Hampton Court Palace, a magnificent historic royal palace situated in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, stands as a testament to Tudor and Baroque architecture. Once home to King Henry VIII, it offers visitors a captivating journey back in time, exploring opulent State Apartments, the world-famous Tudor kitchens, and stunning formal gardens.
Hampton Court Palace group transport at a glance
- Address Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9AU.
- Coach drop-off Hampton Court Station, about 200 metres from the palace entrance.
- Coach parking The Hampton Court Station coach park (200 metres) or Hampton Court Green (500 metres). The palace's own car park is for cars only.
- How long to allow At least three hours to see the palace and gardens. Most groups stay for the day.
- Group sizes Minibuses for 9–16 passengers, midi coaches for 17–37, full-size coaches for 38–70. Larger groups travel in multiple vehicles.
- Busiest periods Weekends and school holidays, summer in the gardens, and the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival each July.
- Prices See our pricing page for current coach and minibus prices. You get a fixed written quote for every booking.
Why take a coach to Hampton Court Palace?
Hampton Court is outside central London, on the Thames on the Surrey border. Trains run from London Waterloo, so for groups from the Home Counties the rail journey means going into central London and back out again, with changes, platforms and a large group to keep together.
By coach, most of the South East is an easy run via the M25, A3 or M3. We collect you from your school, club or hotel and drop you 200 metres from the palace gates, and the coach waits close by all day. For schools, garden clubs and senior groups within an hour or so of the palace, it's the simplest way to get there.
How group coach hire to Hampton Court Palace works
The London Coach Company is a licensed London coach operator. Our drivers run your trip from pickup to return, and we plan every Hampton Court booking around your group's arrival time and any booked sessions.
You get one point of contact, one fixed quote and one booking. Because the coach parks so close to the palace, pickups are quick and your group isn't waiting on the roadside at the end of the day.
Typical Hampton Court Palace bookings:
- School day trip. Tudor history trips for Key Stages 1 to 3, with pickup from school, a set-down 200 metres from the entrance and a return before the end of the school day.
- Schools Only Tuesday. Selected Tuesdays when the Tudor palace and gardens are open only to school groups, with costumed characters in the palace.
- Garden club and senior group day out. The formal gardens, the Great Vine and the famous Maze, with lunch at the palace and a relaxed afternoon pickup.
- Tour groups and events. Hampton Court as a day trip from London hotels, or transport to the Festive Fayre, the ice rink or the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.
Typical journey times to Hampton Court Palace
Times are for a full-size coach on a weekday morning, door to set-down.
We build traffic into every quote, so your group arrives in time for its slot.
| From | Approx. journey time |
|---|---|
| Guildford | 40–55 mins |
| Basingstoke | 50–65 mins |
| Reading | 50–65 mins |
| St Albans | 55–70 mins |
| Luton | 65–80 mins |
| Maidstone | 70–85 mins |
| Oxford | 70–90 mins |
| Brighton | 80–100 mins |
| Chelmsford | 80–100 mins |
| Milton Keynes | 80–100 mins |
Hampton Court Palace group and school visit rules
The palace's rules decide which days you can visit, when you pay and where you eat, so check them before you book transport.
- Group offers for 15 or more. Groups of 15 or more can get special offers and discounted tickets.
- School days. Subsidised school visits run on Wednesdays to Fridays in UK term time, plus selected Schools Only Tuesdays. Sessions are available for all key stages and SEND groups, and self-led activity trails are available for Early Years to Key Stage 3.
- Book and pay six weeks ahead. School visits must be paid for at least six weeks in advance, and no refunds are given for cancellations or changes made less than six weeks before the visit.
- Lunchrooms. The palace allocates school lunchrooms to as many groups as it can, youngest groups first, and confirms your lunchroom two weeks before the visit.
- The Magic Garden needs a 1:6 ratio. Because of this, the Magic Garden isn't suitable for school groups aged 7 and over.
- Free teacher planning passes. Once booked, two teachers can visit in advance to plan the day and complete a risk assessment.
What this means for your coach booking: we set you down 20 minutes before your booked arrival, which allows for the walk from the station and check-in at the schools desk. Tell us your arrival time, session times and lunch slot, and we'll plan the day around them.
Rules are set by Historic Royal Palaces and can change. Always confirm your booking details on the Hampton Court Palace school visits page.
Coach access, drop-off and waiting
- Set-down point: Hampton Court Station, about 200 metres from the palace entrance, across Hampton Court Bridge.
- Where the coach waits: the Hampton Court Station coach park, about 200 metres from the entrance, or Hampton Court Green, about 500 metres away. Any parking charges are included in your quote.
- Palace car park: the on-site car park is limited, first come, first served and sized for cars, so it isn't used for coaches.
- RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival: the July festival has its own coach drop-off arrangements, which need a permit. Tell us if you're visiting during the festival and we'll plan around them.
- No engine idling. Our drivers switch off at every stop.
- Congestion Charge and emissions: Hampton Court is well outside the central London Congestion Charge zone. The palace is inside Greater London, so coaches over 5 tonnes are subject to the London-wide Low Emission Zone (Euro VI standard), not the ULEZ, and minibuses under 5 tonnes are subject to the ULEZ. All vehicles we supply are LEZ and ULEZ compliant.
