M-Sa 9AM-5:30PM, Su 11AM-5PM. 

Eat

Indian restaurants are well recommended. There are also decent Thai and Chinese restaurants.

• 1 Emperor of India, 5 Windsor Rd, SL6 1UZ, ☏ +44 1628 624100. 

One of Britain's culinary capitals, the village of Bray, is a very short distance away.

• 2 Waterside Inn (Roux Brothers'), Ferry Rd, Bray, SL6 2AT, ☏ +44 1628 620691. A 3-star Michelin restaurant - the first outside of France.  
• 3 Fat Duck (Heston Blumenthal's), High St, Bray, SL6 2AQ, ☏ +44 1628 580333. At one time, the second best restaurant in the world according to Caterer magazine.  

Drink

Surrounding villages and suburbs have some excellent ancient pubs. Non-chain bars include Phatz Bar, good for live music, as well as Coco bar.

Sleep

• Rooms to rent in Maidenhead - Thieves Garden self-catering apartment for short term lets. Thieves Garden provides well-equipped accommodation.

• 1 Holiday Inn Maidenhead/Windsor, Manor Ln, SL6 2RA, ☏ +44 871 942 9053. The hotel in Maidenhead also provides leisure facilities including a pool, spa, and gym. 
• 2 Cliveden House, Cliveden Rd, Taplow SL6 0JF, ☏ +44 1628 668561. It's odd tht National Trust membership doesn't get you a free stay at this gob-smacking luxurious Italianate pile. There's a long list of famous names who've stayed, such as Meghan Markle in 2018, and that list can only continue to grow in what is a top-class hotel for comfort, service and cuisine. Mere mortals (NT or otherwise) are also welcome along with their children and dogs. B&B double £500. (updated Jun 2020)

Go next

• Cookham — a picturesque village between Maidenhead and Marlow. It is a traditional English country village with a hugely popular gallery and excellent but expensive restaurants. Trains link Cookham with Maidenhead every hour. Or walk there along the river, about 1 hour.
• Marlow — an attractive town at the NW.

Routes through Maidenhead

Reading ← Wokingham ←	W  E	→ Slough → London
Reading ← Twyford ←	W  E	→ Slough → London