The company operated services in West Sussex and Surrey, as part of the Arriva Southern Counties division.

The Guildford & West Surrey brand name was first created in 1990 when the Guildford operations of the newly-privatised Alder Valley bus company were sold to London & Country, owned by the Drawlane Group, L&C itself a rebranding of the London Country South West NBC subsidiary.

On 2 May 2017, a new express route (numbered X1) was introduced between Horsham and Guildford, going through Broadbridge Heath, Clemsfold, Alfold, Bramley and Shalford.

[8] In March 2019, Arriva commercially took over the route 479 between Guildford and Epsom after its operator, Buses Excetera, ceased trading at short notice.

[15] Arriva operated a part of the Guildford park and ride service for Surrey County Council.

However, the route 101 ended on 26 March 2011, following a council spending cut, leaving no park and ride service from the northern side of Guildford on Saturdays.

Most buses in the fleet are painted in either the previous standard Arriva UK bus livery of aquamarine with a large cotswold stone swoop at the front, or the newer "interurban" livery with dark blue skirts and smaller "cow's horn" at the front.

The London red livery saw a brief reprieve in April 2011, when two Mini Pointer Darts were temporarily drafted in to Guildford depot after several routes were taken on from Countryliner at short notice.

Another newer VDL SB120/Wright Cadet arrived in 2006, diverted from an order for Arriva Yorkshire, to replace a 2002 example that was burnt out.

In mid-2009, the final two Dennis Dominators with East Lancs bodywork at Guildford (part of the last batch ever built), were transferred to Maidstone, replaced by two Volvo B7TL/Alexander ALX400s, displaced from Gillingham.

However, to comply with emission regulations elsewhere nearer the capital, particularly for Arriva Kent Thameside, some of the newer examples were moved out of Guildford.