How long do you take to commute to university?

I live in West London and most of the universities I've been planning to apply for are situated in the central. I don't mind spending an hour or two to travel there but my parents are quite against it since it's far and takes a long time to commute 😅 I thought it was normal but now I'm unsure. So I'm wondering, how long do you guys take to commute to university?

Reply 1

Kevin De Bruyne

Original post by Anonymous

For my undergrad outside of London it was a 15 minute bus journey, with frustratingly infrequent services for someone who originally lived in London... so I chose to do a 55 minute walk each way.

Reply 2

Alan88

I commute from Lincoln to the University of Derby. The train is about 1hr 30mins and then once I get to Derby, its about another half an hour to the campus where my sessions are.

Reply 3

Andrew97

Entertainment Forum Helper, Debate & Current Affairs Helper

West London to central London can be pretty rapid on the tube.

Which uni are you applying for and where did you live (nearest tube/rail station)

Reply 4

Truflais

Probs like 40 mins door to door on a good day. 25 min bus to city centre then like 15 mins on another bus to the west end. Usually give myself an hour which is plenty.

Reply 5

MissCarter786

Original post by Alan88

I commute from Lincoln to the University of Derby. The train is about 1hr 30mins and then once I get to Derby, its about another half an hour to the campus where my sessions are.

How are you finding it? Does it affect your studies?

Reply 6

Joy0712

I live in East London so it takes me 90 minutes to get to uni in West London.If there are delays it can take up to 2 hours. Sometimes I miss about the first half hour of a lecture. I always manage to catch up with the help of friends or ask the lecturer during break.

Reply 7

ManLike007

Original post by Anonymous

I live in West London and most of the universities I've been planning to apply for are situated in the central.

You can take Central Line straight to Central London but yes it may take around an hour. I commute 40-45 minutes by the train journey itself every day but you get used to it, you find ways to burn time.

Original post by Anonymous

but my parents are quite against it since it's far and takes a long time to commute 😅 I thought it was normal but now I'm unsure.

All my friends that commute to uni say they travel minimum an hour (using trains). University isn't like secondary school where everything is close to you. I do have a university that's close to me but it doesn't have my course neither do I want to go there anyway.

My brother did drive to university and that took him 20 minutes (as train is much longer anyway) but me on the other hand I have to travel across London so tube it is!

Reply 8

Alan88

Original post by MissCarter786

How are you finding it? Does it affect your studies?

To be honest it is a struggle, mainly because I also work a 30 hour week and I volunteer as well. The times when my lectures are isn’t great either as it means I don’t get home until 11pm.

It hasnt impacted on my work too much - I achieved a Distinction in every assessment for my first year but it has meant I have to be very disciplined. But that said, you can also incorporate some study time into your commute.

Reply 9

SarcAndSpark

Not in London, but I did 20-30 mins each way in 3rd year.

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend a commute of more than 45 minutes or so- especially for an undergrad where you have maybe 10-16 contact hours each week, randomly distributed throughout the week. Having a long commute can become really frustrating, and you may end up not wanting to go into uni. Having a commute this long will also impact your social life.

Group work can also become an issue with a long commute.

In London this may be less of an issue- but personally, I'd feel uncomfortable relying on public transport only to get me to exams if the distance isn't walkable.