MoneySavers in London: Chiswick vs Putney?

TheLostProphet

I'm a student at Imperial College and need to get to South Kensington everyday. For obvious reasons, we are looking outside of the bubble and have found some nice places in Chiswick and Putney, only a 15 minute tube ride away. We're quite torn between the properties, so really it comes down to the area they are in. Which is better (livelier, cheaper, easier to get to at night, etc.) and why?

Ta x

Smiley82

Tough call.

Chiswick has great restaurants, some good bars and plenty of places for brunch on the weekends. It has good high street shopping and a big Sainsbury's. Transport is good, reasonably good night buses and the tube is reliable (as far as the tube goes!!). Nice parks in the area, and close to Richmond for something different.

Putney is lovely, by the river, a few good spots to relax. Shopping is reasonable (I'd say Chiswick is slightly better but it may just be the shops that suit me). Waitrose and a large Sainsbury's (I think it's Sainsbury's) there so no issues with groceries. District line to Wimbledon is horrible at best, and if you are going to be travelling in peak hour, you will get sick of it. I lived at East Putney for 3 weeks, and that's the one thing that will put my off recommending it. THere are just too many people who are commuting in from Wimbledon that by the time the tubes get to you, they are PACKED! The number of times I sat on the platform for tube after tube, and I only lived there 3 weeks.

I'd choose Chiswick

olly300

Both pleasant places to live and both are on the district line and and have South West Train stations near by. I personally think Putney is for slightly younger people having been out in both areas.

As regards to transport you need to be able to use both options as there are often times when the District Line is down.

The best option if you want to live in Chiswick is to try and live near Turnham Green as then you can use the Piccadily line (not all the time though) which is much faster. You can still walk to Chiswick train station if you need to.

The trains on going via Chiswick take longer to get to Clapham Junction than the trains from Putney.

In addition expect either tube or train to be packed into London if you attempt to travel between 8am-8.45am. I purposely travel earlier or later if I'm working in London.

I personally found more buses in Putney at night but that depends on where you are coming back to or going to.

Regshoe

I used to go to Imperial, I had a place in Fulham for 2 years and Earls court for 1 - have you looked at these areas? I'm not 100% how far Chiswick is away but Putney is definitely further than each of those. Hammersmith is also a good option.

The nightlife in Putney is ok - their are a few ok pubs/bars down by the water - but they charge a premium for their location. There aren't a huge amount of clubs etc.

It's been a while since I've been in London but the cost of daily tube travel is likely to be pretty significant - you could potentially use the money to find somewhere closer in and walk in. It used to take me 15 mins from Earls Court and 45 mins from Fulham.

Bear in mind that 15 minutes on the tube rapidly becomes 45mins+ when you have to leave time for however long you have to wait at Putney for a train, get to South Ken then walk down that never ending underpass to the uni (assuming it isn't flooded again). Also if the tube is out of commission it could easily be 1hr+ to South Ken on the bus in rush hour.

Jonbvn

Regshoe wrote: »

.....get to South Ken then walk down that never ending underpass to the uni (assuming it isn't flooded again).

You are right it is never ending. me & OH walked along it on a recent visit to "The Smoke". It felt like something from The Matrix!