Moving Further from city centre - cheaper but commute??

pimento

Yes, door to door. It's National Express East Anglia and the rolling stock is almost old enough to be steam driven.

pinkteapot

Mine is 80 minutes door to door each way, and I'm going down to 3 days a week from next week as I can't take it any more! I get home at 7pm but I go to bed at 9-9:30pm as I'm up at 6am and need my beauty sleep. By the time we've eaten, cleared up and watched telly for half an hour there's no evening left during the week.

I would be happy with your journey if seats are available on the fast trains. Have you tried travelling on them in rush hour? My town has a fast train that takes 50 minutes but you can't get a seat in the morning, so I get the slower train at 1 hour 5 minutes.

33 minutes on a train is fine (assuming a seat!). 45 minutes isn't bad - I had that up until last year when we moved slightly further out. Your walks at either end sound lovely and short too.

I have always limited myself to jobs within walking distance of the station I come in to. I have consistently refused to get the mainline train in and then get a tube afterwards.

EDIT: Hehe pimento, I'm another NXEA commuter. As I said, I'm going down to part-time partly thanks to them. I moved to Colchester last August and three months later they stopped most of our morning Intercities, significantly increasing the journey time.

hazyjo

pimento, I get the Southend train to Shenfield sometimes - was gonna say look out for me, I'll be the one doing my lippy and mascara en route, but I'm on it far later than you. One of those getting off nearer 7pm, unfortunately!

Jx

crazycatlady1984

the trains are pretty regular, at least 3 per hour, and pretty reliable, although if something goes wrong I could drive or get the bus.

I realise going from 5mins at the moment to 33-45mins when I move to the new house will mean I have less time at home, however, as much as I love my wee flat I'm in at the moment, we have outgrown it, we are bursting out of it and I cannot relax when I get in from work as there is constant housework to do (there is not nearly enough cupboard space, so everything is ending up all over the place and we cant relax!); in new house, ther is enough room for everything, its not crowded, and also have a lovely big garden to relax in :T so, all in all, I think I will actually have more time to relax, despite the journey.