Moving to St Albans: A Neighbourhood Guide for Families and Commuters

If you are moving to St Albans, you are choosing one of the best-connected places to live in Hertfordshire: a historic cathedral city with fast trains into London, easy access to the M25 and M1, and countryside a few minutes from most front doors. The harder decision is where in St Albans to live, because the city’s neighbourhoods and surrounding villages feel very different from each other.

This guide covers the commute, the main neighbourhoods and nearby villages, schools, and the practical side of moving day. It is written by a removals team based in St Albans, so the moving-day advice comes from working in these streets rather than from a map.

Quick answer St Albans is about 20 miles north of central London, with Thameslink trains to St Pancras taking around 21 minutes at their fastest. Fleetville and Bernards Heath offer Victorian terraces close to the centre, Marshalswick and Jersey Farm offer larger family homes further out, and villages such as Sandridge, Park Street, Chiswell Green and London Colney give a quieter setting with good road access. On moving day, check parking controls near the centre and the station, and allow for narrow streets and stairs in older properties.

1. Why do people move to St Albans?

Most people who move to St Albans are weighing up three things: getting into London easily, having more space than they could afford in London, and living somewhere with a real sense of place. St Albans offers all three.

• History and character. St Albans Cathedral, the Roman remains in Verulamium Park and the Clock Tower give the city centre a character few commuter towns have.
• A working city centre. A long-running street market, independent shops, restaurants and pubs, all within walking distance of many homes.
• Green space. Verulamium Park, Clarence Park, Bernards Heath and open countryside on the edges of the city.
• Connections. Fast trains into London and quick access to three motorways.

2. How easy is the commute from St Albans?

Route	What to know
Thameslink from St Albans City	Direct trains to London St Pancras, fastest around 21 minutes, most around half an hour. Continue through Farringdon, City Thameslink and Blackfriars, and south to Gatwick
Thameslink north	Direct trains to Luton Airport Parkway, Luton and Bedford
Abbey Line from St Albans Abbey	A local shuttle to Watford Junction via Park Street and How Wood, for connections to London Euston and the West Coast Main Line
M25	Junction 21A (via the A405) and Junction 22 (via the A1081 London Road)
M1	Junction 6 via the A405, for routes north and into north-west London
A1(M)	Junction 3 at Hatfield via the A414

If you commute by train, how close you live to St Albans City station matters a great deal. Neighbourhoods east and north of the centre, such as Fleetville, Clarence Park and Bernards Heath, are within walking or cycling distance. Further out, many people drive or cycle to the station.

3. What are the main neighbourhoods in St Albans?

Each area below links to our local removals page for that neighbourhood where we have one.

Neighbourhood	Where	Typical homes	Worth knowing
City centre and St Peter’s	Around the Cathedral, St Peter’s Street and the market	Period houses and cottages, plus newer flats	Walk to everything; conservation areas and narrow streets
Fleetville	East of the centre along Hatfield Road	Victorian terraces, with some roads of larger 1930s houses	Popular with young families; close to the station; independent shops
Clarence Park area	East of the centre, near the station	Victorian and Edwardian houses	Around Clarence Park; very convenient for commuters
Bernards Heath	Just north of the centre	Victorian terraces and smaller family homes	Named after the heath, now a valued green space; walk into town
Marshalswick	North-east of the centre	1920s and 1930s homes plus a large post-war estate	Family homes; The Quadrant shopping parade
Jersey Farm	About 1.5 miles north-east of the centre	Later estate housing and family homes	Quieter, suburban feel next to open countryside
St Stephens	South-west of the centre	Mix of period and family homes	Grew up around its own parish church
Sopwell	South-east of the centre	Mix of older and newer housing	Close to the city centre and the Abbey Line
The Camp	East of the centre	Mainly 20th-century housing	Often described as one of the more affordable parts of the city
Oaklands	East of the city	Mix of period and newer homes	Leafy, with easy access to open countryside
New Greens	North-west of the centre	Mainly residential estates	In the Townsend and New Greens area

Read more about moving to specific areas: Fleetville, Bernards Heath, St Stephens, Sopwell, The Camp, Oaklands and New Greens.

