The courier George and driver John provide an effortless guide to the day. The station at Bodiam is interesting with a small museum for nineteen fifties hopping families. The train is steam and car... See more
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A very confident and professional driver. The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable. A very enjoyable day. The only downside was asking for a glass of lemonade to drink with the fish and chip lunch a... See more
Company replied
This was my first trip with Kirbys and I was very impressed. John, our driver, was excellent in every respect, especially as he had a lot of rain to deal with! He also ‘found’ me when I didn’t realise... See more
Company replied
Excellent coach driver, very friendly & informative. Only glitch was he told us we weren’t allowed to take back packs, food or drink to the venue! We all unpacked our food etc, had to buy expensive fo... See more
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Company details
Written by the company
Kirbys Coaches offers Coach Day Trips, Holidays and Private Hire across the UK and Europe, with Pick Up Points across Essex.
Contact info
92a High Street, SS6 8HR, Rayleigh, United Kingdom
- 01268 777 777
- info@kirbyscoaches.co.uk
- www.kirbyscoaches.co.uk
4.5
Excellent
64 reviews
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Replied to 100% of negative reviews
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Coach arrived on time
Coach arrived on time, George was good as usual. Good steady journey
The lunch was disappointing food okay but service was very slow some had finished their food before the people they were with got theirs not acceptable. Only had 10 mins to eat dessert and ran 30 mins late getting on River cruise
The pub itself had toilet facilities 3 floors up for ladies 2 for gents. C8nsidering the group had several elderly and frail members the queue for the accessible loo on the ground floor was very long which after lunch held up the departure of trip on boat.
As for the boat I would say the company running it were "greedy" there were far too many tables and chairs and everyone wash squashed in like sardines, some people were unable to view the river from their position and it was impossible to move around. My husband is 6ft plus and was extremely uncomfortable for the whole trip.
There was nothing to see particularly and spent 30/40mins going through the same lock 2 ways.
All in all it is not a trip I would recommend to anyone unless the Cruise element is improved maybe stick to afternoon tea or a Ploughmans on board with less seats the best part was the coach ride there and back.
10 August 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you for taking the time to leave such detailed feedback. We’re pleased to hear that the coach journey went smoothly and that George looked after you well, although we’re sorry that the Lee Valley Cruise & Lunch elements were dissapointing.
We are disappointed to hear about the delays with the lunch service, particularly that those dining together were not served at the same time. We will be raising this with the venue and would also be interested to know whether any concerns regarding the service were mentioned to their team on the day, as we would always hope they would have the opportunity to address any issues at the time.
We also appreciate your comments regarding the toilet facilities. While these are the facilities available at the venue and therefore outside of our control, we understand the difficulties this can cause.
Your feedback regarding the seating and comfort on board the river cruise is also concerning, particularly as this forms an important part of the excursion. We will be discussing this with the cruise operator as this is not what we have come to expect of them operating this day trip many times.
Thank you again for your feedback and for your kind comments about the coach journey and George. We’re sorry that the day overall did not provide the enjoyable experience we would have wanted for you.
Comfortable coach and a courier which…
Comfortable coach and a courier which takes the worry of fending for ourselves and keeping us informed.
10 August 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed a comfortable journey and found having a Kirbys courier on board helpful. Taking care of the details and keeping everyone informed is all part of making your day as enjoyable and worry-free as possible.
Thank you for travelling with Kirbys and we hope to welcome you on board again soon!
Great day out.
Pick up on time, lunch for a whole coach was well managed at the Waterside Inn and an enjoyable river trip after. Great day out especially for those who cannot walk too far!
10 August 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed our Lee Valley Lunch & Cruise and that everything ran smoothly, from the well-organised lunch to the relaxing river cruise afterwards.
It’s great to hear you found it such an enjoyable and accessible day out too. Thank you for travelling with Kirbys and we hope to welcome you on board again soon!
We were disappointed in the trip
We were disappointed in the trip . It was chaos when we arrived at the restaurant and we had to fight for seats . Delivery of the meals was very unorganised and when it did arrive it was very dried up . My friends said the Hunters chicken was extremely hard and dry and there was no Hunters sauce on it . There was only one toilet on the ground floor so we had to queue for ages . The other toilets were up three flights of stairs so not good for the majority of the people . The boat was a disgrace ! What looked like dining room chairs were rammed together and once we sat down we were knee to knee and couldn’t really move until we got off . Saw hardly any of the scenery . The coach wasn’t up to Kirby’s normal standards and I had a cold draft down my neck both journeys . The courier was fine . It will be a long time before I book another day trip with you.
10 August 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, Iris. We’re very sorry to hear that our Lee Valley Lunch & Cruise did not meet your expectations.
