Arrgh! MUST make it to London from Reading on Monday.

[TobyorNotToby]

Not sure I am in the right place by the way. If not, sorry about that.
I have an interview Monday afternoon in London (Zone 5) and was planning to get there on the Reading-Paddington train and then take the tube.
The forecast says more snow on the way. I can not drive so must use public transport but I am a tad bricking it concerned that the trip there will take me hours and that I will not make it. I have allowed myself 4 hours, surely that's enough? Surely?

[Italiangreyhound]

No idea how long it will take.

I would call on the day just to check it is still on if the snow is really bad.

[lizzywig]

You see i wouldn't call a prospective employer to see if an interview was still on due to snow. Most employers want to see people make the effort in the snow and if you call they may think you're the type of person who can't be bothered to make the effort when that's not the case. Check your train is still running, it takes about 25 mis to get from reading to paddington but where's the interview and how far do you need to walk each end?

[Bilbobagginstummy]

4 hours sounds like LOADS of time. It's not forecast to snow much between now and then and people will have got over it by Monday.

Where in Zone 5? There may be alternative trains/buses eg the Waterloo line, or the stopping train into Pad and change before you get there.

[tribpot]

4 hours sounds like plenty, depending how far you've got to go from Paddington.

Watch the trains like a hawk on the day - National Rail live departures and arrivals is your friend. If you start to see trains stacking up as delayed at Reading and Paddington (and preferably monitor further up the track from Reading as well - where is the final destination for Reading trains, Bristol?) to get a picture of how the service is running.

Driving would almost certainly be worse if it is snowing, so don't worry that you don't have that option on the table.

Allow as much time as you reasonably can and if the weather is atrocious an interviewer should make allowances. A reasonable interviewer should also advise you if they aren't going to be able to staff up the interview but unless the weather is so bad that the advice is to avoid non-essential travel, I think you'll have to go for it.

[borednotboring]

4 hours will be plenty, where in Zone 5 are you going? I would go in if at all possible, but keep your phone close to you, I've had interviews cancelled as the interviewer hasn't been able to get there due to snow

[GrendelsMum]

I think if the snow gets very bad I'd phone to confirm that the interview is still happening, but from the point of view of confirming that the interviewer hasn't had problems coming in rather than the other way round.

From experience of a friend who travelled 3 hours or so for an interview to find the interviewer hadn't come in...

[TobyorNotToby]

Thank you all, this sounds reassuring.

[pippop1]

It will probably be fine but if you are really, really worried, why not travel down on Sunday and stay with a friend in London or in a B & B and then you know you will be there.

You could also check if there is a coach from Reading to central London so that you can go that way if the train is not behaving properly.

The Tube is not that likely to be affected by the snow because most of it is underground. You can get a Taxi from Paddington (is it Paddington) to your destination if absolutely neccessary so take lots of cash with you.

Good luck with the interview.

[pippop1]

How did you get on?

[TobyorNotToby]

It went really well, thank you piippop1. Will find out at the end of the week if I have been successful.
Spent a couple of hours in a drafty Costa almost lost a toe to hypothermia , but it was better than being late!

[pippop1]

That's good. It's woolly socks for the rest of the week for you then.

[Italiangreyhound]

TobyorNotToby did you get the job?

Hope so.