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Original poster

I'm scared about the costs in England

261 replies

Mooshamoo · 03/07/2023 01:03

I'm in Ireland. Last time that I went to England, I was worried about how much things cost there. It's so expensive. It was the transport that totally wiped me out.

Now I'm going to England again next week. I'm going to work on a temporary job there for a month. And I have to get there on Saturday.

The thought of the costs is scaring me!

I will need to stay for one night in London. Then I will get a train to another city. Then I get another train and a bus out to the remote location of my job. That is going to be costly.

My flight from Ireland to England cost 18 euro. My train in Ireland cost 14 euro (I travelled for 2.5 hours on the trap for this price)

I'm worried about all the train costs in the UK. They are so expensive! It's a worry. I remember last time I was in England , I travelled for a very short journey on the train and they charged me fifty pounds.

I'm trying to book the cheapest route in advance. It's a stress though. Just wanted to vent

OP posts:
MichelleScarn · 03/07/2023 07:49

What's the start and end points? I'm sure intrepid mnetters could help!

Cailin66 · 03/07/2023 07:50

I’m guessing the OP is getting a train from say Sligo to Dublin, then she is getting a bus to the airport. A cheap Ryanair flight to London, she didn’t say which airport. I’d imagine very late, so needs somewhere cheap to stay overnight. She needs to tell us what big town in East Anglia she needs to get to. So mumsnet can tell her his to get there cheaply.

OP clearly, for whatever reason, wants to do this, and we should try and help her. London can be very intimidating for young people who are not used to a big city.

OP should have asked for travel to be included. In fact if I were her I’d phone the school and insist on it. If you don’t ask you won’t get and they might be very understanding. I know my old Irish boarding school is accommodating.

ButImNotOldEnough · 03/07/2023 07:51

So simply don’t go to England? No one is forcing you to take a summer job there. Bit odd to seek work in a country you’re scared of travelling within.

Testina · 03/07/2023 07:55

“OP clearly, for whatever reason, wants to do this, and we should try and help her. London can be very intimidating for young people who are not used to a big city.”

Which is true.

But name search says OP is 40, spent 2 years travelling the world in her 30s and is considering selling her house now to fund several years travelling the world again. So I think she can Google for a bus route.

I searched because I thought she might mention the new job location in another thread, and I used to like in Ely so I thought I might have some info.

StaySpicy · 03/07/2023 07:55

If you're that scared, don't come. Sounds like it's impacting your mental health.

If you need the money from this month-long contract that you have to come, then presumably you'll be well-paid enough even with some travel costs that you shouldn't be scared by the costs.

"Scared" just seems like an odd choice of word for an adult travelling from one English-speaking country to another English-speaking country that are practically next to each other.

JohnnysSoLongAtTheFair · 03/07/2023 07:58

sorry but your trap gave me the giggles. I'm picturing you as Jane Eyre now!

Me too. A trap to the port for passage on a clipper. And then the outrageous cost of a trip on Stephenson’s Rocket.

judpan · 03/07/2023 07:58

If it's Luton or Stanstead you're flying to they're not actually London, and they're closer to where you're trying to get to.

Cailin66 · 03/07/2023 07:59

Testina · 03/07/2023 07:55

“OP clearly, for whatever reason, wants to do this, and we should try and help her. London can be very intimidating for young people who are not used to a big city.”

Which is true.

But name search says OP is 40, spent 2 years travelling the world in her 30s and is considering selling her house now to fund several years travelling the world again. So I think she can Google for a bus route.

I searched because I thought she might mention the new job location in another thread, and I used to like in Ely so I thought I might have some info.

Wasn’t aware of that so thanks for that. That puts a different slant on things. I thought it was a young naive girl. None of this “project” now makes any sense.

judpan · 03/07/2023 08:00

@Testina I think OP is goading English posters about travel costs, as if we don't know how expensive our trains are....

