Best Commuter Towns near London in 2026
On the hunt for the best commuter towns near London? And what towns are actually commutable to the city? 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 near London
Which towns are 50 minutes or less from London?
- Maidenhead, Berkshire – 18 minutes
- St Albans, Hertfordshire – 21 minutes
- Stevenage, Hertfordshire – 23 minutes
- Reading, Berkshire – 23 minutes
- Iver, Buckinghamshire – 23 minutes
- Borehamwood, Hertfordshire – 23 minutes
- Woking, Surrey – 24 minutes
- Luton, Bedfordshire – 25 minutes
- Hatfield, Hertfordshire – 25 minutes
- Brentwood, Essex – 39 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. Journey times can vary by service and timetable, so always check before travelling.
How much could you afford? Use this house affordability calculator to find out:
The 10 towns with the fastest trains: the details
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 based on factors such as high-speed train availability, housing affordability and lifestyle; helping identify the best commuter towns for young professionals as well as which work best for families.
Let’s explore the top 10. House-price figures below use the latest available sold-price data from Rightmove, based on HM Land Registry records and checked in October 2026. Figures show average sold prices over the previous 12 months. Train times and annual season-ticket prices are a guide and can vary by service, route and ticket type.
Data source: Rightmove/HM Land Registry sold-price data, checked October 2026.
Note: Sold-price figures can change as additional property transactions are registered with HM Land Registry.
These commuter towns aren’t necessarily the cheapest places to buy a house in the UK, but they are close to the Big Smoke. We’re not only looking at just train times, but also affordability, annual season ticket prices and what an area has got going for it. For example, the average sold price in Beaconsfield is currently around £1,012,666, making it inaccessible for many, despite its good transport links!
10. Brentwood, Essex
- Fastest direct train to London: around 39 mins
- Season ticket price: £3,504
- London terminus station: London Liverpool Street (Elizabeth line)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £584,740
Coming 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 offers a mix of open countryside and woodland alongside a lively high street. The town is served by the Elizabeth line, with direct trains from Brentwood to London Liverpool Street taking around 39 minutes. Faster Greater Anglia services operate from nearby Shenfield. The postcode districts for Brentwood are CM13, CM14 and CM15, all part of the Chelmsford postcode area.
Recent sold-price data shows that semi-detached properties in Brentwood sold for an average of around £554,357 over the past year. Although this puts Brentwood toward the higher end of the commuter-town price spectrum, the town remains popular with commuters thanks to its rail link to the City, its thriving shopping and dining scene, and nearby attractions such as Weald Country Park and Thorndon Country Park.
9. Hatfield, Hertfordshire
- Fastest train to London: 25 mins
- Season ticket price: £3,572
- London terminus station: London King’s Cross (Great Northern/Thameslink)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £410,735
Hatfield offers strong value for families, combining space, schools and affordability, placing it among the best 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 London in around 25 minutes on the fastest services.
Flats in Hatfield sold for an average of around £227,761 over the past year, while semi-detached properties achieved around £520,886.
8. Luton, Bedfordshire
- Fastest train to London: 25 mins
- Season ticket price: £5,480
- London terminus station: London St Pancras (Thameslink/East Midlands Railway)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £325,050
If you want to be close to the hustle and bustle, but also close to outdoor spaces, then Luton ticks both 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.
Luton is an active town with a significant amount of development and urban activity, which might not be for everyone. It does, however, have 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 can take as little as 25 minutes. Semi-detached properties sold for an average of around £342,278 over the past year, while terraced homes averaged around £279,902.
7. Woking, Surrey
- Fastest train to London: 24 mins
- Season ticket price: £4,260
- London terminus station: London Waterloo (South Western Railway)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £531,111
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.
The quickest train from Woking to London takes around 24 minutes. Flats sold for an average of around £265,797 over the past year, while semi-detached properties averaged around £518,770.
6. Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
- Fastest train to London: 23 mins
- Season ticket price: £2,516
- London terminus station: London St Pancras International (Thameslink)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £501,887
Only 12 miles from Charing Cross, Borehamwood is proving popular with young professionals, making it one of the best commuter towns for young professionals thanks to its fast Thameslink services and relatively accessible price point. The quickest train from Elstree & Borehamwood to London can take around 23 minutes.
The easy commute to London is one thing, but the town is also well known for being home to Elstree Studios. Flats sold for an average of around £311,741 over the past year, while semi-detached properties averaged around £606,489.
5. Iver, Buckinghamshire
- Fastest train to London: 23 mins
- Season ticket price: £2,868
- London terminus station: London Paddington (Elizabeth line/GWR)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £615,612
Often described as one of the best London commuter villages, Iver appeals to those seeking countryside living with Elizabeth line convenience. House prices are higher here than in several of the other locations on this list, although fast rail connections still make it appealing to commuters. Terraced properties sold for an average of around £443,079 over the past year.
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: 23 mins
- Season ticket price: £5,856
- London terminus station: London Paddington (GWR/Elizabeth line)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £407,846
Reading has long been a firm favourite among commuters, so it’s little wonder it finds its way into the top 5. Outside of its proximity to London, it’s also vibrant, multicultural and family-friendly. However, its annual season ticket price is one of the highest on this list, which is something to factor in. Terraced homes sold for an average of around £356,274 over the past year.
3. Stevenage, Hertfordshire
- Fastest train to London: 23 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): £363,337
Stevenage offers some of the strongest value-for-money transport links, often featuring in lists of the most affordable commuter towns. It’s safe to say this Hertfordshire town has some fantastic transport links to the city, combined with some favourable house prices. Semi-detached houses sold for an average of around £422,676 over the past year.
2. 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): £638,952
St Albans consistently ranks among the best commuter towns to London, balancing heritage, green space and rapid rail connections. No wonder it’s claiming a top spot on our 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 goes down well with commuters. Flats sold for an average of around £328,638 over the past year, while semi-detached properties averaged around £774,839.
1. Maidenhead, Berkshire
- Fastest train to London: 18 mins
- Season ticket price: £4,044
- London terminus station: London Paddington (GWR/Elizabeth line)
- The average sales price (all property types included): £572,713
Maidenhead is topping the list of best commuter towns near London this year! Thanks to its blend of charm – it is situated on the banks of the River Thames – and for its convenience, it offers a quick and efficient commute to the capital. Travel times to London can be as short as 18 minutes, which is a significant advantage for daily commuters.
House prices remain higher than in many of the other towns on this list. Detached properties sold for an average of around £918,980 over the past year, while semi-detached properties averaged around £545,065.
That said, the location and quality of living here makes it a standout choice.
Other worthy 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.
The closer you get to London, the more the prices will rise, often significantly. London’s average house price remains the highest of any English region, at £550,037 in July 2026. The figure is provisional and may be revised.
A commute of around 45 minutes to just under an hour can reduce the average house price significantly. If you’re happy to make that sacrifice, we’ve rounded up some of the more affordable locations that are a bit further away. Using current average sold prices over the past 12 months:
- Peterborough, Cambridgeshire = £248,948
- Wellingborough, Northamptonshire = £261,059
- Northampton, Northamptonshire = £279,761
- Pitsea, Essex = £287,230
- Rugby, Warwickshire = £297,370
- Andover, Hampshire = £315,731
- Chatham, Kent = £317,362
- Bletchley, Buckinghamshire = £326,873
- Grays, Essex = £362,463
- Basingstoke, Hampshire = £371,791
- Dartford, Kent = £385,166
Want an in-depth look at these 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: October 6th, 2026
