Who we are
We are a private hire firm, which most people in London call a minicab firm. That means every journey is pre-booked through our office rather than hailed in the street. You tell us where and when, we agree the price, and a licensed driver collects you at the agreed time.
Our base is on Clarence Street, a short walk from the Bentall Centre and Kingston railway station. Being in the town centre matters more than it sounds. Our cars are already close to most of the borough, so a car for Surbiton, Norbiton or New Malden does not have to cross half of south-west London to reach you.
What a typical day looks like
Our busiest hours are early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Before dawn, cars head out to Heathrow and Gatwick for first-wave flights. From around half past seven, the school runs start, followed by commuters who would rather not stand on a packed train from Surbiton to Waterloo. Afternoons bring hospital appointments at Kingston Hospital, shoppers heading home with bags from the town centre, and the return school runs.
Evenings are a mix of restaurant pick-ups along the riverside, theatre-goers coming back from the West End, and arrivals collected from the airports and from King's Cross or Paddington. Late at night we take a smaller number of bookings, mainly people coming off delayed flights or late trains.
How we work
Bookings and prices
You can book through the form at the top of every page or by phone. The form shows a fare as soon as you enter the journey, and the price is fixed when you confirm. If you are not sure which car to choose, the office can help you work out whether a saloon will do or whether a 6 seater or 7 seater makes more sense.
Drivers and vehicles
Drivers must hold a Transport for London private hire driver licence, and each car must carry a current TfL vehicle licence. Our fleet runs from everyday saloons and executive cars to large people carriers, which you can see on the fleet section of our home page. If a flight lands late or a child takes a while to come out of school, tell the office and we will let the driver know.
Payments
We accept major credit and debit cards. For regular customers and businesses, ask the office about running an account so that journeys can be invoiced together instead of paid one by one.
Where we go
Most of our journeys start or end in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the places just over its borders, from Teddington and Ham across the river to Esher, Worcester Park and Wimbledon. You can see the full list on our areas we cover page. We also run to all five London airports, the central London rail termini, and longer journeys across the South East when booked in advance.
Our promise to you
We will not make promises on this website that we cannot keep. If a car is running late, we will tell you. If a journey goes wrong, we want to hear about it so that we can put it right. Our aim is simple: the car turns up, the driver is polite, and you get where you are going at the price you were quoted.
Questions about our company
Where is Kingston Cars based?
Our office is on Clarence Street in Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1QT. Most of our cars start their day in and around the town centre, which keeps pick-up times short for local customers.
Are your drivers licensed?
Every driver who works with us must hold a valid Transport for London private hire driver licence, and every car must hold a TfL private hire vehicle licence. We check these before a driver starts and keep copies on file.
Can I set up an account for regular journeys?
Yes. If you book regular trips, such as school runs or business travel, call the office and we will talk through how invoicing and repeat bookings can work for you.
How do I give feedback about a journey?
Email info@kingstoncars.org.uk or call 020 8546 7000. Tell us the date, time and route, and the office team will look into it and come back to you.