Faster train or slow? Save money on commute

[Ceelee29]

I’ve just returned to work part time.
Have two kids - 6months and 2y7m old.
husband has to deal with both kids in the morning when i commute into London but he does WFH.
Would you get the slower train and save £10 per day on commute but miss helping out with children in the morning… Or get the faster train but help out with kids in the morning (there still is a risk that you can’t help but as kids are still sleeping) and pay £10 more on commute? (Also would Save 1h on sleep)

AIBU - get the faster train!
YABU - save the £10!

How many days a week do you commute and how long is the difference between the two trains?

Its a tough one because thats a lots of money. Could you do 3 days early 2 days later?

How much difference will it be if you buy weekly/monthly?

Do you need the money that much? How much slower is the slower train??

Feels like YABU

I commute in twice a week at the moment… in 6 months it’ll be 3 times a week

twice a week at the moment.
eventually will be three times a week once baby is 1 years old

fast train is a 45-50min commute
slow train is 1h30-40mins

Honestly, for two/three days a week it’s be less about helping with the kids and more about how much sleep I need and the money. What do you need more, money or sleep? Your husband will be fine.

So almost an hour longer? Unless finances were very tight I'd get the fast train.
Although I do quite like a train journey if it's warm and I've got a comfy seat. I might go for the slow train if the fast train was always crowded and hard to sit down.

I’m a commuter and sometimes have a similar dilemma. Can you work on the slow train? Sometimes I opt for this and just accept the long journey and take my laptop, catching up on work. Then it’s not wasted time.

Generally though I tend to opt for the faster, more expensive service on the grounds that time is more precious to me than the relatively small amount of money saved by taking the cheaper train.

Do they both arrive at the same station? I'm thinking Cambridge to Kings Cross or Reading to Paddington/Waterloo - if it was Reading, my decision would also take account of where I was going to after arrival

Can you do work on the train?

Not sure what this has to do with OP’s dilemma?

@Ceelee29 you have to decide what is more important to you. I would spend good money to A) have an extra hour’s sleep and B) not spend nearly an hour longer on a busy commuter train.

I wonder how many fathers would be asking the same thing, concerned about helping out with the kids in the morning.

I would much rather get up and go, work on the train, get in at a decent time and get home to spend time with dc in evenings.

I used to do a London commute (slow train). Left the house at 6am, worked on the train, into the office for 9am, left at 3:30pm, worked on the train, home by 7pm to do bedtime. Dh was perfectly capable of parenting when I wasn’t around.

I would, however, be flexible and change things up as needed. For example, if Dh was really unwell or there was something I needed to do at home.

Depends how much you need the money. Can you afford the financial hit of an extra £20/£30 a week?

I'd actually prefer to read or listen to a podcast on the train!

You say you've returned part time and want him to do childcare 2x mornings a week solo.

I'm assuming you do 2x solo mornings a week on your non work days so it seems reciprocal

Which train is more comfortable? Seats/crowding etc? Are you doing mornings the other days?

Oh god the fast train definitley. That is a long slog on the slow one

Fast train. Would prefer to see more of the kids every day