Public transport, for anyone meeting the group there: Hampton Court station is a five-minute walk from the palace, with trains from London Waterloo every 30 minutes.
Accessibility
Hampton Court Palace is a historic building with a lot of uneven flooring and staircases. Disabled visitors can bring a carer or companion free of charge, and the palace publishes an access guide and visual story to help with planning.
Wheelchair-accessible vehicles are available by special request. Please tell us about any wheelchair users or mobility requirements when you request a quote, so we can confirm a suitable vehicle for your group.
Combining Hampton Court Palace with other visits
| Combined with | How the coach helps |
|---|---|
| Bushy Park and the Thames | Right next to the palace. Riverboats run along the Thames between Hampton Court and Kingston in summer, and we can collect you from the landing point. |
| Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | A short coach move along the Thames for a palace and gardens day. See our Kew Gardens page. |
| Windsor | A coach move west for a two-castle royal day. |
| Tower of London | A coach move into central London for a two-palace Tudor history day. See our Tower of London page. |
| Royal Museums Greenwich | A coach move across London to Greenwich, birthplace of Henry VIII. See our Royal Museums Greenwich page. |
Vehicle options
| Vehicle | Passengers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Minibus (standard or executive) | 9–16 | Small classes, garden clubs, private tours and SEND groups |
| Midi coach (standard or executive) | 17–37 | A single class with adult helpers, senior groups |
| Full-size coach (standard or executive) | 38–70 | Two classes, large garden clubs and society outings |
| Multiple vehicles | Any size | Whole-school trips and very large tour groups |
See our full fleet options. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles are available by special request. Availability depends on the date, and term-time weekdays and summer weekends book up first.
About Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace was built by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and taken over by Henry VIII, who made it one of the grandest palaces in Tudor England. Later, Sir Christopher Wren added baroque royal apartments for William III and Mary II. Highlights for groups include Henry VIII's Kitchens, the Great Hall, the Chapel Royal, the Cumberland Art Gallery, the Great Vine and the famous Maze, set in 60 acres of formal gardens beside the Thames.
The palace is also a popular film location, used for productions such as Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story and The Favourite. For full visitor information and bookings, see the official Hampton Court Palace website.
Who books Hampton Court Palace transport with us
- Primary and secondary schools: Tudor history trips from across Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire, London and the Home Counties. See our education transport.
- Garden clubs and horticultural societies: the palace gardens year-round, plus the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in July.
- Senior and adult groups: U3A, WI, history societies and clubs. See our tourism and leisure coach hire.
- Tour operators and international groups: day trips from London hotels and airport transfers. See our airport transfers.
- Corporate and event groups: transport for private events and winter ice rink visits. See our corporate transport.
Get a quote for Hampton Court Palace group transport
Send us your date, pickup address, group size and palace arrival time, and we'll come back with a fixed written quote.
- Call +44 20 3457 2071
- Email [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can a coach drop off at Hampton
Court Palace?
The nearest coach drop-off point is at Hampton Court Station, about 200 metres from the palace entrance. It's a short walk across Hampton Court Bridge to the palace gates.
Is there coach parking at Hampton Court
Palace?
Yes, close by. Coaches can park at the Hampton Court Station coach park, about 200 metres from the entrance, or on Hampton Court Green, about 500 metres away. The palace's own car park is for cars only. Any parking charges are included in your quote.
Why go to Hampton Court Palace by coach
instead of train?
Trains to Hampton Court run from London Waterloo, so groups coming from the Home Counties would need to travel into central London and back out again. A coach takes you door to door, usually via the M25, A3 or M3, and waits close by all day.
Do groups get a discount at Hampton Court
Palace?
Yes. Groups of 15 or more can get special offers and discounted tickets. The palace recommends allowing at least three hours to see the rooms and gardens.
When can schools visit Hampton Court
Palace?
Subsidised school visits run on Wednesdays to Fridays in UK term time, plus selected Schools Only Tuesdays, when the Tudor palace and gardens are open only to school groups. School visits must be booked and paid for at least six weeks in advance.
Can school groups book a lunchroom at
Hampton Court Palace?
The palace has school lunchrooms and allocates as many as it can, giving priority to the youngest groups. Schools are told which lunchroom they have two weeks before the visit.
Do coaches pay the Congestion Charge or
ULEZ to reach Hampton Court Palace?
Hampton Court Palace is well outside the central London Congestion Charge zone. It is inside Greater London, so coaches over 5 tonnes are subject to the London-wide Low Emission Zone rather than the ULEZ, and minibuses under 5 tonnes are subject to the ULEZ. Vehicles we supply are LEZ and ULEZ compliant, and any applicable charges are included in your quote.
How much does coach hire to Hampton Court
Palace cost?
See our pricing page for current coach and minibus prices. The final price depends on group size, pickup location, waiting time and any extra stops. You get a fixed written quote before booking.
Who operates the coaches?
The London Coach Company is a licensed London coach operator. Your trip is run by our own professional drivers, with the vehicle matched to your group size and itinerary.
Do you have wheelchair-accessible coaches
for Hampton Court Palace visits?
Yes, wheelchair-accessible vehicles are available by special request. Tell us about any wheelchair users or mobility requirements when you request a quote, so we can confirm a suitable vehicle for your date. The palace is a historic building with uneven floors and staircases, and disabled visitors can bring a carer free of charge.