To think you check you can get home?

[Ayechinnyreckon]

A colleague/ friend came over for Christmas. Arrived Christmas eve and was meant to leave today.

They're a pleasant enough person but we aren't good friends so it's not as relaxing as it might be having them around. Before they arrived we agreed they'd come Christmas eve and leave boxing day - explained we already had plans both 24th and 26th for all day visits with family, all was fine.

They arrived Christmas eve and all has been well however when we discussed returning home, they didn't know what time their train was on boxing day (we were working out the best way to get them to the station). So they looked up train times, apparently for the first time since deciding to join us for Christmas! And lo and behold, there's no trains on boxing day.

I'd have thought it was fairly standard to check both sides of a train journey before departure? Now they're hanging around an empty house they don't know all day! Nothing within walking distance is open today so they literally have nothing to do!

Aibu to think you check you can get home before you set off?

"A lot of people seem to think it's weird you had this person there at all. I don't. I think it's kind and normal. I might be mistaken about the second of those, which is a shame.
A few people seem to think that this person is a cross between Bill Sikes and Feathers McGrew, and the whole thing is devilish scheme to engineer being alone in your house in order to snoop on your Googlesearch history and plunder your silverware. These people need some sort of professional help.
Quite a few people seem to think that you're a people-pleasing sucker and frankly you have no one to blame but yourself. Which doesn't really give us much insight into your personality, but tells us quite a lot about theirs.
Assuming you don't come home to find the sofa gone, I think you're right to be a bit disappointed you're not going to get an evening on your own with the other half, but you're handling this very well, and you're not getting it at all out of proportion.
"Drop them at a taxi rank. It's not your problem"?? For fuck's sake...."
Excellent post @PointsSouth

No, not usually.

https://www.thetrainline.com/trains/great-britain/christmas-and-new-year#boxing-day-trains

We haven't had a normal train service on Boxing Day since 1975.

Given that @Ayechinnyreckon's colleague booked a ticket to travel on Christmas Eve I think it is very odd that she didn't book it as a return ticket. The Trainline app would have told her that there were no trains today, so I don't buy that she didn't know there weren't any trains.

As for people suggesting that the OP just dumps the guest at a hotel or coach station - I can't think of anything more mean spirited.

I also think it is odd that the OP and her guest didn't discuss what time the guest was departing. I would have thought that a conversation along the lines of "we are visiting family at xx oclock, so you will need to be on your way before that" would have happened.

Maybe they won't ever leave. You've all watched Saltburn, right? It's a slippery slope now which will culminate in murder and naked disco dancing. 😂

It was a nice gesture OP to invite someone who sounds like they would be alone at Xmas to join you. A bit annoying that it's run over a day but I'm sure your guest will remember your hospitality fondly at a time they otherwise might have been lonely.

And it did. They were expecting to leave the house at the same time as us, they'd get an Uber to the station and go home, we did have that conversation. We live a 15 minute Uber ride from a big city with several mainline stations so genuinely didn't think there'd be an issue.

I think given they have been an excellent guest I would forgive them for not checking the trains, they probably just presumed it was a Sunday service. As annoying as it is that you can’t relax it doesn’t sound like they will make a mess of your house and at least they will be leaving in the morning.

It’s not mean spirited to take this person to a hotel or public transport stop. If I’d have made such a mistake I wouldn’t have even let on to my hosts that I was going to a hotel. I’d have thanked them and left as agreed and either found a way home or gone to hotel

Yes, it's really not the end of the world, I'm definitely not outraged and I do like them! I'm not worried my house will be trashed when I return. I'm more concerned that they're bored, I would be!

Maybe you'll come home to a sparkling clean house? I'd be mortified if I was in their shoes, I'd be stress cleaning and stocking the fridge with apology wine.

Presuming as they’re a colleague and didn’t have to book a specific train that they live within taxi distance? I would suggest that (if they haven’t already). Or on your way to your plans can you drop them within walking distance of a train or bus towards their home?

I feel your pain OP. I'm drained by guests after 2 nights. I'm hesitant to have guests at Christmas as it's quite thankless.

Sounds like a bloody good result to me. The guest has been generous, helpful and amenable and is now looking after your dog for 12 hours. No doubt you’ll return to a lovely clean house and all of that is worth forgoing a night of 1:1 with your DH ( whom you presumably have to yourself most nights of the year?).

I do find it odd that they were unaware of the lack of trains. Maybe I’m a bit too organised, but every return journey I do, I’ll triple check the return/book a seat, must be forward facing or I get travel sick.

Why did you invite them if they aren't good friends ?

It is strange, the boxing day thing, it's a sop to the unions that's persisted. If you've not been caught by it before it can take you by surprise especially as most other countries with any public transport provision do still have some service, albeit limited. But the UK just stops altogether!

In fairness, the busiest lines often have engineering works between Christmas and New Year because it’s such a disaster to have the trains cancelled on a normal day.

@Ayechinnyreckon
You think it’s rude to suggest they go to a hotel, but apparently, they don’t find it rude to overstay their welcome. Not sure what to tell you, but it doesn’t sound like this situation was part of the original plan. With no trains running, they’ll need to figure something out. Are there any other stations nearby, or maybe a different train line that could at least get them closer to home?

Who was looking after the dog in your original plans to be out for 12 hours?

No, we're in the north west and they're North East. There's absolutely no trains on any of the journey at all.

There may be a coach, I've not looked but as we're out now it doesn't really matter. An Uber is £231. I'd imagine a taxi would be similar.

The dog was coming with us (pre arranged with the family we were visiting). I'd generally prefer not to take the dog, but she's welcome where we're going and obviously necessary if there's no-one at home.

Well they don't need to figure something else out do they? OP has accepted the situation. As most reasonable people would at Xmas

Late to the party, but I do think the transport issue about how long guests stay is partly yours. 50-50, really.

There has been a lot in the media about no trains or fewer trains over the holiday (partly because some train companies are refusing to work overtime as they used to).

For several years now there have been no trains on the 25th a nd 26th.

I'd have assumed your guest knew this because the return trip would be part of the ticket-buying process.

I'd have assumed your guest knew this because the return trip would be part of the ticket-buying process.

I agree.

I disagree. I’m absolutely fine about bus and train drivers not working, though the rail maintenance crews are. I’d prefer it if retail staff didn’t have to work, too.

You sound a lovely person for hosting someone who would have been on their own for Christmas. There must be loads of people who end up alone for one reason or another, which is really sad.

The extra day sounds a bit annoying, but I guess you got a free dog sitter for the day!

@Cosyblankets Can you not leave a dog for 12 hours?