It is particularly disappointing to hear your comments regarding the organisation and quality of the lunch. May we ask whether the issues with the meals were raised with the venue or courier at the time? We would hope that, had they been made aware, they would have had the opportunity to address these for you there and then. We will, of course, also pass your comments on to them.
We also appreciate your feedback regarding the toilet facilities and the seating arrangements on board the boat, and will take these comments into consideration when reviewing the excursion.
With regard to the cold draught on the coach, this may have been coming from the individual air-conditioning outlet above your seat, which can usually be adjusted or closed. The courier or driver would have been very happy to assist in adjusting this for you.
Although we’re pleased that you were happy with the courier, we are sorry that the day overall did not live up to the experience you have come to expect from Kirbys. Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention and we hope we have the opportunity to welcome you on board again for a much more enjoyable trip.
Perfect day
Perfect day, 10.40 pick up from the Oaks and arrived at the pub on the river in Ware just before 11.50 am.
Well organised lunch and lovely food.
After lunch it was straight to the boat from the pub garden.
The trip was great with the sun shining, the guide was very knowledgeable and gave a good running commentary. There is a bar and free tea and coffee and two loos.
Back with lovely memories, thank you Kirby’s.
10 August 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re delighted to hear you had such an enjoyable day on our Lee Valley Lunch & Cruise trip. It sounds like everything came together perfectly, from a lovely lunch by the river to an enjoyable cruise in the sunshine!
It’s wonderful to hear you came home with such lovely memories. Thank you for travelling with Kirbys and we look forward to welcoming you on board again soon!
We enjoyed our trip to Leeds castle a…
We enjoyed our trip to Leeds castle a lot. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea going during the school holidays as it was so crowded, not helped by the fact there was a car rally going on there as well, which we knew nothing about before booking. It's such a shame there was a mix up when we arrived and were delayed entry for half an hour. The staff said Kirbys hadn't paid for us. The office was phoned and they said they had paid. The Castle staff said they needed proof of payment, which the driver didn't have. Apparently the problem had arisen due to a power cut at the castle which knocked out their computers. In the end they let us in "as a gesture of goodwill!" Kirbys took no blame for the unfortunate situation, but clearly, if they had printed out our tickets, or proof of payment, the incident wouldn't have happened. Something to bear in mind for the future it seems, as you can't always rely on technology.
9 August 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review, Sharon. We’re pleased to hear that you enjoyed your trip to Leeds Castle, although we are sorry for the delay you experienced on arrival.
Prior to the visit, our office had been in contact with Leeds Castle and we had received confirmation that our payment had been received. Unfortunately, a power cut at the Castle affected their systems, meaning communication within their teams was affected.
We completely understand your suggestion regarding printed tickets or proof of payment. However, printed admission tickets are not supplied to us in advance for group visits such as this, and we therefore have to work with the booking and admission procedures put in place by each venue. In this instance, we had followed the required process and had confirmation ahead of the visit that everything was in order.
Nevertheless, we appreciate how frustrating the resulting delay must have been and are sorry that it affected the start of your visit. We’re glad that, once inside, you enjoyed your time at Leeds Castle and thank you for travelling with Kirbys.
We were on a day trip to The New Forest…
We were on a day trip to The New Forest yesterday! Lovely day! Nick and Dave were very informative re the places visited and also ETA’s which was very helpful!
Priya Peiris and Sue Stevens
6 August 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you Priya and Sue for your lovely review! We're delighted you enjoyed your day exploring the New Forest and that Nick and Dave kept you well informed throughout the trip. We'll be sure to pass your kind comments on to them both.
We hope to welcome you on board again soon!
The driver nick and Barry hope we have…
The driver nick and Barry hope we have them next
25 June 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Dear Vivien,
Thank you for your 5-star review.
It's wonderful to hear that Nick and Barry got 5-stars, we'll be sure to pass your kind comments on to them.
We look forward to welcoming you on board again soon.
Best wishes,
The Kirbys Team
Very dissapointed the amount of day…
Very dissapointed the amount of day trips that have pick up points from Romford East London travel used to do them from Romford and wider .
1 June 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you for your review.
We are sorry to hear that you feel disappointed.
Since East London Travel became part of Kirbys, we have worked hard to continue offering day trips from the Romford area and currently have over 35 day excursions available using the East London Travel pick-up route. We have retained many of the trips previously offered and have every intention of continuing to provide a varied and enjoyable programme for customers in the area.
We understand that not every destination will appeal to everyone, and we are continually reviewing our programme to ensure we offer a wide range of days out and holidays to suit different interests.
We appreciate your feedback and hope you will find a trip that appeals to you in the future.
