The Student Room Group

How far would you commute to uni?

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Reply 60
I'll be commuting next year with 2 different trains.......20 mins on one, then 25 on the next, so 45 mins altogether. I applied late and already had a house for next year where I currently am though, so I just had to go where I got in.
I commute from a town in Kent to Stratford International (UEL Stratford)
Thankfully due to the new high-speed train, it only takes me 35 minutes and then it's only a 10 minute walk to the university from the station :smile:

Not bad! I'm in my 2nd year of uni and only go in two days a week, so I didn't think there was any point living out again!
Reply 62
I commute two hours. Everyone pulls a face when I tell them but it's not actually that bad tbh, as I'm only in two days a week. 9 am starts are the massive pain though, and all my exams are at 9, so I have booked a hotel for those nights. I feel getting up at 5am will affect my exam performance so I'd rather pay extra and book a hotel.
Original post by JulesHills29
Im thinking of commuting from essex into London. Will take about 1 and 1/2 hours. Im a mature student so im not too concerned about missing out on the social life however i do worry it will have a negative impact on my family. Any1 else in my situation???


I will be leaving home at 5.15am to drive 65 miles to the train station then have a 1.5 hour train journey and will reach my uni at 8.15am. Thankfully I won't have 9am starts every day! I am worried about the kids but its for their benefit too. My kids are all in their teens so are quite capable of making their own way to school. Meals will be prepared at the weekends so will just need reheating. I'm not looking forward to the commute but its the chance of a lifetime so I'll do it. I suppose the key to it being not too traumatic is planning and preparation.
Reply 64
This thread makes me feel a bit better about the fact that I've decided to do a 2 hour commute each way next year! Like others on this thread I'm only in for 2 days a week next year and for financial and social reasons it just makes more sense for me to commute. When I had a job in London before uni I used to leave the house at 7.15 to get to work for 9.15 and that was having to sit on a horrible train crammed in with loads of undesirables on the morning commute 5 days a week, so hopefully a 2 hour drive two days a week will feel like a breeze! If anything major comes up then I can stay at a friend's or book a hotel room!
Original post by LooCee
This thread makes me feel a bit better about the fact that I've decided to do a 2 hour commute each way next year! Like others on this thread I'm only in for 2 days a week next year and for financial and social reasons it just makes more sense for me to commute. When I had a job in London before uni I used to leave the house at 7.15 to get to work for 9.15 and that was having to sit on a horrible train crammed in with loads of undesirables on the morning commute 5 days a week, so hopefully a 2 hour drive two days a week will feel like a breeze! If anything major comes up then I can stay at a friend's or book a hotel room!


your commuting from London to Norwich twice a week?
Reply 66
Original post by jelly1000
your commuting from London to Norwich twice a week?


Not at the moment but I will be. If it all goes wrong then I'll have to find somewhere to rent but I've done the journey at various times of the morning during rush hour and all the traffic is going towards London. Plenty of working people commute between the two and at the moment I'm on placement in Yarmouth which is only 25 miles away and it's taking me an hour due to the type of roads, whereas I can do half of my journey to uni from home in that time! As I said in my above post, I did a similar commute 5 days a week before starting uni because I worked for 5 years!
For me, I would commute for one hour and a half on the tube. I'm used to commuting an hour to school every day so it would not be so bad for me. :smile:
I'm in the situation where I am having to seriously consider a commute of about an hour and a 1/2 - 2hours this year. I'm getting worried though as this will be my final year and I would be commuting by car for definate as the train times are a nightmare and I know I would always be waiting an hour if not longer to get one home. the social side isn't an issue as I imagine i'll be going out etc at the weekends at home mostly anyway, but I'm worried it's going to take away from my study time and leave me exhausted. do any commuters feel that they would study more if they lived a short distance from their uni? or am I just worrying over nothing? and am I just throwing money away on petrol?
im a 15 minute walk away and thats too far for me :smile:
Original post by select the right name
I will be leaving home at 5.15am to drive 65 miles to the train station then have a 1.5 hour train journey and will reach my uni at 8.15am. Thankfully I won't have 9am starts every day! I am worried about the kids but its for their benefit too. My kids are all in their teens so are quite capable of making their own way to school. Meals will be prepared at the weekends so will just need reheating. I'm not looking forward to the commute but its the chance of a lifetime so I'll do it. I suppose the key to it being not too traumatic is planning and preparation.




Where on earth do you live? That's insane :eek:
Reply 71
Original post by purple_hyena
I'm in the situation where I am having to seriously consider a commute of about an hour and a 1/2 - 2hours this year. I'm getting worried though as this will be my final year and I would be commuting by car for definate as the train times are a nightmare and I know I would always be waiting an hour if not longer to get one home. the social side isn't an issue as I imagine i'll be going out etc at the weekends at home mostly anyway, but I'm worried it's going to take away from my study time and leave me exhausted. do any commuters feel that they would study more if they lived a short distance from their uni? or am I just worrying over nothing? and am I just throwing money away on petrol?


