The word ‘commute’ came to Britain from the US, where it was coined in 1865.
It was taken from ‘commutation ticket’, a type of train ticket.
During the economic boom that followed World War II, the phrase “commuter town” gained increasing popularity.
Today, commuter towns can be found all over the United Kingdom.
Read on to see our list of the best commuter towns in the UK.
Commuter town: A definition
A commuter town is a primarily residential town close to a commercial or industrial town or city.
There is no official designation for such towns. The phrase is typically used informally when a significant number of commuters live there.
Many commuter towns weren’t built with this purpose in mind either. They often grew organically due to their proximity to an industrial or commercial area.
Property buyers are often drawn to commuter towns because they seek the higher salaries of a major city without the accompanying drawbacks.
(Crime rates, noise, lack of space, living costs, etc.)
Best London Commuter Towns
Whilst there are many great places to live in London, it’s notoriously expensive.
The Daily Telegraph wrote an article ranking the best commuter towns for England’s capital city. Let’s take a look at their highest picks.
Roydon, Essex
Roydon has a population of between 2,000 – 3,000 and is located near the larger town of Harlow.
It dates back to the Middle Ages and features a Grade I-listed church from that era. It also a village shop, a pharmacy and a unique rural charm.
Roydon train station, on the Greater Anglia line, brings commuters to Liverpool Street in 45 minutes.
Watford, Hertfordshire
Watford is a well-known large town with a population of approximately 90,000.
It has a busy high street with many retail and entertainment options. The latter category includes Watford Museum, which houses works by J. M W. Turner, William Black, and more.
Property prices are relatively affordable in the town. And a train direct to Euston only takes about 20 minutes.
Epsom, Surrey
Epsom is one of the few towns on this list that’s inside the M25. Surrey is a highly desirable county to live in, and Epsom has lots of rural charm.
The Epsom Downs racecourse attracts visitors from all over the country.
You can enjoy a direct, fast train to Waterloo (just 34 minutes) and a stroll over Epsom Common.
Esher, Surrey
Esher is just 6 miles northwest of Epsom. Its closer to major landmarks, like:
- Hampton Court
- Richmond Park
- Thorpe Park.
Yet it still offers fast transportation into London. Just keep in mind that the train station is slightly out of the town centre.
St Albans, Hertfordshire
St Albans is one of the most desired and expensive places to live in the United Kingdom.
It’s a market town with a cathedral, a busy city centre, and fast (just 18 minutes) trains to King’s Cross station.
A large part of St Albans charm is its historic roots and accompanying architecture.
It dates back to Roman Britain (43 – 410 AD), when it was close to Verulamium (the second largest town after Londinium). There is a museum and park on that site today.
Best Edinburgh commuter towns
Edinburgh is a popular city for many reasons, which naturally drives up the cost of living there.
According to an article featured by the Edinburgh News, these are the best towns for commuting into the Scottish capital.
Musselburgh
Musselburgh is right by the water, in the east of Edinburgh.
With a population of only 21,100, it has a strong sense of community and fast transport times into the city.
Musselburgh train station is in the far south-west of the town. It takes just 7 minutes to get from here to Edinburgh Waverley station.
Gorebridge
Gorebridge is a small village with a population of under 10,000.
This gives it a strong sense of community.
Yet despite this small population, there’s still a ScotRail line going straight to the heart of Edinburgh in just 28 minutes.
Galashiels
Galashiels is much further out of the way than other Edinburgh commuter towns on this list.
It’s roughly 33 miles out of the city, which is a 54-minute journey to Edinburgh Waverly station on the ScotRail.
But if you only need to travel to Edinburgh infrequently, this could be perfect.
Linlithgow
Linlithgow is an ancient town with a rich history.
It was a royal residence during the medieval period (the structure of 14th-century Linlithgow Palace still stands today). And it was an industrial centre in more recent centuries.
It’s the first town on this list to be west of the Scottish capital. It takes just 17 minutes on ScotRail to get to Edinburgh Waverly station.
And it’s close to the M9, giving excellent transport links to other parts of the country.
Cowdenbeath
Cowdenbeath lies just north of the Forth Bridge.
Trains leaving here travel across the water and then head east into the heart of Edinburgh in 44 minutes.
And at the same time, you’ll enjoy the peace and quiet of living in the Scottish countryside.
Best Cardiff Commuter Towns
Cardiff has many great places to live. But with beautiful surrounding valleys, many Welsh people choose to commute to it.
Wales Online published its opinion on the best commuter towns for the Welsh capital city. Let’s take a look at what they chose.
Caerphilly
Caerphilly is a desirable town in its own right.
It has a population of over 40,000 residents and a long, rich history connected to its former strategic strengths. Caerphilly Castle is still a popular tourist attraction.
It has many plenty of parks, pubs and restaurants.
Meanwhile, transport into Cardiff centre is easy on workdays. It takes just 20 minutes on the train.
Llantrisant
Llantrisant is based north-west of Cardiff, with a 26-minute car journey taking you into the capital city centre when the roads aren’t too busy.
Train connections aren’t excellent in this town, so it might be best if you only need to visit the capital once or twice per week.
Other than that, you’ll enjoy a vibrant community in Llantrisant.
Machen
Machen is a small village with approximately 2,500 residents.
You’ll be based right on the Rhymney River, enjoying the beautiful Welsh countryside.
What’s more, you won’t only be within a convenient distance of Cardiff, but Newport is very close by, too.
Treforest
Not far from Caerphilly is Treforest, another village with a train station that takes you right into Cardiff city centre.
It’s on the outskirts of Pontypridd, which is a larger town that you can enjoy, as well.
Tonyrefail
Several A-roads lead into Tonyrefail, providing excellent car transport to other parts of Wales.
And there’s also plenty to do in the village centre, with the River Ely running right through the heart of it.
A car journey into Cardiff centre can be made in 33 minutes when the roads are quieter.
Best Belfast Commuter Towns
Belfast has plenty of towns that can take you straight to the heart of the Northern Irish capital.
Some of the most popular choices are outlined below.
Carryduff
Carryduff is in County Down, about 10 kilometres south of central Belfast.
With a population of less than 10,000, you can enjoy the peace of the countryside by living there.
Yet, a drive into the city centre will take almost no time at all!
Helen’s Bay
If you enjoy living by the water, then Helen’s Bay is perfect for you.
You can combine the higher salaries and career opportunities of Belfast, with the relaxation of the ocean.
You’re also not far from Bangor, another major town, so there’s no shortage of things to do.
Newtownbreda
Newtownbreda is far closer to Belfast city centre than many of the other places on this list.
The A24 is close by, taking you straight into the capital within a matter of minutes. But you’ll also be able to enjoy the rural location.
This suburb also features primary schools for children, as well as care homes for older loved ones. There’s a major supermarket nearby, too.
Lisburn
Lisburn is a small city, about 8 kilometres south-west of Belfast.
There’s a major train station that takes you straight into the capital, which is perfect for commuters during the week.
You’ll also get to enjoy the thriving restaurant and entertainment scene that Lisburn can offer.
Glengormley
North of Belfast is Glengormley: not far from the water, and well-connected to other major cities like Antrim and Ballymena.
A visit into Belfast will only take you 14 minutes, because the M2 is so close by.
There is also a significant amount of new investment going into Glengormley, demonstrating that it’s an up-and-coming area where many people want to be.
