Getting Around Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames, on the river in south-west London, is the hub of the royal borough that carries its name. Saxon kings were crowned here, and the Coronation Stone now stands in the grounds of the Guildhall. The town belonged to Surrey until 1965. The ancient Market Place still holds a daily market, the Bentall Centre is its shopping mall, and Kingston University, a university since 1992, is based in the town.
Kingston station, opened in 1863, is served by South Western Railway, with services to Waterloo by way of Wimbledon, Clapham Junction and Vauxhall. Add the train and its arrival time to the booking, and the car is scheduled for that arrival.
The centre is ringed by the Kingston Relief Road, a one-way system built in the late 1980s, and the A3 Kingston Bypass passes to the south and east. For an address inside the one-way system or by the Market Place, send the full address with the booking and we will tell you how close the car can go.
When a visit takes in a meeting at the university, lunch near Kingston Bridge and an afternoon across the river, book by the hour: one chauffeur and one vehicle stay with you for the time you reserve.
Airport Transfers in Kingston upon Thames
Heathrow is the nearest airport to Kingston upon Thames: 12 miles, 50 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes. Gatwick is 30 miles to the south, 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes; 42.8 million passengers used its two terminals, North and South, in 2025. London City Airport is 20 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 5 minutes, because the drive crosses the whole capital. Luton Airport is 48 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 5 minutes, and Stansted Airport 53 miles, 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 25 minutes. The right one depends on your airline and route.
Book with your flight number. On a flight into Heathrow or Gatwick, your chauffeur checks the flight status and times the pick-up to when you actually land, and your booking confirmation shows where to meet the chauffeur. Heathrow does not allow pick-ups on the terminal forecourts; collections take place from the terminal car parks.
For a departure from Kingston upon Thames, what counts is the length of the drive, not the time on the clock: if you leave before the morning peak, there is room to spare if traffic builds on the A3. Journey times vary with traffic and weather. You set the pick-up time yourself, and the confirmation shows it.
Long-Distance & Day-Trip Travel from Kingston upon Thames
Hampton Court Palace stands on the far bank, reached over Kingston Bridge: 3 miles, 20–30 minutes. Richmond is 5 miles, 30–40 minutes; Richmond Park there is the largest of the royal parks in the capital.
Further out, Guildford, the county town of Surrey with its cathedral and university, is 19 miles, 45 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes. Windsor, with its castle, is 18 miles, 55 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes; the castle is a working royal residence, so check the opening days before you set the date. Winchester, the Hampshire cathedral city, makes a full day out at 57 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 55 minutes.
A return trip on the same day sits well in an hourly booking, with the car waiting for the next part of the plan. A single journey, such as a move to student rooms or a stay in Winchester, is a one-way booking, and the way back is booked as its own journey.
Groups & Event Travel in Kingston upon Thames
The Rose Theatre, opened in January 2008, seats about 900, and the Market Place and riverside draw visitors at weekends. If a school party or a family group is coming to a show from Heathrow or a station, a Sprinter van carries up to 12 people with their bags, and bigger groups go by coach, with up to 56 seats; the vehicle is matched to the load, including cases for a new term at the university.
When you book for other people, all their transfers can be kept in one account, each with its own booking and confirmation. If relatives come in for a student's first week on several flights, every arrival gets a transfer of its own.
Local vehicles and drivers are booked up early around England's Six Nations home games at nearby Twickenham, on 14 February, 20 February and 13 March 2027. If your plans go beyond a standard booking, write to support with the dates, addresses, number of passengers, flights and luggage, and the team will arrange it.
