Samuel Johnson put it considerably bluntly when he wrote: “when a person is uninterested in London, he’s uninterested in life; for there’s in London all that life can afford.”
For a bonafide metropolis dweller, the prospect of promoting up and shifting out of the capital is normally out of the query – till the truth of life will get in the way in which. For others, residing in London has a pure time restrict, the place a transfer out to the suburbs or countryside is at some stage inevitable. If a transfer is on the playing cards, however you continue to wish to be inside straightforward attain of London, you might have many choices.
The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the migration away from the capital. Extra individuals can earn a living from home, permitting them to dwell additional away from the workplace. Many younger professionals and households select to maneuver out to commuter-friendly cities seeking more room and a big backyard.
Right here is our fast information to a few of the greatest commuter cities inside attain of London.
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1. Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
Beaconsfield is a thriving commuter city surrounded by the gorgeous Chiltern countryside. Trains run commonly in London Paddington from the prepare station within the city and take simply 23 minutes. It’s well-connected by highway, solely a brief distance from junction 2 of the M40 with quick access to the M25 and A40 into central London.
The vary of native colleges on provide is superb, as is the selection of property within the city itself and the encircling villages.
Journey time to London: 23 minutes.
Common property costs: £1,282,944
2. Epping, Essex
Epping is a historic market city full of retailers and eating places. Epping is completely located for anybody eager to have the beautiful inexperienced area of Epping Forest on their doorstep however nonetheless be shut sufficient to central London for a simple commute. Epping is on the Central Line with journey occasions to Financial institution station round 38 minutes. As it’s the final cease on the road, you might be just about assured a seat.
Journey time to London: 38 minutes.
Common property costs: £644,859
3. Guildford, Surrey
Guildford city centre has retained its historic character and structure with its cobbled Excessive Road, medieval buildings and chateau. All of the main excessive road outlets are right here along with many small unbiased retailers. There’s a thriving meals market on Fridays and Saturdays and plenty of leisure actions on provide.
Guildford’s colleges commonly seem within the Sunday Occasions Finest Colleges Record. Many smaller villages encompass Guildford, so whether or not you need a fashionable residence, a household dwelling or a interval property with land, you’ll discover it right here.
Journey time to London: 40 minutes.
Common property costs: £588,197
4. Henley-On-Thames, Oxfordshire
Henley is a picturesque market city well-known for the Royal Regatta, which takes place for 4 days each June. Although the city does have a station, there are not any direct trains into London. As a substitute, commuters can both drive or catch a prepare to Twyford (quarter-hour away). From Twyford, there are quick trains to London Paddington. Cross Rail is coming quickly to Twyford which is able to present trains each 5 minutes into central London.
Although the property is kind of costly, the appeal of the world and its glorious state and unbiased colleges make it an interesting prospect.
Journey time to London: 1 hour.
Common property costs: £718,650
5. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
Hitchin is a horny city that commonly options in greatest locations to dwell listings. The city centre has an unlimited choice of boutique outlets in addition to cafes, bars and eating places. Hitchin is a well-liked selection with households because of the many highly-rated colleges within the city.
Hitchin boasts quite a few engaging properties on lovely tree-lined roads which are inside straightforward attain of the city centre, prepare station and native colleges. Common home costs in Hitchin are round £490,000, however some properties go for as a lot as £2 million or extra.
There are direct trains from Hitchin to London St Pancras which take simply over half-hour.
Journey time to London: 33 minutes.
Common property costs: £489,428
6. Horley, Surrey
Horley is a small city between Brighton and London and near Gatwick airport. Horley is standard with Londoners eager to get extra for his or her cash and households on the lookout for rural residing however with shut proximity to good colleges and leisure actions.
Journey time to London: 28 minutes.
