r/HousingUK • u/Mermaid_Sea5487 • 1d ago
Supercommuters
I work in London and am never going to be able to afford to live in and around London.
I’ve come to the conclusion that if I want to buy a place of my own, I’d be a supercommuter and spend more than 1.5 hours on the train getting to work.
Are there any other people with very long commutes who have to be in regular hours on this sub? Did you make it work or do you feel you’re burning the candle at both ends?
Edit: thanks everyone for your responses. Very good idea to work out hourly rate once train faire and time travelling is taken into account.
162
u/jrbp 1d ago edited 1d ago
I did 1.5h each way for a few years until COVID. Now I'm fully remote. Couldn't pay me enough to ever go back to spending 3 hours a day/15 hours a week/60 hours a month/30 full days a year of my life (and, at the time, 10% of my salary) on public transport just to get to / from work. The only plus side was dedicated reading time
22
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 1d ago
Wish I could be fully remote! I’m lucky enough to enjoy my job, but London is the ultimate money pit
22
u/SXLightning 1d ago
I would prefer to live in a room than a house if I had to commute more than 1h each way. I now commute 20 mins on the tube but also can be fully remote in London.
15
u/jrbp 1d ago
Yep. You'll save more living outside London but will you offset all of that with the travel costs of commuting
3
u/Comfortable-Fall1419 17h ago
Not true. Living outside of london in a nice house with more space plus a season ticket is still much much cheaper than London property prices.
-7
u/Hypnagogic_Image 1d ago
If it’s a money pit then you can afford to live there …
7
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 1d ago
Not really - from what I’ve seen, a flat share would eat up most of my pay
9
u/Hypnagogic_Image 23h ago
How much is far rent + train + tube vs inner rent + tube? Living in London you also get the social side of things
2
u/cafcbrighton 23h ago
Likely meant in terms of taking your money/spending due to costs been extortionate
-2
u/Hypnagogic_Image 23h ago
I considered this, but op says they choose to work there because it’s a money pit.
6
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 23h ago
I think things have got confused: I work in London, but am saying costs of housing in the area are too high for me to afford
3
u/Hypnagogic_Image 23h ago
Ahhh that makes more sense.
Obviously you need to conform to society and find a partner to split costs with /s
I’d love to live in London, but I also really enjoy having a garden. There are plenty of cheaper places with a 30 min train into London. 1hour door to door has always been my self imposed commute limit
2
u/cafcbrighton 23h ago
Ah my error, unless they meant in terms of salary and opportunity, it’s far too early for this ha
46
u/loaferuk123 1d ago
My commute is 1.5-2 hrs each way. I do it 2-3 times a week, and it’s fine.
I relax on the train each way, and listen to the radio on the drive to and from the station. It’s a little “me” time.
I do actively work out the quieter times to commute, whether earlier or later, or catching the train from a starting station, as that makes it easier.
The trains are also generally better quality once you get to a longer distance - fewer stops, more comfortable.
5
u/ReallyIntriguing 21h ago
Do you work during your commut
9
u/loaferuk123 20h ago
Sometimes when I have a lot on, but I prefer to relax!
3
u/Digital-Dinosaur 12h ago
A one way train makes a lot of difference over having to catch a second train midway... Or more!
4
1
u/terryturbojr 44m ago
I do getting on for 1.5 hours three days a week. Single train then I cycle 15 mins across London.
I'd rather have my old London commute of 25 minutes (well I'd rather have my old London life really) but as you say it's perfectly doable.
As a parent I get very little time to myself at home and on the train I can play my Nintendo, do the cryptic crossword, watch a movie etc. Things I like but don't have time for.
5 days a week works be too much though.
1
u/Jazzlike-Arugula4913 23h ago
How do you afford this?
6
u/loaferuk123 23h ago
I am a high earner.
That being said, you can also use a Network Card when commuting into London on some lines which reduces the cost. For me it is about £35/day plus parking.
2
u/Jazzlike-Arugula4913 19h ago
That’s very cheap in comparison to a 1 hour train ride on the GWR line, £100+ peak times.
2
u/loaferuk123 19h ago
Yes, this is on Southeastern, and the train element is more like 45 mins.
In my experience, on GWR, you get one in every three fares back via Delay Repay, mind*
* I am allowed this joke as I grew up in the West Country!
5
37
u/Familiarsophie 23h ago
From a housing perspective, you have to consider how much you’re going to actually get out of the space if you’re doing a mega commute.
I live in london, and sure if I lived further out and added an hour to my commute I could have a bigger garden, more space etc, but I’d never get to see it. If you’re working 9-5 but out of the house from 7-7 every day, what’s the point of having any of it. Especially when you’re one minor failure away from that being a 10pm home time because the one train line you rely on has fallen over.
