Charging for travel time

[LadyBiscuit]

Can I ask what those of you who travel some distance to meet your clients do when it comes to passing on expenses? I live quite a way out of London and it doesn't seem entirely fair to me that my clients pay all my travel/time costs. Is an hour each way (plus 1/2 the train fares) acceptable? Or do I just suck it up (most of the time once I've had the brief I can work remotely).

How do you do it?

It takes me 3 hours to get to meetings in London. and costs £100 plus. I tend to deal with it on quite a discretionary basis. My clients are not-for-profit and I'm competing against Londoners so I need to keep things sensible. I always try to make a trip to London multi-purpose - at least 2 meetings and a trip to a specialist library I use. And I use my time on the train to work - often prep for and follow-up to the meetings. I tend to bundle it in to the schedule for a project - for me this might mean allowing 3 days for initial research and consultation. (knowing that half a day of this - or even a day - will be coming to London but with working time on the train). so it's there, in my mind and my schedule and my overall budget, iyswim, but doesn;t leap out as charging £xxx for a single meeting. Re train fares - I tend to suck them up unless it's offered.

Thanks, that's really good advice. I did work the entire way back yesterday and did a bit of prep on the way there too. My clients are big organisations but tend to be a bit stingy side and I don't want them to choose someone local over me because they resent paying my fares or travelling time! I shall suck up the train fare :)

DH Travels all over the country, regularly having to stay overnight.
He factors all of that into his costs.
And bumps it up when he does not want the gig!
WE also charge extra for anything that involves driving back down the M3 on a Friday and less for drives that are on lovely roads.
THe skill is to be flexible

(PS the account without the 2 on is blocked so this is my new one!!)