ThelmaBorden · 03/07/2023 08:00

Cailin66, this poster is 40 and considering exploring the world, not an ingenue who needs help booking tickets, after travelling the world alone

LadyLapsang · 03/07/2023 08:02

If you are really on a strict budget you could consider the coach, look up National Express. To give you an idea, I picked a random day next week and you could buy a ticket from London Victoria coach station to Norwich for £8.70, with no discount card.

MichelleScarn · 03/07/2023 08:02

Ah re above, what a bizarre thing

Cakesandbabes · 03/07/2023 08:02

judpan · 03/07/2023 08:00

@Testina I think OP is goading English posters about travel costs, as if we don't know how expensive our trains are....

Op always has something and honestly, I don't think it's genuinely goading people, more of an attention thing with some fantasy thrown in.

Careerdilemma · 03/07/2023 08:03

Have you looked into buying a railcard? That can save quite a bit.

Original poster
Mooshamoo · 03/07/2023 08:05

EarringsandLipstick · 03/07/2023 07:27

Honestly OP, you could find something similar, with far less expenses, here in Ireland.

You knew the travel costs would be an issue before applying.

And yes, the train fare costs always gave me a shock too - but I never had to pay (or rather I did, but then claimed in expenses).

Yeah but who wants to work in Ireland all the time. I've worked in lots of different countries. I love seeing new places.

OP posts:
Sgtmajormummy · 03/07/2023 08:05

Train prices in UK are a joke with the passenger as the butt of it.

After being fleeced for a train journey that couldn’t even get me to Heathrow for 11 on a Sunday without taking a sleeper, I vowed never to use them again, even with a BIL who used to be a ticket clerk and knew all the tricks. Now I hire a car even if it sits at my destination until I return.

The only advice I can give is that return tickets are often like 10pc more than a single.

PixiePirate · 03/07/2023 08:05

As per pp, try National Express coaches instead. All other buses are currently £2 per journey I think, including the X30 to and from Stansted airport. You can get across large areas of each county using the local bus service in a single £2 journey.

JaneJeffer · 03/07/2023 08:06

I don't think someone from the most expensive country in Europe would be goading English people about prices! Public transport fares in Ireland are cheaper than they were surprisingly but it's hardly something we are going to crow about.

Original poster
Mooshamoo · 03/07/2023 08:08

Wow this wasn't meant to be that serious and certainly not meant to be bashing England. I love England.

I just always find the trains stressful in England. I was trying to sort them out last nigjt. And wanted to vent.

Some one above said that I like looking for attention. Eh no. If something stresses me , I just talk about it on here.

Many many other posts on aibu are people talking about their various problems. That is the point of this forum. Are they looking for attention too.

This thread is not that serious. I'll get there fine.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mooshamoo · 03/07/2023 08:09

JaneJeffer · 03/07/2023 08:06

I don't think someone from the most expensive country in Europe would be goading English people about prices! Public transport fares in Ireland are cheaper than they were surprisingly but it's hardly something we are going to crow about.

Ireland definitely has a lot of extremely expensive things too.

OP posts:
MrsWombat · 03/07/2023 08:10

As you know the dates you are travelling, can't you buy the tickets in advance so it's cheaper and not a surprise? The same for any days off you have where you might want to visit somewhere as a tourist.

JaneJeffer · 03/07/2023 08:11

With prices 46% above the EU average - definitely @Mooshamoo

Cailin66 · 03/07/2023 08:11

Cakesandbabes · 03/07/2023 08:02

Op always has something and honestly, I don't think it's genuinely goading people, more of an attention thing with some fantasy thrown in.

Show quote history

I think there is way more of an issue here than people realise. This is not about goading.

As an aside, Irish rail is very heavily subsidised, so many might be unaware that rail costs elsewhere, not just U.K. are very expensive. There is also only one rail company and all routes are to Dublin. London/UK is a different planet entirely.

Kennahevabescut · 03/07/2023 08:12

Can't you do an equivalent job in ireland if worried about the costs?

Does the job itself pay a higher rate in England than there?

JudgeAnderson · 03/07/2023 08:12

Coach travel like National Express is much cheaper and ironically much more reliable than the trains.

I'd hardly call Ireland cheap in general though.