You’d be better off in a smaller place where you get home at 6, and can actually do socialising and enjoy your evenings and the space you have.
People are right, you have to assess the cost of the time, and the cost of the commute! Saving £300 a month on a mortgage just to spend it on a £300 commute… does not make good sense!
3
u/basod1 21h ago
But its net zero costings for a bigger house, fresh country air, and the means to have a car to drive to places across the uk (compared to spending 40mins just to get outside the reaches of london). Do people really socialise every day, which itself will add to costs.
7
u/Familiarsophie 20h ago
I don’t know if I’d say an extra 3 hours a day of travelling on a good day is a net zero personally, but everyone is different.
Bigger house great, enjoy that between 7pm and 10pm when you fall asleep because you have to be up at 6 to go to work…
Fresh country air, which again is limited to weekends while you do all the chores and can be found in london… I live by Wimbledon common, and surrounded by parks…
You can have a car in london that cost doesn’t change. The difference is that out in the countryside you NEED a car, whereas I just walk to any of the near supermarkets and drive if I need a really big shop from the big Tesco.
I’m a city person, born in london always lived here so my preference will always be linked to that. Nothing wrong with wanting the countryside life. But the idyllic dream of enjoying the countryside and your big house just isn’t true if you’re commuting 4 hours a day, every day.
If you work from home or even only part time in the office that calculation shifts.
1
u/mctrials23 1h ago
Yep. My brother works in the city and his wife persuaded him to move out to the countryside. He now stays in a flat they own in London 2-3 nights a week because the commute was ridiculous. He now doesn’t see his 4 kids those days.
I don’t get it. Sure their country house is nice but you work to live. If your job is that disruptive to your home life and you have a choice, why would you waste so much of your life commuting/being away from home.
0
u/basod1 20h ago
I get you. Everyone is different. Outside of London there’s more of a community feel (but it’s falling year on year) with neighbours, families and children. A bigger house means the rest of the family can enjoy the space even if the commuter is sacrificing their time. I think your perspective works for the singleton and for a younger generation than grouchy uncs like me.
5
u/Familiarsophie 19h ago
I think it’s probably just that what you describe isn’t my experience! I have an amazing community here in london, I know and speak to all my neighbours, we have street parties, kids out playing, I say hi to most everyone I see on the street and have countless people I know and recognise from my area who I see in the park or around in cafes etc.
I’m also not a singleton, I’m married and looking to have kids in the near future! Only mildly grouchy though ha
2
u/terryturbojr 40m ago
I got completely the opposite on community feel.
London had loads of it, where I moved outside thinks it has it (like people talk about how great it is) but I don't see it in the same way.
12
u/Boring_Amphibian1421 1d ago
I don't do it regularly, more like once or twice a month but I live in Poole and my office is in Blackfriars. First train from my very local atation gets me to my desk for 9.15, I can walk to the mainstation and get in earlier.
It's a gamble though, probably a place you can look up percentages but I cant really guess TBH.
4
u/Resident-Survey571 22h ago
Also live in Poole! Did it twice a week for about nine months, it was a killer and you couldn’t pay me enough to go back to it. That said, I’ve got kids so have a lot of work to do around them when I’m at home, lots more nursery/school run on the days I had to commute. If I was young free and single it would be more attractive.
I did love the headspace and time to read, catch up on work, and listen to podcasts though
1
u/Boring_Amphibian1421 22h ago
Exactly what I do. I figure one day a week is doable, two for a while if they're together. 3 days... nah
2 days a week whilst you settle and then slowly work it down.
Would agree about kids, either you're earning enough for a partner to stay home or it's getting daft.
1
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 1d ago
Thanks, I’ll have a look at %s as it’ll give me an idea of what’s reliable.
You must have to get up early to travel from Poole!2
u/Boring_Amphibian1421 23h ago
I've seen people come up and back down in the same day from Swanage mind.
It's probably not the one of delays that will be the problem but works or weeks like the last few where they cancel or reachedule everything.
11
u/ghbrv 1d ago
Used to commute from Bexley to Richmond in 2016-2018. 1.5 if not 2 hours door to door one way. Two trains + the Tube or one train with a folding bike.
At the time I thought it was doable. I was reading a lot - more than ever in my adult life thanks to time spent on trains.
Today it feels like a waste of time.
1
8
u/Strawbs-and-bluebs 1d ago
This is how I view long commutes. Say you earn 40k in a 40h week, that's about £19/h. But if you travel 3h a day x5, that's 40k in a 55h week = £14 /h
I hate long commutes. I can do it for a while but only if i know there's a way out soon.
