Area guide · Landfall London
Living in Surrey & the commuter belt
Space, gardens and American-curriculum schools, with fast trains into London.
- Average home price
- £736,000
- Elmbridge (Cobham, Esher, Weybridge), Aug 2026. England: £294,000
- American-style schools
- ACS and TASIS
- ACS Cobham, ACS Egham and TASIS England
- To London Waterloo
- 20–50 minutes
- Esher is quickest; fast trains from Guildford take about 35
- To Heathrow
- 20–30 minutes
- By car from much of north Surrey
Many American families with children choose to live just outside London, in the towns and villages of Surrey to the south west. Cobham, Esher, Weybridge, Virginia Water and Guildford offer detached houses, big gardens and countryside, with fast trains to London Waterloo.
Schools are a big reason: ACS International School Cobham and TASIS England in Thorpe both offer American-style education, and ACS Egham is close by. Heathrow is near, and the Surrey Hills start on your doorstep.
Property
Buying and renting
The average home in Elmbridge, which covers Cobham, Esher, Weybridge and Walton-on-Thames, sold for about £736,000 in August 2026, well above the England average of £294,000. Guildford averaged about £538,000, and Runnymede, which includes Egham and Virginia Water, about £473,000. Unlike inner London, prices here held broadly steady over the year.
Detached and semi-detached houses with gardens are the norm, and private estates such as St George’s Hill in Weybridge and Wentworth in Virginia Water have some of the most expensive homes in the country.
Rental houses near the American schools are in demand ahead of the summer move season, so start looking in spring if you can.
Before you commit
- Time the drive or train to school and to work at rush hour.
- Check flood risk near the Thames and its tributaries.
- Budget for a car, or two: most families here drive.
Family & schools
Schools and family life
ACS International School Cobham teaches students from age 2 to 18 and offers the IB Diploma, an American high school diploma and Advanced Placement courses, with boarding from age 12. TASIS England, on a 46-acre campus in Thorpe, teaches an American curriculum and the IB from age 3 to 18. ACS Egham is a few miles away, and ACS runs school bus routes across the area.
Surrey’s state schools are generally strong, and admission to most depends on how close you live. Surrey County Council handles applications, and the county also has a wide choice of independent schools.
Before you commit
- Contact ACS and TASIS before you choose a town: their bus routes shape where families live.
- Apply for state school places through Surrey County Council once you have an address.
- Independent schools here often have waiting lists, so register early.
Travel
Getting around and getting home
South Western Railway runs to London Waterloo: about 20 minutes from Esher, around half an hour from Weybridge and Walton-on-Thames, and about 35 minutes on fast trains from Guildford.
Heathrow is 20 to 30 minutes’ drive from much of north Surrey, and Gatwick is within reach to the south. The M25 and A3 make driving easy, though rush-hour traffic can be heavy.
Community
Finding your people
The American schools are the hub of the community, with active parent associations, sports and events that new families can join from day one. The AWBS International Women’s Club serves Berkshire and Surrey.
Village life matters here: local churches, tennis and golf clubs, scouts and community events are how many newcomers settle in.
Where to look
A starting shortlist. Visit at different times of day, and check the school catchment and council for any address you like.
Cobham & Esher
Close to ACS Cobham, with large family homes and quick trains from Esher.
Weybridge & Walton-on-Thames
Riverside towns with St George’s Hill nearby and a fast line to Waterloo.
Virginia Water & Egham
Near TASIS England and ACS Egham, with Windsor Great Park next door.
Guildford
A historic county town with a university, shops, the Surrey Hills and fast trains.
Guides for this move
Take it with you
The Surrey & the commuter belt brochure
This guide as a printable PDF, to read offline, share with your family or take on a viewing trip.
Other places in and around London
Kensington & ChelseaClassic central London: garden squares, museums and the highest prices in the UK.
North LondonSt John’s Wood, Hampstead and Islington: the American School, the Heath and village high streets.
South West LondonFulham, Clapham, Wimbledon and Richmond: family houses, the river and big parks.
City & East LondonCanary Wharf, Shoreditch and Greenwich: modern flats, short commutes and the Elizabeth line.Sources. Figures checked in November 2026. The London average home price was £554,000 in August 2026, and the average London rent was £2,338 a month in September 2026. Prices and rents change, so check current listings before you decide.
- UK House Price Index England: August 2026 (GOV.UK)
- ACS International Schools (Cobham, Egham, Hillingdon)
- TASIS The American School in England
Photos from Unsplash, used under the Unsplash License: Sandro Cenni, Martine Mussies.
General information, not personal tax, financial, legal or immigration advice.
Social life
Countryside, golf and towns
The Surrey Hills National Landscape has walking and cycling trails, with views from Box Hill and the tower on Leith Hill. Windsor Great Park borders Virginia Water.
Golf is a way of life: Wentworth hosts the BMW PGA Championship, and there are dozens of other clubs. Guildford has a castle, a theater and a lively center, and Kingston upon Thames is the big shopping town for the area.