Commute to London from Wantage

[Esth19]

Hi everyone, curious for any tips from anyone who has moved out of london to Wantage/surrounding area but still needs to commute into london at least a few times a week. We are moving out of london with our toddler (expecting another baby later in the year too) to be nearer family, have more space etc etc but our main concern is how painful the commute will be as at least one of us will still be working in london. In particular the drive to didcot station, how easy it is to park there, can you get a seat on the trains etc etc. Our toddler is currently in nursery but also not sure if we’d need to get some wraparound childcare for drop off/pick up as nervous about the commute being unreliable! Any tips very welcome, including if anyone has any thoughts on living in Wantage with a young family! Thank you

It's an easy drive to Didcot Station from Wantage, in the summer it's great. Winter less so, in that traffic is heavier. If you're before 7.30 you'll be fine. If you're Didcot side of Wantage it will help.

The Wednesday market in Wantage is great for veg by the way. There's also a Saturday one, not quite so good. And the Marco Polo bakery is pretty good.

If you feel like a change try Proof bakery in Kennington. Almond croissant to die for and it's an open kitchen so you can watch them making the goodies x

And loads of parking at the station. Huge carpark.

There's also a good bus service to Oxford.

I used to commute to London from Wantage and I wouldn't want to do it more than once or twice a week, if at all. The traffic is horrendous now all the new houses have been built and it could easily take 2 to 2.5 hours to get to London (I worked in Blackfriars/Waterloo). It is also an expensive commute.

The thing I always warn about for anyone moving out of London to commuter towns is the lack of alternative options. In London, there's always another way if the Tube is out of action, or there are traffic jams or whatever. When you are relying on a rail line, it's usually all you've got. There WILL be occasional days when the only "trains" are rail replacement buses. There WILL be occasional days when there's a signalling failure, or fatality or similar and you'll be stood on Paddington station with absolutely no trains going down the Didcot and you'll be trying to work out what the nearest station is on a line that's working and will end up costing you £100 in cab fare.

I don't say this to discourage you - personally I loathe London and much prefer living well outside and commuting in, but you have to get yourself in a new mindset and be ready for some long slogs. Wantage and the area around is lovely though, so good luck!

Did you end up making the move? How have you found it?