Trivia; which is the EASIEST morning commute by train?!!

[Howardh]

Read a lot about late or cancelled trains, over crowding, over-pricing etc etc.

So, what's the other side like? Does anyone here have a train commute whre they nearly always turn up on time, you can be guaranteed a seat and the ticket hasn't given your bank manager a heart attack?

I'm assuming it would be out in the country, or someone travelling opposite the normal flow (ie living in a city apartment and working outside).

Anyway - really nice commuter stories please!

 

[northwichcat]

I've not done it but possibly commuting from Manchester to Stockport in the morning and the reverse in the evening? Cheapish fare, plenty of seats and very frequent service. Although, the journey home on a Friday evening may not be so nice with the number of people who go in to Manchester for a night out.

 

[Trog]

A young lady I once worked with had a season ticket for Watford North to Watford Junction. I suspect that was not too stressful a journey.

 

[Sparks807Evo]

I've had to commute from Solihull to Birmingham Snow Hill numerous times for multiple weeks - pretty pleasant experience. Plenty of seats available usually, short journey time so don't mind standing either, and reliability is good.

 

[sk688]

A young lady I once worked with had a season ticket for Watford North to Watford Junction. I suspect that was not too stressful a journey.

Not with all the cancellations though , due to that cursed 319 continually breaking down

On my commute , I go into central London by LM ( Typical horrible commute ) and then a crowded Vic Line to Highbury or Finsbury Park , but the GN 313 from there is almost empty , cause I head out toward New Barnet and v.v , so it is nice and empty . If i go from Euston , i take Northern to High Barnet in the morning and v.v in the evening , and after Camden Town , it is usually nice and empty too

Sadly when I get into Central London , i then have to use the joy of an overcrowded , short formed LM Service

 

[theageofthetra]

There are quite a few who just commute Bromley North- Grove Park. Unit failures or passenger disruption apart it is rare for the 'popper' to ever be late or cancelled

 

[All Line Rover]

Coventry to Birmingham, 1st class season.

 

[causton]

A young lady I once worked with had a season ticket for Watford North to Watford Junction. I suspect that was not too stressful a journey.

As someone standing out there with the passengers yesterday helping them onto the replacement bus as there were no trains on that line again, I beg to differ

Quite a lot of people commute to Kings Langley from Watford Junction though which has a better level of service and is slightly more reliable, and is only four or five minutes, so that is quite easy!

 

[pdq]

I used to do Batley to Dewsbury. 3 minute journey and always had a seat

 

[AlterEgo]

I used to do Acocks Green to Snow Hill. That was a pretty reliable service. Sometimes I even got a dogbox to myself on the return...

 

[matchmaker]

I've done Stirling to Alloa a few times. As I'm going against the normal commuter flow the trains are almost empty and it's only a 7 minute journey!

 

[Jimini]

I used to do Hammersmith to Shepherd's Bush (now Shepherd's Bush Market) when I was going to school in the '80s. Two stops, four minute journey, train every five mins, pretty much guaranteed seat unless there were delays. Got to be a contender!

 

[KTHV]

Stourbridge Junction - Stourbridge Town on the Parry People Mover unit


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ze Random One]

Heworth to Gateshead was probably my best.(other than the time I lived in walking distance from the office). Metro was pretty reliable, and every other train was empty, after starting/ending at Pelaw.

 

[Clip]

Every day. Get on the Vic line get a seat without fail and get to where I'm going. Very rare its down. Though I do change elsewhere where I have to stand for a bit but its simple and straight forward every day.

 

[mikey9]

Highland Line - Dingwall, Conon Bridge, Muir Of Ord or Beauly to Inverness!!!

(For Muir Of Ord)
Choice of three at 7:30, 8:00 and 8:30 inbound to Inverness - (from Muir of Ord) - returns at 17:15, 18:00 and 18:30.

Costs £1.50 each way (10 ticket carnet) - 14 miles - following the Beauly Firth (Ospreys, Mountains, Geese, views, Telford Engineering - what is there not to like). Generally have 4 seats (inc table) to myself - in the First Class (out of Service) on the way in - always get a seat on the way back and generally (other than the 17:15) not crowded.

Occasional cancellation - usually efficiently replaced by a bus or two. occasional delay due to single line delays - but works most of the time - and is pretty unstressful.......(sorry to gloat!!)

 

[Bantamzen]

Providing I get an early (06:25 from Baildon) enough train, and avoid the high evening peaks (17:26 to Skipton I'm looking at you), Baildon to Leeds is usually not to bad, even with a change at Guiseley or Shipley. Services are usually on time, I always get a seat on all connections and with a monthly MCard it works out at a fiver a day.

 

[Howardh]

Highland Line - Dingwall, Conon Bridge, Muir Of Ord or Beauly to Inverness!!!

(For Muir Of Ord)
Choice of three at 7:30, 8:00 and 8:30 inbound to Inverness - (from Muir of Ord) - returns at 17:15, 18:00 and 18:30.

