Planning a london commute - help?!

investme

Hey, just looking for a bit of help from any experienced commuters.

Long story short, me and my girlfriend are both currently students. We've both been fortunate enough to be offered graduate jobs, myself in Martlesham near ipswich and her in Sunbury, near London.

She's a bit oblivious as to how much things cost, and has always wanted to live in london, however I have some money put away for a house deposit and I am very much against spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on a glorified shoebox just because it's near london!

So my plan was to suggest we live nearer to where I work (preferably in felixstowe / ipswich as I have friends and family that we both know there) and she commutes to london. Generally central london stations are a little over an hour on the train from ipswich, so an acceptable commute. However I was unaware how poor the transport links are to sunbury. A typical commute from ipswich would be around 2 and a half hours, which is far too long for me to expect her to do.

I'm not one to use public transport that often, never really needed too so i've absolutely no idea where to check or where certain stations are in relation to one another etc. Driving is an option, perhaps driving to a station then taking a train. Perhaps the london bus service might be quicker.

Would really appreciate some help on this!

spiro

Driving to Sunbury is not going to be practical because its about 100 miles each way. Thats about 25 gallons of fuel a week plus 5hrs per day so no better than the train. Using something like Trainline will give you train times between any 2 stations. You also need to look at the frequency of the trains, no good planning a route that only has 1 fast train per hours.

Given 1hr into London, allow say 20min connection time to a train out of London that gives you 1hr 20min before you add on a 2nd train. Have you checked the price of a season ticket for the journey because I think you will be shocked.

laird

http://www.travelinesoutheast.org.uk is probably the best option as your journey is entirely within their region. It will take into account all the possible transport methods (except driving).

Do either of your employers offer season ticket loans or reimbursements as that might be a deciding factor on where you are best to compromise on living.

To get prices use:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/
and
For rail or rail with a london travelcard:
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/seasonticket/search

Buying a Sunbury to destination annual season ticket from South West Trains will mean you get free weekend passes for their network so are the best choice of ticket sellers on your route.

dzug1

Or she lives in Sunbury, you live in Ipswich and you meet in London at weekends

There isn't really a solution to your problem - other than getting a new GF, which isn't really what you want

rdwarr

I'm with dzug1 on this. The two jobs are too far away to make long-distance commuting an option. I would buy a house near Martlesham (which will be cheaper than London) and use the money you save on commuting to rent a room/flat near Sunbury durung the week.
If it's BP then it's not really walkable from a station so there will be a bus ride/drive there anyway.
I've done the "see each other at weekends" a couple of times in the past for a year or so and it's been fine. Once you've been working for a bit then there may be an opportunity to change jobs to be closer.

katejo

If you decide to rent a Mon to Fri room, try http://www.mondaytofriday.com/

There are quite a few homeowners who want to let a room during the week but have the house to themselves at the weekend.

Altarf

investme wrote: »

I was unaware how poor the transport links are to sunbury.

If it is BP, you would be better catching the train to Feltham, not Sunbury, faster more frequent trains, within zone 6, and BP run shuttle buses to their offices from that station.

But as others have said, Ipswich to Sunbury by whatever method is impossible to do daily.

princeofpounds

As everyone else has said, you need to get your distances right in your head because at the moment you are way out in your perspective of scale.

Sunbury may be within the M25 but it isn't even in London, it's in Surrey.

tanith

princeofpounds wrote: »

As everyone else has said, you need to get your distances right in your head because at the moment you are way out in your perspective of scale.

Sunbury may be within the M25 but it isn't even in London, it's in Surrey.

Sunbury definitely is not what I would call in London. Its a long way out.. I agree with the others that commute isn't doable.

flea72

Sunbury is no way commutable from ipswich. Driving, or public transport.

There is also no midground which would make it a reasonable commute for you both. Ie st albans still gives you both about an hour and a half commute on a good day and obviously property is so much more expensive there than ipswich anyway

I agree it looks like you will have to live apart on weekdays, but wouldnt do the 5 day week rental, as if you have full access to 2 properties, it means you can alternate the commute at weekends, so one person isnt doing it every week

My parents lived like this for about 5 yrs, mum in essex, dad in west country, so same direction commute as you are looking at, but double the distance. It was hard, but they just about survived. If my dad had to do it every week it would have killed him, as the drive was so tiring. Ie leave work at 6 be back here around midnight, then leave home mid sunday evening or very early monday morning to get back to bristol

Tbh sunbury is a great location. Easy commute to capital from feltham or hampton court if you want days out in city. Heathrow local for holiday. hour or so from bath. Theme parks on your doorstep

But daily commute is a real no-no