Richmond upon Thames is the only London borough on both banks of the river, and it has more parkland than any other. Richmond Park, Bushy Park, Kew Gardens and the grounds of Hampton Court Palace are all inside its boundary, along with Twickenham Stadium, Ham House, Strawberry Hill and a long run of riverside pubs. Minibus hire Richmond customers book reflects that, with riverside weddings, tours and days out, school trips, rugby match days and runs to Heathrow, which is closer than from almost anywhere else in London.
The borough stretches from Barnes and Mortlake in the east to Hampton in the west, taking in Richmond town, Kew, East Sheen, Ham, Petersham, Twickenham, Teddington and Whitton. From our base in SE1, Richmond town is about forty-five minutes to an hour outside the rush hour, via the A3 or the A4 and Chiswick.
Minibus hire Richmond for riverside weddings
The river is the reason many couples marry here. York House in Twickenham, home of the borough's register office, has gardens running down to the Thames, and Richmond Hill, Petersham, Ham and Hampton Court have hotels, historic houses and riverside venues for ceremonies and receptions. Churches across the borough, from St Mary Magdalene in Richmond to the old village churches of Barnes and Petersham, host church weddings.
The minibus collects guests from their homes or hotels, drops at the ceremony, carries on to the reception and does the late runs home. Many riverside venues are down narrow roads with little parking, so we'll confirm the drop-off and the waiting point with the venue. Minibus hire Richmond couples book often includes a stop for photographs on Richmond Hill, where the view over the river is protected by an Act of Parliament.
Tours, Kew and Hampton Court
For visitors and tour groups, the borough is a day in itself. Kew Gardens, Hampton Court Palace, Ham House, Strawberry Hill House and Marble Hill can all fit into one or two days, with lunch by the river in Richmond or Kingston. Hotels in central London book us for groups who want to see this side of the city without the train.
We'll plan the order of the stops, the timings and the drop-offs at each site, and the driver waits or returns at agreed times. Our Kew page has more on the gardens.
Twickenham match days
Twickenham Stadium, the home of England rugby, hosts internationals, club finals and big summer concerts, and on those days the roads around it are closed or packed. Our Twickenham page covers match days in detail. For groups elsewhere in the borough, the traffic on the A316 and through Richmond, Isleworth and Whitton is the thing to plan for, because it slows down for hours before and after a big game.
Richmond Theatre, a Frank Matcham building on the Green, hosts touring shows and a Christmas pantomime that draws school groups.
Rugby clubs across the borough, from Richmond and London Scottish at the Athletic Ground to the junior clubs, book us for away fixtures and tours.
Richmond Park and school trips
Richmond Park, the largest of the royal parks, has hundreds of red and fallow deer, ancient oaks and the Isabella Plantation, with its azaleas in spring. School groups, walking clubs and photographers visit all year.
The park has its own rules on vehicles, including gates that close at dusk and restrictions on commercial traffic, so we'll check the route before planning a drop-off inside the park, and often use the gates on the edge instead. Schools across the borough book us for museum visits, theatre trips, swimming and residential trips too.
Heathrow and Gatwick
Heathrow is about twenty to thirty minutes from most of the borough outside the rush hour, via the A316 and the A4 or the A305 through Twickenham and Whitton. Gatwick is about fifty minutes to an hour, via the A3 and the M25 or the M3 and the M25. Luton and Stansted are an hour and a quarter or more away.
For families heading on holiday, the run to Heathrow is short enough that a later pickup is usually fine. For relatives flying in, send us the flight number and the driver will be in arrivals when they land.
Richmond town and the bridges
Richmond town centre is a one-way system, with buses, delivery lorries and narrow streets around the Green, and it's busy most of the day. Richmond Bridge, Twickenham Bridge and Kew Bridge carry the traffic across the river, and all three slow down at peak times. Hammersmith Bridge, to the east, has been closed to motor vehicles for years, which pushes more traffic through Barnes and onto the other bridges. For pickups in Richmond town, we'll agree a point on a side street or by the station.
For minibus hire in Richmond, call 020 7183 0567.