Common property costs: £423,626
7. Studying, Berkshire
Studying is a historic city in Berkshire, simply over 40 miles from London which has been thought-about one one of the best commuter cities for a few years. The city itself is vibrant and affords implausible buying and leisure alternatives. As one in all Berkshire’s largest cities, it has every thing you want. So that you don’t must journey into central London in your days off, and even in any respect on account of its affluent financial system in its personal proper. Studying is surrounded by many smaller villages and suburbs, together with Sonning, Tilehurst and Caversham. Trains run commonly into London Paddington and take simply 25 minutes, Nonetheless, season ticket costs are barely greater than in another commuter cities at £4,736.
Journey time to London: 25 minutes.
Common property costs: £398,674
8. St Albans, Hertfordshire
St Albans is a bustling city with a wealthy historical past and a shocking cathedral. The city is surrounded by lovely Hertfordshire countryside plagued by picturesque inexperienced area. There’s a vary of housing from quaint cottages to massive Georgian properties in addition to a number of new-build developments.
Within the city itself, there are buying centres, eating places, parks and leisure actions all inside strolling distance and the journey into London St Pancras takes simply 20 minutes.
Journey time to London: 20 minutes.
Common property costs: £642,688
9. Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Royal Tunbridge Wells is among the most fascinating locations to dwell within the UK exterior London. Its historic and upmarket city centre boasts a wonderful choice of excessive road and unbiased outlets in addition to an array of cafes, eating places and bars within the picturesque Pantiles. The city is serviced by two prepare stations, Tunbridge Wells and Excessive Brooms, which provide direct companies into central London.
Journey time to London: 45 minutes.
Common property costs: £504,273
10. Twyford, Berkshire
Twyford is a quintessential Berkshire village. The vary of native colleges on provide is superb, as is the selection of property. The bustling centre with its busy eating places, bars, and enormous Waitrose retailer makes it an excellent place to dwell for households eager to take pleasure in village life and a simple commute to London.
Cross Rail is now at Twyford station and trains run each 2.5 minutes throughout peak occasions into central London.
Journey time to London: 29 minutes.
Common property costs: £594,740
11. Iver, Buckinghamshire
Sat throughout the 43 sq. mile Colne Valley Regional Park, Iver has the great thing about the countryside with loads of inexperienced area and picturesque walks however can be solely a brief distance from the hustle and bustle of the large metropolis. It’s solely 25 minutes from London Paddington by prepare, with season ticket costs at round £2316. It’s additionally lower than 6 miles to Heathrow airport for these travelling additional afield.
Journey time to London: 25 minutes.
Common property costs: £508,388
12. Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
Identified to some because the ‘British Hollywood’ on account of many TV and movie studios, Borehamwood is quick changing into the most effective commuter cities to London. It has glorious transport hyperlinks with trains to central London, which take as little as 26 minutes. It’s solely a brief distance from the M25, and you’ll be throughout the Hertfordshire countryside inside minutes.
Borehamwood has some nice colleges for kids of all ages, so it is a perfect location for households.
Journey time to London: 26 minutes.
Common property costs: £567,607
13. Watford, Hertfordshire
While you possibly can attain Central London inside quarter-hour from Watford, property costs are considerably decrease. It has glorious transport networks that enable journey to London through underground and overground routes. While being generally known as an city commuter city, there are nonetheless loads of inexperienced areas, together with Cassiobury Park and many tradition, with Watford boasting three theatres and nice nightlife.
Journey time to London: quarter-hour.
Common property costs: £509,759
14. Hatfield, Hertfordshire
Hatfield is one more picturesque post-war city inbuilt London’s environment. You may get the prepare to Kings Cross Station inside half-hour with season ticket costs at round £2,888, and compared to some commuter cities, the home costs are way more reasonably priced. There’s loads of native tradition to maintain you busy on the weekends, such because the Hatfield Warfare Memorial and the De Havilland Plane Museum.
Journey time to London: half-hour.
Common property costs: £385,476
15. Woking, Surrey
Woking has seen quite a lot of funding previously few years, and it’s an up-and-coming space for younger households wishing to relocate. There’s an array of fine personal and state colleges within the city and loads of facilities within the city centre to cater for all ages. Trains to London Waterloo take simply 23 minutes, and also you even have quick access to the M3 and M25.
Journey time to London: 23 minutes.
Common property costs: £546,196
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