Sea Containers London Chauffeur Service | South Bank

Your Trusted Chauffeur Partner in London

Upper Ground · South Bank · SE1

Sea Containers London Chauffeur Service

Sea Containers London occupies 20 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD — Warren Platner's 1977 building on the South Bank of the Thames, between Blackfriars Bridge and Waterloo Bridge. The building was originally the headquarters of the Sea Containers shipping group, hence the name. Morgans Hotel Group (later SBE Entertainment) opened the Mondrian London here in 2014, with 359 rooms and the Dandelyan bar — later renamed Lyaness — which was repeatedly voted the world's best bar. The hotel's Thames-facing rooms look directly over the river to the City.

The South Bank position gives Sea Containers London a distinctive advantage for London City Airport transfers — at 8 miles east along the A3211 and Embankment route, LCY is the closest major airport to this address by a significant margin. Tate Modern is five minutes east on foot, the Royal Festival Hall and Southbank Centre are five minutes west, and Waterloo Station is 10 minutes on foot. Your Imperial Ride chauffeur holds on Upper Ground at the hotel's entrance — a straightforward South Bank road with direct river views.

Why

Choose Us?

60 Min Free Waiting

We give complementary waiting time, 60 min at airports and 15 min at other locations.

24/7 Customer Service

Our support team is available day and night to answer queries instantly and arrange bookings without delay.

Zero Delays

We reach on time, we drive with a plan to ensure you have no delays in your journey.

Flight Monitoring

Enjoy hassle-free journeys with our real time flight tracking.

Luggage Assistance

Your chauffeur will happily assist with luggage and provide a trolley if requested.

Meet & Greet

Black-suited and well-behaved chauffeur with a tablet displaying your name and our logo.

Sea Containers London South Bank chauffeur arrival

Logistics

Arrival & Pick-Up at Sea Containers London

Drop-off

Your chauffeur holds at 20 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD — directly at the hotel's entrance on Upper Ground, the South Bank riverside road between Blackfriars Bridge and Waterloo Bridge. Upper Ground has adequate stopping access and the hotel's entrance team meets the vehicle. You receive a live location SMS when your driver is in position.

Tate Modern and South Bank cultural circuit

Tate Modern on Bankside is five minutes east on foot or two minutes by car via Blackfriars Bridge. The Royal Festival Hall, BFI Southbank, and National Theatre are five minutes west. We manage all South Bank cultural transfers — gallery openings at Tate, BFI screenings, and concert hall arrivals at the Southbank Centre.

City and Borough Market

The City's financial district is 15 minutes east via Blackfriars Bridge. Borough Market — London's premier food market on the South Bank — is 10 minutes east on foot or five by car. Weekend market runs from Sea Containers and City business day transfers are regular bookings from this address.

Airport Transfers

Airport Connections from Sea Containers London

The South Bank SE1 position makes London City Airport the closest airport — 8 miles east, typically 20–35 minutes. Times below are from SE1 9PD under standard traffic.

Airport	Distance	Est. Time
London City (LCY) ★	8 miles	20–35 mins
Heathrow (LHR)	18 miles	50–65 mins
Gatwick (LGW)	24 miles	45–60 mins
Stansted (STN)	38 miles	65–80 mins

From Sea Containers London

Popular Journeys Our Guests Make

Tate Modern

Tate Modern is five minutes east on Bankside. Private views, evening openings, and Tate Members events managed from Upper Ground — we drop at Bankside and collect at the Turbine Hall exit.

~5 mins

Royal Festival Hall

The Royal Festival Hall and Southbank Centre are five minutes west along the riverside. Concert and evening event transfers from Sea Containers, with post-performance collection from the Festival Hall entrance on Belvedere Road.

~5 mins

Borough Market

Borough Market on Stoney Street is 10 minutes east. Weekend morning market runs — with space in the vehicle for all your purchases — and Borough Market restaurant evening transfers (Padella, Arabica, Bao) managed from Upper Ground.

~10 mins

City of London

The City's banking and insurance core is 15 minutes east via Blackfriars Bridge. Morning meeting transfers and inter-office City runs managed for Sea Containers guests with a straightforward South Bank-to-City crossing.

~15 mins

Fleet Selection

Vehicles for Sea Containers London

Vehicles matched to the pace and purpose of stays at this address — business-ready, design-conscious, and sized for London's tighter streets and City parking zones.

Most used here

Mercedes S-Class

Daily business & airport transfers

The default choice for guests at this address. Understated from the outside, exceptional inside — the right vehicle for back-to-back meetings, airport runs, and client pickups.

View vehicle →

Mercedes E-Class

Frequent travel & shorter transfers

For guests who travel light and value quiet efficiency above ceremony. Popular with design-sector and media clients whose schedule calls for multiple short London transfers in a single day.

View vehicle →

Mercedes V-Class

Teams, groups & production crews

Seats up to 7. Particularly useful at this address for creative and production teams arriving together with equipment, or small deal teams covering multiple meetings across London in a single day.

View vehicle →

Browse full fleet →

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does my chauffeur wait at Sea Containers London?

Your chauffeur holds at 20 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD — directly at the hotel's entrance on the South Bank's riverside road between Blackfriars Bridge and Waterloo Bridge. Upper Ground has adequate stopping access and the hotel's entrance team meets the vehicle. You receive a live location SMS when in position.

Is the Upper Ground entrance accessible or is the South Bank area heavily pedestrianised?

Upper Ground is a full road running parallel to and behind the Queen's Walk pedestrian area — it is not pedestrianised and is fully accessible to private vehicles. Our driver waits on Upper Ground directly in front of number 20. The hotel's main entrance faces the road rather than the river, making it a straightforward kerbside collection. Allow an extra 5 minutes on event days at the BFI, Tate Modern, or the adjacent Oxo Tower, when the area pedestrian flow increases.

I'm attending something at the National Theatre or Tate Modern — can you cover those collections?

The National Theatre (Upper Ground, SE1 9PX) is a 3-minute drive from Sea Containers. Tate Modern (Holland Street, SE1 9TG) is 5 minutes, via Southwark Street. Post-event pick-ups from both venues use the vehicle roads adjacent to the buildings — your driver will send the exact hold position by SMS for each venue. Both are well within the area our drivers cover from Sea Containers daily.

Client Feedback

Imperial Ride Ltd

Based on 201 Reviews

Review us on

Luissa Burton - Official Green Queen

Our experience with Imperial Ride UK was nothing short of exceptional, a true expression of modern chauffeur-driven elegance. From the very first moment the BMW...