Where to live to work in Woking?

[_rubinho_]

I've just started a new job in Woking. Last place I lived in UK was Cambridge and I've lived in Oslo and Munich in the last 18 months. I am British.

I'm in a temporary apartment in Woking at the moment which is convenient for the office but I've been here a week and don't really like it. I'm used to something a little bigger and my tastes are quite European/cosmopolitan. Maybe you could go as far as saying I'm a bit of a snob! In it's favour it's the town my Mum grew up in and I have grandparents and aunts/uncles here. I'm single and looking for a bit of nightlife and I don't think there's much for me here. Everyone here seems established in families and I think it looks really good for that.

I don't want to live a million miles away from the office. What's good in the area? I hear good things about Guildford and that's just down the road. What about going a little the other side of the M25? What's the traffic like coming out from somewhere like Weybridge or Kingston during the week (and back into London)? The train line from Waterloo looks good so I could take the train on some days. This area also seems pretty expensive (although not too scary compared with Oslo and Munich) and my budget is up to £1000 month. Do you have any recommendations for a good place for me around here?

Thanks!

[Furry Exocet]

Woking in my opinion having worked there for a few years is a dump, the night life is abysmal!
Guildford is nice, covered that area for a few years too, just be picky about where in Guildford you want.

Weybridge is very nice and quite expensive. Lots of bars and restaurants there which seem quite nice.
Chobham, Windlesham, Virginia Water, Sunningdale, Cobham and Esher are also very nice and its not too far out from Woking.

Traffic into Woking town can be a nightmare, no matter which side of the town you come in from, plan for the journey and you'll be fine

[smack]

As the guy said, Weybridge is nice. And a quick train ride to Woking. Only problem is the train station in Weybridge is outside town!

[SVTRick]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Weybridge - And be prepared to be fined for any misdeamour....

[BlackCup]

Probably too loud a car haha!

[SVTRick]

swerni said:

??????

What's the story behind that?

A certain England & Quins scrum half fined for minor public order offence

[BlackCup]

I live just outside woking- woodham which is lovely and have just moved from west Byfleet, tbh traffic isn't great anywhere around at rush hour but like someone said u just learn the best route. Weybridge is by far the liveliest nicest area around but u pay for it! Woking is just rank, think one of those police/crime/drinking/nightlife programs with shameless thrown in for good measure.
Matt

[Frik]

Bear in mind that trains in to Waterloo are more hassle from the London side of Woking. The fast trains generally stop at Woking, then Clapham Junction, then Waterloo and the slow trains are really slow.

I'd suggest Guildford but then I am biased...

[Vixpy1]

Don't live in Woking, Live in the areas around it, St Johns, Horsell etc.

Don't live in Goldsworth Park, Its a hole

[Frik]

swerni said:

Hardly a problem getting trains.

Getting them isn't a problem, but having to travel back to Woking first to get on a fast one can be. The point is that it's often quicker to travel from Guildford to Waterloo than it is from stations on the other side of Woking.

[hyperblue]

I would suggest Guildford, good train links with Woking and it has the advantage of not being Woking

[SVTRick]

hyperblue said:

I would suggest Guildford, good train links with Woking and it has the advantage of not being Woking

Unless your anywhere near .....

Park Barn (Oval Area)
Guildford Park (including The Concrete Jungle)
Cobbets Hill
Bellfields
Slyfield Green
Great Godwins (Merrow)

Did I miss anything ??

[Frik]

Okay, I may have been talking out of my arse.

It's still not that much longer from Guildford though that is a lot further away.

[smack]

SVTRick said:

Unless your anywhere near .....

Park Barn (Oval Area)
Guildford Park (including The Concrete Jungle)
Cobbets Hill
Bellfields
Slyfield Green
Great Godwins (Merrow)

Did I miss anything ??

Probably not... The dodgy bits of Guildford I would say are much worse than the dodgy bits of Woking. Although I remember reports that it is one of the safest towns/areas in the UK, so compare it locally to Crawley, or even better Croydon, it is no comparison. Let alone places up north!

[Ston]

If it were me, I'd be looking to stay in Woking.

