To think I can drive 4 hours per day, 4 times a week as a newly qualified driver?

I’m sure you could do it, but why would you want to? That’s a hideous commute.

Driving four hours in one day will soon build both your experience and your confidence, you'll be fine.

Your departure times are important in terms of avoiding/hitting rush hour traffic (though this depends, ofcourse, where you are heading from and to.) It might be better to leave at 6.30am and drive at a quieter time until you get used to the route.

Driving 4 hours in one day is mentally tiring, you'll need to factor that into your day.

I'm a very experienced driver and I won't drive long distance if I'm feeling tired. You can always catch the train if you don't feel up to it. Good luck!

I'd find a cheap B and B op, even if you still have to drive to the park and ride. Will be cheaper than fuel I'd imagine, and much less faff.

I’d forgotten about the headaches. A couple of years ago I did a 9 hour drive. 2 hours in I’d had enough. Turned the radio off about 4 hours in as my head was hurting, and after 7 hours my arm felt like it was going to fall off. When I got to my destination and sat down it felt like I was still moving. Then I did the whole thing again five days later, except I got caught up in traffic on the M1 while an accident was dealt with which added another couple of hours.

This seems like a good solution- obviously worth doing the maths but it may still be cheaper than the train fare. It would also allow you time to see friends/ go out in your uni town without having to worry about the last train etc

It won't be about driving experience, you be able to do it it is just that you will be exhausted and bored doing that much driving.

It’s possible, but you’ll be absolutely knackered.

Would staying in a Travelodge or similar one night a week be an option?

I think you’ll be fine. I had a 90 minutes each way drive to work when I had a very busy life- three kids in primary school - and it really was no problem (although I only did three/four days a week).

Once it starts to get a bit much you’ll get the break of holidays and if it’s only a year it’ll soon fly by.

And huge Congratulations!

I’ve been driving for 16 years but don’t do long journeys on a regular basis. I’d feel pretty tired after a day at university followed by a two hour drive. It would be ok for a bit but I wouldn’t like to do it day in, day out. And if it’s motorway or dual carriageway it’s incredibly boring.

Have you accounted for traffic?

Why don’t you just lodge? Is there a reason you don’t want to move? It really seems that it would be much more sensible to just lodge for the academic year. It’ll only be 9 months or so.

The driving is possible, there is no issue around being a new driver. Your parents are being a bit odd if thats their worry. The actual issue is that it will be exhausting, you’ll come to hate it and it might be a struggle to get in the car and go after a couple months of it.

Personally, having done 3 hour round trip (by train) 3 days a week, I would find driving this and more exhausting. Driving is dead time. At least on the train you can work so although it might be longer, that’s 2.5 hours extra study time each way to yourself.

It’s not just fuel and insurance costs. That’s a lot more wear on your cars main components which will then need servicing and replacing more. Where are you travelling to and from if you don’t mind sharing?

Is there local cheap accommodation you can use to stay over? Travelodge or hostel?

I'm staying in London, the trip is £50 for train and a female-only 4 bed dorm room (quiet as the grave in my experience!).

You can always mix and match as far as you're able. I would book what you can in terms of cheap travel and accommodation and avoid doing 4x4h driving days a week if you can.

I drive 40,000 miles a year, and I’ve had my licence for 21 years now. It’s doable, but it’s going to be miserable and you are going to be tired. It will also be expensive. You will be caught in traffic jams massively adding to your journey times. I’ve spent countless hours sat on the motorway, engine off, waiting for a car fire to be extinguished 3 miles away. Unless you’ve actually driven the route you are intending to take, it’s going to be difficult for you to picture it.

I think it’s too much driving on top of a days worth of work which is what you will be doing. Over and over.

You're overstating things a little. People are just saying driving is tiring, especially several times a week and on top of a hard day studying. I don't know the route, but if some of it is dual carriageway and/or motorway, that can be very tired because it's so boring. And quite dangerous as it's easy to drift off mentally.

Sounds like a helluva lot of driving in 1 day to me. I think you're being unrealistic as an inexperienced driver about the toll it will take. I've driven 90 minutes a day over the last 4 days to visit my Mum in hospital and that almost feels too much. I've had a constant headache from the extra concentration and now got a cricked neck too, checking over my shoulder hasn't been pleasant today!

I think if you can’t move and it’s for a limited period as you describe then driving is the best option; it’s will be cheaper and more time efficient, and the practice
will be good for you.

I’d probably look into spending the odd night or two in a cheap hotel or Air bnb room to give you a break every so often. I’m sure the year will fly by.

And well done on getting into this. Sounds competitive!

Don’t do it

It’s fine. Until I started reading Mumsnet I didn’t think people made such a hoopla about driving, but people seem to think it’s akin to performing multiple organ transplants with one hand tied behind your back.

Just use your brain and stop for a wee and get a snack on the way back if you need it.

I would say 50/50.
4 hours a day is a lot of driving. As a newer driver you will be concentrating more than someone with 30 years experience. You'll be tired after your day of studying.
But you are YOUNG (I think!?) and I think for one academic year, term time only you could do it.
Congratulations on securing a place.

If it's just mainly for the first year then I think you'd be OK. It would be a lot of driving but you could cope with it. During my nursing degree I had to do a lot of driving to various placements, a couple were around 90 mins each way. It was tough but for the sake of getting through my degree, I did it. Travelodge sometimes do £20 a night deals, possibly could work out the same or cheaper than petrol? Depending on what part of the country you're in of course.

Why would you get a season ticket for the train rather than day tickets? Depending on the route, you could get advance tickets, and being a student you can get a Railcard?

@Psych101B You will get very good at driving that route very quickly.

I don't really think it does actually.