To think a 55 minute commute is too long?

[Penguinotterfoxbadger]

So dp and I are buying a house in London.

The house he likes would mean my commute was a 20 minute walk to the tube, a 30 minute tube journey (with one change) and another 5 minute walk.

My preferred area would have only about a 5-10 minute walk to the tube (the rest of the journey would be v similar).

Aibu to care about the extra 20 - 30 mins travelling time per day? (He doesn't work because of health problems).

X

[PacificDogwood]

YANBU.

But I would say that as I a. don't live in London and b. don't have any commute to speak of.
I used to commute 30-45 minutes one way for several years and only realised what a drain it was, after I stopped doing it.

Now live 10 walking minutes from where I work and I would not want to ever change that. Yes, I know I am v lucky.

Are you interested in a house in your preferred area?

[BikeRunSki]

I do about an hour, driving, mostly standing in traffic on M1. It's a PITA but I love where we live for other reasons so i live with it. I think it depends on a lot of other factors.

[Fuckmath]

A 55 minute commute in London is pretty normal. Mine takes over an hour. However I do think being a 20 min walk from the tube is not ideal. Sounds a bit isolated. Can you say which area it is, just out of interest, and where you are commuting to? What is your preferred area and could you get a similar property there for the same price? I do think your commute concerns should be taken into account.

[SurlyCue]

Mine is 90 minutes but that is all in the car. Not sure i'd like 20 minutes walking in rain/snow/wind.

[LadyLuck10]

It depends, do you like the area more or are you planning to stay in your job very long. I think as you will be the one working you should have more of a say.

[wheresthelight]

bare in mind the job centre expect you to look at jobs with a 90 minute commute - so from that perspective yab a bit u

Can you compromise on half way between the 2?

[SocialMediaAddict]

I live in London. My commute including school run is an hour and 15. I read on the tube!

But I don't work full time which makes a huge difference.

[Fuckmath]

Just rereading your post I don't see how it adds 30 min though if you are swapping a 20 min walk for a 10 min walk surely you just save 10 minutes?

[TapStepBallChange]

55 minutes in London sounds pretty good, I used todo 1 hr 45 minutes (on an average day). Can you get a bus or cycle the first bit to make the walk shorter?

[BetterTogether75]

I have a 25-minute walk and then a 45-minute train journey, so it adds a good 3 hours onto my working day. It is a bit much and I am seriously considering reducing my hours.

[ouryve]

The extra walking would bother me, in bad weather (20-30 minutes a day more slipping on ice or getting soaked, while hoping to stay presentable), but I don't think a 20 minute walk for a tube is that unusual.

[pinkdelight]

I've lived all over London and it always seems to take an hour to get somewhere regardless of the combo of transport. Never lived in zone 1 mind you, that'd obviously speed things up but then that's what those lucky few who live there pay for. Unless you're in that league then yabu to expect a shorter commute. That's just how long it takes in a big busy city innit.

[Mydelilah]

55 mins/1hr is pretty standard for London, better than many. The fact your DH doesn't commute though, means that he should not be dictating how long is acceptable for you to commute....

A 20 min walk to the station is quite long, esp in the rain, cold, snow, and could be pretty miserable. I am 5 mins walk and that is bearable whatever the conditions.

[Mydelilah]

Or I could just RTFT - what fuckmath said

[ouryve]

The maths works. A 5-10 minute walk vs a 20 minute walk, with the rest of the journey the same. It's an extra 20-30 minutes a day, travelling, and not doing the bit of travelling where you get to read, knit or piddle about on MN.

[Spincyclist]

Under an hour in London is good going so I think he INBU. The shorter walk would make a difference to your day, but you might well get less house for your money so it's a trade-off.

Personally I paid the premium for tube station proximity when renting, and never regretted it, but as FTBs we went for a bigger property further away (3 bed house vs 1 bed flat for the same money)

[CheekyWeeGandT]

Its all different bits to the commute that are draining. At least, that's what I found. If you lived one minute from the tube and walked one minute to workplace then that would be an easier commute.
Upshot of it is that you are doing the commute, not him, so you should get more of a say.

[Namechangeyetagaintohide]

I'd have said it was normal tbh.
I would consider anyone with less than half an hour as lucky. Myself included.

[Spincyclist]

the difference is not huge - potentially 10 mins morning and evening. I think that's well within the realms of compromising on if it means being closer to other amenities. Why does DH prefer the other area?

[Namechangeyetagaintohide]

I think my longest was nearly 2 hours there and 2 hours back. I'm never doing that again though. Ugh.

[arethereanyleftatall]

Extra 20-30 mins there and back fuckmath.

[avocadotoast]

Hmm. I've never lived in London and have never had longer than 50 mins (but that was my own choice because I walked each way rather than getting the bus). I wouldn't like any longer than that tbh.

[3littlefrogs]

I live in London and my commute is anything between 45 minutes and 90 minutes each way.
I would love to work around the corner, but it just isn't possible.
Many people have a long journey to work. It isn't great, but it is better than not having a job.

[invisiblecrown]

I think 55 mins is nothing in London.

[Fluffyears]

I'm nowhere near London and my commute has always been around an hour+. Right now it's 25 minute walk to train station, 30-40 minute train journey then 5 minute walk to office.