Kind regards,
The Kirbys Team
Swiss Alps holiday
I just came back from a Kirby Coaches trip to the Swiss Alps. It was a truly wonderful voyage: We saw the snow-capped mountains, the glaciers, the waterfalls and the turquoise coloured lakes and the wild rivers bursting with energy in the valleys.
The highlight of all the excursions was the ride on the Bernina Express which is an extraordinary piece of engineering and also the only railway leading over the Alps and glaciers.
We also visited the historic old town centre in Chur with its medieval houses and the traditional Swiss town Klosters with its wooden chalets and traditional murals. We stayed in Davos which had been known for its sanatoriums in the last century. It was also Thomas Mann's home when he had to flee from Germany and where he wrote his famous book 'The magic mountain' which became a film in later years.
In addition, we went to St. Moritz where all the rich and famous go for one afternoon and admired the stylish town centre.
On the way home, we had lunch in Riquewihr in the Alsace, a beautiful town surrounded by vineyards with colourful half timber houses.
Karen made sure that we stay entertained and hydrated during our long coach journeys and Mark, our coach driver, managed the hairpin curves in the Alps with bravour.
All in all, it was an excellent experience not only culturally but also socially because Karen made sure that we all got to know each other well.
Considering that we visited Switzerland, Italy, France and Germany, it was a genuinely European experience and the trip was good value for money as the train rides on offer were very expensive. It would have been impossible to organise such an adventure on your own.
15 May 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a wonderful review.
We are delighted to hear how much you enjoyed our Swiss Alps holiday. From the spectacular scenery of the Alps and the unforgettable Bernina Express to the charming towns of Chur, Klosters and St. Moritz, it certainly is a tour filled with incredible experiences, and it is lovely to hear that these made such a lasting impression.
We are particularly pleased that you enjoyed not only the destinations but also the social side of the holiday. One of the things we love most about escorted travel is seeing new friendships form along the way, and it is wonderful to hear that Karen helped create such a welcoming atmosphere throughout the tour.
Thank you also for your kind comments about Karen and Mark. We will be sure to pass these on to them both. Karen will be delighted to hear that her efforts helped make the journey enjoyable, and Mark will certainly appreciate your recognition of his excellent driving through some of Europe's most challenging mountain roads.
It is fantastic to hear that you felt the holiday offered such great value and allowed you to experience Switzerland, Italy, France and Germany in one memorable trip.
Thank you once again for choosing to travel with Kirbys. We hope we can welcome you back on board again to provide you with the high standard of service that you have come to expect from us.
Kind regards,
The Kirbys Team
Fantastic mystery trip
We have just been on a Kirby's mystery trip and we had a brilliant time,you always feel safe with Kirby's we had a very professional driver John who was very helpful,we went to a lovely place called Witney and then to the Cotswold wildlife park which was excellent and all included,hotel ,food , everything was great we look forward to our next month's one thank you again( rob and Jeannie)
10 April 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Dear Rob & Jeannie,
Thank you so much for your lovely review.
We’re delighted to hear you had such a fantastic time on your Mystery Trip – it’s always a pleasure to create a little surprise along the way, and it sounds like Witney and the Cotswold Wildlife Park made for a wonderful day out.
It’s especially nice to hear your kind words about Jon. We’ll be sure to pass this on to him, as he’ll be thrilled to know he helped make your trip so enjoyable.
Your comments about feeling safe and well looked after mean a great deal to us, and we’re so pleased everything from the hotel to the food lived up to expectations.
We look forward to welcoming you on board again next month for your next adventure.
Kindest regards,
The Kirbys Team
Lovely Malta
Lovely Malta. My Cousin Josie and I wanted a getaway in February and had never been to Malta. From pick up to the airport and booking in, Karen was there on hand to help with everything. Hotel was all inclusive and food was good. Excursion to Gozo was the best and so much fun. Nothing was too much trouble and Karen ensures all in her parties are well looked after. We have been on many holidays with Kirby’s, Menton Festival, Danube Cruise, Kerkenhoff River Cruise and have never been disappointed. We’re off to the Pyrenees’s in June and so looking forward to it. Kirby’s are a lovely company to travel with and very trustworthy and you’re in safe hands when with them. Looking forward to many more holidays with them. Mandy and Josie.
8 February 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Dear Mandy and Josie,
Thank you so much for your lovely review—it’s wonderful to hear how much you both enjoyed your time in Malta.
We’re delighted that Karen helped make everything run smoothly from start to finish, and that you had such a great experience, especially your trip to Gozo. It’s always our aim to ensure our customers feel well looked after throughout their holiday.
It really means a lot to us that you continue to travel with Kirbys and have enjoyed so many of our tours over the years. Your kind words about our team and the trust you place in us are truly appreciated.
