Best Commuter Towns London in 2026
On the hunt for the best commuter towns London? And what towns are commutable to London? We’ve rounded up a few areas based on train times, house prices and what they’ve got going for them (outside of great transport links).
If you’re looking for affordability, there are several great cities near London where living costs are more manageable. While these locations might mean an hour or longer commute to central London, the trade-off is significantly lower house prices!
Best commuter towns London
Which towns are below 30 minutes or more from London?
- Maidenhead, Berkshire – 17 minutes
- Stevenage, Hertfordshire – 21 minutes
- St Albans, Hertfordshire – 21 minutes
- Reading, Berkshire – 22 minutes
- Iver, Buckinghamshire – 22 minutes
- Woking, Surrey – 23 minutes
- Hatfield, Hertfordshire – 24 minutes
- Luton, Bedfordshire – 24 minutes
- Borehamwood, Hertfordshire – 25 minutes
- Brentwood, Essex – 25 minutes
- Redhill, Surrey – 27 minutes
- Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire (Chiltern Hills) – 28 minutes
- Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire – 28 minutes
- Hitchin, Hertfordshire – 28 minutes
- Purfleet-on-Thames, Essex – 29 minutes
- Horley, Surrey – 31 minutes
- Twyford, Berkshire – 31 minutes
- Amersham, Buckinghamshire – 32 minutes
- Guildford, Surrey – 32 minutes
- High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire – 32 minutes
- Three Bridges, West Sussex – 36 minutes
- Henley-On-Thames, Oxfordshire – 45 minutes
- Cambridge, Cambridgeshire – 50 minutes
*All are fastest train times, delays/planned works not accounted for.
How much could you afford? Use this house affordability calculator to find out:
Top 10: best commuter towns London (fastest train times)
The last couple of years have seen many of us working from home, which has shifted priorities in terms of the best places to live. Green spaces, home offices and fast broadband became the must-haves. That being said, the attraction to London and the need for fast commuting times haven’t gone away. It’s voted one of the best cities to live in – but what of those commuter towns near London?
This research looks at what are the best commuter towns to London based on factors such as high-speed train availability, housing affordability and lifestyle. Helping identify the best London commuter towns for young professionals as well as the best London commuter towns for families.
Let’s explore the top 10 – all house price data has been sourced from Dataloft PriceHubble. Reflecting the average house prices achieved over the past 12 months. For annual train ticket costs, we’ve used the season ticket calculator from National Rail and we’ve used Train Times for planning train journeys.
Data source: Dataloft by PriceHubble.
Note: The term ‘average price’ refers to the most recent 12-month period available at the time of publication, based on Land Registry data (December 2024 to November 2025).
These commuter towns aren’t particularly the cheapest places to buy a house in the UK, but they are close to the Big Smoke. In our research, we’ve looked at more than just train times alone, but also affordability, annual season ticket prices and what an area has got going for it. For example, the average house price in Beaconsfield is £1,033,413, making it inaccessible for many, despite its good transport links!
10. Brentwood, Essex
- Fastest train to London: 25 mins
- Season ticket price: £3,504
- London terminus station: London Liverpool Street (Greater Anglia)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £485,171
Comming in bottom place of our top 10 best commuter towns London is Brentwood in Essex. Located roughly 20 miles (32 km) north‑east of central London, it sits within the London commuter belt just outside the M25.
Brentwood’s mix of open countryside and woodland alongside a lively high street. The town is served by Greater Anglia and Elizabeth Line services via nearby Shenfield station, with direct trains to London Liverpool Street taking around 25 minutes. The postcode districts for Brentwood are CM13, CM14 and CM15, all part of the Chelmsford (“CM”) postcode area.
Recent data show that semi‑detached properties in Brentwood sold for an average of about £539 ,067 over the past 12 months. Although this puts Brentwood toward the higher end of the commuter‑town price spectrum, the town remains popular with commuters thanks to its quick rail link to the City, its thriving shopping and dining scene, and nearby attractions such as Weald Country Park and Thorndon Country Park.
9. Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
- Fastest train to London: 25 mins
- Season ticket price: £2,516
- London terminus station: London St Pancras International (Thameslink)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £451,786
Only 12 miles from Charing Cross, Borehamwood is proving popular with young professionals, making it one of the best London commuter towns for young professionals thanks to its fast Thameslink services and relatively accessible price point. The quickest train from Borehamwood to London Thameslink stations like St Pancras International takes around 25 minutes.
The easy commute to London is one thing, but the town is also well known for being home to Elstree Studios. 30% of sales in the past 12 months were flats, achieving an average sales price of £297,367. Houses achieved an average price of £542,060.
8. Luton, Bedfordshire
- Fastest train to London: 24 mins
- Season ticket price: £5,480
- London terminus station: London St Pancras (Thameslink/East Midlands Railway)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £287,889
If you want to be close to the hustle and bustle, but also close to outdoor spaces, then Luton ticks the boxes. Luton consistently appears in searches for where to live close to London cheaply, offering some of the lowest average house prices within a short commute of the capital. The highest value recorded by the Land Registry over the past 12 months was £350,000 for a flat.
Luton is an active town with a significant amount of development and urban activity, which might not be for everyone. It does, however has excellent transport links to both London and Luton airport. The town also has green spaces nearby, which you can enjoy, such as the Barton Hills and Dunstable Downs. Direct trains from Luton to London St Pancras International can take as little as 24 minutes. Houses achieved an average price of £321,733.
7. Hatfield, Hertfordshire
- Fastest train to London: 24 mins
- Season ticket price: £3,572
- London terminus station: London King’s Cross (Great Northern/Thameslink)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £386,482
Hatfield offers strong value for families, combining space, schools and affordability. Placing it among the best London commuter towns for families. And while not as busy as some Hertfordshire towns, the price of your average family home is much lower.
Its high street might not be as bustling as others, but it offers many of the perks of living in London without the price tag. You can reach King’s Cross in just 24 minutes on the fastest services.
27% of sales in the past 12 months were flats, achieving an average sales price of £234,388. While houses achieved an average price of £455,830.
6. Woking, Surrey
- Fastest train to London: 23 mins
- Season ticket price: £4,260
- London terminus station: London Waterloo (South Western Railway)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £454,424
As one of the best commuter towns south of London, Woking blends fast connections with green space and a busy town centre. Woking is another place which offers a mix of rural charm and buzzy town life.
This small but busy area is close to London. The quickest train from Woking to London Waterloo takes about 23 minutes.
26% of sales in the past 12 months were flats, achieving an average sales price of £252,070. A semi-detached house achieved an average price of £510,303.
5. Iver, Buckinghamshire
- Fastest train to London: 22 mins
- Season ticket price: £2,868
- London terminus station: London Paddington (Elizabeth line/GWR)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £527,766
Often described as one of the best London commuter villages, Iver appeals to those seeking countryside living with Elizabeth line convenience. While house prices are a bit higher here than some of the others on this commuter towns London list, they’re still much lower than the London average, while being only 22 minutes away. A terraced house, for example, achieved an average price of £445,067 in postcode area SL0.
Here, you’ll benefit from the calm of the countryside and urban connectivity. Heathrow is only 6 miles away too.
4. Reading, Berkshire
- Fastest train to London: 22 mins
- Season ticket price: £5,856
- London terminus station: London Paddington (GWR/Elizabeth line)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £417,382
Reading has long been a firm favourite among commuters, so it’s little wonder it finds its way into the top 5. Especially for those asking where to live 30 minutes from London. Outside of its proximity to London, it’s also vibrant, multicultural and family-friendly, which makes it ideal for families. However, its annual season ticket price is the highest on this list, which is something to factor in. Terraced homes achieved an average sales price of £356,123.
