GOOD trains to London
Discussion
This is an "I love my train service" thread!! 
Following on from the doom and gloom trains to London thread (http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=485037 ), I wondered if any of you can suggest some GOOD commuting train routes to London?
We're trying to find a place to move to (currently live inside London, want to go outside), but haven't come up with an ideal.
When looking at a property's details they always say where the nearest commuting station is, and that's easy to look up, as is if it has a car park. But all this talk of you have to get on a waiting list to get a place in a car park and all the trains being full aaaand the trains being crap, etc.. is quite a problem.
There was one area I was looking at that seemed to work in theory. Until I met a chap at work who actually uses it who told me the reality.
So, if anyone can suggest something that works, it'd be helpful for me to have a look around that area.
Ta
(It needs to go into Waterloo or London Bridge.. and have car parking (available!!))
Following on from the doom and gloom trains to London thread (http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=485037 ), I wondered if any of you can suggest some GOOD commuting train routes to London?
We're trying to find a place to move to (currently live inside London, want to go outside), but haven't come up with an ideal.
When looking at a property's details they always say where the nearest commuting station is, and that's easy to look up, as is if it has a car park. But all this talk of you have to get on a waiting list to get a place in a car park and all the trains being full aaaand the trains being crap, etc.. is quite a problem.
There was one area I was looking at that seemed to work in theory. Until I met a chap at work who actually uses it who told me the reality.
So, if anyone can suggest something that works, it'd be helpful for me to have a look around that area.
Ta
(It needs to go into Waterloo or London Bridge.. and have car parking (available!!))
pikey said:
This is an "I love my train service" thread!!
Following on from the doom and gloom trains to London thread (http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=485037 ), I wondered if any of you can suggest some GOOD commuting train routes to London?
We're trying to find a place to move to (currently live inside London, want to go outside), but haven't come up with an ideal.
When looking at a property's details they always say where the nearest commuting station is, and that's easy to look up, as is if it has a car park. But all this talk of you have to get on a waiting list to get a place in a car park and all the trains being full aaaand the trains being crap, etc.. is quite a problem.
There was one area I was looking at that seemed to work in theory. Until I met a chap at work who actually uses it who told me the reality.
So, if anyone can suggest something that works, it'd be helpful for me to have a look around that area.
Ta
(It needs to go into Waterloo or London Bridge.. and have car parking (available!!))
BournemouthFollowing on from the doom and gloom trains to London thread (http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=485037 ), I wondered if any of you can suggest some GOOD commuting train routes to London?
We're trying to find a place to move to (currently live inside London, want to go outside), but haven't come up with an ideal.
When looking at a property's details they always say where the nearest commuting station is, and that's easy to look up, as is if it has a car park. But all this talk of you have to get on a waiting list to get a place in a car park and all the trains being full aaaand the trains being crap, etc.. is quite a problem.
There was one area I was looking at that seemed to work in theory. Until I met a chap at work who actually uses it who told me the reality.
So, if anyone can suggest something that works, it'd be helpful for me to have a look around that area.
Ta
(It needs to go into Waterloo or London Bridge.. and have car parking (available!!))
I think the Southern Trains London-Brighton line is probably one of the best, certainly the best I've used.
In the last 18 months I've only been delayed 4-5 times and that has been for genuine reasons when they have had bad storms or heavy snow.
So any of them that stop at Brighton, Haywards Heath, Three Bridges, Gatwick etc seem to be very good. All allow easy access to virtually any London station because they stop at East Croydon and Clapham Junction.
Additionally there is the Capital Connect service which also goes through to St Pancras.
Parking doesn't seem to be a problem, although I suspect Gatwick would be expensive,
I pay £4 per day at Hove, or £10 at Brighton. (although season tickets bring those down substantially - £600 per year for Brighon IIRC)
Hove/Brighton -London Bridge or Victoria -1.05
Haywards Heath - London - 45min
In the last 18 months I've only been delayed 4-5 times and that has been for genuine reasons when they have had bad storms or heavy snow.
So any of them that stop at Brighton, Haywards Heath, Three Bridges, Gatwick etc seem to be very good. All allow easy access to virtually any London station because they stop at East Croydon and Clapham Junction.
Additionally there is the Capital Connect service which also goes through to St Pancras.
Parking doesn't seem to be a problem, although I suspect Gatwick would be expensive,
I pay £4 per day at Hove, or £10 at Brighton. (although season tickets bring those down substantially - £600 per year for Brighon IIRC)
Hove/Brighton -London Bridge or Victoria -1.05
Haywards Heath - London - 45min
Edited by kiwisr on Wednesday 16th January 13:29
I use Southern, day in day out. If late, it is normally by 3 or 4 mins, however, this is rare. My train has been cancelled about half a dozen times in the 5 years I have been using it to get to work. getting home is usually where the trouble starts.
It takes me 32 mins to get to London Bridge and has car parking at £3.30 a day. But I don't need to use it 'cos i live a 1 minute walk from the station.
In surrey by the way
It takes me 32 mins to get to London Bridge and has car parking at £3.30 a day. But I don't need to use it 'cos i live a 1 minute walk from the station.
In surrey by the way
Check out the towns and villages on the Waterloo - Basingsgtoke line. e.g. Winchfield in Hampshire.
