Commuting to London from Winchester?

[PossPetersfield]

Hello,
myself and my young family are considering relocating from London to Winchester to be closer to family and near outstanding state schools. However, we’re concerned about the length of the commute (my husband needs to be in Canary Wharf 2-3 days a week and I need to be in once a week, various locations).
does anyone do the commute regularly and can tell me what it’s like? I know it’s very expensive so more interested in reliability etc.
many thanks in advance :-)

DH has a colleague who does this, though not to as far east as Canary Wharf.

It is a very long commute.

I do the commute 1-2 days a week (to Whitechapel). The trains are sometimes delayed or cancelled, plus I often don’t get a seat. I live within walking distance to the station which helps and I’d say it’s just under 2 hours door-to-door from home to office. I actually don’t mind the commute though as I’ve gotten used to it and take the opportunity to listen to some good podcasts.

Winchester is a lovely place so I don’t regret moving here from London at all. Great schools as you say, it’s safe, family friendly, and I find the people here are polite and friendly. I think it’s an idyllic place to raise kids. Hope that helps!

I would say it’s definitely too long a commute 3 days a week.

Did you ppst about Petersfield earlier @PossPetersfield ?

The line to Winchester is operated by the same rail company as the one to Petersfield which is now the government. I wait with interest to see whether it gets better, it couldn't be a lot worse.

I live in Winchester but don’t commute. However when I head up to town I get the fast train (50 mins I think) and going into Waterloo is much more useful than where I grew up in South London where it was Victoria. Winchester is safe, great schools, very picturesque but vibrant due to a younger population at the Uni and art school campus. We previously lived in a West Sussex town which was nice, but mostly older folk so a bit deadly to be honest. Also Winchester great location as on the South Downs, but close to the New Forest and Wessex Downs.

I’d find it too costly and long.

I do that journey about twice a month, from head office to meetings all over London.
I would not want to do that journey 2-4 times a week. The cost in money and time would be horrendous.
And let us not forget that property in Winchester is hugely expensive, is really noisy/traffic can be really bad etc. And good schools are both available elsewhere and no indicator of how your children will fare in the education system.

On a contract, I did Winchester-Waterloo (short walk across the bridge) for a fortnight and it damn nigh killed me.

Canary Wharf will be a very long commute and I wouldn't do it.

TBH Winchester is not such a good location that I would consider this in the first place.

TBH the difference in journey time is not that much than it is from Petersfield.
The difference being you would get a seat at Petersfield, not sure you would always get a seat at Winchester.

Price of commute is still high. Cost of property in Winchester is also extremely high. Winchester is obviously much bigger than Petersfield.

Only comparing Winchester and Petersfield as I know you have asked about Petersfield as well.

I'm wondering whether somewhere like Guildford might be better for you?

I did this for 6 years. 6:18 train, then Jubilee line. I was at my desk for 8:00.

I then left at 4:15 and worked on the train home. Occasionally, I worked until 7-8pm and got home about 9:00 ish. It is 2hours door to desk - on paper it should be less, but it isn’t.

If DH can use the travel time to finish up emails, or plan things and keep to a 35 hour week, it will be alright, but if his company values presenteeism then it won’t work.

You need to be close to the station in Winchester - I felt so sorry for the people getting off the train and heading for the car park. Oram’s Arbour and Fulflood are great. The closer to the station the better.

Also, if there is a choice re which days not to commute - Monday is the busiest commute day and Friday is the easiest.

Just picking up on this side point - lots of South London goes into Waterloo - basically everywhere between Kingston and Vauxhall. Where I am in south east London, I can get into Victoria, Blackfriars, London Bridge and St Pancras.

I do the commute from one stop further on the line (parkway). Only where needed, but used to do once per week. And only to the city, not as far as Canary Wharf. It’s a long old commute and I wouldn’t want to do multiple times a week. It’s also shockingly expensive per mile compared to other lines into London.

BUT it’s a nice area to live, and I’ve found the line to be fairly reliable, and usually get a seat on a 6:38 train.

Of course trains in South London go into these other main stations. I was just highlighting that from Winchester, you go into Waterloo which in my opinion is a more useful station than Victoria as you can easily walk to Covent Garden, British Museum, City and the South Bank. Years ago when I lived at home in south London, my local station only went directly into Victoria which was a pain for commuting and generally involved a tube, especially when I worked in the city.

I do it 3x a week and it’s exhausting. About an hour 45mins at best, that’s living 10mins from the station. Trains are often packed with no/limited seats so you have to get to station early both ways. We’re very much settled here (I didn’t commute when we moved) but I’m not sure I’d choose it knowing I had that commute.

Yes to be fair, I’m not commuting and only use trains after rush hour has gone. Thats very different and I don’t think I’d fancy that much.