3. St Albans, Hertfordshire
- Fastest train to London: 21 mins
- Season ticket price: £4,588
- London terminus station: London St Pancras International (Thameslink)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £562,390
St Albans consistently ranks among the best commuter towns to London, balancing heritage, green space and rapid rail connections. No wonder it’s claiming the third spot on our commuter towns London list, a town with a rich history that locals love to explore, including a stunning cathedral.
Here, you can find shopping centres, green parks, great entertainment and leisure centres all within walking distance. Plus, a 21-minute journey time from central London goes down well with commuters. 25% of sales in the past 12 months were flats, achieving an average sales price of £316,102
2. Stevenage, Hertfordshire
- Fastest train to London: 21 mins
- Season ticket price: £4,908
- London terminus station: London King’s Cross (LNER/Great Northern/Thameslink)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £340,599
Stevenage offers some of the strongest value-for-money transport links, often featuring in lists of the most affordable commuter towns London. It’s safe to say this Hertfordshire town has some fantastic transport links to London (including getting to London Bridge in 40 minutes), combined with some favourable house prices. It’s a worthy runner-up in this list. Semi-detached houses achieved an average price of £408,333 in the Stevenage postcode areas SG1 and SG2.
1. Maidenhead, Berkshire
- Fastest train to London: 17 mins
- Season ticket price: £4,044
- London terminus station: London Paddington (GWR/Elizabeth line)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £512,543
Maidenhead is topping the list of best commuter towns near London this year! Thanks to its blend of charm, it is situated west of London on the banks of the River Thames. But also for its convenience, as Maidenhead offers a quick and efficient commute to the capital. Travel times to London Paddington can be as short as 17 minutes, which is a significant advantage for daily commuters
House prices are significantly lower than the London average. A detached house achieved an average price of £868,026. While a semi-detached achieved an average of £547,316. Its combination of speed, riverside living and Elizabeth line access makes it a standout choice.
Other worthy commuter towns London mentions
There are some other popular commuter towns that haven’t quite made the above list but are still deserving of a mention, including:
- Redhill, Surrey – 27 minutes
- Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire (Chiltern Hills) – 28 minutes
- Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire – 28 minutes
- Hitchin, Hertfordshire – 28 minutes
- Purfleet-on-Thames, Essex – 29 minutes
- Horley, Surrey – 31 minutes
- Twyford, Berkshire – 31 minutes
- Amersham, Buckinghamshire – 32 minutes
- Guildford, Surrey – 32 minutes
- High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire – 32 minutes
- Three Bridges, West Sussex – 36 minutes
- Henley-On-Thames, Oxfordshire – 45 minutes
- Cambridge, Cambridgeshire – 50 minutes
Where to live close to London cheaply?
If budget is your biggest concern, but you still want access to the capital, these locations are worth exploring. Many feature in searches for where to live close to London cheaply, while keeping commuting times under an hour:
The closer you get to London, the more this will rise, often significantly. London’s average house prices remain the most expensive of any region in the UK, with an average price of £551,000 in December 2025.
Within 45 minutes to just under an hour commute in travel time to London can reduce the average house price significantly. If you’re happy to make that sacrifice, we’ve rounded up some of the most affordable commuter cities near London. The average sales price (all property types included):
- Wellingborough, Northamptonshire = £244,032
- Peterborough, Cambridgeshire = £247,699
- Northampton, Northamptonshire = £275,575
- Chatham, Kent = £277,705
- Rugby, Warwickshire = £281,802
- Bletchley, Buckinghamshire = £285,789
- Pitsea, Essex = £288,645
- Andover, Hampshire = £312,042
- Basingstoke, Hampshire = £332,312
- Grays, Essex = £334,549
- Dartford, Kent = £358,110
Want an in-depth look at London areas?
Knowing travel times and house prices is one thing; getting area-specific insights is another. From good schools to crime rates, get your hands on as much information as possible before you move. After all, you can change many things about a home, but not its location!
Phil Spencer’s property report will pull everything you need to know in one place, providing an unbiased view while saving you time and money.
Last Updated: February 18th, 2026
