Last updated August 2026 ■
Words by Ellie Purvis
Contributory Writer
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Lots of people who have moved to Guildford say they didn't expect to love it quite as much as they do.
It's a question worth asking properly, though. Because Guildford sits in a slightly unusual spot. It's a Surrey market town with a 900 year old castle and a cobbled High Street, but it's also 35 minutes from London Waterloo on a direct train. It has a university bringing in tens of thousands of students and young professionals, but it also backs right up to some of the most unspoilt countryside in the South East. It's not trying to be London. It doesn't need to be.
If you're weighing up a move here, whether you're relocating for work, leaving the city for somewhere with a bit more breathing room, or just curious whether Guildford is worth the hype, this guide covers everything you actually need to know.
The Surrey Hills AONB is on your doorstep.
The city is a 40 minute train journey away.
With more affordable living standards than London.
It's a fantastic community, big enough to keep discovering new things, small enough to know your neighbour.
Guildford is the county town of Surrey, sitting southwest of central London. It's well connected by road via the A3 and has direct rail links not just to London but to Portsmouth, Reading, and Gatwick Airport too.
The town centre sits by the River Wey, and the surrounding landscape rises sharply into the Surrey Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. So when people say Guildford has the best of both worlds, they mean it quite literally. Woodland and hills start where the suburbs end.
It's worth being clear about what Guildford actually is. It's a proper town, not a village, not a suburb, not a satellite of London. It has its own identity, its own economy, its own culture. The University of Surrey, based here brings in around 16,000 students a year and gives the place a younger energy than you might expect from a Surrey market town. The city feels lived in.
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Local village pub
Surrey Hills AONB
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Surrey Hills AONB
The cobbled High Street is where most people start. It runs steeply downhill lined with a mix of independent shops, chain stores, cafés, and pubs. At the top, Guildford Castle sits in its grounds with views across the rooftops and down into the valley. North Street and the Friary Shopping Centre fill in the more everyday retail needs. But it's the pockets of independent life that make the town interesting.
The River Wey adds a different character to the lower part of town. There are riverside walks, pubs with outdoor seating that come into their own in summer, and a general sense of calm.
Guildford is also just the right size. Big enough that you keep finding new things. Small enough that you start recognising faces. For people who left London specifically because they wanted that, it tends to deliver pretty quickly.
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Guildford high street
Farmers market
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Farmers market
In a nutshell, yes. Guildford is a very affluent, desirable area in the South East of England. Prices are more affordable than most of London. The transport links hold up under scrutiny. And there's a sense of community here that a lot of more central postcodes lost years ago. Here's what stands out.
Guildford is a good transport hub. The train station is probably the biggest practical draw for anyone commuting to London or working in the city. Direct trains run frequently to Waterloo in around 35-40 minutes. Making the commute genuinely manageable. The station also connects you to, Portsmouth, Gatwick and Reading. Access in the A3 in moments, be on the M25 within 15 minutes. Staying local, there is a bus hub in the town centre. And everything within the town centre is very walkable.
Guildford town has a lot of Victorian and terraced housing. Family friendly areas include Burpham, Merrow and Charlottesville. For easy access to the train station you'll want to live nearer the town centre around Stoke Fields or along the River Wey. New development has clustered near the train station in recent years. Fully furnished apartments with gyms, co-working areas and bills bundled into the rent are now a real option here, not a novelty. Set against a lot of the older stock nearby, the newer buildings tend to feel noticeably better designed.
Take a look at The Guild by Morro for easy to rent apartments, right by the river Wey, a 7 minute walk from the train station.
One of the biggest draws about living in Guildford is how easy it is to get outside properly. Stoke Park is the most accessible large green space in the town itself. The park covers more than 50 hectares, includes sports pitches, tennis courts, walled garden, a lido and stretches of open grassland.
The next nearest green space to town is the River Wey. A network of paths following the local river, enjoy strolls among the river meadows. You'll find lots of runners, cyclists and dog walkers. There is a National Trust to explore at Dapdune Wharf.
