Travelling 4 hours there and 4 hours back to get to work

[gk5jzdk]

My new job wants me to travel into their London office to meet some of the London-based team. They will pay for travel and one night's stay in a hotel. However, it's 4 hours there and 4 hours back which means even when leaving as soon as I finish work I won't arrive until gone 9:30pm. I can't leave in the morning as to get there for 9am I'd have to leave before 5am.

Has anyone had to do similar and, if so, do you prefer to travel up the evening before or the morning of?

You should be paid for travel time as this is not a normal commute. I would go up the night before, and set the expectation I would be leaving mid afternoon. If they wanted me later/into the evening I would expect either an extra night's stay or a late morning start.

Why can't the meeting take place online?

Arrive night before would be my preference. Train and taxi so not worried about tiredness for driving.

Yes, as everyone else has said - arrive night before and leave a bit early after meetings. your 4 hour travel time can be done at least partially in work time. This x1000 if you are travelling by train and can do some work while en route.

I never really understand this idea that all travel time has to be done in your own time. Commuting is one thing, actual travelling for work, especially when it's a significant amount of time, less so. I know lots of people who do international travel and it's not unusual ot have to leave (or return) over the weekend which is annoying. But usually there's some unofficial compensation because employers know it's not fair otherwise. eg - travelling on Sunday to get back thurdsay night late? Friday is a WFH day and everyone knows it's just keeping an eye on emai, not actually working.

Leave the afternoon before - not in the evening after a full day at work.

Look at train timetables (or if driving, consider how long it might take remembering that you're driving through the afternoon rush hours), tell your boss that you're not arriving any later than 19.30 (as you'll need to eat and maybe check emails and prepare for the meeting before you turn in for the night) and work backwards from there. I'd be leaving the office at 15.00 at the latest (in both directions).

The fact that other martyrs do 18-hour days is of no relevance to you (and I say this as someone who had to catch a 6.30 flight every Monday for 3 years) - and if this is the first time that you've been asked to do this, make sure that you set the ground rules now for when you're asked next time.

Have you looked at alternative transport options? I assume the 4 hour journey is by train? If you live near an airport would flying be an option? I work in London and used to sometimes have to travel to Leeds - because I lived close to Heathrow I used to fly up - it took half the time and cost less than the train!

I often travel for work. Definitely go up the night before and leave 4ish.
Get something to eat in the hotel and a good night's sleep and then you'll be fine.

They want you to meet the London team, and they are paying for a hotel. That is perfectly normal and reasonable.

Did this fairly regularly (South England to Manchester). Always preferred to go up the day before, stay overnight, then come straight back after meeting ended.

I’d travel the afternoon of the day before. I do 3 hours once a month, for an 8am start, and leave work about 3 to catch a train. Then see if I can leave the site location about an hour early and travel that night.

@gk5jzdk have they actually said they want you in London from 9 to 5pm? If not I think you need to clarify with them what their expectations are? I would have thought travel time would be counted as 'working hours' so you need to ask and be clear what is being asked of you

Travel the evening before. That way you start the day feeling refreshed rather than arriving tired, or getting stuck in traffic.

Sounds fair enough, didn't it mention occasionally needing to visit head office at the recruitment stage?

I'd request a 10am start or 11 even

The night before obviously! I've never had to do this for work but me and DD have just done a round of offer holder days that start at 9.30am. So there the night before and then the day then train home. I'm not (and my DD certainly won't) get up at 3.30am to leave by 4ish!

I used to travel to London on the train from a northern city about once a fortnight. Taxi to the station, fast train, tube. Meetings were scheduled for the time of my expected arrival, worked through lunch and used to usually leave about 4.30. Worked on the train. Don't think I ever stayed over. Used to have breakfast and sometimes dinner on the train if there were delays,nwhuch was quite often.
If you're mainly going to meet other members of the team will they actually be expecting you to put in a standard 9-5 day? I would have thought there would be some flexibility, especially these days.

Depends on what time the meeting is. I’ve been known to fly out to my company’s HQ in continental Europe on the first flight out and back the same day on the last flight back. I often don’t sleep well on hotels and would rather sleep in my own bed. Luckily I don’t go often!