To train or car it?

KizzyK_2

I’m travelling to Derby on Saturday from North East London; I have to be there by 12 and having never made the journey before I thought that I would see what other people would do.

I’ve looked up the journey time on RAC/AA journey planner it states about 2 and a half hours travelling, so including a break it would bring it up to 3 hours. Knowing my car I reckon it would cost about £20 in petrol both ways making travelling 6 hours and £40.

The train (according to ‘The Train Line’) takes 2.52 hours one way and 2.56 the other and costs £45. (so again 6 hours travel and but for £45).

The thing I through of is that is I go by car then I can make a detour is needed, I don’t have to carry all my stuff in a heavy bag, and I don’t have to worry about the mile and a half walk from Derby station to where I’m going.

However if I go by train then I wont be tired by driving (and I’m going to need my energy for the afternoon!), I don’t have the stress of finding a parking space in a university town on a Saturday and I’m sure that I could just get a cab from (and back to) the station for less then £5

Can I have some sensible advice please!

Of course if anyone else is going to Derby on Saturday morning from London I’ll chip in for petrol

lily_the_pink

Unfortunately you have to go up (and back again) on the M1.

I absolutely hate the M1 (more lorries than the M40 but as you are NE and Derby is close to M1 not feasible to do M40) but at weekends it is usually slightly better. M1 does tend to have roadworks (the Derby - Watford gap bit is OK at the moment but not sure as you approach London - I have never known the M1 not to have road works).

2.5 hours sounds ok as long as there are no hold ups - I would usually break the journey up somewhere (cant remember which are the nicer service stations on M1) so your guess of 3 hours should be fine.

There could always be hold ups on the train too and train food is no better (possibly worse) and no cheaper than motorway service food and coffee (I usually take a flask if I do a longish journey as it saves queuing and paying over £2 for a cup of milky coffee).

I would drive myself - leave as early as possible and have a good stop en-route.

I am not going in that direction this weekend so cant offer a lift!

student100

Are the trains direct? If so I'd be tempted to get the train (it might be delayed a little but at least you can't miss a connection). If you need to connect then I'd probably say driving is easier.

(In response to the comment above... whilst I don't think they go that way, Virgin Trains have excellent and reasonably priced (comparatively) coffee...although all the other train companies seem to do lousy instant coffee stuff.)

rdwarr

M1 may be bad south of Luton then there is the problem of getting there. M25 has roadworks at the M10 jucntion and N Circular will be trafficky in the Arnos Grove area.
M11-A14 may be a much nicer route to the Midlands.

lily_the_pink

student100 wrote:

Are the trains direct? If so I'd be tempted to get the train (it might be delayed a little but at least you can't miss a connection). If you need to connect then I'd probably say driving is easier.

(In response to the comment above... whilst I don't think they go that way, Virgin Trains have excellent and reasonably priced (comparatively) coffee...although all the other train companies seem to do lousy instant coffee stuff.)

You are right about the coffee on virgin trains - excellent might be pushing it a bit far but it is pretty good. Not virgin trains to Derby (leave from St Pancreas or Kings Cross if I remember - from there is usually direct).

KizzyK_2

Thanks everyone

Ive just looked up Virgin trains (only looked on train line before but now I know), they do a 'value seat' ( Just a plank of wood over the wheels? ) for £16 return from Kings cross Thameslink to Derby via a change at Luton.

Ive been thinking about this while I ate my dinner - I can get easily stressed (and lost ) on motorways and at least on a train my only worry is missing my connection and not other road users :rolleyes:

But thanks for all you comments :beer: