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City guide

Guildford, UK

Guildford is a town in west Surrey, England, around 27 mi (43 km) southwest of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town had a population of about 77,000; it is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around 151,359 inhabitants in 2024.

Type CityPopulation 77,000

Why go

  • Town in Surrey, England.
  • Served by Farnborough Airport (FAB).

History

Guildford is a town in west Surrey, England, around 27 mi (43 km) southwest of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town had a population of about 77,000; it is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around 151,359 inhabitants in 2024. Its name is thought to derive from a crossing of the River Wey, a tributary of the River Thames, that flows through the town centre.

Restaurants & places to go

Restaurant · restaurant · High Street, Ripley, GU23 6AE · ripleyanchor.co.uk
Indoor
Indian, Restaurant · This premises is a Bar, Restaurant and Takeaway. Traditional Bangladeshi & Indian cuisine. Opening hours: Mo-Su 07:00-23:00 Features:… · thewharfgodalming.co.uk
Indoor
Cafe · Expertly crafted chocolate drinks Opening hours: Mo-Th 09:00-18:00; Fr-Sa 09:00-19:00; Su 10:00-18:00 · 4 Market Street, Guildford, GU1 4LB · knoops.co.uk
Indoor
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 07:00-18:30; Sa 07:30-19:00; Su 08:30-18:30 Features: takeaway · 69 High Street, Guildford, GU1 3DY · caffenero.com
Indoor
Mexican, Fast Food · Opening hours: Su-Mo 11:00-22:00; Tu 11:00-15:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:30; We-Th 11:00-22:00 Features: takeaway · 1-2 White Lion Walk,… · locations.chipotle.co.uk
Indoor
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 07:30-18:00; Sa 08:00-18:00; Su 09:00-17:00 Features: takeaway · 53-55 High Street, Godalming, GU7 1AW · coffee1.co.uk
Indoor
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Th,Su 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00 Features: takeaway, step-free access · 25-26 Friary Street, Guildford, GU1 4EH · restaurants.fiveguys.co.uk
Indoor
Pizza, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Th 11:30-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-23:00; Su 11:30-22:00 Features: takeaway · 24 Friary Street, Guildford, GU1 4EH · francomanca.co.uk
Indoor

292 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Heathrow Airport (LHR) 16 mi to the centre
London, ENG, GB — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 86 airlines (British Airways, American Airlines, Iberia Airlines, Finnair…) · direct flights to 171 destinations incl. New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 86 airlines, 171 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
London Gatwick Airport (LGW) 18 mi to the centre
London, ENG, GB — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 47 airlines (easyJet, British Airways, Transavia France, Norwegian Air Shuttle…) · direct flights to 165 destinations incl. Arrecife, Tenerife, Larnaca, Orlando, Alicante… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 47 airlines, 165 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Farnborough Airport (FAB) 9.1 mi to the centre
Farnborough, Hampshire, ENG, GB — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Blackbushe Airport (BBS) 13 mi to the centre
Camberley, Surrey, ENG, GB — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Dunsfold Aerodrome 8.8 mi to the centre
Cranleigh, Surrey, ENG, GB
Outdoor
Homestead Farm Airstrip 3.3 mi to the centre
ENG, GB
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Nauticalia Shepperton Ferry
Ferry terminal · 11 mi from the centre
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Farnborough Airport (FAB); 6 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 1 ferry terminal within 12 mi (nearest: Nauticalia Shepperton Ferry, 11 mi).

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Guildford, UK. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Trains & rail

National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Intercity coach
Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
Broker, marketplace · Operator network worldwide · Online charter marketplace, part of Directional Aviation; instant quotes.
Marketplace · Operator network · Transparent on-demand jet charter marketplace showing the operator and tail.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.