Guildford



Guildford is a large town in Surrey in the South East of England. It has retained much of its historical charm. A short walk up the cobbled high street shows many buildings which are hundreds of years old. The medieval castle was used by the King of England in the 1400s and because of this Guildford is the only royal town in Surrey.

Understand
Guildford grew up into a large town because of its location at roughly the halfway point between England's main naval port at Portsmouth and the admiralty in Greenwich, London. People travelling by horse-drawn carriage between the two would stop at inns in Guildford (such as The Angel and The Lion) to swap horses over and to refresh themselves. With the advent of the steam train in the 19th century, Guildford was no longer needed for this purpose, and it fell into decline. But as more and more people started to commute into work in London in the early 20th century, Guildford became more and more rich and popular.

Guildford is the county town of Surrey, but not the administrative centre (that is Kingston upon Thames, which is actually in a London borough). It is the economic and cultural centre of the whole of West Surrey.

Although under 30 miles away from Central London Guildford has its own individuality and is not similar to boroughs in London or other commuter towns in Surrey. Guildford is a large town with all the amenities of a city.

Visitor information

 * Visit Surrey website

By bus
Guildford is served by many bus routes from Woking, Aldershot, Godalming and other local places. Prices can be fairly expensive and buses can be unreliable particularly after 6:30PM.

The main bus station, which is the terminus for all routes heading into Guildford, is on Commercial Road (off the bottom of North Street). From here, one can pick up details about bus services and buy cheaper long term tickets.

Park and ride
Guildford has several park and ride carparks, and at the weekend they are the easiest way to get into the town centre. They are situated at Artington (on the Portsmouth Rd heading out towards Godalming, about 3 miles south of Guildford), at the Spectrum Leisure Complex, at Merrow on the A246 Epsom Road, east of Guildford, and at Onslow near to the RSCH and Surrey Sports Park, west of Guildford. At all four sites, the car parking is free and you just pay for the bus fare to get into the town centre. The park and ride system is good for the environment and also it allows the city to stay congestion free!


 * Onslow - buses run every 15 minutes between 7:30AM and 7PM on Mondays to Saturdays. The park and ride from Onslow costs £1.50.
 * Spectrum Leisure Complex – buses run every 12 minutes Mondays to Fridays from 7:27AM to 11:10PM, reduced to every 20 minutes after 7:30PM. The park and ride from the Spectrum costs £2.40 return.
 * Artington – buses run every 10-12 minutes from Mondays to Saturdays from 7:30AM to 7:30PM. The park and ride from Artington costs £2.20 return.
 * Merrow – buses run every 15 minutes between 7:30AM and 7:33PM from Mondays to Saturdays. The park and ride from Merrow costs £1.80 return.

By plane
Guildford is well served by London's collection of airports. For travellers coming directly to Guildford, the most convenient (in reducing order of convenience) are:
 * Heathrow Airport is about 40 minutes drive along the M25 motorway and the A3 trunk road. It is also linked directly to Woking rail station by the RailAir express bus service.
 * Gatwick Airport is about an hour's drive away via the M23 (northbound), M25 (clockwise) and A3 (southbound) roads. There is a through train service to Guildford from a rail station in the airport terminal complex, running twice an hour and taking less than an hour.

By train

 * Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain

From London, you should travel from London Waterloo station and catch a train whose first stop after Woking is Guildford (there are several of these an hour), the travel time will be about 35 minutes. There are also a few Portsmouth-bound trains that go non-stop to Guildford. There are other stopping services from Waterloo via Cobham, but these take so much longer that it isn't normally worth considering them.

Train times can be found on the National Rail Planner or by calling (high cost) from anywhere in the UK.

By coach
National Express serve Guildford with express bus (UK English:coach) services from around the country including London Victoria; advanced ticketing is necessary. They serve a stop called Guildford Park Barn, which is a slightly out-of-town location near a Tesco supermarket. You will have to catch a local bus or taxi (if you can find one) to take you to Guildford.

By car
Guildford is served by the A3 trunk road which runs from London to Portsmouth. It is about an hour's drive from central London.

If you are visiting for the day by car, consider using the Park & Ride site at the Spectrum leisure complex just off the A3 southbound, Onslow just off the A3 northbound, Merrow to the east of Guildford or the site on the Old Portsmouth Road at Artington (on the way to Godalming) and catching the dedicated express bus from these locations.

By foot
The central area of Guildford is easily walkable, but hilly. From the railway station you must cross the river Wey in order to reach the town centre and the bus station.

By bus
Buses not only provide a good way of getting around the central district of Guildford itself, but are adequate for the local community. Buses are operated mainly by Arriva Kent and Surrey, Stagecoach South and Safeguard.

By taxi
Taxis are by far the most expensive way to get around Guildford. If you do wish to travel by taxi, there are taxi ranks at the front of the railway station, and at the bottom of North Street on the other side of the road from the Electric Theatre. You can also get taxis from various places around the city centre.

