Not to take job as it's 1 hour commute ?

[pollyputaket]

Basically I've been looking for a job for a while now and the only job I've been offered is 1 hour commute.
It's a 5 min walk from my house to train station
Then 50 min train journey
Plus 5 min walk from train station to office.
£11 train per day travel
So that is £55 on fares per week
Aibu not to take it for this reason ?
What would you do?

@pollyputaket

Basically I've been looking for a job for a while now and the only job I've been offered is 1 hour commute. It's a 5 min walk from my house to train station Then 50 min train journey Plus 5 min walk from train station to office. £11 train per day travel So that is £55 on fares per week Aibu not to take it for this reason ? What would you do?

That's totally normal.

Im amazed at an hours train journey for £11!
My train journey is 35-40 min and in peak hours would be around £20.
Whether it's worth it for a minimum wage job is a different matter.

I did a one hour each way commute by car and hated it! Although I did 12 hour shifts and nights which are hard at the best of times.

I think it's perhaps not so bad on a train because at least you can relax. Still not sure I would want to do it again though

Like pp have said would it be worth taking it with the view it's short term or a stop gap, and continue to look for something better paid and/or more suitable?
It might be a good time to test disposable income when so many things are closed. You wont be spending on going out, or browsing in shops, for at least the next 5 or 6 weeks during lockdown.

But you’ll be working from home for the moment. Take it and look for somewhere nearer.

It sounds like a fairly easy commute tbh - better to spend more time on one train than switching types of transport. An hour has always been my limit of what I would do in terms of commuting and I did that for years when I lived in London. As I am getting older though, I am appreciating a shorter commute - about 25 minutes now which is a treat. I would take the job and if the commute really bothers you, look for something else when you can.

Is there an opportunity to progress in the role to be able to earn more?

@pollyputaket

After travel /bills /rent /food etc I would only have £400 left a month

After rent/travel/food/all bills paid, I have less than that a month.

I'm currently working from home, but pre-covid my commute (east midlands) was about 45 mins to 1 hour depending on time of day. I'd take the job and look to buy a season ticket to reduce the travel expenses.

You sound like you lack the drive to move forward with a career?

If you can’t put yourself out to travel for a job then you will prob always be looking for NMW jobs. Sadly, the truth for many people is that they have to work shit hours for crap money to get experience and qualifications, which then opens up better opportunities.

I can’t relate to your dilemma. I’ve been broke as anything and had jobs which pay crap, have two hour plus commutes etc. I sucked it up and progressed my career.

I think yabu.

I used to community 70 miles per day at one point for 2 years before the employer decided to relocate me to a closer area. (When I said I was gonna leave) husband travels 50 mins. Standard if you can afford it and you enjoy it.

Basically I've been looking for a job for a while now and the only job I've been offered is 1 hour commute.
It's a 5 min walk from my house to train station
Then 50 min train journey
Plus 5 min walk from train station to office.
£11 train per day travel
So that is £55 on fares per week
Aibu not to take it for this reason ?
What would you do?

😂😂😂

I used to do a 2.5hr door to door journey, so 5hrs a day. And my monthly ticket cost more than my mortgage.

A 1hr commute is fuck all, and standard.

I’d bite their bloody hand off tbh.

2 hr daily commute, (train not driving so can do anything from reading to eating your breakfast) for just 6 months, £400 pm after essentials to begin with, after 6 months that will also increase with no travel costs.

In today’s job market I wouldn’t think twice!

Before COVID I commuted into Newcastle every day on metro and bus. Quickest journey was 1 hour 10 minutes if the bus and metro pulled up as I arrived. Longest around 2 hours especially on a 9-5 shift.
That’s life. Use the time to read, listen to music.

Also worth noting my employer are telling new starters they will be in the office for up to 6 months before WFH. Fact is anyone that seems reliable and trustworthy is packed off home ASAP and training is carried out virtually

It’s not for 400 pounds though.

It’s to pay for your food and housing and heating. And then 400 pounds spare.

I just can’t imagine not taking that when you don’t have a job.

I travelled longer to get to uni every day. 1 hr isn’t bad

Meh, hope the second one works out.

In normal times (currently WFH), I have an hour's commute but I drive it.

Again, in normal times, I would much prefer to sit on a train and read rather than hsve to stay awake and alert drivibg.

BUT

Would you be sitting down or isthisa packed, standing room only type train(assuming we ever get back to that!)? Not so appealing.

How reliable are your start and finish times and how frequent are the trains? Trains only go from my nearest station to the nearest city once an hour. Miss one, and your commute extends massively.

I missed the train every 11 minutes information.
A definite yes then.

It’s an easy commute and you have left over income/ Dh’s commute used to be 2 hrs every day there and back - mine is 45 min commute twice a day in car. You just get on with it tbf. Even better if you can get off train earlier and walk and save money.

I don't see the problem, I had a similar commute for years. At least sitting on a train you can read or watch youtube or whatever. However I'm quite shocked how stagnant wages are in the UK, I earned more than that in my first job in London in 1991.

@pollyputaket

It's gonna mean leaving the house at 6.30 (just to be sure ) to start at 8. Finish at 4 so won't be home till 5.30 pm 11 hours a day 55 hours a week for £400 It's a lot to think about

It's not a lot to think about really? You don't sound like you want to make the effort to be honest??

Leaving the house at 630 isn't particularly early? I usually am at my desk a6 630 as I work compressed hours. It looks to me like you are talking your way out of the job. And as its always easier to get a job when you have a job, I really don't get why you are even thinking about turning it down, unless you are a bit work shy.

Im amazed at an hours train journey for £11!
My train journey is 35-40 min and in peak hours would be around £20.

I would also ignore those who want to turn this thread into a version of the four Yorkshiremen sketch and how they commute 3 days by oxen through fields of landmines. Minimum wage jobs are often boring, routine physically exhausting and offer no prospects. An extra hour each way on top of that will be no fun. If it is something that you're interested in and think you'll enjoy go for it, if you're not absolutely desperate, think whether you want or need it.

I would however check whether the £11 fare is a peak one or an off peak one, but there is no direct relationship between fares per miles traveled since rail privatisation.

I'd struggle to go back from my 20 min commute (but would if I really had to).

I’m thinking as the OP mentioned Newcastle and the “train” being every 11 minutes, that she was referring to the Metro?