Reducing the commuting cost!!

dalleyne

After this years rises, the price of commuting into London is beginning to get a bit silly!

I travel from hertfordshire to London Euston then onto Kensington.

Its looking like the cheapest way in is to train to euston then cycle across or to learn to ride a Motorbike and use that.

The only problem with both of these options is the increased likelyhood of an early death, which i don't really fancy?

I have the added complication that i currently live close to the main line station and need the flexibility to be able to get home quickly as i do the evening late school run 3 days a week at the moment.

Any ideas?
I've thought of the greenline bus, but it may not be flexible enough for the early evening commute to pick up the kids, and maybe not quick enough either?

kerby_crawler

dalleyne wrote: »

Its looking like the cheapest way in is to train to euston then cycle across or to learn to ride a Motorbike and use that.

The only problem with both of these options is the increased likelyhood of an early death, which i don't really fancy

The 'early death' thing mostly applies to riders who fail to recognise their place in the pecking order!

Andy_L

What about the housing/travel costs/salary/travel time ratios of moving closer to work or getting a job closer to home

Mr_Moo_2

Euston to Kensington is definately bikeable. Cycling deaths in London get a lot of publicity but thousands of other journeys happen without any incident whatsoever. You need to get the balance right between being sufficiently assertive but avoiding doing numpty stuff which does place you in danger.

As an alternative are you near enough to Watford/Amersham etc to drive to the Tube and use that instead? Might not fit your school run requirements?

rdwarr

Isn't there a train from Watford to Kensington Olympia which would allow you to use a "Not via London" cheaper ticket?

thelawnet

What is your actual journey - from which station to which station?

Andy_L

rdwarr wrote: »

Isn't there a train from Watford to Kensington Olympia which would allow you to use a "Not via London" cheaper ticket?

Yes, Southern Rail run the West London Line that avoids zone 1 (and goes all the wayout to Milton Keynes), so about £1k/year cheaper. You can also get the overground but it takes forever & you have to change at Wilsden Junction

Twopints

Lift Share?

geordie_taxi

with season tickets complain.

no seating - complain
dirty train - complain
toilet not working - complain
no stella on trolly - complain
lack of first class - complain
rude staff - complain
anything else you feel - complain

cant complain about late trains tho. their covered by different rules but if you complain about everything else u will get loads back in compo vouchers to use next year

liz545

As you work in Kensington, you're eligible for free cycling training - more info here. Even if you don't end up cycling every day, it's worth checking out - they help you cycle more safely and confidently, and help you plan a route that you're comfortable with. Even now the prices have gone up, the £90 cost of an annual Boris Bike pass is significantly cheaper than the equivalent tube/bus/taxi fares.

rdwarr

geordie_taxi wrote: »

with season tickets complain.

no seating - complain
dirty train - complain
toilet not working - complain
no stella on trolly - complain
lack of first class - complain
rude staff - complain
anything else you feel - complain

cant complain about late trains tho. their covered by different rules but if you complain about everything else u will get loads back in compo vouchers to use next year

geordie_taxi wrote: »

rude staff you shouldnt have to take that. ask the offending person for their name, company and pay number they have to provide it. submit a complaint against the train company and you will get loads of compo from said train company. works nicely for you next train trip

geordie_taxi wrote: »

wot about the taxi fare? surely hes initiated for some compo there as he had an timed event to go to and through no fault of his own missed the start of it

i wud send the taxi invoice to them aswell explain to the toc that because of them you missed the start of a business meeting at doncaster race course. boud to get some compo for that

geordie_taxi wrote: »

well id still try my luck. at the moment every complaint i send in i seem to get back some compo even for daft thing that u wud think nah they wont swallow that.

nice little earner at the moment

All within half an hour.

Where do you think all your "compo" comes from? It's from the same high fares that we all pay and you love to complain about.