October 17, 2026

Make Friends in Kingston upon Thames, by the River and Beyond

Six in ten Kingston upon Thames homes are lived in by their owners, so from Surbiton to New Malden people tend to put down roots, which makes the effort of meeting them worth it.

In Kingston upon Thames, two cyclists stopping for a friendly chat under the trees

172,000+

residents of Kingston upon Thames (ONS mid-2025 population estimate)

61%

of Kingston homes are owner-occupied, well above London’s 45% (Census 2021, ONS)

27%

of Kingston households consist of one person (Census 2021, ONS)

Kingston's friendships are built on a regular walk

To make friends in Kingston upon Thames, settle on a place you can walk to and turn up on the same day every week. The Thames path between Kingston and Surbiton and the lawns of Canbury Gardens both bring regulars back, and the Rose Theatre adds evenings out. Familiar faces turn into conversations sooner than you think. Gofrendly lets you look for women in Kingston upon Thames who want friends nearby.

Friendship in Kingston upon Thames: FAQs

Three women in a car, all laughing at the same moment in Kingston upon Thames

Can you meet people in Kingston upon Thames without going into central London?

Yes. Kingston town centre has its own theatre, riverside parks and university, so there is plenty to do without heading into central London. Surbiton, New Malden and Tolworth have high streets and parks of their own. Keeping plans local in Kingston upon Thames makes them far easier to repeat.

Where can you walk on a Sunday in Kingston upon Thames?

Walk the Thames path from Kingston towards Surbiton, wander round Canbury Gardens or follow the Hogsmill River through the suburbs. In Kingston upon Thames, the riverside paths have plenty of regulars, so a fixed Sunday route soon brings familiar faces and easy hellos.

How do you get around Kingston upon Thames without the Tube?

Trains run from Kingston, Surbiton, New Malden and other stations, and buses link the town centre with the suburbs. Because Kingston upon Thames has no Underground, friendships work best when they stay within one area, ideally close enough to walk or to reach on a single bus.

How can you widen your circle in Kingston upon Thames beyond the school gate?

Add one activity that is just for you: a running club, a reading group, a course or volunteering. Kingston upon Thames has plenty of clubs that welcome new members. Gofrendly, an app for women making friends, can also point you to nearby women who are keen to meet.

Kingston upon Thames, town and suburbs

Kingston upon Thames is one of London’s smaller boroughs by population, with its own university and a riverside town centre that draws people in from across south-west London. With most homes owner-occupied and many families, New Malden, Surbiton, Tolworth and Chessington have a settled, suburban feel. The town centre, with the university nearby, has a livelier evening scene than the quieter residential streets further out towards Chessington.

There is no Tube here, so life runs on trains and buses, and friends usually come from your own part of town. That is no bad thing: a friend one stop away is a friend you can see on a weekday. Rowing, running and walking clubs make good use of the river, and the high streets in Surbiton and New Malden have their own regulars. It can feel lonely when everyone around you seems busy with family, but that also means many neighbours value a plan that is close and short. Spots that suit a weekly visit:

Canbury Gardens, a riverside park on the Thames north of Kingston town centre.

The Rose Theatre in Kingston, for plays, comedy and talks.

Kingston Library, which runs a weekly reading group for adults.

The Hogsmill River, with a green walking route that follows it through the borough.

Queen’s Promenade, the Thames path between Kingston and Surbiton.

LOCAL TIP

Choose one near you and keep a weekly slot for it.

How to

Kingston upon Thames: a four-step plan

Pick a regular slot by the river, such as an early walk along Queen’s Promenade or a Saturday loop of Canbury Gardens.

Join a club with fixed sessions: rowing, running, a choir or an adult education course.

Find women near you in Surbiton, New Malden or Tolworth on Gofrendly, and suggest a riverside walk for a first meeting.

Follow up within a few days. A short message with a day and a place keeps a new friendship moving.

More to explore

UK Friendship Statistics: Clear Numbers Behind the Loneliness Epidemic

Real UK friendship statistics on loneliness — and why so many women are quietly finding this harder than they expected.

Read the story →

Friendship Breakup: A Genuine Guide to the Difficult Goodbye

Losing a close friend is a real loss. This guide covers the signs a friendship is ending and how to move through a friendship breakup with honesty.

Read the story →

Our writers

Prepared by founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja and Gofrendly’s editors for women in Kingston upon Thames hoping to build a circle near home, by the river or in the suburbs.