Costs £1.50 each way (10 ticket carnet) - 14 miles - following the Beauly Firth (Ospreys, Mountains, Geese, views, Telford Engineering - what is there not to like). Generally have 4 seats (inc table) to myself - in the First Class (out of Service) on the way in - always get a seat on the way back and generally (other than the 17:15) not crowded.

Occasional cancellation - usually efficiently replaced by a bus or two. occasional delay due to single line delays - but works most of the time - and is pretty unstressful.......(sorry to gloat!!)

Winner - so far!!

 

[yorksrob]

Providing I get an early (06:25 from Baildon) enough train, and avoid the high evening peaks (17:26 to Skipton I'm looking at you), Baildon to Leeds is usually not to bad, even with a change at Guiseley or Shipley. Services are usually on time, I always get a seat on all connections and with a monthly MCard it works out at a fiver a day.

Indeed, Leeds to Bradford Forster Square was always a very pleasurable commute, particularly with the 308's. Unfortunately a lot of my commuting time there coincided with the rebuilding of Leeds Station, so I ended up getting the DMU to interchange to avoid the neverending bustitution most of the time Still, I always got a seat

 

[route:oxford]

I've done Stirling to Alloa a few times. As I'm going against the normal commuter flow the trains are almost empty and it's only a 7 minute journey!

And cheaper than the bus still?

 

[j.crocker355]

This one. Starts didcot parkway to Paddington. 0734 http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C20004/2017/01/09/advanced because another HST leaves just before it your always guaranteed a seat getting on at didcot .


It even overtakes a slower HST that stops at Maidenhead that leaves just before it!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Southsider]

Williamwood to Glasgow Central. Gets busy after a few stops but I've already got a seat! Classic commuter stock (class 314) but looking forward to the 385s

 

[47271]

Highland Line - Dingwall, Conon Bridge, Muir Of Ord or Beauly to Inverness!!!

(For Muir Of Ord)
Choice of three at 7:30, 8:00 and 8:30 inbound to Inverness - (from Muir of Ord) - returns at 17:15, 18:00 and 18:30.

Costs £1.50 each way (10 ticket carnet) - 14 miles - following the Beauly Firth (Ospreys, Mountains, Geese, views, Telford Engineering - what is there not to like). Generally have 4 seats (inc table) to myself - in the First Class (out of Service) on the way in - always get a seat on the way back and generally (other than the 17:15) not crowded.

Occasional cancellation - usually efficiently replaced by a bus or two. occasional delay due to single line delays - but works most of the time - and is pretty unstressful.......(sorry to gloat!!)

The other thing about this journey that struck me a few years ago is the surprising speeds that you can achieve between Beauly and Inverness - I'm pretty certain that quite a bit of it is 90mph, it certainly feels like it.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Ruswarp to Whitby?

not that i've even done it - perhaps the 142s are filled with screaming kids. But it's only 7 mins, and that must include some recovery time.

 

[Trog]

As someone standing out there with the passengers yesterday helping them onto the replacement bus as there were no trains on that line again, I beg to differ

Quite a lot of people commute to Kings Langley from Watford Junction though which has a better level of service and is slightly more reliable, and is only four or five minutes, so that is quite easy!

It would have been a nice reliable blue DMU in those days.

 

[adc82140]

A few years ago...

Wargrave to Paddington, 1st class season- sit in the car (free car park) at Wargrave till the train pulls in, seat in 1st, direct train to Paddington, work was right next door to the station (3 minute walk from the platforms). It's a shame there wasn't an equal through journey on the way back- the evening direct trains were pathed down the relief lines.

 

[W-on-Sea]

I used to commute on C2C from Southend to London. It was almost always a pleasure. Reliable, punctual, clean, air-conditjoned trains with seats effectively guaranteed.

 

[CheshireCrusty]

8+ tph each way (usually to time).
Plenty of seats.
11 min journey time on faster services.
Good bus and tram connections each end.
GMPTE travel cards valid.
Only issue is many services use platforms 13/14 at Piccadilly which can sometimes be a real hassle to get off the train due to platform crowding and also a long walk / travellator to main station entrance.

 

[wimbledonpete]

Folkestone to St Pancras doesn't pass the bank manager test but it's a lovely easy journey that still gives you a seat every day (although getting fuller).

 

[talltim]

Mine has a fair few advantages although at not going to be the best
Chesterfield-Sheffield
About 15-20 mins
5 trains an hour, serving 4 different routes so if one route has problems it has less impact on the other trains
3 different TOCs so any industrial action has less impact
Reasonable variety of scenery (although I'm a bit bored if it after 14 years)
Diversionary route signed by all operators available
Variety of stock for interest, 150/156/158/220/221/222/HST
Very rare nowadays that I can't get a seat, often in the morning I can get a table bay of 4 to myself. However if I have to stand it's not for very long
Well maintained, attractive and unbarriered stations at either end
Cheapish, season is just over £100 a month