Located in the borough of Wandsworth and only 6 miles from the city centre, Putney is a superb place to live. It’s next to the River Thames and is surrounded by plenty of parks and green spaces. All in all it’s a lovely location to settle down in, away from the ‘hustle and bustle’ of our capital city, but is it too far from the hustle and bustle? How good are the transport links to Putney? In short, they’re excellent – here we explain how well-connected Putney is.
Tube
The tube may be your first option when navigating around London, and with good reason. Trains are frequent, it’s affordable, reliable, and often the fastest way across the city (depending on the time of day). Putney is in Zone Three of the tube map, and when you consider that there are nine zones in London, this isn’t far from central London at all. Being within zones one-three is a big selling point in terms of places to live as it demonstrates good accessibility and commuting distances.
Putney has three tube stations to choose from, all within walking distance of each other: East Putney, Southfields, and Putney Bridge (which is located on the north side of the Thames). They’re all served by the district line, connecting Putney to Victoria via a 20 minute, direct train, and the Houses of Parliament within 30 minutes. With district line trains every few minutes, the underground makes travelling to and from Putney simple and predictable.
Overground Trains
According to their speed of travel, mainline trains tend to be much faster than the tube, but the waiting times between trains are usually longer. That being said, trains from Putney to Waterloo are fairly frequent, making commutes and weekend journeys a breeze to plan.
The route takes only 20 minutes and trains arrive approximately every 8 minutes. The distance from Waterloo to Putney is just over 6 miles, and it’s almost impossible to travel such a distance through London in 20 minutes. Most journeys of a similar distance across London can easily take twice as long, especially during peak times, making this a rare gem of a journey! Travelling from your working area to your home neighbourhood, in a capital city, doesn’t get much better than that.
While you’ll most likely be travelling to Waterloo for work, other routes for leisure are just as simple. For example, train journeys from Putney to Clapham and Richmond are just 5 minutes and 10 minutes respectively.
Buses
Few modes of transport are as iconic as London’s red buses, and they’re iconic for a reason. Unlike regional areas outside of the city, London’s bus network is extremely reliable and has a vast array of routes to suit almost any journey you could want to make. As well as this, it is also the cheapest mode of transport. Your London bus fare is £1.50 for any distance and a day of bus-only travel will cost a maximum of £4.50, regardless of the number of bus journeys you make. You can also hop on unlimited buses for free within one hour of touching in for your first journey.
There are several buses from Putney Bridge, giving you easy access to the rest of London in almost any direction. Chelsea is just 20 minutes away, Green Park from Putney takes 40 minutes, and Oxford Circus is less than an hour away. While there may be faster ways to get around, many of these bus routes run 24 hours per day, meaning you’ll always be able to find your way home. Also, if you take the tube a lot it’s nice to be above ground! No other mode of public transport doubles as a sightseeing tour of London, so consider bus routes if you don’t already!
Cycling
Located by the Thames, living in Putney provides unparalleled access to the pleasant cycle routes along the river. It’s possible to cycle from Putney to Greenwich almost solely by following the Thames. You’ll pass places such as Chelsea, Westminster, Waterloo, and London Bridge to name a few (and possibly take a few Instagram shots as you go!). Cycling to Westminster takes just over 30 minutes on average, so if cycling is an activity you enjoy, then travelling from Putney to the inner city can be a healthy and affordable option. If your employer offers cycle to work schemes, definitely consider this for your commute.
Speaking of the River Thames…
Riverboat
You can make full use of London’s river by taking a Thames Clipper riverboat from Putney Pier. The Thames Clipper service runs all the way from Putney to Canary Wharf (and even further if you wish to change to a connecting riverboat service) and is one of the most unique ways to travel through London.
The Thames Clipper service from Putney stops at Chelsea, Westminster, the Tower of London, and a few other notable locations along the banks of the Thames. This may be more of a luxury than an option for commuting, but it reveals London from a whole new perspective and makes Putney even more accessible!
So there you have it, as you can see, Putney is incredibly well-connected and truly offers you the best of both worlds as a place to live. Calm, close to the river and with idyllic green spaces, all while being just 20 minutes away from the heart of London. If you’re interested in renting or buying in Putney or the south west of London, we’d love to help you find your new home.
Browse properties to rent in Putney or if you’re looking to buy, look at our properties for sale. Or better still, come and visit our team in our Putney branch.