Aibu 6.20am train for a meeting

[Chantholtmouse]

Is it unreasonable of my workplace to expect me to get a 6.20am train to attend work meetings and training 300 miles away? I absolutely don't mind attending but a 6.20am train seems unreasonable. It's the only one that would get me there in time. I'd have to be up at 4.45am to quickly shower, dress, walk the dog around the block (I also have to find someone to pick him up) and drive to the train station which isn't that close.

It's then 3 full days of meetings and training which I'll be shattered for. I'll get a bit of time back but it still seems a big ask. There's no option for paid accomodation to stay the night before.

Aibu?

Can you drive to the mainline station and so miss out the time wasted waiting for the change?

YANBU!

Absolutely would not be doing this and my work wouldn't ask me to. Surprised so many people think this is ok!

I am remote - if I have to go to the office (260 mile/4 hour drive or 4 hour train) then I travel up the day before in the afternoon in work hours and leave lunchtime the day after to travel back in work time, overnight accommodation included.

If they are sending you somewhere and it's not your choice, then they should be making it a comfortable experience!

I used to have to get a 5.30 train and travel 300 miles. It was expected at my work.

You’ll have to get the train then.

My daily commute is a 5 hour round trip 😴 so as a one off I think it's fine but definitely push back if it's more regular

YABU- it’s not all the time. Others will be going probably under sufferance so just go.

I actually agree with you. it's not about sitting in your bum when you arrive it's training so you will have to interact, small talk to people yoi don't know etc. you will start to wilt around 3 I bet as you are not used to this daily l. are they paying for yoru ticket ? I have a nice boss and a long commute and I know of this was me he would ensure had a hotel night before. that way you are refreshed going in. it sounds like your company is not budging I would such it up short term but would be putting my head down to look for a new job. and when you do get one make sure you tell them when you leave this is one of the reasons

Catching an early flight won't help either.

I would say you won't get there in time, you'll work more than your hours that day so ask for a hotel for the night before.

Personally if it isn't in my contract, I'd be querying the necessity of travelling 300 miles for training. If it's that important then they should be willing to accommodate you for an extra night to ensure that you can get there on time for the first morning. Particularly if there are likely to be issues around transport.

Many years ago I was told I had to travel to our Head Office (which was outside the UK) for a meeting. We had the facility to have video conferences but no, I was told that it was absolutely essential I made the 450 mile trip to HQ. I flew out at lunchtime and had a brief orientation meeting in the evening, and then arrived at the office the following day for the meeting. But nobody else thought it was worthwhile, so just stuck me at a desk in their offices and came and talked to me a bit. Absolute waste of time and money for something that could have been done over the phone, by email or over video.

@Chantholtmouse I know you’ve said that your work won’t pay for accommodation the night before, but it might be worth looking at the cost of your (off-peak) train ticket to travel on the previous day versus your (peak-time) ticket for the early train on the day of the meeting - it may actually be cheaper to travel off-peak and pay for the extra hotel night - do you think they’d be supportive and book the extra nights stay for you if that was the case?

If its not what you signed up in your job then thats shit tbh. Refer to your contract for that and also possible expenses (for the dog walking/feeding)
If you have to go a few times in the year then I'd go this time. When you return, explain how tired you were over the next few days and so didn't get as much out of it as you could have. Negotiate for accommodation for the night before and for compensation for x 3 a year for costs for dog walker.
Going against others posting. I think yanbu.

A one time expectation isn't TOO bad, but from what you say, this is 3 times a year @Chantholtmouse ??? Then YANBU to be pissed off by it.

And of course this thread, like others like it brings out the 'I start my day this early stop moaning' top trumps...... Like, 'I am up at 4.45am MOST days OP.' And '6.30am, that is a quarter of the way through my work day...' and 'suck it up you big baby, my husband starts his 21 hour NHS shift at 3.33am every day.' etc etc etc...

I am on your side OP.

Once a month I do a 400 mile round trip in a day to my other work office - I could stay overnight but I would rather not have it impact childcare/personal time on other days. So I get up at 5am and get home at 10pm. Do 10-5 in the office there. Similarly you'll save on dog sitter time by not staying overnight. And on the train you can relax, read/watch a film etc, so it's not tiring like driving is.

6.20am is the time of my train to my main office. As others have said it's a normal time for commuting.

You need to take Friday off in lieu for the out of hours travel time on Tuesday morning and Thursday night. Your employer should pay for your travel time, you don’t travel in your own time if you’re going off site!

I used to do this quite often with my previous role. 9am meeting in London meant I had to get the 6am red eye express. Which meant leaving the house at 5.10am, so up at 4.30. Part of the job.

But OP is not travelling to her usual place of work. She’s being made to travel much further at a very early time for training/meetings. It’s a different scenario to getting up and commuting for your regular shift/7am start or whatever. I’ve also worked in the NHS and we were given accommodation for the night before a training event if we had to travel significantly longer than we usually did.

I've done that in my time, it wasn't that bad. It's not your employer's fault that you have to walk the dog, presumably without that you could get up at least 30 minutes later. You've then got time to doze on the train. I don't understand why you say this is worse than driving at that time in the morning, sitting on a train seems to me much more relaxing.

But leaving the house at 6.20 am and going straight into a busy doctor's shift is surely a hell of a lot more difficult than getting up at 6.20 and sitting on a train for 3 hours?

I've always started that early. Why make a big thing of it ?

🙄

You have no idea what the OP does.

YANBU, that is a massive trek to get there for first thing. I would hate that, can't imagine getting up at 4.45 except for a holiday / emergency! Yes I know many people choose to live miles away and have a long commute, presumably to save £££, work shifts, or are early birds naturally, but that's different. You are giving them a lot of hours over those days with long days as well as that travel. I would push for more time back if they won't offer money / hotel, then at least you can look forward to some benefit.

🙄

I used to have to be at my desk at 6am every day! Most days I left the house in the dark and arrived home in the dark. If it’s not the norm they shouldn’t expect it or you and should pay for a hotel, although one off they might be reluctant to do so.

but if you go up the night before op, you will have to cater for your dog for a further night, so more expensve

If OP didn't mind getting up at 4.45am to make a 6.20am train for work then she might well have had a different job. It doesn't matter what anyone else does for routine in their job!

Makes me LOL to think of how the train drivers would have reacted to this sudden change in their shift.