Guildford sits on the edge of the Surrey Hills. An area full of woodland, heathland and chalk downland. Box Hill, Leith Hill and the North Downs Way are all within easy reach. It's the kind of countryside that reminds you why people move out of the city. Not because city life is bad, but because having this much green space on your doorstep changes how you spend your free time.
Check out our guide on the best walks in the Surrey Hills .
A county town with all the high street brands. It's known locally as the place to go for Christmas shopping. The cobbled high street is a beautiful setting, flanked with shopping centres housing all the high street names like Zara, Urban Outfitters, M&S and Anthropologie. There is a growing independent scene, including locally run art galleries, book shops and regular craft, vintage and farmers markets.
Guildford's food scene has grown a lot in the past few years. There are enough good places to eat and drink that you won't find yourself coming up short. The usual chains including, Cote, Bills and Wagamama through to a range of independents. There are a lot of Italian and Greek restaurants to choose from. Some favourites are Positano, Olivo, Theion and Meet The Greek. Boring Burger has been touted as one of the best burgers in Surrey.
Guildford and the surrounding villages have a solid pub scene. The best ones tend to have outdoor seating, often overlooking the river and come into their own on warm evenings. Kerrera Bar is a great dedicated craft beer tap room, the March Hare is well known for it's Sunday roasts, and you'll find lots of the pubs have regular live music.
Guildford has a number of dedicated art hubs including G Live for touring live music, comedy nights and large productions. Yvonne Arnaud Theatre hosts a mix of shows from local productions to West End tours. The Boiler Room is an independent Indie music venue. New House Art Space is a creative hub featuring resident art studios and a exhibition spaces for local artists. For mainstream movies theres an Odeon cinema. Enjoy a splash? There's a 50m heated lido open all year round, the Spectrum leisure centre has a large swimming centre, ice rink and athletic track.
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The Guild communal spaces
Guild residents
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Guild residents
Honestly, yes, relatively. Surrey is one of the more expensive counties in England. Rents are higher than much of the country, prices reflect the combination of good schools, strong transport links, and high demand from London commuters.
Costs are considerably lower than central London equivalents. For young professionals moving out of the city, the comparison often makes sense. You're trading a Zone 2 shared flat for a better equipped space in a town with more room to breathe.
The all-inclusive model at The Guild removes a lot of the friction from working out what things actually cost. Your rent covers Wi-Fi, utilities, and access to communal spaces, so you're not juggling multiple bills or getting hit with unexpected costs.
Guildford has a lower crime rate than the national average and consistently performs well in regional safety comparisons. Like any town, it has areas that are quieter or busier, but it's generally considered a safe place to live and to walk around at night. The town centre is well lit and has a decent footfall even in the evenings.
Direct trains from Guildford to London Waterloo take between 35 and 40 minutes with South Western Railway. Services run frequently throughout the day, with multiple trains per hour during peak times. From Waterloo, you're connected to the tube and to the rest of central London. It's a commute that most people find genuinely manageable.
Yes. The combination of London connectivity, a young university population, a decent food and drink scene, and access to countryside makes it particularly well suited to people in their twenties and thirties who want something different from city living without cutting themselves off from it. Co-living developments like The Guild have emerged specifically because demand from young professionals in Guildford is real and growing.
Better than people expect. There's a tendency to assume Surrey towns are quiet, commuter belt, and slightly anonymous. Guildford doesn't fit that description. The outdoor culture is especially great, with lots of social local groups and clubs to join. Run, walk, cycle and kayak clubs are in abundance.
The Guild is Morro's co-living building in Guildford, designed for exactly the kind of life described above. Fully-furnished studios in a range of sizes, all bills included, with co-working space, a gym, communal lounges, and 24/7 concierge support.
The idea is simple. Rent covers what you actually need, nothing gets left out, and the building is set up so that whether you want company or quiet, you can find it. You get to spend less time managing a home and more time getting to know your neighbours and a genuinely good place to live.
If you're thinking about making the move to Guildford, take a look at what The Guild has available.
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