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Train fares were already pretty steep, and now thanks to a 4.9 percent rise in rail ticket prices they’re even more spenny. While it was just a month or so ago that a report revealed which London commuter towns are cheapest, thanks to the new train fares, now that’s all changed.
Thankfully, Savills has done some research that will help commuters out a bit. It’s rounded up the commuter towns close to London with the lowest rail fares (including the recent increase) and average mortgage payments, so travellers can work out where they want to live in order to spend the least money.
It’s official: Chatham, Northampton, Dover and Sheerness are the best-value locations for commuters who work in London. The real estate firm measured every town within a 100-minute commute from London, ranking them on the average mortgage repayments in the area and the cost of a monthly season ticket.
In Chatham, which came out on top for commutes under an hour, the average monthly mortgage repayment for a 25 percent deposit was £1,223, and commuting into town took 40 minutes. A monthly season ticket would set commuters back £504.
In Northampton, a monthly season ticket costs £688 and the train journey is 46 minutes. The average mortgage repayment is £839. For Dover, a season ticket costs £645 for a 67 minute journey. This town was the best option for commuters travelling between one hour and 80 minutes.
For people looking for something further afield, the Isle of Sheppey in Sheerness is your best bet. While it is 96 minutes to London by train, the season ticket is £532 and the average mortgage repayment is £902. In Sheppey, commuters will get the best of rural life without breaking their bank to travel to the city.
Although it might seem like everyone wants to work from home in their pyjamas these days, according to recruitment firm Hays almost half of office workers are now going in five days a week. If you’re travelling from outside of London, those train fares will stack up. And the 4.9 percent rise could end up costing commuters hundreds of extra pounds a year.
Frances McDonald, director of research at Savills said ‘commuting and all of its associated costs and logistics are once again at the forefront of buyers’ minds’.
She added: ‘Total monthly spend on mortgage repayments and season ticket costs decreases with longer journey times from the capital. This means more expensive season tickets are offset by the lower house prices available in locations further from London, even once 2024 rail price increases are taken into account.’
You can read Savills’ full study online here.
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