Serviced Apartments in Guildford

Discover the best activities and attractions Guildford has to offer, and find out what makes this city a vibrant and exciting place to live or visit.

Guildford Castle & Castle Grounds
Guildford Castle — with its Norman keep, restored gardens and hilltop views over the town and Surrey Hills — is both a historic landmark and a popular green space. It draws tourists, school groups and local families, which supports nearby cafés, independent shops and heritage-led tour operators. The castle grounds host seasonal events (concerts, outdoor theatre and garden displays) that generate footfall for the town centre and create casual trading opportunities for market stalls and vendors. Its combination of heritage interpretation and accessible public gardens makes it a focal point for community identity and daytime leisure, helping sustain jobs in tourism, retail and heritage conservation.

Guildford High Street & The Friary (shopping area)
Guildford’s cobbled high street, pedestrianised sections, Tunsgate and the Friary shopping centre form the town’s retail heart — a mix of national retailers, boutique independents, cafés and restaurants. This retail and hospitality cluster is a primary employment hub that draws shoppers from across Surrey and beyond, fuelling the local economy through retail spend, dining out and evening trade. The atmospheric medieval streetscape (including the historic Guildhall) plus regular street markets and seasonal events increase dwell time and tourist appeal, while independent retailers and pop-up stalls help incubate new local businesses and preserve Guildford’s distinct shopping character.

Dapdune Wharf & the River Wey Navigation
Dapdune Wharf, the River Wey towpath and the broader navigation managed by the National Trust are special because they bring industrial heritage, wildlife and outdoor recreation together in the town centre’s riverscape. Boat trips, guided walks, canoeing and the wharf’s visitor interpretation appeal to families and outdoor visitors, feeding custom into riverside cafés, restaurants and small boat-tour operators. The site supports conservation volunteering and education programmes, strengthens Guildford’s reputation as an accessible waterside destination, and helps diversify the local economy by combining heritage tourism, leisure services and conservation jobs.

Guildford Cathedral
Perched on Stag Hill, Guildford Cathedral is a striking 20th‑century landmark known for its clean lines, contemplative interiors and panoramic views. Beyond regular worship, the cathedral hosts concerts, exhibitions, civic services and community outreach projects, drawing cultural visitors and large event audiences. These activities attract overnight visitors and support local hospitality, while educational programmes and volunteer roles contribute to social cohesion and skills development. Its distinctive architecture and regular cultural programme make it both an iconic photo spot and a meaningful community venue that boosts cultural tourism.

Watts Gallery — Artists’ Village (Compton, near Guildford)
Watts Gallery — Artists’ Village celebrates the work of Victorian artist G. F. Watts and houses an extensive collection, studio displays, artists’ cottages and sculpture gardens in nearby Compton. As a specialist art museum it attracts art lovers, school groups and national visitors, supporting regional cultural tourism and associated businesses (cafés, B&Bs and shops). The gallery’s workshops, exhibitions and festivals help sustain creative industries locally and provide arts education and volunteering opportunities, strengthening Guildford’s cultural offer by linking town and village heritage into a coherent visitor trail.

Explore the diverse transport options available in Guildford, from efficient public transportation systems to convenient road networks. Whether you're commuting to work or exploring the city, this section will give you an overall look at the available transportation systems.

