For many of us, where we can live is dictated by our ability to get to our London office.
And, snapping up a home in close proximity to a train or tube stop can feel like an Olympic sport, if you’ve somehow managed to save your cash and can afford to buy in the first place.
To make matters trickier, properties within 500m of any station in the UK cost typically £42,700 more on average, according to Nationwide Building Society.
There are certain tube lines or train lines that are cheaper to live near than others, though.
So, we’ve got the lowdown on the cheapest London transport lines with the lowest house prices, and of course, the most expensive…
The five cheapest transport lines to live near
Ready to start your homebuying journey?
You can access completely fee-free mortgage advice with London & Country (L&C) Mortgages, a partner of Metro. Customers benefit from:
– Award winning service from the UK’s leading mortgage broker
– Expert advisors on hand 7 days a week
– Access to 1000s of mortgage deals from across the market
Unlike many mortgage brokers, L&C won’t charge you a fee for their advice.
Find out how much you could borrow online
Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
When it comes to the cheapest transport line to live on, the Elizabeth line claims the win.
The average house price near the modern tube line costs £401,000, although this isn’t surprising, given it largely serves the suburbs where it’s cheaper.
Areas like Reading, Stratford, Hayes and Harlington, and Abbey Wood, are all served on this line, which then runs via Paddington and Liverpool Street.
Nationwide Building Society’s study revealed the Elizabeth line is sought after, with 12% saying it’s their nearest line, while 14% of Brits would like to live by it.
Next is the Metropolitan line, with homes near this line costing £463,000 on average. It goes as far out as Amersham, Buckinghamshire, and Watford.
It opened back in 1863 and became the first underground railway in the world, before extending from Baker Street to Swiss Cottage five years later.
It wasn’t until 1925 that the Watford branch opened, where homes now cost an average of £470,240, according to Rightmove.
The third most affordable line to live near is actually the DLR (Docklands Light Railway). Homes near DLR stations cost an average of £475,000.
It serves the likes of Shadwell and Lewisham, as well as London City Airport.
Next on the most affordable list is the Central line, with properties on this line averaging £488,000. It’s also one of the hottest tube lines with temperatures soaring to 31.4 degrees in August.
It opened on July 1900 as a cross-London route from Bank to Shepherd’s Bush, and now serves West Ruislip to the likes of Epping and Chigwell.
Rounding out the top five cheapest transport lines to live near is the Piccadilly line with properties costing £515,000 on average.
The most expensive transport lines to live near
If you live near any of these tube lines, then it’s likely you’re paying a premium.
Looking to buy next to the Circle line is the priciest choice you can make, given the line never pokes its head outside of zone two.
Properties near these stations cost an eye-watering average of £729,000, £100,000 more than the second-most expensive line – Bakerloo.
If you live near a Bakerloo station homes cost around the £617,000 mark, and it serves stations between Harrow and Wealdstone, and Elephant and Castle.
The third most expensive line is Victoria, with properties near its stations costing £587,000. The original 1968 line received a complete upgrade in 2012, and connects four mainline terminals; Euston, St Pancras, King’s Cross and Victoria.
It doesn’t go out further than zone three, stopping at Walthamstow Central and Brixton, so it’s little surprise it’s on the pricier side.
Rounding out the top five most expensive transport lines is the Northern line and the Hammersmith & City line.
The average property near a Northern line station costs £570,000 while homes near the latter line tend to be £7,000 cheaper.
The most utilised TFL service
We haven’t mentioned the London Overground, which Nationwide Building Society stats show is the most used transport line, with more than a quarter (28%) of survey respondents saying this was their nearest station.
The line as a whole has an average house price of £529,000, but the individual lines vary in price significantly.
For example, living near the Mildmay line (which connects Richmond/Clapham to Stratford via Hampstead) is the priciest with properties around the £645,000 mark.
But, if the Liberty line (which runs between Romford and Upminster) is your closest station then the average property will cost around £358,000.
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