Taxis can also be booked by phone and will usually pick up from most locations within a 5-mile radius of the town centre. Popular operators include:
 * 5 & 6's +44 1483 565656
 * A-Line Cars +44 1483 564656
 * Beeline Cars +44 1483 566666
 * City Cabs +44 1483 888666
 * GTA Taxis 0800 502250
 * Surrey Cars +44 1483 577677

By car
Whilst not as bad as either London or Oxford, Guildford's roads can get very congested at peak periods, especially at the hogs back. Especially if you are not used to driving on the left, central Guildford is probably best avoided.

On the other hand, a car is the one (possibly along with cycling) of the only really practical ways of seeing a lot of the local countryside and villages. Out here the roads are a lot quieter.

Maps
If you are planning to do any visiting or exploring beyond central Guildford, you will probably want to obtain a decent map of the area. You should ensure that any map you buy clearly shows the national grid reference lines, and explains how to use them, as grid references are frequently used to indicate out of town locations. The best maps for this purpose are those published by the Ordnance Survey (Britain's national mapping agency) and the following maps cover all the locations mentioned below: These maps can be found in any good bookshop in Guildford (see 'Buy' section below), or can be bought online from the Ordnance Survey.
 * Ordnance Survey Landranger 186. This map covers the area around and between Guildford and Aldershot at a scale of 1:50000 and is best for exploration by car or cycle.
 * Ordnance Survey Explorer 145. This map covers the area around Guildford at a scale of 1:25000 and is best for walking.

Further out

 * Albury is an organic vineyard in the Surrey Hills, tours available.
 * Albury is an organic vineyard in the Surrey Hills, tours available.

Do

 * Ice hockey: Guildford Flames play in the Elite Ice Hockey League, the country's top tier. Their home rink is Guildford Spectrum.
 * Ice hockey: Guildford Flames play in the Elite Ice Hockey League, the country's top tier. Their home rink is Guildford Spectrum.
 * Ice hockey: Guildford Flames play in the Elite Ice Hockey League, the country's top tier. Their home rink is Guildford Spectrum.
 * Ice hockey: Guildford Flames play in the Elite Ice Hockey League, the country's top tier. Their home rink is Guildford Spectrum.
 * Ice hockey: Guildford Flames play in the Elite Ice Hockey League, the country's top tier. Their home rink is Guildford Spectrum.
 * Ice hockey: Guildford Flames play in the Elite Ice Hockey League, the country's top tier. Their home rink is Guildford Spectrum.
 * Ice hockey: Guildford Flames play in the Elite Ice Hockey League, the country's top tier. Their home rink is Guildford Spectrum.

River trips

 * Hire a rowing boat (£7) or a canoe (£5) and travel along the river at your own pace. Boats can be hired from the Guildford Boathouse, located at the back of Millmead short stay car park off the Shalford Road. The boats tend to be in good condition and the river is not too crowded!
 * Hire a rowing boat (£7) or a canoe (£5) and travel along the river at your own pace. Boats can be hired from the Guildford Boathouse, located at the back of Millmead short stay car park off the Shalford Road. The boats tend to be in good condition and the river is not too crowded!
 * Hire a rowing boat (£7) or a canoe (£5) and travel along the river at your own pace. Boats can be hired from the Guildford Boathouse, located at the back of Millmead short stay car park off the Shalford Road. The boats tend to be in good condition and the river is not too crowded!

Walks
There are many walks around the North Downs surrounding Guildford including the North Downs Way which runs from Farnham (8 miles west of Guildford) to Folkestone some 80 miles away. There are also pleasant walks to be had along the River Wey to Godalming or Woking. Pewly Down and The Chantries which are south-east of the town centre offer a change of scenery. The Fox Way is another walk of 39 mi (63 km) split in 7 stages around Guildford.

Learn
Adult learning providers include

There are also various private education providers including a Pitman Centre

Work
Guildford has a vast array of temping agencies and private owned job centres. Walk up the High Street or North Street, or look in the local newspaper, the Surrey Advertiser.

Shopping
Sometimes regarded as one of the premier shopping destinations in the South, Guildford is the major shopping centre of West Surrey - possibly the whole county - with most of its shops clustered in a fairly compact area on and around the High Street, and the parallel North Street.

There are three shopping centres:

and two major department stores:

Although there are several shopping malls, unlike many modern towns in England, the famed and attractive cobbled High Street has remained the focus of Guildford's shopping district. It is here, on the High Street and on North Street that you will find the best shops, and have the nicest shopping experience.

In general stores open M-Sa 9:30AM–5:30PM and Su 10AM-4PM although many stay open longer on some days and some do not open on a Sunday.

In addition to the shops and malls scattered around North Street and the High Street there is also a regular market each Friday and Saturday which stretches along North Street which offers a variety of goods including traditional fresh meat, fish, fruit, fresh ground coffee, cheese, olives, vegetables, flowers, pet food, luggage, linen, rugs, bags, towels, jewellery, clothes, cards, wooden carvings, CDs and picture frames.

The market operates during normal shopping hours on Fridays and Saturdays on North Street in Guildford, and is very close to Leapale Road and Castle multi-storey car parks.

There is also a Farmers Market on the High Street generally on the first Tuesday of every month. These times can vary during the summer season and during Guilford Summer festival, where markets, including crafts and handicrafts markets can be seen lining the high street for several weeks. During the run up to Christmas, too, there will be extra markets.