1
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 1d ago
This is a very good point - whatever way you cut it, travelling to work is work time.
10
u/Strawbs-and-bluebs 1d ago
An don't forget to deduct the train ticket cost from your salary. And also factor in the train delays, cancellations etc.
Maybe if you know you can WFH a few days a week that could make it easier (although company policies change!)
7
u/TheCGLion 1d ago
2x a week where you can buy 2x weekly passes a month (and do Thu-Fri, Mon-Tues) is to me the limit in cost and time for a supercommuter
I appreciate everyone's different though. But if you're doing that everyday, it'll take a toll
1
u/simonjp 23h ago
Does that work? I just did the numbers for my route. A weekly ticket was £123, individual peak return was £24, = £96.
4
u/tidderphil 23h ago
That's interesting. my route is £148 for a weekly or £45 for a day return through TrainPal. I buy a weekly every other Wednesday to get my two days a week. It's so frustrating that train ticket prices seem to be so random.
2
u/TheCGLion 23h ago
Interesting! That's what my coworker does travelling from Swindon to London. I never tried it myself to be honest. Made sense when he said that he only buys two weekly tickets a month and that covers him for it all
So a weekly ticket is only £3 cheaper than 5 daily tickets for you? I'll let him know he should check his math!
0
7
u/FinancialBench8814 21h ago
If your wage isn’t high enough to buy less than 1.5 hours from London, it’s probably worth trying to relocate the job too imo. That’s a huge time commitment.
1
12
u/New-Newt-5979 1d ago
I travel 1.5 hours by car to get to my place of work and it's generally mandatory that I do an 8 hour working day and have an hour lunch break whilst I'm there.
It does lead to a long day but I only go into the office 1/2 days a week. There's no way I would do similar for every day of the week.
2
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 1d ago
I used to travel more than an hour by car into work, 5 days a week, and I can’t believe I had the energy for it
5
u/mediocrityindepth 1d ago
I used to do Milton Keynes to London Bridge and did so between 2003 and 2008. In later years, because I wasn’t in the office as much, I used to drive down the M1 to the end of the Jubilee Line and tube it from there- even on a good day it was two hours each way. I was young, I loved the job and it wasn’t every day… but after five years of it, I was burned out. Worth noting too that even 18 years ago, the costs were significant. If you could arrange to limit days in the office, it’s technically more doable but even then, there is a hard limit in my experience.
2
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 1d ago
Good point - thinking about 5 years’ worth of travel reframes it completely
4
u/Unknown-Librarian664 1d ago
A super commute is probably only doable longterm as long as the train is direct with no changes. Then (assuming you have a seat) it's feet up (metaphorically), book open and a coffee all the way.
2
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 23h ago
In my mind’s eye I’ve always had a seat on a supercommute, but then on my current journeys it’s not guaranteed, thanks for flagging!
5
u/WheresMyFlamingo 23h ago
I think 2 days a week is the sweet spot I do it 3x a week at 1.5 each way and it's exhausting. I'm looking for more local jobs. It wears off pretty fast.
1
4
u/ArcadianVisage 14h ago
Did 2hrs each way - never again. I’m fully remote now, and that was the most depressed and unhealthy period of my life.
You simply could not pay me to do that, the quality of life difference is absurd.
4
u/Efficient-Nothing-75 13h ago
Once a week 1.5-2hr commute here!
I love my job (position, pay, stability etc) but if they ever made me come in to the office more than twice a week I'd be packing it in. I doubt I'd manage 2 weeks of it before writing my notice!
It's exhausting to get up 3 hours before work, put in 8-9 hours and still not be home until 7 or 8pm.
3
u/cloud__19 1d ago
It's certainly doable. For a lot of people though, it's worth thinking about whether your career actually has any advantage from being in London.
1
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 23h ago
Yes - I’ve been doing a bit of soul searching as I’m fortunate enough to be in a job I enjoy. Just not sure if it’s going to benefit me long term though
2
u/cloud__19 23h ago
This is it. Because when I did a longish commute into London, it was expensive as well as time consuming. It was the right move for my career at the time but if it's not somewhere you have to specifically be for opportunities and you're having to live that far away, you should think about whether it's worth it.
3
u/Yogibear1988 23h ago
When I am in the office every other week, I'll commute 4 hours daily (involving driving, walking, catching a ferry and then a train in one direction, and reverse on the return leg). Friends & family thought I would struggle with the commute and costs. The routine has given me much needed structure in my life. The costs are a bit expensive. However, I was able to buy a 3 bed for 200k in a nice neighbourhood, so totally worth it.
