We are often asked questions such as “which towns have the best rail links to London?” For this reason, we’ve brought together our local knowledge to provide you with the popular train lines where the journey time to London is approximately 1 hour or less.

Whether you’re buying or renting a property, you will want to find out as much as you can about the local area before moving there. Living near great transport links within a commutable distance to London is high up on many people’s list of priorities when they consider relocating.

Great Western Railway train line

GWR runs from Wales and the South West to London Paddington.

Where to live

Reading

A focal point of the hi-tech industry’s Silicon Valley, Reading has a quick journey time of around 30 minutes to London Paddington, with some trains taking up to 1 hour. The town has a wealth of amenities from shopping to leisure facilities and also has leading state and independent schools.

Contact our Reading estate agents office for more information around property in Reading.

Didcot

Slightly further west is Didcot, well-known for its leading business, science and technology parks. With a journey time of around 45 minutes to London Paddington, Didcot has the benefit of being commutable to London whilst taking advantage of living near the attractive countryside of Oxfordshire.

Get in touch with our Didcot estate agents office for queries around property in Didcot.

Oxford

Oxford is another appealing area to live. The journey time is around 1 hour, commutable to the capital whilst benefitting from everything this historic university town has to offer. Another asset for commuters is the new rail link to London Marylebone on the Chiltern line due to be completed by 2016. Find out more about Oxford to London rail.

Contact our local East Oxford, Headington, Botley and Summertown offices for all your Oxford property requirements.

Chiltern train line

This line covers all stations in the Chilterns with the northernmost station being Birmingham.

Where to live

Amersham

Ideal for the commuter, Amersham is located on the Metropolitan Tube line and is a station on the Chiltern Line to London Marylebone, both giving a journey time of around 40 minutes to Central London. Nestled in the Chiltern district of Buckinghamshire, Amersham has a variety of community and leisure facilities, with many moving to the area to take advantage of the reputable schools including sought-after grammar schools.

Contact our local Amersham office.

High Wycombe

Also located in Buckinghamshire, High Wycombe is a popular place to live due to its highly regarded schools, and its journey time to London of around 30 minutes. The vibrant town offers a range of local amenities including the Eden Shopping Centre and is surrounded by attractive Chiltern countryside.

Contact our local High Wycombe office.

Bicester

Another town worth considering is Bicester. Although the journey time is slightly longer (around one hour), Bicester is one of Oxfordshire’s fastest growing towns and has undergone extensive redevelopment.

Contact our local Bicester office.

South West Trains

The South West Train line has a number of routes running from the South West, Dorset and Reading to London Waterloo.

Where to live

Surbiton

Surbiton combines swift access to Central London with living in an attractive environment. Journey time to London Waterloo takes less than 30 minutes. Surbiton has a variety of shops, bars and restaurants, and you can walk to the River Thames and to Kingston town centre via pretty pathways alongside the river.

Contact our local Surbiton office.

Woking

With around a 25 minute rail journey to London Waterloo, Woking is a popular commuter town. As well as its extensive amenities, Woking is home to a stretch of the Basingstoke Canal and surrounded by heath and common land. New properties have been built as part of the town’s regeneration, and emanating from the centre are modern and older residential areas, often with their own community facilities including reputable schools.

Contact our local Woking office.

Richmond

A highly sought-after place to live is Richmond due to its easy access to London; it is surrounded by some of London’s best green spaces and has a variety of social and recreational facilities.

Contact our local Richmond office.

Virginia Water

Slightly further out of London along the same line is Virginia Water. A picturesque, leafy village surrounded by Green Belt countryside, this location is also highly sought-after due its sporting amenities and good schools whilst being around 45 minutes from London by train.

Contact our local Virginia Water office.

Sunningdale

Sunningdale is a large village in Berkshire and property ranges from large executive and family homes to bungalows and apartments. With many reputable schools nearby this is a popular location. Journey time to London Waterloo is around 50 minutes.

Contact our local Sunningdale office.

Ascot

Next stop along the line from London is Ascot. Best known for its racecourse, the town has a busy high street with a range of boutiques and shops. With leading state and independent schools in the area, Ascot is a popular location for families.

Contact our local Ascot office.

Bracknell

With a journey time of around one hour, Bracknell is also a good choice. The town is made up of several areas each with a range of properties, their own amenities and schools. The centre is currently being redeveloped bringing more vibrancy to the town. Find out more about the change in face at Bracknell.

Contact our local Bracknell office.

If you are considering a move outside London and would like some advice on what areas are best suited to your commuting or other requirements, please get in touch with one of our local offices.

Travel times from National Rail Enquiries. Correct at time of publication with irregular updates. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of the Chancellors Group of Estate Agents Ltd or its subsidiaries. References to legislation, best practice and other matters with legal implications such as fees, rules and processes are included for information and editorial purposes only and are not authoritative, nor should they be interpreted as advice. When in doubt you should only take advice from an industry professional or solicitor where appropriate. E&OE.