Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, England. It had a population of 107,590 in 2011 together with Kempston but the urban area has a population of about 122,943.

Bedford was founded at a ford on the River Great Ouse, and is thought to have been the burial place of Offa of Mercia. Bedford Castle was built by Henry I, although it was destroyed in 1224. Bedford was granted borough status in 1165 and has been represented in Parliament since 1265. It is well known for its large population of Italian descent, and also an increasingly large Punjabi population, and is home to the largest Sikh Gurdwara in the UK outside London.

Bedford is on the Midland Main Line, with stopping services to London and Brighton operated by Thameslink, and express services to London and the East Midlands operated by East Midlands Trains.