We hope you have a fantastic time in the Pyrenees in June—we’re sure it will be another memorable trip!
We look forward to welcoming you on many more holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
The Kirbys Team
London theatre trip - NYE…
Coach trip to London and theatre tickets on NYE.
Noel the driver was on time and helped with all the details of the trip.
Theatre tickets were great - in the stalls - with a very clear view.
Great atmosphere on the coach and even got back a little sooner than scheduled - which everyone appreciated.
Great trip
31 December 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you for your kind review. We’re really pleased to hear you enjoyed the trip and that Noel looked after you so well. It’s great to know you were happy with the theatre seats and the overall experience. We hope to welcome you back again soon. Wishing you a Happy New Year!
Blue Danube River Cruise
Just returned from our river cruise.
We had a great time
Cruise was excellent
Also great credit to Karen who kept everyone amused and we'll fed during the coach journeys
Been using Kirbys for many years and will continue to do so in the future
7 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you, Mrs Seaton, for taking the time to share your lovely feedback. We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed your Blue Danube River Cruise – it’s such a special experience. We’ll be sure to pass on your kind words to Karen, who will be delighted to know she made your journeys that bit more enjoyable. It means a great deal to us that you’ve travelled with Kirbys for many years, and we look forward to welcoming you on board again soon.
Great holiday
Kirbys is a very good family coach firm and have used them for my holidays for many years. We had a lovely holiday to Bournemouth and Noel the driver was very good and kept us informed.
15 September 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you so much for your kind words and for being such a loyal customer over the years. We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your holiday to Bournemouth and that Noel looked after you so well – we’ll be sure to pass your compliments on to him. It’s always a pleasure to welcome you on board and we look forward to sharing more wonderful holidays with you in the future.
Cornwall with Kirby’s coaches
Went with Kirby’s coaches to Cornwall in August it was fantastic.
Lovely people and views.
Karen and the driver were brilliant.
Will travel with Kirby’s coaches again.
Thank you so much for a brilliant holiday
25 August 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your holiday to Cornwall and that Karen and your driver helped make the experience so memorable. We pride ourselves on offering friendly service and unforgettable journeys, and it’s wonderful to know that this was reflected in your trip. We look forward to welcoming you on board again soon.
BE AWARE! NEVER USE FOR DAY TRIPS!
BE AWARE!
NEVER BOOK A DAY TRIP!
Repeatedly let down. They advertise, take bookings then cancel at the last minute.
STAY CLEAR OF THIS COMPANY!
29 June 2023
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
We are very sorry to hear your disappointment regarding day trip cancellations. We completely understand how frustrating it is when plans have to change, and it is equally frustrating for us as a business.
We want nothing more than for every trip we advertise to go ahead, and we keep them open for as long as possible in the hope that enough interest will be shown. However, if a trip does not attract sufficient bookings, we have no choice but to cancel — otherwise we would be running at a loss, which would ultimately make it impossible for us to continue offering these experiences at all.
We also recognise the importance of giving customers as much notice as possible, and we aim to communicate cancellations promptly so that alternative plans can be made. Please be assured that cancellations are never made lightly, nor for any reason other than passenger numbers being too low to make the trip viable.
We are very sorry that this has been your experience, and we do hope you will consider travelling with us again so we can provide you with the enjoyable day out you originally hoped for.
Kirby’s Do Not bother to act or even…
Kirby’s Do Not bother to act or even have the manners to act on complaints , months after a number of complaints have been send to them , mangers do not care
10 April 2023
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
We are very sorry that you feel your concerns were not addressed. We aim to respond to all complaints and feedback thoroughly, and it is disappointing to hear that on this occasion we did not meet that standard. We are currently reviewing our procedures to ensure that every customer who raises an issue receives a timely and constructive response. Please accept our apologies for the impression this has left.
Very dishonest company
Very dishonest company. Taking money and canceling trips without giving a refund. Highway Robbery at its finest. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
30 April 2021
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
We are very sorry to read your comments and regret that you felt this way. We recognise that the handling of cancellations and refunds during that time fell short of expectations and caused understandable upset. Please be assured that we have since made significant changes to improve both our customer service and refund processes, and we are committed to ensuring our customers receive the experience and support they deserve.
Waiting for a refund of a cancelled…
Waiting for a refund of a cancelled trip for 5 months now, wouldn't travel with this firm if they offered me free travel so pay up
5 March 2021
Unprompted review
Reply from Kirbys Coaches
We are very sorry to hear of the delay you experienced with your refund. The period following the pandemic was extremely challenging, and we acknowledge that our processes at the time did not move as swiftly as they should have. We have since reviewed and strengthened our refund procedures to ensure that customers are not left waiting in this way again. Please accept our apologies for the frustration this caused.
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