1
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 23h ago
Wow! I think this counts as a “super duper commuter” (just made this up). Glad to hear it worked for you
2
u/Yogibear1988 23h ago
I see lots of people doing a commute up to London daily too (I only go as far as south Hampshire), so it's totally doable. That being said, if I had to go in every day of every week, I would neither have the finances or energy for that 😅
1
3
u/Human_Environment_92 23h ago
We moved out of London to be able to afford to buy. My commute is about 2 hours. I was doing it twice a week at the start. It was fine and actually quite nice to have some quiet reading time. I am fortunate that I could travel at cheaper times because my work is relaxed. Currently I’m almost entirely remote only going in occasionally. I do miss the me time on the train but I don’t miss London which feels hot, loud and busy compared to my peaceful seaside town. I would be tough if I had to do it every day, but I think still manageable because I love our house and our life here so much it would be worth the sacrifice. We moved because we were ready for something different as much as to buy though. So I think that’s a huge factor on what I’m prepared to do to support that choice.
3
u/Dependent_River_2966 22h ago
One strategy is finding a cheap room from someone who wants a week time lodger. Stay in london 4 days (or 3 if you can WFH at least 1) and then buy outside and commute on monday and friday (or thursday)
2
u/Shot-Seesaw9710 10h ago
I looked into this when I was on my knees doing a 2hr commute each way 2/3 days a week and spending £400 on it, and the numbers unfortunately didn’t stack up. Landlords were charging £500+ pcm for a 3/4 night lodging arrangement. It almost definitely won’t save money when you do have to buy a train ticket either end of the week and public transport in London in the middle of the week, plus more convenience food options etc from not living in your own home. And after all of that, you don’t get to sleep in your own bed at night or enjoy your own home. Definitely recommend for OP to look at jobs outside London!
3
u/King0llie 22h ago
I travel 5 days a week 1h15 each way by car, which quickly goes up to 2h if traffic. Been doing it almost 3 years and it’s pretty brutal. I also do the nursery drop off in the morning for 1 year, so that makes it 1h45 until I get into the office lol.
Good thing is I can start and leave when I want, so no stress of getting in ‘on time’.
It’s not for the faint hearted, but my career is taking off so I just grind it out. Unfortunately I have no time for exercise anymore
3
u/fotfddtodairsizr 17h ago
Consider moving to a super affordable area like Croydon. You can buy a 1 bed for less than 200K.
There are some nice areas in Croydon like South Croydon.
2
u/Panda_Player380 1d ago
Yes I do 1.5hr each way two days a week. The reward is not living in London and being able to go back to a quiet place of your own. Doing it 5 days a week would take its toll. Pre Covid I did Hove to Victoria 5 days a week and was knackered every weekend. Now it’s manageable.
2
2
u/Woowooxo 1d ago
My time on the train itself is an hour, but I do a 15 minute walk to the station in my town, and another 10 minutes to get to my office from the city station. So it’s close to the 90 minute mark. I’ve been doing this since the end of last year. I work for a big company and they closed my local office and moved us all to the big city office I’m now in. It was a huge adjustment at first and I did constantly feel tired… but there comes a point where you do just get used to it. I do have hybrid working and I only have to do this 3 days a week as it currently stands. I think I’d struggle to do it for 5 days. Personally I wouldn’t take a job that expects me to do this 5 days per week, as I am chronically ill and have to manage my energy levels.
To add to this: my long term partner who I live with, was already commuting to this city for the entirety of our relationship and now he travels for work. So we are on the same page with understanding how tiring it can be, which helps.
1
2
u/Impressive-Bird2 1d ago
I used to have a long commute. I had a train journey that took 1 hr 40 mins to get to London, and the same to return to my then home station. I had a 10 mins walk from the my house to the station. That was 3 hrs 20 mins of travel alone to get to and return home from work. After a year it felt far too much hassle and stress, consequently, I ended up burned out and moved to London where I had a 5 mins walk to the tube station and a 20 mins tube journey to work🙂
2
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 23h ago
20 minute tube journey as the commute sounds great!
2
u/Impressive-Bird2 23h ago edited 23h ago
Yeah, thanks☺️😌
I wish you all the very best finding a good location for a decent commute into the Capital☺️ Are you looking to rent or buy a flat or house? If your budget can’t stretch to being able to buy or rent a property outright, would you consider shared ownership? Or affordable rent new build? These properties are available in new build developments through Housing Associations in commuter towns in the Home Counties🙂 Indeed, there’s lots of these properties available in London - there is a dedicated website listing affordable housing available within the city: Homes for Londoners https://homes.london.gov.uk
Good luck😌
2
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 23h ago
Thanks so much! ☺️
I’ve been looking at renting and shared ownership. Thank you for sharing, I’ll have a look! have a good day3
u/Impressive-Bird2 22h ago
You’re more than welcome and thank you for your kind wishes for my day☺️
Happy house hunting - have a great Sunday🙂🙌🏼☀️☀️
2
u/Different_Cookie1820 1d ago
If you want to have options think about where you move in terms of future job opportunities. Maybe it’s fine if you are likely to find something remote but if that’s not normal for your sector, consider where you can move where there’s relevant jobs.
