From Watford Junction to Bank daily work commute

FJerry

Hi there,

I'm new here so please be nice!

I have recently been offered a job in Bank but I don't know if I will accept it due to how expensive travel is. I was wondering if anybody here can help me and share some tips.

I will be going from Watford Junction to Euston and then the Northern line to Bank.

I can't guarantee I will be getting the train every single day due to holiday or sickness.

So currently I am looking at getting weekly or monthly travel cards and this looks like it will cost me about 330 a month. This will be too much for me and I don't think I will accept the job. It sounds like a great opportunity but I just can't afford it at this price.

If you can help me cut it down to around 220-250 that would be ideal.

I spoke to someone and they said this is possible by using my oyster card to pay for the Watford to Euston part of the journey and then buying a zone 1 and 2 travel card and adding it to the oyster account for the other part. He says this works out at about 220. I am a bit skeptical.

I would love your advice to get the best price for my commute.

Thank you.

ThemeOne

A monthly season from Watford Junction to London Euston is £288.40, and a zone 1-2 monthly travelcard is £126.80, so no saving there.

The only way to save money I can think of is to get a Zone 2-9 + Watford Junction Travelcard for £223.20, get off the train at a Zone 2 station and get a bus from there to Bank (the £223.20 will include the bus travel). It will take much longer, and my guess is would be a tortuous journey.

ThemeOne

Another option might be to go from Watford High Street instead, this means you'd only need a Zones 1-8 travelcard at £296.60 per month.

Andy_L

Unfortunately it costs what it costs. To get any cheaper you need to move closer.

Can you work compressed hours at the new job ie 4 long days a week instead of 5 normal or arrange start/finish times that are outside peak fare times?

yorkie2

ThemeOne wrote: »

A monthly season from Watford Junction to London Euston is £288.40, and a zone 1-2 monthly travelcard is £126.80, so no saving there.

The only way to save money I can think of is to get a Zone 2-9 + Watford Junction Travelcard for £223.20, get off the train at a Zone 2 station and get a bus from there to Bank (the £223.20 will include the bus travel). It will take much longer, and my guess is would be a tortuous journey.

Indeed. Watford Jn to Dalston Kingsland (changing at Willesden Jn; it may also sometimes be quicker to additionally change at Harrow & Wealdstone or Wembley Central) is about 1 hr 10min, and then 242 bus from there. Total journey time around 1 hr 40min. Each way.

If the salary is good, the saving isn't going to be worth the time penaty!

jon81uk

Even accounting for holiday, an annual travel card can work out a good deal as you get 52 weeks for the price of 40. Or compared to monthly travelcards you get about 6-7 weeks free. So any travel you do using the travelcard at the weekend or on a holiday or day off is effectivly free. Or if you go to another part of London to meet a friend for dinner and then get the tube that journey is effectively free.
If your new employer offers a season ticket loan then you can pay back the cost of the travel card over 10/12 months and that will work out your best option if you work five days a week.
Looking at TfL fares there is no saving to not use the tube from Euston as it is still zone one, so if you use Overground and Northern Line its the same fare as just using Overground. But you may be able to get National Rail only season ticket cheaper, then bike from Euston, maybe using a hire bike. Or even walk from Euston. But the saving probably isn't worth it.

Basically if you are working five days a week and don't often work from home, then an annual ticket is best as long as you don't take more than six weeks holiday that means you don't use trains/tube.

elverson

You could also consider using the Metropolitan line from Watford Met (Zone 7) to Moorgate which is near Bank. That would cost £251 per month.

In the peak periods there are direct trains from Watford Met to Moorgate, and outside the peaks it's an easy change at Baker Street.