My total commute this year was about an hour and a half this year, and it is doable. I found the difference to living in the same city was that some days I couldn't be bothered going in and tried to work at home; which I found more difficult.
Original post by Mr Dangermouse
Where on earth do you live? That's insane :eek:


On the Cumbria/Lancashire border. Insane it may be but its doable. And its not every day. I have 5 kids at home so don't have much choice unless I put off my medical degree and then it won't really be worth it.
Original post by select the right name
On the Cumbria/Lancashire border. Insane it may be but its doable. And its not every day. I have 5 kids at home so don't have much choice unless I put off my medical degree and then it won't really be worth it.


I thought you were going to Newcastle? Is it really that far?


Surely it would be quicker to just drive straight there.


Is there no option of moving nearer at all?
Original post by Mr Dangermouse
I thought you were going to Newcastle? Is it really that far?


Surely it would be quicker to just drive straight there.


Is there no option of moving nearer at all?


It takes 2.5 -3 hours to drive there in rush hour, then I would need to find parking and pay for it, then battle through the traffic home again. At least on the ridiculously slow train from Carlisle to Newcastle I can read/do some studying/sleep.

I can't move cos my eldest will be starting her A levels and my twins will be starting Year 11 so I really can't move. They're all at a fantastic school and it would disrupt them too much.
Original post by Norton1
My total commute this year was about an hour and a half this year, and it is doable. I found the difference to living in the same city was that some days I couldn't be bothered going in and tried to work at home; which I found more difficult.


well its good to know that people have done it and find it doable, I would hate to be spending the year in a crap situation, where I just cant wait to get out. but I definately know what you mean in regards to not being bothered to go in, this is one of my biggest fears as I've had classes in the past where I'm literally in uni on a day for just an hour, and I know I would be tempted not to go in, particularly as i was rarely bothered to go in when I was living 10minutes away, but in final year I cant really afford to go around missing classes like I used to, however I'm hoping I may be able to crash at a friends if I have days like this or an early start when I'll be in uni late the night before. And I think I'll just have to push myself to do 9-5 days in uni, working in the library when I dont have classes and staying longer into the evening when I come into uni later in the day. I just hope it doesn't affect my final results :-/
Reply 76
In my first year, I lived about 25 miles away which equated to about an hour each way in the car (lots of traffic!).

I don't think I would have wanted to consider much further than an hour each way.
Reply 77
Commuter's Guide
Stay at a friends hall, so make lot of friends.
If you know other commuter's or friends from different uni/city get a cheap hotel room together.
If you’re driving home after a night out remember you have to stay sober.
If you live in the same city or a near by city remember to know the bus time table as this works out a lot cheaper or you could also call for a taxi.
Expand your network. Make lots of friends, social websites are great e.g. Twitter, Facebook, TRS, University Website, Student Union, Linked In + many more.
Join societies, uni gym and sports clubs. That way you will have fun and easily make friends with similar interests.
Make sure you get involved in everything, just because you commute don't let it affect your university life. Commuter's can party hard!
Invite friends over to your house, throw a house party with close friends. Let some stay at your house (if it's okay with house owner obviously.) This way they will feel that they can invite you and let you stay in their room.
Make friends that commute this way you will know what each of you go through and can plan events together.
Get involved, become a course rep, faculty rep, student ambassador, get involved with your student union.
Get a university job or a job in the main city centre. This way you will make friends with students in the whole city.
Make sure your up to date with all the major events. So do follow pages or event groups on Facebook and twitter. Plan a nights out with friends! Buy them drinks.
Have a going out outfit in your car or bag or locker in case your friends randomly decide a night out. Girls always keep a makeup bag in your purse :wink:
Join a commuter’s society or create one. Always let SU. Know of any concerns.
Do present yourself in the way you want people to see you. Be your real self! don't change yourself for others, but don't be overly drunk so that friends think your a handful! Be classy, be yourself and show your personality :smile:
Do your reading on the train/buses. Make sure you keep yourself productive in your journey.
Time management is important, so make sure you keep a diary or however it suits you, but be organised.
know the train time table. download national enquires app. Know bus timing so that you don’t waste your time
Eemember your saving money! It’s your education! So remind yourself that when you feel as if your missing out on ‘uni life’ independence’ (but really your being independent by commuting )
If you are driving. Parking fee is expensive so know where to park.
Have an mp3/ ipod to listen to on your journey.
Get the student rail discount card, seasonally/term student ticket (west midlands network scheme), oyster card (London)- ask at the bus station/ train station about deals they might have available.
30 mins. I really hate travelling to work/school/uni. Ideally I'd like to live close enough to walk... which is what I can do at the moment to get to uni :smile: It's just a 10 minute walk.
My journey consists of Walking and taking a Bus and takes me 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes depending on how quick I walk and how long a bus journey is.

I live in the same town as my Uni, so I don't commute across the country but the nearest bus that goes to my Uni is a 20 minute walk away.

I don't stay in Student Accommodation simply because I live in the same town and as soon as I can drive the journey will be significantly less (10-20 minutes tops). It's pointless me spending thousands of pounds to live near the campus when I still have easy access to the Uni.

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