The ‘commuter’s dream’ Nottinghamshire market town with superb rail links to London, Leeds and Sheffield

Nottinghamshire’s position in the middle of the country makes it perfect for those who need to regularly commute.

If you’re someone who has a meeting in London on Monday but needs to be in the north west to meet a client on Wednesday, there probably aren’t too many better places to set up a base than Nottinghamshire.

From an outside perspective it’s easy to assume that the only suitable place to commute from is the city of Nottingham, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Nottinghamshire is packed with delightful market towns with strong rail links, meaning you don’t have to worry about travelling into the city to then catch a train.

Inevitably, some of these commuter towns have lofty house prices due to high demand, but that’s not always the case if you look carefully.

Why Retford is Nottinghamshire’s perfect commuter town

Home to nearly 24,000 people, the market town of Retford is located in the north of Nottinghamshire.

Roughly 31 miles north of Nottingham, the town boasts a large square where a market has been held every Saturday for hundreds of years.

The town centre features many different pubs, cafes and restaurants, with plenty more located in the suburbs.

Retford residents have plenty of choice when it comes to supermarkets, with Lidl, Aldi, Morrisons and Asda all just a short walk from the town centre.

House prices in Retford have an overall average of £221,648 over the past year, which is considerably lower than the county average of £256,675.

What sets Retford apart from other Nottinghamshire market towns is its strong transport links, particularly thanks to the rail network.

Retford train station is served by Hull Trains, LNER and Northern, with the station located on the East Coast Main Line.

Commuters can benefit from direct trains to cities including London, Sheffield and Leeds, while regular Northern services to Lincoln also connect the town to its neighbouring county.

Trains to London Kings Cross take just 1 hour and 40 minutes, allowing quick access to the capital.

Retford is also just a 3.5-mile drive from the A1, making it an ideal location for commuters to set up a base.