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Property/DIY

How far would you walk to the station ?

80 replies

fruitqueen · 25/02/2014 16:06

In the midst of my hunt for accommodation for my DCs( aged 18 and 16) I have come across some wonderful properties. The problem is that they are always some distance away from the tube.Ideally, of course we would prefer a property which is next to it but this has not been feasible so far. So how far is too far to walk daily to the station if no other transport is available except the tube?

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OnIlkelyMoorBahtat · 25/02/2014 16:27

I walk 20 minutes each way to the tube for my commute and that doesn't feel too long, but it does depend on how much of a journey you then have afterwards - I used to have 20 mins walk followed by 30 mins tube which was a doddle, but now it's 20 mins walk followed by 50 mins tube - must get new job!

Equally I once had a commute that was 45 mins each way walking, with no tube at all, and that was lovely (tho' not so much when raining and windy, to be fair), so would there a be a possibility of walking the whole thing?

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OnIlkelyMoorBahtat · 25/02/2014 16:29

Oh just seen for your DCs as well, not just you. Hmm, well, have lived in London for 15 years and the shortest walk I've ever had to the nearest tube was 10 mins - most have been 20 minutes (moved around a lot when I was renting!), so - for me - at any rate - it was not a great hassle not to live right next to the tube. Also makes the properties a wee bit cheaper I found!

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Felix90 · 25/02/2014 16:30

I agree, it depends on how long your commute is. I used to get the train to Sheffield (around 30/40 mins) then walk another 30 minutes to work. It was a nightmare in the winter! Also used to walk 45 minutes each way to my old job with no other commute which was nice when it was good weather but awful in the wind/rain/snow.

I'd probably say about 20 minutes, as it's not too long. Not sure how much this would equate to in distance though. It depends how fast you walk Grin

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fruitqueen · 25/02/2014 16:45

How long would it take to walk say 1/2 mile to the station at a leisurely pace?

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whatsagoodusername · 25/02/2014 16:51

I'd do 20 minutes, but complain about anything more than 10 Grin

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MirandaWest · 25/02/2014 16:54

The DC and I did a mile walk this morning in about 20 min going at medium pace (they're 10 and 8) so half a mile should be about 10 minutes.

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whatsagoodusername · 25/02/2014 16:55

My station is 1 mile, takes me 15-20 minutes with a double pushchair, leisurely pace.

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HelpfulChap · 25/02/2014 16:56

The general rule of thumb for Londoners is 10 mins. Any further is regarded as cruel & unusual punishment.

Personally, i think 15mins is perfectly acceptable.

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fruitqueen · 25/02/2014 17:03

Thank you for the feedback. So looks like it would not be wise to be looking at properties which are more than 1/2 mile up or down the road from the station then.

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Beastofburden · 25/02/2014 17:05

Couldn't you cycle?

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Beastofburden · 25/02/2014 17:05

to the tube, I mean, not all the way

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MrsCosmopilite · 25/02/2014 17:08

My nearest station (overground) is just over a mile away. I walked it with my three-year old last week. It took us half an hour.

A half-mile from the station would take a reasonably fit adult (on level ground) around 10 minutes.

I'd say 20 minutes was a reasonable walk. Longer than that could be a pain.

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Nancy66 · 25/02/2014 17:18

15 mins would prob be my cut off.

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BirthdayMuppet · 25/02/2014 17:24

At 18 and 16 I'd expect them to be able and willing to walk up to half an hour to get to a station tbh. Brilliant if you can get somewhere closer, but hardly a deal breaker, or at least it shouldn't be.

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fruitqueen · 25/02/2014 17:25

Wouldn't want them cycling on a busy road. Besides, where could they store the bicycle once at the station without chances of it being stolen?

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specialsubject · 25/02/2014 17:26

half a mile can be practically crawled in 10 minutes.

2 miles is fine, although less pleasant if beside a busy road. If it is raining and 'office dress' is required, you wear proper shoes and a coat and take a change.

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LondonGirl83 · 25/02/2014 17:27

10 minutes is my preference with 15 min my cut off. My onwards commute though is easy.

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BirthdayMuppet · 25/02/2014 17:29

They're 18 and 16, why shouldn't they cycle with the relevant protective equipment?! Also most stations have cycle bars that bikes can be chained to, a decent chain is only about £15-£20.

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PPaka · 25/02/2014 17:29

I have a couple of different tube stop options, one line is 3 min walk, the other 20mins, but there's buses every 5 minutes
Maybe consider that option too

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MirandaWest · 25/02/2014 17:51

16 and 18 year olds should be able to cycle (unless they can't ride bikes of course)

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PattyMcGinty · 25/02/2014 22:45

half a mile is nothing!

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SwedishEdith · 25/02/2014 22:50

Agree that 1/2 a mile is nothing. But it does depend on the rest of the journey.

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PattyMcGinty · 25/02/2014 23:19

Does it SwedishEdith?

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SwedishEdith · 25/02/2014 23:34

Well, 1/2 a mile to the station, 15 min train journey and then over a mile to office/college/whatever on the other side makes the first 1/2 mile part of the whole general ballache of the journey really.

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EBearhug · 25/02/2014 23:40

I would say anything up to 40 minutes, but the rest of this thread makes it look like I'm being unreasonable.

I think it depends also on what the rest of the journey is like - if you've then got 40 minutes on the train and another half hour to walk at the other end, then you only want about a 5-10 minute walk at this end. If it's just 10 minutes on the train and 5 minutes at the other end, then this end can be longer. How long would the overall commute be, door-to-door?

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