Anyone commute between Bristol and London?

[BristolLily]

We currently live in London but possibly looking to move out to Bristol. Does anyone commute from Bristol to London 1-2 times a week? How doable is it?

I know trains are really expensive though think there’s a flexi season ticket for 8 times a month (though can only buy whole year up front!). National express very cheap but long and not really manageable in one day!

No DC so haven’t got that to factor in. Would be travelling to Temple Meads.

Anyone have any advice or experience of doing this? Thank you!

Have you tried staying in Bristol and doing a test run? I don’t think I could hack it. That’s an hour and 40 on the train (assuming it runs to schedule), plus time from your house to the station and Paddington to your office, so realistically at least 2 hours each way. Maybe if it was once or twice a month but not once or twice a week. You’ll be having nightmares about GWR.

Yes done a few test runs and it is quite tiring… I can easily asleep on public transport so I slept a lot though. It’s hard to get a good idea just as a one off though.

It can take an hour to get across Bristol as there's no underground or trams. So you'll be at the mercy of First bus or cycling.
Have you considered looking at Keynsham (has a station) or Bath (has 2 stations- Oldfield Park and Bath Spa) ? Marginally closer to London!

I do it about once or twice a month. The train from Bristol parkway (on the outer/NW Bristol) takes 1hr 10 mins, so if you live close to parkway, it’s definitely doable. Depends on your commute from Paddington too though. (and I know you said temple meads, but if commuting twice a week was a must, you probably want to live somewhere that makes that as easy as possible).

I live in Bristol and used to have to travel to work in London maybe once or twice a month and that was enough TBH. Unless you live very centrally then you’d be looking at twenty minutes or more from any nice bit of Bristol to Temple Meads (assuming you’d cycle or Voi as there’s very limited parking at the station). Then hope train is running to time. And then 20 minutes at least from Paddington to wherever you need to be in London. And then when you want to get back to Bristol then inevitably there are delays of some sort. Not sure I could hack it twice a week.

My friend does this one day a week midweek, going up the night before. She hates it and is looking for a new job closer to Bristol. Her boss wants her in the office for 2 days but she has managed to rebuff her so far. She drives because it's easier than the train (she is a single mum, time is at a premium).

Hi everyone - Thought I'd add to this slighly old thread as I have some useful insight.

I live in the Bristol area and work in London (city) 3 days a week, sometimes 4. I do a mix of commuting up/down the same day, and stay in hotels sometimes. The commute is 2 hours door-to-desk (15-20 mins drive to Parkway, 1h15 on the train, 10 mins to Liverpool Street on the Elizabeth Line plus a bit of walking/waiting).

So on the up/down days I'm spending 4 hours commuting, but it's quite broken up and the 1h15m on the train flys by as I can work, watch movies etc. The trains are quite comfy and I always get a seat, usually a table seat. GWR is generally reliable but has issues like any train company, so I've lost a few evenings stuck in Reading or similar.

I typically leave the house at 7:30am and home by 7:30pm, which is fine and not much different to when I lived in the London commuter belt. This will seem like a very long day if you're used to living near work, but I manage it no problem 3 days a week.

When I do hotels I usually stay in London mon-weds so only 4 hours commuting all week, which is nice, but do miss being at home so I'm mainly doing the up/down commute these days.

It's expensive, probably double the cost of commuting from the London belt, but cost of living is lower out west which compensates.

It's not for everyone but we've made it work with no regrets after 2 years. We much prefer living in the west country to the boring commuter town we left behind. Kids are thriving in great schools with loads of friends, we live in a rural village location with an amazing vibrant city 5 minutes away, and can be at the coast or up on the mendips in 20 minutes.

A friend does it, but only once a week/once every two weeks. expensive and tiring, but ok for him

Will it remain only 1 or 2 days a week? I'd not be as confident.

Thanks dabber, wondered how this is hoing for you now?