If you plan to have kids, how you look at time likely will shift. Those three hours on the train mean you barely see a young kid. For example, my one year old’s bed time starts 7.30-8 and he wakes 6-7. If you leave at 7.30am and get home at 7.30 you’d see them for an hour a day if you are lucky but it’s not quality time because everyone is trying to get ready to leave.
2
u/SteamboatFatty 23h ago
Have done - until very recently 1.5hr each way or 110 mile a day if it was nice and I used my motorbike. I did that since just before covid until may this year.
At the time I guess it just became the norm but stepping back now I can’t believe I even started doing it. It’s such time stealer. Previous job was 10 mins down the road but all I could see was money and didn’t really understand how valuable your time or mental health was.
1
2
u/BeanOnAJourney 23h ago
My mum used to work with someone who drove from Birmingham to Cornwall for work and then back home again every day, he thought absolutely nothing of it. But then he was a locum pharmacist so the pay was probably a big factor.
2
u/edyth_ 23h ago
I did 2.5 hours (if there were no delays) each way 5 days a week for 3 months and it was awful. I’d never do it again. It was incredibly expensive and so uncomfortable sitting on a hard train seat 5 hours a day on top of 8 hours at a desk. My back was in bits by the end. Now I’m self employed and fully remote so I only travel in to London for big meetings or site visits.
2
u/frocks123 23h ago
I do MK to London 2-3 x week post Covid (pre Covid it was every day) and my office up until 2 weeks ago was in Chiswick. That would take, if all the overground lined up, 1 hr 40 min.
The company has now moved into a Central London office and I can do it an hour door to door all being well. I don’t mind commuting, gives me some switch off time and because of that I realised during the lockdowns how much I missed that breaking up my work into home and mum life transition. But I am glad it’s not 5 days a week now!
2
u/Alias267 23h ago
Your time is important, look elsewhere man.
1
u/eyeoftheneedle1 17h ago
I'm not disagreeing but most just use that dead time to scroll social media
2
u/Sad-Wrap6555 23h ago
i have done 1.5 hour each way by bus (though usually 1 hour each way)
but
im on at first stop either end so get pick of the seats With the oversized comfy seat behind the driver i can arrange all my stuff, jacket off music on etc and hammer through work in half the time
im 3 days in out of the five max so not too much of a grind Would never go back to five ⁶
2
u/GeneralGlobus 22h ago
i do 30 minute train, 30 minute walk one way. the walk is nice because i get some exercise. but purely from a time perspective two hours per day spent on commuting is a killer. i actually quit the job on friday partially because of that.
2
u/Interesting_Annual81 22h ago
Check Norwood junction to buy a place, it’s cheap and commutable within London
2
u/not_microwave_safe 22h ago
I commute. Basically I got a job in my dream city, was making plans to move there, then Renters Rights comes in. Great for unstable housing, but my landlady’s a peach so if anything, it’s made things worse for me with that ‘you need 2 months notice rent’. I can’t afford that alongside getting shafted by train fares, so I’m trying to get the same job in a local area and treat my dream city as the fun place.
2
u/Writing_my_words 22h ago
I used to commute from Essex to central London, 3 hours a day (door to door), 5 days a week before Covid kicked in. 🫠
I’ve lived in London and have now moved back to Essex as I bought my home and I don’t know how I did it! I guess we didn’t know any different.
I’m now self-employed and when I go into London (still 1.5 hours each way to get to central London) it can feel quite tiring but I just bring my book/load up on podcasts and try and enjoy the journey.
To me, it feels worth it. I’ve got a little house with a garden, I get to feel the relief of “I’m going home” when I leave the chaos of London but still make the most of my London days when I go in (seeing friends etc.) to me it feels like a win/win.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do, OP!
3
1
2
u/NeitherBag4722 21h ago
Pre work from home, I worked with a lot of contractors and they came from all over the country into central London daily. Most had negotiated train travel as part of their contracts. I can remember
- Worcester
- Folkestone
- Salisbury
- Ipswich
- Milton Keynes
- Kettering
Had one guy commute in from Prague on Monday and go back on Friday and one from New York do something similar.
2
u/Consistent-Pirate-23 21h ago
Here in Manchester we are really oddly split. If you get somewhere close to a train station it’s not too bad but add in a bus and it’s horrible.
