Car v Train - what would you do in this scenario?

Wyndham

I'd try both, see how they worked out.

I'm in the office two days this week, yesterday I did a mix of bike and train (including taking the bike on the train), but time didn't matter so much. Tomorrow I'm driving as I have to be home for an appointment (and I admit I like the idea of an airconditioned car over what is likely to be a very hot train!)

I also have decent cycle parking at work, which makes a difference. If I needed to leave it there overnight for some reason, it would be secure and safe. I assume you've already factored this in?

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099935#Comment_82099935

I think in general people underestimate the cost of driving a car.

If you did proper business type accounting, you would split the cost of insurance, VED etc over all journeys.

Personally I would think £1 to £2 for wear and tear per journey is an underestimate. Another poster rightly mentioned increased depreciation can be a significant factor due to the extra miles.

So overall I would think the real cost of using the car is very similar to the train fare, maybe even a bit more.

OP - You can check using this calculator.

Cost Per Mile Calculator UK — True Cost of Driving Per Mile

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101702#Comment_82101702

That might be true if you're comparing using the train vs not having a car at all, but I was working based on OP keeping the car for other needs and so only looked at additinal costs due to the 80 mile commute twice a week.

The VED, insurance, and a large chunk of thr depreciation are all still going to apply even if you leave the car on the drive.

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101843#Comment_82101843

The extra miles will increase the depreciation, compared to it sitting on a drive.

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101917#Comment_82101917

Absolutely- that was part of my estimate. A 4 year old polo with 40k miles is worth between £200-800 more than one with 48k miles, so that 160 miles of commuting each week is costing you about 2-9p per mile in depreciation (on top of the routine depreciation due to age). My calculation is the bottom end, but even taking the middle point or the high end doesn't bring you up to the cost of the train.

As you noted though, comparing the train to no car at all is a different story!

victor2

How reliable is the train service, and what would you do in the event of cancellations, delays, strikes etc?

If you'll still keep the car anyway, I'd use that and suck up the additional cost due to fuel and wear and tear.

silverwhistle

I find driving relaxing - sitting in my own bubble, podcasts, music or audio books on.

Ah! That would explain some of the driving I see!

At the end of a tiring day I'd rather not have to concentrate on driving. Maybe use the train to catch up on some less important reading or the like.

Ideal solution would be drive in and get the train home…

mark_cycling00

The mileage calculator is interesting

The electricity cost for my commute is 53p

But the total cost is more like £7.50

If I worked closer to the train station the cost would be about £7 but I bet I'd be tempted to buy an expensive coffee most mornings 😉

Rosa_Damascena

There are trade-offs including environmental impact, but on balance I think I would rather drive if its just 2 days a week and there is safe parking. You'll find the drive becomes "shorter" the more you do it.

Ditzy_Mitzy

I faced a similar conundrum years ago, albeit one complicated by living several miles distant from the nearest railway station. Choices were, therefore:

1. Drive all the way to work — circa 23 miles — and park in a pay-and-display car park a short distance from the office.
2. Catch a bus to the station, catch a train and then walk to the office at the other end.
3. Drive to the station, pay to park and then catch the train.

The first option took somewhere between 40 minutes and an hour, dependent on traffic. I never tried the second because it would have taken best part of an hour-and-a-half. Third option took about three-quarters of an hour.

I started with the third, i.e. the multimodal car-and-rail journey. It quickly became intolerable, not so much for the time but for the mucking about: having to pay for parking tickets in the rain, standing on freezing railway platforms, not getting a seat on the train, getting stuck in the queue to leave the station, etc. The cost quickly became intolerable, too.

One day I just thought 'knickers to it', drove past the station and continued all the way to work. Didn't take the train once after that!

Don't overlook the luxury of just being able to get in the car at the end of the day and go home.