4. What about the villages around St Albans?

Some of the most sought-after addresses are just outside the city itself. They offer a village setting with the city a short drive, bus or train ride away.

Village	Where	Worth knowing
Sandridge	North-east of the city	A village setting close to Heartwood Forest
Park Street	South of the city	Has its own station on the Abbey Line
Chiswell Green	South-west of the city	Quick access to the M1 and M25
London Colney	South-east, near M25 Junction 22	A large village with good road links; home to Arsenal’s training ground
Napsbury	Near London Colney	A residential development on the site of the former Napsbury Hospital
Smallford, Sleapshyde and Tyttenhanger	East and south-east, towards Colney Heath	Small, quiet settlements surrounded by green belt

Our local pages cover Sandridge, Park Street, Chiswell Green, London Colney, Napsbury, Smallford, Sleapshyde and Tyttenhanger.

5. What should families know about schools?

Schools are one of the main reasons families choose St Albans, and also one of the main sources of stress. Admissions are handled by Hertfordshire County Council, and demand for places at popular schools is high.

• Check the council’s admissions information and each school’s criteria before choosing an address.
• Don’t assume living close to a school guarantees a place; criteria and distances change from year to year.
• If you are moving mid-year, contact the council’s in-year admissions team as early as possible.

It is worth settling the school question before you commit to a property, because it can change which neighbourhood makes sense.

6. How do you research property prices in St Albans?

St Albans is one of the more expensive places to buy in Hertfordshire, and prices vary a lot from street to street, even within the same neighbourhood. Rather than relying on averages, look at what has actually sold on the streets you are interested in. HM Land Registry’s price paid data and the sold-price tools on property portals both show recent sales, and a local estate agent can explain why one road sells for more than the next.

7. What should you know about moving day in St Albans?

Moving into St Albans has a few local quirks that are worth planning for:

• Parking controls. Parts of the city centre and the streets around St Albans City station have parking controls. Check with St Albans City and District Council whether you need a parking dispensation or suspension for the van.
• Narrow and historic streets. Around the Cathedral and the older parts of the centre, streets can be narrow and access tight. A smaller van or a longer carry may be needed.
• Market days. The street market around St Peter’s Street makes the centre busier; avoid those times for a city centre move if you can.
• Period properties. Victorian terraces in Fleetville, Bernards Heath and Clarence Park often have narrow hallways and steep stairs. Large sofas and wardrobes may need dismantling.
• School run traffic. Roads near schools are busy at the start and end of the day, so plan the arrival time around it.

A proper survey picks up these issues before moving day; see our guide to what happens during a removal survey. If you are moving out of London, your remover should also check access and parking at your London address, which is often the harder end.

8. What should you do in your first weeks in St Albans?

1. Register with a GP and dentist. Especially if you have moved from outside the area.
2. Set up council tax with St Albans City and District Council. And check your bin collection days.
3. Register to vote at your new address. It only takes a few minutes online.
4. Sort out a parking permit if your street needs one. Particularly in controlled zones near the centre and station.
5. Update your address everywhere else. Our list of who to notify when moving house covers the rest.

9. Why use a St Albans removal company?

A removal company based in St Albans knows which streets need a smaller van, where parking is difficult and how long a move across the city really takes at different times of day. That local knowledge saves time on the day and avoids surprises.

• Based in St Albans. Our base is at 29 Burnside, St Albans, and we move households across the city and surrounding villages.
• Moves into St Albans from London and further afield. Including longer moves planned over two days.
• Packing, dismantling and storage. Everything needed for period properties with tight access, and storage if your dates don’t line up.
• Trusted locally. Rated 5.0 from 444 Google reviews, over 20 years in removals, fully insured and DBS-checked staff.

See our St Albans removals service for more.

Moving to St Albans? Call 07903 494502, message us on WhatsApp or request a quote online. Tell us both addresses and your moving date, and we will plan around parking and access at both ends.

Frequently Asked Questions