Best place to live, within 1 hr train ride of London?

Question

I am considering employment in London, but would like to be able to afford a 3 bed house, not spending more than about £225,000. Any suggestions? Must be a kid-friendly area, good schools etc.

Answer 1

Find out in Essex County. or Watford Booming place.

Answer 2

Let's start of by being more practical than some of the other answers. You say you will be working near Buckingham Palace, so you don't really want to be commuting from Walton-on-the-Naze. The trains from there terminate at London's Liverpool Street Station which is the other side of Central London from Buck House with not very good connections by tube. I would guess that that part of the journey is going to add 20 - 25 minutes to your commute. The nearest main-line station to the Palace is Victoria, which is within walking distance. That has the immense advantage od being served by commuter lines from most of Kent and Sussex. You could live in the seaside town of Brighton (which has all your requirements) and be in Victoria by fast train in 50 minutes. There are many country towns like Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells in Kent, East Grinstead and Horsham in Sussex, apart from numerous other seaside places and historical villages if you didn't mind a short car commute to the nearest rail-head. Services to these areas are provided by Southern Trains and South-East Trains, both of which have websites which can give you further details about season ticket rates, timetables etc. Later edit. I noted others have mentioned St.Albans. This, again, has the problem that the train service uses a station (St.Pancras International) which requires underground travel to get to the Victoria area (Victoria Line to Victoria) - although it is served by cross London trains which serve London Bridge from where you can catch the Underground Jubilee line to either Westminster or Green Park, and you can change at Westminster to the Circle line for St. James Park and Victoria. I should also have mentioned that from December, South East trains will be running very fast services from the Kent Coast and Ashford into St Pancras International (at a premium fare) using the Channel Tunnel rail link - or HighSpeed line 1.

Answer 3

St Albans, 20 mins on train into Kings Cross !!!

Answer 4

Buckinghamshire

Answer 5

Bracknell

Answer 6

France!!!!

Answer 7

surrey!