SUBURBAN LONDON ACCOMMODATION

Suburban apartments are usually less expensive.  Public transport is excellent which means it is easy to get to and from the centre.  Note that travel cards include buses/tubes and trains so you can do as the 'locals' do and combine all three.  Train travel from outer suburbs is about 10/15 minutes and tube travel 30/45 minutes.  From the inner suburbs most take the tube - for example, 15 minutes from Putney to Central London.  If you do have a car, outer suburbs usually have free parking.

INNER SUBURBS include the desirable residential areas of PUTNEY, FULHAM, CLAPHAM, BATTERSEA, HAMPSTEAD, ST JOHN'S WOOD and MAIDA VALE, all within 10/15 minutes ride of the centre.  PUTNEY centres on Putney High Street and the river.  There are two riverside parks nearby - Bishop's Park and Wandsworth Park. BATTERSEA is just over the river from Chelsea, while CLAPHAM is a 'trendy' area known for its many good restaurants.  HAMPSTEAD, north of centre, has long been one of London's most expensive residential areas, popular with the media and literary 'set'. ST JOHN'S WOOD and MAIDA VALE, just north west of centre, are areas of large houses and leafy streets. ISLINGTON and HIGHBURY, north of centre, are now expensive near-central residential areas with excellent restaurants. DOCKLANDS - inner suburban Docklands areas are Wapping and Bermondsey. Travel cards 1, 2 and 3 cover these areas.

OUTER SUBURBS  South-western suburbs include WIMBLEDON and RICHMOND with Richmond's neighbours TWICKENHAM and KEW. HIGHGATE and FINCHLEY lie to the north, with EALING and CHISWICK to the west, CATFORD and DULWICH to the south-east and DOCKLANDS and GREENWICH to the east. WIMBLEDON is a desirable residential area with excellent shopping in Wimbledon 'village' and green open spaces. RICHMOND is one of London's most desirable places to live, with the river, the vast Richmond Park and 'village' atmosphere in its centre.  Just downstream is Kew, and across Richmond Bridge is Twickenham. In north London HIGHGATE and FINCHLEY are good residential areas. EALING and CHISWICK are good west London areas with trains at West Ealing and Chiswick. CATFORD and DULWICH - Catford is an up and coming area and within 15 minutes of central London, while Dulwich has always been 'up-market' with its parks and art galleries. DOCKLANDS lies along the river from Tower Bridge east as far as GREENWICH, a popular commuter'village' only 20 minutes from the centre. Travel cards for Zones 1 to 5 will cover these areas.