Slough

Slough (pronounced like "how", not like "snow" or "through") is a large town just west of London's Heathrow Airport, outside the M25, in Berkshire.

Understand

Slough “Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough! It isn't fit for humans now, There isn't grass to graze a cow. Swarm over, Death!” — The first stanza of Slough by Sir John Betjeman

Slough has something of a negative reputation which can be famously attributed to Sir John Betjeman's poem of the same name. This could also be a result of Berkshire being a stereotypically posh county thanks to the presence of Windsor, Maidenhead and Bray. The town has been featured prominently in the police reality show Road Wars and is the setting of the cringe comedy The Office.

Because of Slough not being too far from Pinewood Studios (6.4km) which is in Iver Heath, Bucks; locals often spot celebrities staying in Slough as a centre point to many places around East Berkshire/South Buckinghamshire.

Get in

By plane

• Heathrow Airport (LHR ^IATA): buses 60, 61, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78 and National Express coach or directly via the Elizabeth Line (Crossrail).
• Luton Airport (LTN ^IATA): National Express bus to High Wycombe and then X74, or train, changing in London
• London City Airport (LCY ^IATA): take London Underground services to London Paddington and continue by train
• Stansted Airport (STN ^IATA): National Express bus to High Wycombe and then X74, or train, changing in London
• Gatwick Airport (LGW ^IATA): train, changing in London or Reading
• Birmingham Airport (BHX ^IATA): train, changing in London
• Bristol Airport (BRS ^IATA): direct train from Bristol Temple Meads station - there is a shuttle bus to the airport
• Southampton Airport (SOU ^IATA) or Bournemouth Airport (BOH ^IATA): train, changing in Reading
• East Midlands Airport (EMA ^IATA): train, changing in London

By train

• 1 Slough station has a direct service from London Paddington, Reading, Oxford, Worcester and Hereford. Slough is also on the Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) to Shenfield and Abbey Wood.

By bus or coach

• Buses to nearby Reading go to Cheltenham and Gloucester.
• X74 bus serves High Wycombe
• National Express coaches go to London

Get around

• Local buses serve the Slough area from Slough Bus Station, a 2 minute walk from the Train Station.
• Uber and local Taxi services are available.
• A public Cycle Hire scheme is available

See

• 1 Slough Museum, The Curve, The Curve, 85 High St, SL1 1EA, thecurve@slough.gov.uk. Tu-Th 8AM-7PM, M F 8AM-5PM, Su closed. Slough history and the town’s cultural heritage. Admission is free. (updated May 2019)
• 2 Herschel Park, Upton Cl, SL1 2DG, ☏ +44 1753 875209. 24/7. Herschel Park is a local nature reserve within Upton Park. The nature reserve is owned and managed by Slough Borough Council. It is a Grade II listed park and nature reserve. (updated May 2019)

Do

• 1 Slough Ice Arena, Montem Lane SL1 2QG, ☏ +44 1753 969710. Daily 6AM-11PM. Public skating ice rink with lessons, discos, hockey and karting. It's the home rink of The Bees, who play Sept-March in the National Ice Hockey League, England's second tier - they relocated from Bracknell in 2021 when that ice rink folded. Slough Jets also play here in the third tier. (updated Dec 2023)
• 2 Bust Out 360, Unit 10, The Business Village, Wexham Road, SL2 5HF, ☏ +44 1753 528377. 10AM-8:30PM daily. Interactive real-life escape games in Slough, Berkshire. A fun entertainment concept sees one locked in a themed adventure room with 60 minutes to escape. (updated May 2019)
• 3 Jump In Slough, 550 Dundee Rd, SL1 4LE, ☏ +44 1926 356290. Jump In is a humungous trampoline park with a foam pit, slam dunk court and a battle beam area. Café is available on site. (updated May 2019)

Eat

• 1 Kashmiri Karahi, Bath Road, Salt Hill Park, SL1 3SR, ☏ +44 1753 575223, kashmirikarahi@hotmail.com. noon-11PM. Spacious, 2-floor contemporary curry house and takeaway serving classic and modern Kashmiri dishes. (updated May 2019)
• 2 Treatz, 254 High St, SL1 1JU (end of High St.), ☏ +44 1753 424743. Modern spot for desserts including Italian ice cream, waffle baskets, crepes, sundaes and shakes. (updated May 2019)
• 3 Desi Deera, 302-304 High St, SL1 1NB, ☏ +44 1753 527323. noon-11PM daily. Pakistani Restaurant themed with rickshaw/truck art pieces as well as Urdu poetry (updated May 2019)
• 4 Damascene, 248 High St, SL1 1JU, ☏ +44 1753 523555. The tastes and vibes of Syrian history come to Slough in a form of a restaurant. (updated May 2019)

Drink

• 1 The Brickhouse, 230-236 High St, Slough SL1 1JU, ☏ +44 1753 576434. 10AM-11PM. A pub in the town centre of Slough (updated May 2019)

Sleep

• 1 Holiday Inn Slough Windsor, Church St, Chalvey, SL1 2NH, ☏ +44 3333-209351. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Brilliant for airport stopovers, conferences near London or visiting Legoland and Windsor Castle. 
• 2 Premier Inn Slough Central South, Windsor Road, SL1 2EL, ☏ +44 871 527 9656. (updated May 2019)

Go next

• 1 Windsor and Eton
• 2 Bray
• 3 Maidenhead
• 4 Cookham
• 5 Heathrow Airport
• 6 Ascot
• 7 Marlow
• 8 Chertsey
• 9 Bracknell
• 10 Rickmansworth
• 11 High Wycombe
• 12 West London
• 13 Amersham
• 14 Weybridge
• 15 Twyford

Routes through Slough

Reading ← Maidenhead ←	W  E	→ Heathrow Airport → London
Reading ← Maidenhead ←	W  E	→ Heathrow Airport → London
Reading ← Maidenhead ←	W  E	→ West London → London Paddington