Long London commutes - worth it?

[JRM]

I'm looking at whether or not I could live with a long commute in order to get a bit more space for the family and some fresh air at the weekends.

Currently it takes me 35 mins door to desk and I'd be looking at going up to 1.5 hours each way, does anybody else do this and do you find it manageable or is it the massive drag I suspect it might be?

I'm aware the costs will be enormous as well, but that aside, what are people's experiences? Is it worth the sacrifice?

[Mobile Chicane]

Fine if you're a 9 to 5er. Work late and you'll feel as though you don't have a life.

[ewenm]

Anything over an hour is too much for me. Another thing to consider is whether 90mins is the average time or the maximum. If (when) something goes wrong, will it be 3 hours, are there alternative routes, how often do delays happen?

[anonymous-user]

I did it for 15 months - Beaconsfield to the City every day. (90mins each way door to desk)

After a while it really starts to grate - especially as someone else said you usually work longer hours than 9-5.

Could you work from home twice a week (Tue and Thur)? That might take the presure off a bit and make it more bareable.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 23 February 16:46

[zac510]

I have met plenty of people that do it but I wouldn't like to myself. About an hour is max for me.
And probably one day a fortnight you'll have a delayed train turning it into a 2 hour journey.

[cottonfoo]

I do 1h15m door to door. After 11 years of commuting, anything from 50m up to 1.5h in various jobs, I've had e-fking-nough of it. Add in the expected train problems now and again and you may add an hour or two onto that. It isn't really the commute itself that does my head in, it's the other commuters.

Depends if the gains are going to outweigh the losses.

[5pen]

Mobile Chicane said:

Fine if you're a 9 to 5er. Work late and you'll feel as though you don't have a life.

I'd agree with that.

I did it when working regular 9-5:30 hours and it was ok.

[road_rager]

I put up with that sort of commute... It does get to be a drag, however you do get to read lots and watch lots of films etc... When it goes wrong it's a real real pain in the arse... Expect to be out 12 hours a day and that's not with a long day at work

[hamishg]

I moved out of London a year ago to Marlow when I had my first child. Swapped my flat for a lovely house with garden, garaging etc but now spend the best part of 2 1/2 hours a day in the car. Fist few months were bearable but its now becoming a real drag and actually really tiring. As previously said, if you do 9-5 its doable but any longer and its tough.

[JRM]

That's what I was thinking, there are bound to be bad days. I generally do 8-6, but I'd make sure I came in later if I had to do a long commute and would work on the train.

I've always said 1 hour max, but I can just get so much more for my money moving further out and wonder if I can live with it

[TEKNOPUG]

1.5hr is really pushing it I think - 3hrs a day, 15hrs a week unpaid, sitting on a train?

I did it for a few years when commuting from Colchester to London. Was about an hour. However, I worked literally on top of Liverpool St. so it didn't mean having to change trains or anything.

If you can go direct it might be OK but if it's 1hour train followed by 30mins tube, I'd say no.

[sleep envy]

JRM said:

I'd make sure I came in later if I had to do a long commute and would work on the train.

no chance

[cottonfoo]

TEKNOPUG said:

If you can go direct it might be OK but if it's 1hour train followed by 30mins tube, I'd say no.

Agreed. I don't need to use the tube fortunately, but that just adds that extra bit of stness onto an already annoying journey, especially in the summer.

[JRM]

sleep envy said:

JRM said:

I'd make sure I came in later if I had to do a long commute and would work on the train.

no chance

Well that would be my excuse for leaving the office at 5:30 each day

[JRM]

cottonfoo said:

TEKNOPUG said:

If you can go direct it might be OK but if it's 1hour train followed by 30mins tube, I'd say no.

Agreed. I don't need to use the tube fortunately, but that just adds that extra bit of stness onto an already annoying journey, especially in the summer.

Yeah Waterloo and stty in the summer won't be good compared to jumping on my bike.

On the flip side my little lad would get a decent a school, fresh air, country living and a Mum for him to come home to after school - oh and I'd get a new car, just to keep it PH focused - maybe I should have asked "would you commute 1.5 hours a day in order to drive a {insert decent car here}?"

[cottonfoo]

JRM said:

"would you commute 1.5 hours a day in order to drive a {insert decent car here}?"

Funnily enough, that's why I do it (that and the cleaner air, easy access to
countryside on the bike, peace and quiet, garden, etc )

It does get very tiring though. I would like to officially work from home a couple of days a week.

[Muzzer]

JRM said:

That's what I was thinking, there are bound to be bad days. I generally do 8-6, but I'd make sure I came in later if I had to do a long commute and would work on the train.

I've always said 1 hour max, but I can just get so much more for my money moving further out and wonder if I can live with it

If you do 8-6 that's a 6.30am departure from home, with a 19.30pm coming home time.

That's a f'in long day. You may think you can cut that down, but can you? Really?

Frankly, even at 9-5 I'd think twice before a 90min commute each day. 11hours getting to, being at and getting home from work is a long time.

[sleep envy]

JRM said:

maybe I should have asked "would you commute 1.5 hours a day in order to drive a {insert decent car here}?"

I used to drive to work - mix of London and A1 (going out in the morning and back in in the evening) so it was an easy drive

comfy car, talksport on the radio, A/C bliss - would take me about an hour door to door

now I work in Victoria - 25 mins tops on the tube

as much as I liked driving I'll take the 25 min journey every time - cheaper, easier and I get to have the odd beer after work

commuting is dead time

[Herbie58]

My commute is a minimum 1 hour 30 if trains/dlr run fine. 1 hour 45 on average. I work 9 to 6.

I get up at 6:15 and don't get home until 7:30-8. By the time I've eaten, had a rest it's time for bed.

For the first month it's a shock to the system. You think people are rude, pushy and quite frankly need a slap.

After three months it's a routine,you probably have a regular coffee shop, you pick up the metro, have a system of reading it and doing the puzzles that lasts your whole journey.

After six months it's starting to wear thin, you're arse is showing the wear from an extra 4 hours a day sat on a train, the metro is news you've read on PH the day before, and you're longer make it in the office bright eyed and bushy tailed at 8:15.

After nine months you recognise people but wouldn't acknowledge them if your life depended on it. And if that fat bh (who stinks of take away) inches her foot/bag/arm any further in front of you in an attempt to get on the train/tube before you, you're gonna knock her on the tracks.

After twelve months - you're surfing the job ads.

[zac510]

Herbie do you have time or inclination to go to the supermarket and cook yourself a meal or do you just eat take out/microwave crap every night because it's so late by the time you get back?