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Major city · United Kingdom

Guildford

One night as a Surrey base, or a day trip from London: 35 min by train, walk the cobbled High Street, castle and river in 4–5 h.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Dec–Feb (short days, wet)
Airports
LHR · LGW
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
  • United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
  • United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.

Guildford is Surrey's county town and a 35-minute train ride from London Waterloo, so most visitors come for a day and leave the same evening. The centre is compact but hilly: a cobbled High Street, a medieval castle keep, a 1930s brick cathedral on the hill and the River Wey navigation. Stay one night if you want the Surrey Hills, Clandon Park or RHS Wisley without rushing the last train.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Guildford, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course£12–18 (≈ US$16–25)
  • BeerPint of beer£5–6.50 (≈ US$7–9)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)
  • Museum or sight ticketCastle keep entryAbout £3 (≈ US$4)
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per person£25 (≈ US$35)
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, mid hotel or pub, a night, per room£110 (≈ US$150)
  • High-end bedDouble room, mid hotel or pub, a night, per room£200 (≈ US$300)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £85 (≈ US$120) · High £150 (≈ US$200)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Cobbled High Street and Tudor GuildhallGuildford Castle and gardensGuildford CathedralRiver Wey navigation and Dapdune WharfSurrey Hills and North Downs walks
Airports
LHR London Heathrow (About 40 min by road via the M25 and A3; RailAir coach links Heathrow to Woking rail station.) · LGW London Gatwick (About 1 h by road; direct trains run roughly twice an hour and take under an hour.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Guildford: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C

2°C

12 rd

Feb

8°C

2°C

10 rd

Mar

11°C

3°C

10 rd

Apr

14°C

5°C

9 rd

May

18°C

8°C

9 rd

Jun

21°C

11°C

8 rd

Jul

23°C

13°C

8 rd

Aug

23°C

13°C

8 rd

Sep

20°C

11°C

9 rd

Oct

15°C

8°C

11 rd

Nov

11°C

5°C

11 rd

Dec

8°C

3°C

12 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Central Guildford is walkable but hilly; from the station you cross the River Wey to reach the town centre. Local buses (Arriva, Stagecoach, Safeguard) cover the outskirts. Taxis rank at the station and the bottom of North Street. Driving in the centre is congested at peak times — use a park and ride.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

London

go

Door to door: About 35 min

Fast train from Guildford to London Waterloo via Woking

Several fast services an hour; avoid the slower Cobham route.

RHS Garden Wisley

go

Door to door: About 20 min

Drive up the A3 towards London, about 15 min

Adult ticket around £14; closed 25 Dec.

Clandon Park

caution

Door to door: About 30 min

Train to Clandon, then a short walk

National Trust property; check opening before travelling.

Leith Hill

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Drive towards Coldharbour near Dorking

Woodland and a tower folly; the highest point in south-east England.

Woking

go

Door to door: About 10 min

Train from Guildford

Quick hop for the RailAir coach to Heathrow.

Farnham

go

Door to door: About 20 min

Train from Guildford

Start of the North Downs Way; Waverley Abbey nearby.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Town centre (High Street / North Street)

Walk to the castle, Guildhall and river; most expensive and noisier at weekends.

Near Guildford station

Best for a one-night rail stop; 10 min walk over the Wey into the centre.

Stoke Park / London Road

Quieter, near the Lido and Spectrum; 20–25 min walk to the High Street.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
£45–70 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
£70–120 (≈ US$95–160) excl. bed
High
£120 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, mid hotel or pub1 × 1 night × £110£110
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × £85£170
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £10£20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£30
Trip total≈ £165 per person per day, bed included£330≈ US$450

2026 estimate in pounds; intercity travel excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub main course£12–18 (≈ US$16–25)
Pint of beer£5–6.50 (≈ US$7–9)
Castle keep entryAbout £3 (≈ US$4)
Rowing boat / canoe hire on the WeyAbout £7 (≈ US$10) / £5 (≈ US$7)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A low-risk town by UK standards. The real issues are the hilly, cobbled centre after dark, weekend drink crowds on North Street, and the last train or bus back to London — check the time before your evening meal.
  • The centre is hilly; cobbles and slopes are hard work with luggage.
  • Park and ride buses mostly stop in the evening and on Sundays: check the last bus before you park.
  • Guildford Castle keep is closed in winter and weekends-only in spring and autumn: check before you go.
  • Trains from Waterloo via Cobham are much slower than the fast service via Woking.

Emergency numbers

NHS non-urgent
111
Police non-urgent
101

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

GuildfordGuildford

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • NHS non-urgent111
  • Police non-urgent101

Embassy

No embassies in Guildford; they are in London. US citizens: US Embassy, London (check the address).

My embassy: —

Say or show

  • Excuse me / Sorry — Excuse me / Sorry (excuse me)
  • Thank you — Thank you (thank you)
  • Please — Please (please)
  • How much is it? — How much is it? (how much is it)
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card? (card)
  • Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet? (toilet)

English is the only language you need.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Guildford. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Dec–Feb (short days, wet) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for LHR and LGW: last-train cutoffs, RailAir coach fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: High Street and Guildhall, castle and museum, cathedral and Stag Hill, river and Dapdune Wharf.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (castle keep, cathedral, Guildford Museum, Watts Gallery) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Park-and-ride fixtures for Artington, Spectrum, Merrow and Onslow so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources