Key Distances
Quickest Train to Epsom from London: 36 mins
Distance to a Beach: 1 hour drive (Seaford Bay)
Distance to Nearest Major Airport: 30 mins (Gatwick)
Distance to Natural Parks and Wildlife: 20 mins walk
Other Main Locations:
Epsom Downs Racecourse: 6 mins drive
Woodcote Park/ Royal Automobile Club: 8 mins drive
Introduction
The challenge – finding an affordable place to live near London without the eye watering house prices. Epsom is a peaceful town in the borough of Surrey that combines the benefits of fast access to Central London (the town is under 20 miles away) with a tranquil environment with more parks and local facilities.
The town is getting recognized by the rest of the UK. In fact it was even picked as one of the towns for the Location, Location, Location tv series. Here you’ll find the full guide on
The Area
Epsom Downs Racecourse
The Town is notable for the Epsom Downs racecourse – one of the most prestigious racecourses in the country. The site itself is Grade 1 Listed due to its architectural importance (the course has been operating races for over 400 years).
The course hosts 10 racing events during the year (mainly the Spring and Summer months). But the most famous event is the Epsom Derby. This event is regularly attended by the British Royal Family, sometimes even the Queen is there!
Crowd capacity is approximately 130,000 people, so you have a good chance of getting a ticket for the day.
The world famous Epsom Derby day kicks off in June every year.
The Ashley Centre
The Ashley Centre is a famous shopping complex in Epsom. It’s easy to spot and you can drive directly off the A24 main road to get in.
It has more than 50 shops and stores to give you a comprehensive shopping experience. Whether it’s home furnishings, sweet treats or your daily essentials, the centre is ideal for doing a major shopping trip.
Transport
Trains
The train station is situated by Waterloo Road and is under two minutes’ walk from the town’s main high road. The station has two train lines running through it.
Southern Railway
Southern Railway provides a service arriving at Victoria station in Central London in 42 minutes.
If you prefer to go further South for the day, the train stops in popular places such as Leatherhead, Dorking and Horsham.
South Western Railway
The other option is to head onto a South Western Railway train that stops in Wimbledon, Clapham and Waterloo.
The other direction of the train will bring you to Guilford, or if you want to go to the beach you can change onto the line for Portsmouth.
Costs
The cost of travelling by train into London from Epsom is ranked as excellent on our Commuter Towns Travel Cost. A full annual train fare comes to £2136, translating into a little over £200 per week.
Better yet, if you only need to commute into the office for 2 days per week, this cost falls to £108 on a weekly basis.
Out of over 115 commuter towns around London, only 2 towns could beat Epsom for the cost of a full train fare.
Car
Epsom has a direct road into Central London via the A24, which runs through Morden, Colliers Wood, Tooting and Clapham.
A key benefit of being in Epsom is also how close the town is to the M25 by car. With little traffic the motorway is accessible in 10 minutes. The M25 provides the fastest access around Greater London. This can be really beneficial for anyone who needs to travel for work.
Occasion Breaks
Inside Epsom
If you’re looking for an exciting weekend in the Epsom area there are numerous high end hotels for luxury stays.
Woodlands Park Hotel – Traditional
Woodlands park is situated a 20 minute ride away in Cobham, although you would think it’s much further away given how enchanted the scenery is.
The hotel is a 19th Century Mansion and houses 2 restaurants in the grounds serving British cuisine. The hotel has been fully refurbished and even has a fully functioning gym.
The Lodge Hotel – Modern
For a more modern feel, check out the Lodge Hotel in Kingswood. The hotel is by the grounds of a championship golf course. The facilities have undergone a £500,000 refurbishment that’s brough the Lantern Bar and Warren Room up to a high quality standard.
The hotel offers numerous packages for guests – but be sure to book in advance as they only house 18 rooms!
Further Away
Sometimes you’ll find that even if you love where you live – a change of scenery is sometimes needed.
Denbies Wine Estate
If you’re a fan of wine tasting, it’s definitely worth giving Denbies a visit. It’s one of England’s largest wine estates, set in the backdrop of the Surrey Hills.
The site caters for both day trips and overnight stays.
The company also offers tours around the winery:
The indoor tour combines a cinema experience with wine tasting. Guests get to learn about the history of the Denbies estate and are educated about the full wine growing season.
The outdoor tour puts guests on a train journey around the vineyard – a much more scenic experience that gets you up close with the natural grapes.
The vineyard hotel and restaurant also offer breathtaking views of the local area. This provides a safe place to stay if all visitors are sampling wine for the day.
If you live in Epsom, Denbies is only a 20 mins drive away, which is perfect for you or any guests who come to stay.
House Prices
The average house price in Epsom stands at £555,000. Like many regions in the UK, the area saw prices rise fast during the lockdowns from COVID.
But before you cross out Epsom as being too expensive – it’s worth bearing in mind that this is the average price. Epsom has many detached houses that are not suited to first time buyers.
When looking at flats in Epsom, the average property price falls to £312,000. This is much more affordable for first time buyers. Terraced homes are slightly higher at £453,000.
Prices for each type of home can vary a lot across the town. We’ve handpicked some key areas below:
Flats
Epsom has good variation in flat prices across the neighbourhood.
Luxury End
At the highest end there are consistently expensive flats for sale in the Sandy Mead neighbourhood. The immediate roads are quiet cul-de-sacs sandwiched in between a local park and a golf course.
Affordable End
More affordable flats can be found in the ring road within the city centre. Whilst flats in the centre of town offer fantastic connections, it’s important to understand the challenges with getting a mortgage on a flat above a shop.
Terraced Homes
Terraced homes can take up a lot of land space, and so there aren’t many located in the centre of Epsom compared to flats.
Luxury End
High value terraced homes can be seen in the South East of the town along Albert Road. The high prices are partly influenced by the road’s close proximity to Epsom College (a leading independent school in the UK) and a large zone of allotments.
Affordable End
North Epsom has seen more affordable terraced homes sold in recent years. This area benefits from a second train connection at Ewell West station The Hogsmill river also runs by the area, which is great for peaceful walks.
There is an extravagant current way of life, including delightfully completed, high determination shared proprietorship loft. In the energetic, beautiful and inviting neighborhood of south all. Which has a leaving on chosen condos and 500 Euros used to assist with vehicle leaving alternatives.
Epsom Salts
Epsom salt has been promoted to help muscle soreness, stress and treating sunburn. But Epsom salts is mainly good for protecting the skin.
The salt is now world famous these days and produced in many countries, but back in the Middle Ages Epsom was known for their trade in this item.
Conclusion
Lower house prices combined with an excellent London commute could mean that living in Epsom will get you more for your money. There are numerous green spaces, excellent schools and the town is nicely connected to other parts of Surrey.
If you do find yourself visiting Epsom, be sure to try out any of the experiences listed in this post.