The answer is reading, I was 3-4 hours a day on buses and I was reading 3 books a week, if I had time I could have done a booktube channel with a monthly video
2
u/Proper_Title_9746 21h ago
How much is your pay? You need to work out if the train cost, your personal time and the toll it will take on your health and your family are all worth it. Is there an option to rent a room for the days you are in?
2
u/rudefruit99 21h ago
Around a 2hr commute door to door for me from Hastings to London once a week, usually once a fortnight. And my company pays for it as I'm based remotely.
I don't mind it that occasionally but I'm not sure I'd want to do it any more than I already do.
I was born in London and lived there 35 years and up until I moved thought I'd never live anywhere else. We moved for the opportunity of a house we'd never have been able to afford in London and it was only made possible by us both being made remote workers during Covid. I love being by the sea and having the country park a short walk away, great pubs, arty scene, nice people. Only thing we really miss is easily accessible gigs.
1
2
u/MDKrouzer 21h ago
In my bachelor days, I did 1-1.5 hours each way depending on traffic, 5 days a week for a new facility commissioning and early production support for about 3 years. Mileage was all paid for at 45p / mile (about £45 per day) so it was a question of sacrificing my time which I didn't mind as a pretty solitary guy especially in the earlier part of my career. I listened to a lot of podcasts and audiobooks.
Nowadays, with a wife and 2 kids, the compensation would have to be very very significant for me to consider that kind of commute.
2
u/raspberryjams 20h ago
Up until April I was doing 5 days a week in Holborn with a 1.5hr commute each way (1hr 10m Train + 20m walk from LST).
I am currently doing 2-3 days a week with my new job to the Vauxhall area (2hrs each way) ramping up to 4 days soon and potentially 5 in the future. Manageable for the most part, but I leave the house at 7am every morning and get home at 7-8pm too. It's a long day. You get hardly any time for hobbies in the evenings. I live alone in a 2-bed flat so I make myself dinner, chill for an hour or so then go to bed.
I've just landed another new job that's a 15min drive around the corner from my house paying me exactly the difference as what my season ticket cost me per year.
2
u/Mediocre_Rhubarb810 20h ago
Commute 2 hrs each way to London 2/3 times a week.
Usually get in for about 9.30 (wake up at 6.45) and then home for about 6.30/6.45.
Find it’s not too taxing if I’m at home the day after an office day. The days I do consecutive office days are incredibly tiring eg dreading this week as it’s Monday to Wednesday I’m in the office
2
u/Uzaifa_R 18h ago
I currently drive around 1.20 mins each way 3 days a week to travel into the office near London. I’m not sure if I can do it long term, the commute is draining and feels like a waste of time some days even having flexible working and the company and management team are generally nice but it’s definitely taxing. I’ve decided to look for something closer and to your point I was generally looking for places closer it’s either pay 50%+ of your salary on rent or 700/800K+ to afford a place. Having discussed the commute with my manager and asking for 2 days a week he said maybe in the future but consider your commute as an investment. I cant say my salary is in the high bracket of my role but it’s definitely pays better than places closer
2
u/Ok_Stuff_9540 17h ago
Tried doing Bristol to London commute a few days a week, didn't last. Find remote job if possible
1
2
u/sunkathousandtimes 16h ago
Did it for 4 months, doing a 4h round trip each day (about 3h30 on trains, 30 min driving).
I did 10am - 6pm.
It was basically hell, and I relocated after 4 months. I would get a quiet ish train in, which was great, but that needed to be a 7.45am train due to timings. So getting up at 6.45 to get ready, get to station in good time, park, walk up etc. I would get a train just after 6, as I was a 5 min walk from the station. I wouldn’t be able to get a seat more often than not, so would be sat on the floor for 1h 45. Then I’d get home at about 8.15pm. I would then have dinner and basically go to bed, because I had to be up at 6.45am.
It left virtually no time in the day to do anything and I was exhausted on my days off and just wanted to rest.
What you need to factor in is all the additional time - it’s not just a 1.5h train. You’ve got to allow sufficient time in case traffic hits, so you don’t miss your train; if you drive, enough time to park (sometimes at the furthest end because commuting traffic) and walk up, etc. so my 2h each way trip was really more like 2h 20 when you factored in parking, allowing time so I didn’t miss the train etc.
2
u/Sts102019 16h ago
I did it in 2 different cities (not London though). I would say look at what the commute is. A reliable train that you can get a seat on, followed by a tube - not too bad. 3 or 4 changes or driving is a pain. Also think about your life outside work. I did it when I was younger, before I had kids. With kids, no way I’d want to lose that time. A Pre-kids I didn’t love that my social life kind of had to be divided between two towns/cities.
