To ask what would be too long of a commute for you?

[squashedsandwich]

Recently moved house, placing me 4 miles south of where I used to live, in the opposite direction of work. It’s added 10 minutes at non-peak time and anywhere between 20-40 minutes at peak time if traffic is particularly bad. This means in total my 15 mile journey is 40 minutes at best, generally about 50 minutes and at worst 1hr 10 minutes.

However, I am hybrid so I only have to do this commute 2 days a week.

How far would be too far for you?

I am looking for something closer to home, not necessarily because of the time (DH is at home and kids are a bit older so less “needy”) but because the cost of commute has gone up over 50% in 9 months and will be unsustainable in the long term if it keeps rising.

I live 10 miles from my office. At peak times it can take 50-60 mins, which is madness, but I can’t do much about it. But I only do this commute twice per week now, as we are hybrid. But pre-COVID it was all starting to get a bit much, 10 hours driving/queuing per week isn’t good for anyone.

But I changed departments recently, and now start a bit earlier, so I my journey is now around 35-40 mins, which is a lot better.

Depends on the salary and shift length I suppose?
I’ve just transferred over to UC and I was asked whether I’d be prepared to do 90 minutes each way driving (so 3 hours every day) for a minimum wage job - I pointed out that I would be spending most of my wages on petrol!

I don't think I could be persuaded to commute more than 30 mins once or twice a week.

And even then it would take a lot of persuasion. Im firmly commited to wfh now.

In the past I've done a 60-90 minute commute. Never again.

Hybrid saved my career. Before COVID I was starting to think about reducing my hours, but during lockdown I realised it was the travel I struggled with, not the job. I’m now perfectly happy to work FT on a hybrid basis. COVID wasn’t all bad news!

Currently between 30-60 minutes depending on traffic. I try and avoid peak rush hour so normally about 40 mins.

I have previously done 2.5 hours each way 5 days a week working FT hours. Wouldn't do it again as it's a killer.

About 25 mins but that is a choice that I have made and adjusted career aspirations accordingly - I'd rather have time than money at this stage in my life.

I'm in London and wouldn't consider commuting beyond about 4 miles, which would take about 45 min by tube. But if the tubes were down or on strike I could walk that distance comfortably. I'm quite central so it's not very limiting and covers lots of potential employers.

Current daily commute around 35-40 mins and very rarely deviates by more than 5 mins. Fine.

Previous commute just over an hour, which would have been manageable, except when the traffic snarled could be 90 mins. The not knowing was as bad as the length. Not fine.

When thinking about what's an acceptable commute, it's not just about total commute time. The mode of transport, cost of travel, level of comfort, volume of people, likelihood of delays, wifi availability, frequency of travel, etc. are all relevant factors.

Pre covid I was travelling into the City 5 days a week from a commuter town in the Home Counties. The journey involved car + parking + train + tube + walk. It took about 1h 20 mins each way but delays were frequent. The transport alone was around £4k per year, plus other costs associated with going into the office like coffees, lunches, after work drinks, maintaining a professional wardrobe, etc.

Looking back (from my new WFH existence), was this acceptable? Hell no.

Over an hour.

My commute is just over an hour by train but I currently don't go in at all.

Pre covid I was 3 days a week in the office and it was fine, although I did work 7am to 2pm to be able to do the school run and made p the hours on my days at home.

1hr each way ish, I guess it depends how often I’d be going in. Currently train from my station to work station is 12 mins, so around 30 mins door to door, but longer when driving in term time dropping teenager off. I’m planning a move in 2yrs up north and debating how far is too far for travelling to work. I don’t mind commuting but I did it a lot at Uni and it got a bit much (1hr 30 min door to door then with awful train service). I think I’d like to stick to 30 mins door to door, as I do like to go into the office 3-4 days a week as I’m so over home working after covid

I wouldn't go over an hour door to door.

I cycle to work in 15 minutes on the 3 days a week I go to the office.

One office is about 50 miles, takes about an hour to drive (less in school holidays, much more in term time if I time it wrong). Public transport would take nearly 3hrs and is expensive.

The other office is about ten miles away, but takes nearly as long... drive to train - 10min, find parking - up to 20min if I have to park away from the station and walk, train - 20min, if it shows up and isn't full to bursting, then walk to office - 10min.

So it's roughly the same time despite the distance difference. The train commute is a bit nicer in dry weather as I get a walk, but also very stressful as the trains are shockingly unreliable and often short on carriages, hence overcrowding, and if you can't get on, there's not another (with the same overcrowding risk) for 20min. At least when I'm driving, I can pick my departure times and try to avoid busy times and roads.

I'm working my notice on a job that was 2 days a week around 1hr30 mins each way. It is ridiculously cheaper to drive it then get the train and walk both sides which is really frustrating.

If it was only twice a week I would do up to 3 hours each way.

I've had it too good so probably wouldn't even consider over half an hour now. My current drive is 15 mins through mostly countryside and only do that once a week. I haven't commuted more than half an hour since moving out of London in 2017

Anything thar requires me going out of the house.
But in all seriousness, Anything over an hour.

I wouldn't consider that too bad to be honest. I used to commute for nearly 2 hours each way when I was a youngster, but I wouldn't do that now since having kids.

I wouldn't commute now. I literally don't have time as I also now do an apprenticeship which has taken 7hrs a week off me that I had. My commute now is a 9min walk, door to office.