Haven't been on a peak time train on that line for a while, but whilst it's busy you should get a seat and its under an hour into London.
I never had a problem when I used it, but I don't anymore, and never did that often.
Haven't been on a peak time train on that line for a while, but whilst it's busy you should get a seat and its under an hour into London.
I never had a problem when I used it, but I don't anymore, and never did that often.
pikey said:
chrisr29 said:
How far out of London do you want to go?
Wadhurst's pretty good. It's on the Kent/East Sussex border, about an hour into London Bridge.
Time more than distance. 30 mins would be ideal, 45 mins would be great, an hour would be right at the maximum.Wadhurst's pretty good. It's on the Kent/East Sussex border, about an hour into London Bridge.
Sevenoaks is 30 mins, Tonbridge 45 and Tunbridge Wells 50. Wadhurst is a couple of stops down from Tun Wells.
Parking is a bit tricky at the others though....unless you live in town and walk.
pikey said:
chrisr29 said:
How far out of London do you want to go?
Wadhurst's pretty good. It's on the Kent/East Sussex border, about an hour into London Bridge.
Time more than distance. 30 mins would be ideal, 45 mins would be great, an hour would be right at the maximum.Wadhurst's pretty good. It's on the Kent/East Sussex border, about an hour into London Bridge.
Maxf said:
pikey said:
scotal said:
soeone told me its £8 a day to park at their station.
Where is it? Picadilly??A few years ago the times newspaper published a book called the commuter's guide to london (or something like that) which lists every town they considered was a commutable distance to london, how easy/expensive it was to commute in to london and what the town was like in terms of housing, facilities, schools and so on. Our copy is about 6 years ago but was very useful to us when we moved down from the north. If they do one every year then this would be ideal for you or if you can pick up a recent second hand copy then it would be a good starting point.
How long a commute are you willing to endure?
I travel in from Tonbridge and would consider the service quite good compared to many that I hear about and others that I have used. In 18 months I cannot remember a train being cancelled, and even delays have been rare.
On the odd day it can be a bit tricky getting a seat, but in my experience this is rare. This can depend on when you need to be in London for - If you can leave Tonbridge before 7 or after 8 I doubt you'd ever have a problem.
Tonbridge is a hadily placed because it is where two main lines join and consequently trains are reasonably frequent. You get a good choice of London Terminus too - London Bridge, Waterloo East, Charing Cross and Cannon Street are all well served and some trains will only stop at Sevenoaks in between. I go to Cannon Street which takes about 45mins in the morning and a bit less in the evening - knock off 5 mins or so for London Bridge.
Car Parking - not sure about this as I live close enough to walk. I do know it's expensive, but cannot comment on whether it's available or not.
Whether you'd want to live in Tonbridge or not is another question! It suits me, but understand your requirement may be different. There are loads of nice villages close by if driving to and parking at the station are viable - Leigh, Penshurst, Speldhurst, Bidborough, Shipbourne, Plaxtol to name a few are all within about 5-15 mins drive.
I travel in from Tonbridge and would consider the service quite good compared to many that I hear about and others that I have used. In 18 months I cannot remember a train being cancelled, and even delays have been rare.
On the odd day it can be a bit tricky getting a seat, but in my experience this is rare. This can depend on when you need to be in London for - If you can leave Tonbridge before 7 or after 8 I doubt you'd ever have a problem.
Tonbridge is a hadily placed because it is where two main lines join and consequently trains are reasonably frequent. You get a good choice of London Terminus too - London Bridge, Waterloo East, Charing Cross and Cannon Street are all well served and some trains will only stop at Sevenoaks in between. I go to Cannon Street which takes about 45mins in the morning and a bit less in the evening - knock off 5 mins or so for London Bridge.
Car Parking - not sure about this as I live close enough to walk. I do know it's expensive, but cannot comment on whether it's available or not.
Whether you'd want to live in Tonbridge or not is another question! It suits me, but understand your requirement may be different. There are loads of nice villages close by if driving to and parking at the station are viable - Leigh, Penshurst, Speldhurst, Bidborough, Shipbourne, Plaxtol to name a few are all within about 5-15 mins drive.
chrisr29 said:
pikey said:
chrisr29 said:
How far out of London do you want to go?
Wadhurst's pretty good. It's on the Kent/East Sussex border, about an hour into London Bridge.
Time more than distance. 30 mins would be ideal, 45 mins would be great, an hour would be right at the maximum.Wadhurst's pretty good. It's on the Kent/East Sussex border, about an hour into London Bridge.
Sevenoaks is 30 mins, Tonbridge 45 and Tunbridge Wells 50. Wadhurst is a couple of stops down from Tun Wells.
Parking is a bit tricky at the others though....unless you live in town and walk.
Southeastern Trains are not bad, always seems to be somekind of service even in strikes and bad weather. They come into London Bridge and Waterloo East
Im assuming the comment that "Sevenoaks is 30 mins" is a fast train as its 25 mins to Orpington on a stopper and that goes to Sevenoaks
bracken78 said:
Apart from the 2.5K cost I’m reasonable happy with my commute from Guildford to Waterloo. Takes 35 ish minutes, and I always get a seat.
I don't have to park, so don't know the cost as I walk to the station.
What is the parking at Guildford like? I see a few places crop up at village close enough.I don't have to park, so don't know the cost as I walk to the station.
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