Kingston upon Thames is a market town on the river, with a university, a big shopping centre and some of the best-connected suburbs in south-west London. Minibus hire Kingston groups ask us for is a mix of students, school trips, family days out and airport runs, with Heathrow close enough to make the last one easy.
From our base in SE1, Kingston is about forty-five minutes to an hour outside the rush hour, along the A3.
Kingston University and student groups
Kingston University has several campuses around the town, including Penrhyn Road in the centre and Kingston Hill to the north-east. Students and lecturers use us for fieldwork, fixtures, society outings and departmental away days.
Graduation season brings families into Kingston from all over the country, and a minibus between a hotel, the ceremony and a celebration lunch saves a lot of organising. Send us the name of whoever is organising the trip, plus a mobile that'll be on during the day. Term-start and term-end weeks make the campus roads crowded, so pick a meeting spot everyone can find. For trips out of London, we'll plan the timings so the group is back before the evening.
Minibus hire Kingston for days out
Chessington World of Adventures is a short drive south of Kingston, and it's one of the most popular day trips we run from the area. Schools, youth groups and family parties book us for it, especially in the summer and at half-term.
Hampton Court Palace is just across the river, and Richmond Park is close to the north. For trips further out, the A3 and the M25 make the south coast, Surrey and Hampshire easy to reach. Brighton is around an hour and a half. Thorpe Park, over the Surrey border, is around half an hour round the M25, and it's another favourite for school and youth groups.
For days out, the vehicle and driver stay with the group, so you can come and go at your own pace.
Airports and the Kingston bypass
Heathrow is close to Kingston. Depending on the time, it's usually around half an hour, via the A308 and the A316 or round the M25. Gatwick is around forty-five minutes to an hour via the A3 and the M25.
The A3 Kingston bypass runs along the east of the town, and it can be slow at peak times, especially around the Tolworth junction. The roads into the town centre are slower still.
The town centre and the river
Kingston's town centre has the Bentall Centre, a market place with stalls, the Rose Theatre and plenty of restaurants along the river. The town is ringed by a one-way relief road system, and the centre has pedestrian streets and bus routes that limit where a minibus can stop.
For pickups in the centre, we'll agree a point on the relief road or a nearby side street. For the Rose Theatre, a group heading home after a show can be collected nearby.
Kingston also has a busy evening scene, with riverside pubs and restaurants and student nights in the town centre. A minibus home to Surbiton, New Malden or further is easier than the night bus.
Kingston Hospital, to the east of the town centre, is the area's main hospital, and staff book us for team events.
Schools, sport and the river
Kingston has a lot of schools, including well-known grammar and independent schools, and they book us for trips, fixtures and field work. Rowing is a big part of life on this stretch of the Thames, and school and club crews travel to regattas across the south of England.
For rowing, the boats go separately on a trailer, but the crews, coaches and kit need transport. Regatta days start early, so tell us the race times and we'll plan the pickup.
In July, the garden festival at Hampton Court Palace, just over the river, brings big crowds and busy roads. If your trip falls that week, allow extra time.
Covering the borough
The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames includes Surbiton, New Malden, Tolworth and Chessington, as well as Kingston itself. Surbiton has its station and riverside. New Malden has its high street and a large Korean community. Tolworth sits on the A3, and Chessington is home to the theme park.
All four have their own pages, with the local detail. Pickups that combine them, a few people in Surbiton and a few in New Malden, are routine.
The honest caveat for minibus hire Kingston groups book on Saturdays is the town centre. With shoppers, buses and the one-way system, it's slow, and the bridge over the Thames to Hampton Wick can back up. For pickups in the centre on a Saturday, allow a few extra minutes.
For minibus hire in Kingston, call 020 7183 0567.