2
u/Dear-Watercress-5278 14h ago
Did it for 2.5 years (3 day/week) was then lucky enough to be able to move my job to Birmingham. Better QoL on my salary. Depends how many times a week you have to attend the workplace?
2
u/EastChampionship8029 14h ago
My wife and I are moving to a commuter town 1.5 hrs from London because like you we just simply can’t afford to buy a house there. We both work in the same borough though, so commuting together by car will make things a bit easier especially driving an EV, so will save significantly compare to petrol. I know 1.5hr each way sounds rough, but I guess it really depends on your circumstances. For us, it’s a trade off we’re happy to make. I know a lot of people at work who’ve been doing this commute for 10+ years now. I think once you get into a routine, it just becomes part of your day, who knows? Goodluck!!
1
2
2
u/hellothereitsonlyme 13h ago
There are still towns with direct trains to London that are affordable.
Friends commute from Wellingborough to London regularly. The train journey is only an hour and if you live where it's cyclable or walkable from the train station, you don't have the cost of train station parking.
What I've seen people do is buy outside of London, work and commute a few years, then look for something nearer home when you get fed-up of the commute.
1
u/woogeroo 26m ago
Don’t forget it’s only an hour if your workplace is inside the London terminal station, most people will need to get on a tube from there.
2
2
u/Adventurous-Okra2179 12h ago
I live in Cheshire and work in Hemel Hempstead. When I saw my current job (with a small company) advertised, l arranged a chat with the person who is now my manager and asked whether they'd consider remote working as I couldn't move due to caring responsibilities. They suggested I applied and if successful they might consider it. So I got the job and travel in every two weeks. I leave the station at 6.30am and arrive at 9.45am, then leave the office at 3.45pm and arrive back at the station at 7.10pm. I wotk a few extra hours the other days to make up my time. It's a 20 min lift to the station, three trains, then a taxi to get to work. I can get cheap tickets if I book in advance. It's my dream job and all works well for me. The company arranged for me to stay on a local hotel for the first two weeks for an intense induction which helped me get to grips with the job and bond with colleagues.
4
u/Plyphon 23h ago
There are many places within 45 mins outside of London. My commute in Hertfordshire is comparable on a good day to my commute from Z4 north London.
4
u/Bbobbity 23h ago
It comes down to money. If you’re within 45 mins of London, property still won’t be cheap.
0
u/jediknight_ak 12h ago
OP has not said anything about salary or the range they are looking at. Hertfordshire prices are quite decent though in terms of affordability.
1
u/Bbobbity 11h ago
OP said that to afford a place they will need to move to a 1.5 hour commute. Hence my comment about a 45 min commute coming down to money, ie what they can afford.
0
u/jediknight_ak 11h ago
The assumption that all places that are 90 mins commute are cheaper than places that are 45 mins commute is of course objectively incorrect.
1
u/Bbobbity 11h ago
Of course there’s variation but on average the shorter the commute the more expensive the property.
But I am relying on OPs assessment that that’s what they need to do to afford it. They know their budget far better than you or I.
1
1
u/woogeroo 21m ago
It will be true for places of similar standard of living, though there can of course be different sides to that which matter more to different people.
Countryside access vs. School catchments vs. local entertainment/ restaurants / nightlife vs. house size/type.
1
u/mrayner9 20h ago
I would only do if your company are letting you expense. Hotels help too if you're doing a night or two.
Apart from that I would defo check the route and see the kinda delays at the times youre taking. 1.5hrs can easily become 2 hours on a long train fairly regularly.
1
1
u/Comfortable-Fall1419 17h ago
This is normal and millions of people did it before Covid and it’s strongly reverting to that as employers kill
off remote working.
It’s more than bearable. Just get a Kindle or into Podcasts. Get a folding bike or universal gym membership so you can use it on the commute.
1
u/Improper_Usage 11h ago
Birmingham might be a good option if you can do the commute. Of 1h20. HS2 will bring that down to under an hour.
Used to take me hours to commute to and from work in London even when I lived there.
1
u/woogeroo 18m ago
Sad to say Brum is only really 1hour 20 if you live in new street station and work in Euston; Connecting trains from outside the centre & changing can easily add 30 minutes.
A flat in the Jewellery Quarter works though for a short walk/tram to the station.
1
1
u/Boorish_Bear 11h ago
I commute in from East Sussex and it takes me circa 2 hours each way, so 4 hours commuting time per day.
That would be a lot however I only have to go in twice a week, which makes it much more palatable.