Public Transit System
- Rail (Guildford station & National Rail services) - Major station on the South Western Main Line and Portsmouth Direct Line with frequent South Western Railway services to London Waterloo (typically 35–45 minutes on fast trains) and onward services to Portsmouth/Coastal towns; regional connections also available towards Reading/Redhill via cross-country/North Downs services. The station includes multiple platforms, a taxi rank, bus connections and cycle parking.
- Local and regional buses - Local bus services (predominantly operated by Stagecoach and other regional operators) provide town routes and frequent links to surrounding towns such as Godalming, Aldershot, Farnham and Woking; timetabled services link residential areas with the town centre, stations and business parks.
- Park & Ride shuttle buses - Park & Ride facilities around Guildford offer regular shuttle services into the town centre to reduce car congestion and provide convenient interchange with local buses and rail.
- National and long‑distance coaches - Coach services (including National Express and other operators) provide longer-distance connections to London, airports and destinations across the UK with stops at or near the town centre/station.
- Taxis and private hire / ride‑hailing - Licensed taxis and numerous private-hire drivers operate from ranks (station and town centre) and via app-based booking services for flexible door-to-door travel.
- Community and demand‑responsive services - Local community transport schemes and on-demand paratransit services operate for specific user groups and less well-served neighbourhoods, complementing fixed-route services.

Major Highways
- A3 - Primary trunk road running through/adjacent to Guildford, providing direct road access north to London and south to Portsmouth and the south coast.
- M25 - London orbital motorway accessible within a short drive via connecting roads/A3, providing radial links around Greater London and to other motorways.
- M3 - Major motorway to the west/southwest (towards Basingstoke and Southampton) reachable via local strategic links from Guildford.
- A31 / A331 - Important west‑east and connector routes in the wider Surrey/Hants area that provide access to towns west of Guildford and onward motorway connections.
- A281 / A3100 (major A‑roads around the town) - Key local A‑roads linking Guildford with nearby towns and villages and feeding into the national motorway network.

Cycling Infrastructure
- Cycle network and routes - Guildford has a mix of on‑road marked cycle lanes, advisory lanes and some segregated tracks together with extensive off‑road shared‑use paths along the River Wey navigation and green corridors; bike parking at the station and town centre is widely available, and local authority schemes have been progressively improving cycle route continuity, signage and secure parking to support commuting and leisure cycling.

Recent and Upcoming Improvements
- Rail station accessibility & capacity works - Recent and ongoing station improvements have focused on better accessibility (lifts/step‑free access, improved concourse and platform facilities), platform reconfiguration and passenger environment upgrades to handle peak flows and improve interchange.
- Bus service upgrades and Park & Ride enhancements - Recent investment includes fleet refreshes, timetable rationalisations and improvements to Park & Ride operations to increase frequency, reliability and connectivity into the town centre.
- Highway junction and corridor upgrades - Targeted junction improvements and maintenance on key roads feeding Guildford (including schemes to improve traffic flow on the A3 corridor and approaches to the town) aim to reduce congestion and improve resilience on strategic routes.
- Active Travel schemes (walking & cycling) - Surrey County Council and Guildford Borough Council have delivered and planned a series of Active Travel Fund and local‑authority projects to extend protected cycle lanes, upgrade pedestrian crossings, improve riverside and greenway routes, and expand cycle parking to promote modal shift.
- Traffic management & low‑emission measures - Implementation of traffic-management measures, anti‑idling/public‑realm schemes and low‑emission/clean air policies (including support for low‑emission vehicles) to improve air quality in the town centre and on busy corridors.
- Electric vehicles & bus electrification pilots - Introduction and trialling of low‑emission and electric buses on some local routes and expansion of EV charging infrastructure in public car parks to support electrification of local transport.
- Integrated travel information & ticketing improvements - Ongoing improvements to real‑time passenger information, journey‑planning apps and integrated ticketing options to make multi‑modal travel (bus/rail/park & ride/cycle) simpler and more seamless for commuters and visitors.

If you want, I can convert any of the bullets into a printable one‑page summary, provide current timetables/contacts for operators, or map the main park & ride sites and station connections.

In Guildford, finding the right furnished rental apartment for short term or long term rental can be challenging - especially with affordable rates all year round in Guildford. That is where we help companies find the right serviced apartment to stay when working away from home. Our accommodation offers you the perfect self-catering, furnished rental properties in central Guildford and easy-access locations nearby. Whether it be one week, one month or one year, we have flexible terms to suit you.