Commuting from Reading to Fenchurch St, whats it like?

[_daveR]

Just been offered some work up in Fenchurch Street for 6 months. Now Ive never really done the big commute, its always something Ive tried to avoid. This time though the oppertunity is good and the rate is very good (well for me at least!) so Im tempted.

Im just after some ideas on how long the commute would take, any ideas on costs for the train etc.

Cheers.

[tomtom]

I don't want to put you off, but I seem to recall reading that the Paddington -> Reading (and vice versa) route is one of the most expensive and crowded as commutes to and from London go.

You'd probably have to use the tube too, to get across central London... Probably an hour in total knowing the Circle line (go to Monument).

[_daveR]

Thanks, Ive checked the ticket and its just shy of £2k for 6 months so thats nothing to worry about (£80pw.)

The tube is the bit that puts me right off though. The summer months packed in there doesn't appeal at all.

Maybe I'll take the Hammond approach and get my bike out for getting across town!

[scotal]

LeTim would be your man for this one, I tihkn he hated a similar commute so much he stayed in Hotels most of the week.

[_daveR]

Thanks scotal, hopefully LeTim will reply.

The rate is so good that its really tempting me to at least give it a go for 6 months. Worst case is that I know not to go for London gigs in future!

[john_p]

Paddington to Fenchurch St (Tower Hill?) will be at least half an hour of packed Circle line. At least if the Circle line breaks you can get the Met or District lines, but it'll be pretty unpleasant, especially when it gets hot.

Can you drive somewhere that gets into Waterloo? It's a lot nearer.
Or rent a place in Essex

e: Reading to Waterloo is actually served direct, I didn't realise. However it takes 70 minutes or so, compared to 40 minutes Reading to Paddington. Plus you still have a bit of tube at the other end.

Edited by john_p on Tuesday 11th December 20:04

[_daveR]

Driving to Fleet could be an option. It would be a 20-30 min drive from here though so Id give it a try at least.

The tube come summer was a bit of a concern! Id be quite tempted to cycle it though when the weather was good.

[deckster]

Approximately 40 bazillion people do this every day, so it's certainly do-able. Reckon on 30-40 minutes to Paddington on average (plus of course time to get to the station), forget about a seat, and then either get used to spending a lot of time on the Circle Line, or do what I do and cycle it. Fenchurch St should be doable in 30 minutes from Paddington; tube will be at least that and very often quite a lot more. Either way, unless you live right next to the station you're looking at 90 minutes plus on a good day.

I've done this for seven years, quit a couple of months ago to find something closer to home and am just starting a new contract back in the smoke, so it can't be all that bad

[okgo]

me. forget that.

Im on a fast 15 minute link to waterloo and travelling to bank when I had to killed me it took less than an hour though...

If your going to drive to fleet surely winchfield is close?

[_daveR]

Ive lived in this area all my life but had never heard of Winchfield! The waterloo idea does sound good and its something Id want to try.
Im very near to the station in Theale and its only 10 mins into Reading from there.
The cycling across town idea is growing on me more and more. Im into my cycling anyway so its not a ride that would worry me.

Cheers guys.

[UpTheIron]

Cycling: You'll no doubt find you can't take your bike on rush hour trains unless it is a folding one.

Add 50% to the travel planner on www.thetube.com

Changes of transport - car to train, different tubes etc will really slow you down.

The 0729 from Theale is direct into Paddington, and you'll be at your desk by 9am barring terrorists / signal failures / passenger incidents etc.

[JonRB]

_daveR said:

Ive lived in this area all my life but had never heard of Winchfield!

Blimey Dave! Winchfield is a few minutes on from Fleet along the line and by road is down the A30 the other side of Hartley Wintney and Phoenix Green.

Advantage of the station is that you are more likely to be able to park and because it's one stop before Fleet you have a better chance of a seat. Downside is that not all trains stop there so the service is less frequent and you're less likely to get a fast train (since if it stops at Winchfield it is more likely to be a stopping train).

When I worked in the City I always went from Fleet as it was closer to where I live but my wife prefers to drive to Winchfield for the reasons above.

The other thing I found is that a week's season ticket into Waterloo + tube travelcard was £93 a week, but 1st Class travel on the train was only £35 extra. Having some elbow room and a much better chance of a seat made a big difference to my quality of life. I'd really recommend it, especially since rail travel is an allowable business expense so it's coming out of pre-tax profit rather than your taxed income.

[JonRB]

UpTheIron said:

Cycling: You'll no doubt find you can't take your bike on rush hour trains unless it is a folding one.

Yes. This is so.

UpTheIron said:

Changes of transport - car to train, different tubes etc will really slow you down.

UpTheIron said:

The 0729 from Theale is direct into Paddington, and you'll be at your desk by 9am barring terrorists / signal failures / passenger incidents etc.

Sounds like a plan to me.

[okgo]

Winchfields car park is HUGE compaired to what it needs to be so its great.

Used to live there absoloute ghost town lol

[JonRB]

okgo said:

Winchfields car park is HUGE compaired to what it needs to be so its great.

Used to live there absoloute ghost town lol

Winchfield is a town? I thought it was a pub and a few houses clustered around a train station.

[_daveR]

Id just buy another bike and leave it up in London to get past the restrictions on bikes. Wrap it in enough duck and electrical tape and it will look so shit no one will touch it.

Jon, thanks for the suggestions. Ill probably just try both options (direct from Theale and then from Winchford.) Cheers for your email reply too.

[UpTheIron]

_daveR said:

Id just buy another bike and leave it up in London to get past the restrictions on bikes. Wrap it in enough duck and electrical tape and it will look so shit no one will touch it.

Makes sense.

Or just do I what I do - I drive South Oxon to Canary Wharf most days...as long as you arrive at 7am there is little traffic

Or get a motorbike.

[okgo]

_daveR said:

Id just buy another bike and leave it up in London to get past the restrictions on bikes. Wrap it in enough duck and electrical tape and it will look so shit no one will touch it.

Jon, thanks for the suggestions. Ill probably just try both options (direct from Theale and then from Winchford.) Cheers for your email reply too.

True, large houses though

[_daveR]

UpTheIron, driving could be an option I guess, Im not sure if they do flexible hours or not though. Im assuming you drive round the congestion tax zone though?

okgo, large houses? You've lost me mate!

[JonRB]

_daveR said:

okgo, large houses? You've lost me mate!

I think he's referring to my post about Winchfield being small, but quoted the wrong reply.