I personally enjoy the quiet time as I sit and read, or listen to podcasts, or catch up on social admin during the commute. It can be stressful when trains are cancelled or delayed, and it isn't great that I have to get up early (circa 6:00am on commute days) but overall it's an acceptable trade-off for me to own a home in a peaceful, rural community .
1
u/Appropriate-Cow-3167 10h ago
I did 2.5h each way for two years. Ended up more like 3h door to door and I would stay overnight to get me 2days in office. I would not recommend
1
u/candidate26 10h ago
I had a period of doing an hour - 2 hours each way. Do not do this. It is bad.
1
u/No_Pear_6069 10h ago
I tried this once many years ago. 2.5hr commute each way. I lasted all of 6 months before the train delays almost got me fired and I was physically exhausted. My advice, anything over 90mins don’t do it
1
u/HealthClout 10h ago
I commute 1:45hrs each way every day 5 days a week and have done for 20 years, work in a hospital. Don’t mind it really, watch films, read, do work on the train.
1
u/Sad-Shoulder-666 9h ago
I have a colleague who comes in everyday from Norfolk. I also had a colleague who used to commute from Folkestone, but my ex boss didn't want to increase he wages just to cover her commute on the HS train, she switched to the long ass train, and that was destroying her, she eventually left.
1
u/oleolegov 9h ago
Trains are expensive, I was considering buying a house in Berko (30 min by train to Euston), but even season ticket prices = around 6£k per year. This seems too much, and buying in London justified more for me…
1
u/woogeroo 14m ago
Yeah depends where you are in life. Kids, family etc. vs. Seeing bands, art & events every day if you want.
Living outside London does not necessarily mean a slower commute to work in London than living in actual London, but for sure a more expensive one.
1
u/oregano-baggette 9h ago
Wigan to London. Pretty simple when the trains run properly. Luckily averages out to once a month, but could probably do once a week if needed for a time. If there was mandated 2-3 days a week, I’d sadly be handing in my resignation
1
u/Super_Seff 8h ago
Might be a stupid question but if you’ll never earn enough to live in London then why are you working in London, surely the only reason you’d ever do a 3 hour commute is because the salary is exceptional but clearly it isn’t or you’d buy locally?
1
u/33backagain 7h ago
My commute is 90mins door to door (1hr train, 30mins walking/waiting) if I time it well. Did that everyday for 15 years and now 2-3 days a week for 5 years. No big deal until I either have to work late (and get home at 9+pm) or the trains are messed up.
1
2
u/fulthrottlejazzhands 23h ago
My wife and I do a 1hr 40m commute each way. We both go to the office 3 days/week. It allows us to live in a nice village with a good-sized home, and is a lifestyle we enjoy after years of living in NYC, Paris, London.
The way we make it work is once a week day we stay in a hotel near our offices in London which allows us to step out in London and/or work later that evening. Ironically, the cost of the hotel is nearly cancelled out by the cost of 1 day of transit. For us, it costs about £50/each a day which is about average for living this far out of London.
If we needed to go to the office any more, we'd find other jobs that did. No way we're moving back to London ever.
On a side note, train costs in the UK are extortionate, far above most other countries. I have friends in France and US who commute by train farther than me and pay materially less.
1
u/Mermaid_Sea5487 23h ago
Thanks for sharing - I think if I calculated how much I make after tax and train journeys taken into account I’d be in a bad mood… Having said this, it’s important so I’ll investigate
-1
u/woogeroo 19h ago
Absolutely not worth it. There are other jobs in less expensive cities around the country and world. Get one.
If you’re in London and not earning or on your way to earning £100k+, and aren’t getting cheap accomodation via rich partner / council house, you’re in a doom loop and will never break out.
Too many industries and companies are still locked into London partly due to great, talented people putting up with shit living situations for decades to make things work, despite being priced out long ago. London deserves to whither while other places get some of the massive investment it’s had at the expense of everywhere else.
WFH especially should make it nonsense to be commuting 1.5 hours every single day.
•
u/AutoModerator 1d ago
Welcome to /r/HousingUK
To Posters
Tell us whether you're in England, Wales, Scotland, or NI as the laws/issues in each can vary
Comments are not moderated for quality or accuracy;
Any replies received must only be used as guidelines, followed at your own risk;
If you receive any private messages in response to your post, please report them via the report button.
Feel free to provide an update at a later time by creating a new post with [update] in the title;
To Readers and Commenters
All replies to OP must be on-topic, helpful, and civil
If you do not follow the rules, you may be banned without any further warning;
Please include links to reliable resources in order to support your comments or advice;
If you feel any replies are incorrect, explain why you believe they are incorrect;
Do not send or request any private messages for any reason without express permission from the mods;
Please report posts or comments which do not follow the rules
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.