Thinking of moving to Surrey and working in London? The train is what decides it for most people. This guide compares fifteen Surrey towns by the fastest direct train to London, how many direct trains run a day and how much parking the station has, so you can see at a glance where the commute is easiest.
We took journey times, trains per day and distances from Trainline's route pages, and station parking spaces from National Rail's station pages, in October 2026. The fastest time is the quickest train of the day; most trains take longer, so check the timetable for the times you'd actually travel. The photo shows a train at Guildford station.
Fastest trains to London at a glance
- Walton-on-Thames
- 22 min to Waterloo
- Esher
- 23 min to Waterloo
- Woking
- 24 min to Waterloo
- Weybridge
- 24 min to Waterloo
- Redhill
- 25 min to London Bridge
- 28 to Victoria
- Guildford
- 32 min to Waterloo
- Epsom
- 36 min to Waterloo
- 40 to Victoria
- Oxted
- 38 min to Victoria
- Cobham & Stoke d'Abernon
- 38 min to Waterloo
- Godalming
- 39 min to Waterloo
- Leatherhead
- 44 min to Waterloo
- Reigate
- 44 min to Victoria
- Haslemere
- 49 min to Waterloo
- Farnham
- 52 min to Waterloo
- Dorking
- 52 min to Waterloo
- 57 to Victoria
Elmbridge: the shortest commutes
Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames station
The quickest train in this guide, and plenty of them through the day.
For eating out nearby, see private dining in Esher, Cobham and Elmbridge.
- Fastest to Waterloo
- 22 minutes to Waterloo
- Direct trains a day
- 115
- Distance
- About 16 miles
- Station parking
- 140 spaces
Esher
Esher station
One of the closest of these towns to London (about 13 miles), with fast trains and a good-sized car park.
See private dining in Esher, Cobham and Elmbridge and our dog-friendly pubs guide.
- Fastest to Waterloo
- 23 minutes to Waterloo
- Direct trains a day
- 62
- Distance
- About 13 miles
- Station parking
- 260 spaces
Weybridge
Weybridge station
Fast and frequent, but a small station car park for the number of trains.
No.3 Pizza parks by the river on Wednesdays: see where to eat pizza in Surrey.
- Fastest to Waterloo
- 24 minutes to Waterloo
- Direct trains a day
- 166
- Distance
- About 18 miles
- Station parking
- 81 spaces
Cobham & Stoke d'Abernon
Cobham & Stoke d'Abernon station
A quieter line with fewer trains than the main-line towns nearby.
- Fastest to Waterloo
- 38 minutes to Waterloo
- Direct trains a day
- 41
- Distance
- About 17 miles
Woking and Guildford
Woking
Woking station
The most direct trains a day of any town here, and the biggest station car park.
- Fastest to Waterloo
- 24 minutes to Waterloo
- Direct trains a day
- 374
- Distance
- About 23 miles
- Station parking
- 590 spaces
Guildford
Guildford station
Fast trains to Waterloo, plus many slower stopping services.
See private dining in Guildford and the Surrey Hills and afternoon tea in Surrey.
- Fastest to Waterloo
- 32 minutes to Waterloo
- Direct trains a day
- 211
- Distance
- About 27 miles
- Station parking
- 327 spaces
Godalming
Godalming station
A few miles south of Guildford on the same line.
- Fastest to Waterloo
- 39 minutes to Waterloo
- Direct trains a day
- 113
- Distance
- About 31 miles
Haslemere
Haslemere station
The furthest of these towns from London, on the same line as Godalming.
- Fastest to Waterloo
- 49 minutes to Waterloo
- Direct trains a day
- 143
- Distance
- About 39 miles
Farnham
Farnham station
Further out, with fewer direct trains, but a large station car park.
- Fastest to Waterloo
- 52 minutes to Waterloo
- Direct trains a day
- 45
- Distance
- About 36 miles
- Station parking
- 558 spaces
Epsom, Leatherhead and Dorking
Epsom
Epsom station
Direct trains to both Waterloo and Victoria.
- Fastest to Waterloo
- 36 minutes to Waterloo (40 to Victoria)
- Direct trains a day
- 71 to Waterloo
- 45 to Victoria
- Distance
- About 13 miles
Leatherhead
Leatherhead station
On the line through Epsom, with a sizeable car park.
- Fastest to Waterloo
- 44 minutes to Waterloo
- Direct trains a day
- 82
- Distance
- About 17 miles
- Station parking
- 239 spaces
Dorking
Dorking station
Trains to both Waterloo and Victoria, with Box Hill and the Surrey Hills on the doorstep.
- Fastest to Waterloo
- 52 minutes to Waterloo (57 to Victoria)
- Direct trains a day
- 24 to Waterloo
- 39 to Victoria
- Distance
- About 21 miles
Reigate, Redhill and Oxted
Redhill
Redhill station
Fast trains to two London terminals, which suits the City as well as the West End.
- Fastest to London Bridge
- 25 minutes to London Bridge (28 to Victoria)
- Direct trains a day
- 84 to London Bridge
- 50 to Victoria
- Distance
- About 19 miles
- Station parking
- 393 spaces
Reigate
Reigate station
Slower than neighbouring Redhill, and with a small car park.
- Fastest to Victoria
- 44 minutes to Victoria
- Direct trains a day
- 50
- Distance
- About 18 miles
- Station parking
- 58 spaces
Oxted
Oxted station
Direct trains to Victoria from the east of the county.
- Fastest to Victoria
- 38 minutes to Victoria
- Direct trains a day
- 40
- Distance
- About 17 miles
Before you decide
Check the trains at the times you'd really travel: a town with a 24-minute fastest train may have slower trains at your hour. If you'll drive to the station, ask about season parking early. Then visit at a weekend: our guides to Sunday roasts, dog-friendly pubs and rainy-day things to do with kids are a good start.
Common questions
Which Surrey town has the fastest train to London?
Of the towns in this guide, Walton-on-Thames has the fastest direct train to Waterloo (22 minutes), followed by Esher (23), Woking and Weybridge (24) and Redhill (25 to London Bridge).
How long is the train from Guildford to London?
The fastest direct train from Guildford to London Waterloo takes 32 minutes, and there are about 211 direct trains a day; many slower trains take longer.
How long is the train from Woking to London Waterloo?
The fastest takes 24 minutes, and Woking has the most direct trains of any town here (about 374 a day) and a 590-space station car park.
Is Reigate or Redhill better for commuting to London?
Redhill is faster: 25 minutes to London Bridge and 28 to Victoria, against 44 minutes from Reigate to Victoria, and Redhill's car park has 393 spaces to Reigate's 58.
Which Surrey stations have the biggest car parks?
Woking (590 spaces), Farnham (558), Redhill (393) and Guildford (327), according to National Rail.
