Commute- How far is too far?

smifffy1989

Job is pretty near to my dream job, plenty of scope for promotion and the role sounds fantastic. In terms of moving, this is possible. My partner works in town near here so there is her job to consider here.

So I should clarify I the timings are all daily...

Current

20 miles a day

Max 90 minutes a day, usually 60 minutes.

Potential

120 Miles a day

1 hour 20 minutes each way = 2 hours 40 minutes a day

Probably more realistic it would be 3 hours.

So I guess based on the answers 90 mins each way max, I guess there is the benefit that the commute would be free (or be it a slight tax related charge).

Thank you to all those who have answered.

gettingready

90 minutes each way is kind of normal in London really , not a big deal

flea72

OP an hour and a half (on a bad day) isnt too long a commute if everything else about the job, lives up to expectations/reality.

I would personally give myself a good 6m to see how good/bad it can be. There is always the option in the future to move midway between yours and your partners jobs, if it proves too much of a commute.

You currently commute 20 miles and it takes roughly the same time as your new commute, so time wise you wont be losing much, and motorway driving tends to be more relaxing than in town with all the stop/starts.

On paper it doesnt seem much of a hardship

InsideInsurance

Commute is on average 2 hours but thats a combination of walking, train, tube and waiting on platforms etc. Have been doing that for 3.5 years now and probably have a couple more to go. Personally would much rather drive but that really isnt feasible into the centre of London.

I know a few guys who do/ did 3 hours each way, one drove from Derby to the City each day (270 miles or so), another catching two trains from north coastal Norfolk into the City.

At the end of the day only you can balance life with work and cost of living. As others have said, fairly long commutes are the norm in London as people would rather live in the Home Counties and own a house and commute in than live in mid London in a small flat and have a short commute.

Scorpio33

Having worked in London - 1 hour and a half (One way) is a normal commute, travelling by train/tube.


However, having also worked outside of London, 1 hour and a half (One way) by car, is tiring. On a train you can relax and even potentially have a kip. Driving you a concentrating all the way, which makes it tiring after an hour or so.


I would say the job, travelling by car, is ok in the short term - as long as you have a plan in place to reduce that commute (Moving or use it as a stepping stone to something nearer home). The driving + the job will tire you out.

Spidernick

An hour an a half's commute each way is above average but is hardly exceptional. You will also not have any depreciation costs to deal with and effectively your travel costs to and from work will be subsidised by virtue of the fact that all you will be paying in this regard is the tax on the fuel benefit, so you are immediately better off than most people and your new travel costs could even be cheaper than what you currently pay.

If you don't have delays then motorway driving isn't as stressful (to my mind) as stopping and starting in towns and cities. Ironically, you may even find the longer drive is less stressful than your current commute.

I'm sure you will have horrendous days when you get stuck for hours due to an accident, but then everyone does unless they walk to work.

If the travel is your biggest negative about this new job then I think you're doing very well indeed!

bap98189

Personally I wouldn't commute more than half an hour each way (unless it was for a short period).

2.5 hours each way daily. No chance, life is too short to spend it sitting in traffic every day.

tea_lover

Longest I did was 60 miles each way, took a min of 90 mins usually more like 2+ hrs (M6, around Birmingham, not good).

Never again.

Personally I wouldn't consider anymore than about 30 mins each way now. Am currently very lucky as am 2.5 miles away - however, the short commute is the only good thing about it so am looking for something else.

macca1974

1 hr 20 each way doesn't seem that bad to me only an extra half hour each way on what you are used to, probably worth it if its your dream job.

Might be worth having a go at the journey a couple of times at the time you will be commuting to see if it is a realistic figure so you don't get any surprises.

smifffy1989

Looks like I have a meeting about it next Friday so I will have an idea of the coming home part of the journey. Thanks for all your comments much appreciated