Lots of new builds up by the station. If you are looking to buy I bet you could pick up a bargain. Not to mention they are close to the park and the sports centre. You're better off having a short commute rather than a short trip to go out as you'll be commuting much more. Guildford, Richmond, Clapham are all short hops on the train and Guildford is about a 40 quid taxi ride back for those really big nights out.

[hyperblue]

smack said:

Probably not... The dodgy bits of Guildford I would say are much worse than the dodgy bits of Woking. Although I remember reports that it is one of the safest towns/areas in the UK, so compare it locally to Crawley, or even better Croydon, it is no comparison. Let alone places up north!

But at least you've got a decent town centre in Guildford. Apart from the Peacocks, Woking centre is quite unpleasant, especially at night.

[kingston12]

Ston said:

If it were me, I'd be looking to stay in Woking.

Lots of new builds up by the station. If you are looking to buy I bet you could pick up a bargain. Not to mention they are close to the park and the sports centre. You're better off having a short commute rather than a short trip to go out as you'll be commuting much more. Guildford, Richmond, Clapham are all short hops on the train and Guildford is about a 40 quid taxi ride back for those really big nights out.

Guildford to Woking is £40? Worse than I thought.

I'd agree with you overall. I don't like Woking as a place, but if the OP is working there it doesn't really make sense to pay fares and have the hassle of commuting on a daily basis unless there is somewhere else he really wants to live.

Guildford is a nicer place (if you pick the right part), but it will be considerably more expensive to rent than it would be in Woking and will be a more expensive train fare and longer journey when coming from a night out in London.

[kingston12]

Frik said:

Bear in mind that trains in to Waterloo are more hassle from the London side of Woking. The fast trains generally stop at Woking, then Clapham Junction, then Waterloo and the slow trains are really slow.

I'd suggest Guildford but then I am biased...

Not sure if that is quite true! Woking is the best station on the line for access into London considering how far out it is, but the stations closer into London are often better than Guildford/Basingstoke etc.

For example, Surbiton has about 12 trains an hour at peak time and most of them run fast into Waterloo in 15-20 minutes. Sure, Woking is better considering it is 25 minutes to go about 3 times the distance, but Surbiton still has a good (if over crowded!) service.

I am sure that Weybridge, Walton & Wimbledon have better services than Guildford as well, but I'd not suggest the OP considers any of these places as he'd be paying more money in rent and fares to commute out of London!

[kingston12]

_rubinho_ said:

I don't want to live a million miles away from the office. What's good in the area? I hear good things about Guildford and that's just down the road. What about going a little the other side of the M25? What's the traffic like coming out from somewhere like Weybridge or Kingston during the week (and back into London)? The train line from Waterloo looks good so I could take the train on some days. This area also seems pretty expensive (although not too scary compared with Oslo and Munich) and my budget is up to £1000 month. Do you have any recommendations for a good place for me around here?

Thanks!

If you did choose to live closer into London, I'd be more tempted to commute by train than drive to Woking. The driving route isn't always too bad but there are pinch points around Weybridge and Esher that can get very clogged up and that then causes congestion on their respective parts of the A3.

In terms of budget, £1,000 should get you a good 2 bed place in Woking. To live a bit closer into London only would be a bit more expensive (say £1,250+ in Surbiton), but you'd have to pay train fares/petrol then as well. Guildford is probably between the two in terms of price, but travel would be cheaper.

[Vixpy1]

kingston12 said:

Ston said:

If it were me, I'd be looking to stay in Woking.

Lots of new builds up by the station. If you are looking to buy I bet you could pick up a bargain. Not to mention they are close to the park and the sports centre. You're better off having a short commute rather than a short trip to go out as you'll be commuting much more. Guildford, Richmond, Clapham are all short hops on the train and Guildford is about a 40 quid taxi ride back for those really big nights out.

Guildford to Woking is £40? Worse than I thought.

I'd agree with you overall. I don't like Woking as a place, but if the OP is working there it doesn't really make sense to pay fares and have the hassle of commuting on a daily basis unless there is somewhere else he really wants to live.

Guildford is a nicer place (if you pick the right part), but it will be considerably more expensive to rent than it would be in Woking and will be a more expensive train fare and longer journey when coming from a night out in London.

Guilford to Woking is £25, and thats if you get a rank cab!