Money
All main British banks and building societies have branches in Guildford, and most of them are situated around the eastern end of the High Street. These branches normally open M-F 9AM-4PM and Sa 9AM-noon.

Most bank and building society branches have 'through the wall' type ATMs that are open 24x7.

For changing money there are many Bureaux de Change services throughout the town, with some such as the post office offering commission free exchanges.

Eat
Guildford has a good selection of restaurants with many different themes attracting different tastes. On Friday and Saturday many of them are booked up weeks in advance and early booking is advisable to avoid disappointment.

Surrounding villages

 * Worplesdon Place Hotel - very good food, but a bit expensive, and service can be slow.

Pubs and bars
In the town centre, Bridge Street (between The Friary shopping centre and the railway station) has a cluster of formulaic wine bars and cafe bars. Cheap prices and themed nights are fun, and popular with locals, as such the area gets extremely busy around closing time.


 * Bar Mambo Onslow Street. Brilliant location.... Drink prices now very reasonable. Shows a lot of sport - football, rugby, etc. Staff are very friendly, food is fantastic. It's the place to be.
 * Bar Med Bridge St. A (loosely) Mediterranean themed bar that shows a lot of Sky football matches. Reasonably priced beer, and pretty good food as well. Well due a facelift.
 * Rodborough Buildings Bridge St. huge bar on two floors. JD Wetherspoons bar.
 * Tickled Ivory Onslow Street. Piano bar with a limited drinks selection. Avoid on Saturdays.

On or near the High Street:




 * The Robin Hood Sydenham Road, +44 1483 888307. Just behind the High Street, a 'proper' pub, good beer, great friendly atmosphere, food lunchtimes and evenings with new menu and famous Sunday Roast which takes some beating! Live music Friday and Saturday evenings with acoustic Sunday night entertainment starting mid-August. Need to book for Sunday lunch.
 * The Robin Hood Sydenham Road, +44 1483 888307. Just behind the High Street, a 'proper' pub, good beer, great friendly atmosphere, food lunchtimes and evenings with new menu and famous Sunday Roast which takes some beating! Live music Friday and Saturday evenings with acoustic Sunday night entertainment starting mid-August. Need to book for Sunday lunch.
 * The Robin Hood Sydenham Road, +44 1483 888307. Just behind the High Street, a 'proper' pub, good beer, great friendly atmosphere, food lunchtimes and evenings with new menu and famous Sunday Roast which takes some beating! Live music Friday and Saturday evenings with acoustic Sunday night entertainment starting mid-August. Need to book for Sunday lunch.
 * The Robin Hood Sydenham Road, +44 1483 888307. Just behind the High Street, a 'proper' pub, good beer, great friendly atmosphere, food lunchtimes and evenings with new menu and famous Sunday Roast which takes some beating! Live music Friday and Saturday evenings with acoustic Sunday night entertainment starting mid-August. Need to book for Sunday lunch.
 * The Robin Hood Sydenham Road, +44 1483 888307. Just behind the High Street, a 'proper' pub, good beer, great friendly atmosphere, food lunchtimes and evenings with new menu and famous Sunday Roast which takes some beating! Live music Friday and Saturday evenings with acoustic Sunday night entertainment starting mid-August. Need to book for Sunday lunch.

In the Stoke Park area
For visitors to Guildford this is generally an overlooked area of guildford, which is up and coming due to the increasing student population. Also it has been billed as Guildford's Latin quarter because of its dancing and salsa venues.

Nightclubs

 * The Casino, Onslow St. Guildford's main event night club.
 * Dusk (formerly known as Cinderellas). This is a smaller club than Harper's, attracting a younger crowd.
 * The Legion, Millbrook. On 3 floors, with 2 bars and a dance floor.
 * Flares, Bridge Street. 1970s/80s themed bar.

Phone
Guildford's area code (for landline numbers) is 01483 when dialed from within the UK or +44 1483 from outside the UK.

Cellphone coverage is generally good within the city and surrounding area.

Internet
If you are travelling with a laptop then you will find broad-band internet access in the rooms of most, but not all, medium to high end hotels. If this is important to you check before booking. And there are many Wi-Fi hot spots in and around Guildford.

There are also several places that offer web and other internet access if you are travelling without a laptop. These include:


 * Caffe Nero, High Street.

Consulate

 * 🇧🇹 Bhutan

Stay safe
Much of the centre of town is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV cameras.

Go next

 * There are three very good theme parks within 45 minutes drive of Guildford:
 * Chessington World of Adventures, Epsom
 * Legoland Windsor
 * Thorpe Park, Chertsey
 * Surrey Hills
 * London 45 min by train or car, with many tourist attractions and things to do.
 * Portsmouth to see the historic dockyard. About 50 min by train/car.
 * Farnham Historic market town, about 15 minutes by train or car from Guildford Centre.
 * Windsor Fabulous royal castle, which the Queen still uses, and very attractive town. St George's Chapel in the town hosted the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
 * *Brookwood Cemetery, a vast civilian and military cemetery with potentially hours of interest.