80 mile commute into London
 

If you had to do a 80 mile commute into London from rural Northamptonshire, how would you do it? Assume practicality and running costs are king and ignore image.

The train takes an hour, with another 1/2 hour at each end to get door to door and costs £100 quid a day.

I was thinking Suzuki Bergman 400 or similar, comfortable seat, good weather protection, underseat storage.

How much cheaper are maxi-scoots to run than normal bikes? For instance service intervals, cost of tyres, etc.

EDIT: train season tickets seem to be about 5 grand a year

Re: 80 mile commute into London
 

Magic carpet?

Re: 80 mile commute into London
 

:d:d:d:d

Re: 80 mile commute into London
 

I would take the train. The journey times would be less speratic than traveling by car. I wouldn't commute by bike either, biking for me is a hobby rather than a form of transport, if I sitting on the motorway I'd much rather be sat in a car than on a bike.

So yeah..train for me and if I were doing it for work I'd be getting my employer to pay for it.

Re: 80 mile commute into London
 

Everyday? For how long?

If I had to travel daily it would be the train and I would expect it to be paid for and to be able to do some work on it and get the hours travelled paid for too...atleast in part anyway

In all honesty I wouldn't consider it unless it was good money, was a weekly stop over which had accommodation and food expenses thrown in and I could come home on a Thursday evening and work from home on Friday.....not too much to ask if they want you! I wouldn't want to travel more than 45 mins each way max a day

edit: I was getting flights/train/accommodation/food paid for in a recent contract, heading out from Norwich to Preston on a Monday morning and coming home on a Thursday evening every other week, the rest of the time I was plugged in at home or somewhere with internet and phone reception...it's not too much to ask if they need you

Re: 80 mile commute into London
 

Move into London?

Seriously, do what Grinch did and find a room to rent during the week and go home at weekends.

Re: 80 mile commute into London
 

Easy don't

I lasted 5 months commuting an hour each way into London, read plenty of books, but it just wasn't for me.

Life is too short to be spending it on a train IMHO

I'd prefer SK's option, but then you'll never see your boy and that is time you can never get back

Re: 80 mile commute into London
 

Not worried about cost as such, as I would either negotiate it on expenses, or negotiate the extra I needed into the pay. If I did end up doing it out of my pay though, obviously the less I spend the more I have. To know what I would need to negotiate though, I'd need to know what I am going to spend.

Wouldn't be a long term thing, would still work from home, but I'd expect to need to be in London most days for the first few months, cutting back to twice a week once settled in. I do a field based job anyway so for instance this week I am two days in two different company offices, and three days at customers. If I get more than two days at home, I'm having an easy week.

I'm at a level where I can choose my hours to a certain extent and most organisations will be flexible, but that also means your earning a salary where you are expected to put the hours in too!

Re: 80 mile commute into London
 

+1 on train. If you drive an hour commute you just speed to make time up and they will catch you up. My mileage has gone up by 15k a year and i commute an hour each way to work and feel like crap at the end of it. It's in a paid for vehicle but i'd take a pay cut to avoid having to do it. Commuting is the worst thing in the world. But when you have a reliable job in the current environment you just can't afford to say no.

If the money's worth it go train.

Re: 80 mile commute into London
 

When negotiating your package, don't forget to add on the tax & ni you will have to pay as well - e.g. if you are going to have to pay out £5k a year for the train, you will need to add on at least £3k extra to cover the tax etc on the earnings or you will still end up out of pocket.

If it was me, I would also go for the train - have a kip, read, do some work etc - much less stressful than riding in/driving.