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Commuting to Durham from Manchester

Hi folks,

I'm planning to do a Postgraduate degree in Durham next year. I'm planning to stay at home in Mancehster and commute to Durham in order to save money by not paying rent.

Does anyone think this would be possible or will it be too stressful. Please can you peeps give me your opinions. Cheers.

Reply 1

Purple

18

Are you planning to go by train or car?

Reply 2

Daveo

16

You do know that its 140 miles each there and 140 miles back, which is at best 2 hours driving, probably a lot more, its also a long train journey.
If you're planning to drive there and back daily, you're talking £30 a day in petrol costs, trains i'm not sure.
Prehaps it'd be cheaper to stay in Durham during the week, rent might well be cheaper than the travel costs.

It will also be rather stressful i would have thought, depends how often you have to make the journey though.

Reply 3

T. Hereford

OP

15

kirstinx

Are you planning to go by train or car?

By train.

Reply 4

arkbar

12

Er, that's 2 1/2 hours each way, are you actually insane?

Reply 5

dobbs

17

OK you're going to have everyone saying that you're insane here, but you really can't listen to them because they haven't done what you're thinking about doing!!!

Neither have I...

But one of my lecturers did, who I talked to whilst on a fieldtrip and he used to live in Manchester and get the train to Durham. I think he wasn't needed to be in Durham every single day so it wasn't a daily thing, and his girlfriend was living in Durham so he had a place to stay now and then...but he did commute from Manchester to Durham.

Yes, it seems crazy, BUT he said it was great because it was cheaper than renting a place in Durham (as rent in Durham is CRAZY if you're not a proper student)....though not sure how rent would work out for you? But anyway he said it was great because yeah you're spending 2.5hrs on a train there (and then again back) but you have that time to do work, with NO distractions. You've got nothing else to do so you have loads of time to work.

OK so they're little arguments and you may eventually get annoyed by travelling all the time. But as I say, he did it for a year (I think he also was doing a PhD) and he said it worked out really well.

So take that into consideration :smile:

Reply 6

dobbs

17

PS. You can also get really really cheap tickets if you book well in advance. I think like a £12 return? Not too far off that last time I checked anyway :smile:

Reply 7

blissy

15

Depends how you find commuting. I find it insanely stressful and tiring. I can't get out of bed that much earlier than I need to and trains tend to lull me to sleep. In the evening coming back I'd be back too late to want to do any work. If you work effectively on the train then maybe it's an option.

My mum commuted for 3 hours a day for four years during her degree and it wasn't fun. My boyfriend commuted 3 hours a day for 6 months or so and then had to move because costs, time and tiredness involved became prohibitive.

Also consider your social life and the impact that travelling will have on that. 1) you WILL find it difficult to socialise in Durham 2) can you socialise normally in Manchester when living at home? It might be best for independence and actually being able to see people for you to move to where you study.

Reply 8

Rooftopcowboy

12

i would hate that, nothing worse than having to commute

you could rent a cheap flat up north, and even if you only use it on weekdays and go 'home' on weekends, it'd save all that driving and petrol money.

Reply 9

Tiger_Lily

I live near Manchester and have been to Durham on the train. The idea of commuting is crazy as everyone has said. There is an occasional direct train, I think mainly on Sundays, but for most journeys you're looking at 2 changes and a three hour journey. Not to mention the fact that if one train is delayed it mucks up all your connecting trains so you miss them and then your cheap single tickets aren't valid on the next train.........Sorry to share my bad experience of it. But I suppose if you're only planning on being in Durham one or two days a week it wouldn't be as bad.

Reply 10

dobbs

17

Tiger_Lily

I live near Manchester and have been to Durham on the train. The idea of commuting is crazy as everyone has said. There is an occasional direct train, I think mainly on Sundays, but for most journeys you're looking at 2 changes and a three hour journey. Not to mention the fact that if one train is delayed it mucks up all your connecting trains so you miss them and then your cheap single tickets aren't valid on the next train.........Sorry to share my bad experience of it. But I suppose if you're only planning on being in Durham one or two days a week it wouldn't be as bad.

Eh? There are loads of direct trains! All those Transpennine Express trains that run from Manchester Airport - Manchester Piccadilly - Leeds - York - Durham - Newcastle (including little stations inbetween of course too)....they run like every hour or so!

Although yes, there are social life considerations and if you really hate commuting it may be annoying...but as I say, from the one person I know who did it, he really enjoyed it....maybe he's crazy! :biggrin:

Reply 11

arkbar

12

You could rent a place in the outskirts of Newcastle (like Washington/Low Fell or somewhere) and commute to Durham that way, avoiding both Durhams mad prices and a long,long commute.

Reply 12

dobbs

17

arkbar

You could rent a place in the outskirts of Newcastle (like Washington/Low Fell or somewhere) and commute to Durham that way, avoiding both Durhams mad prices and a long,long commute.

The thing is is that he's saving rent money by staying at home in Manchester - commuting from Manchester (especially with special railcards you can get these days) would be a heck of a lot cheaper than renting accomodation ANYWHERE, paying bills and all that.

Just depends on how it works with his lifestyle

Reply 13

Tiger_Lily

dobbs

Eh? There are loads of direct trains! All those Transpennine Express trains that run from Manchester Airport - Manchester Piccadilly - Leeds - York - Durham - Newcastle (including little stations inbetween of course too)....they run like every hour or so!

Although yes, there are social life considerations and if you really hate commuting it may be annoying...but as I say, from the one person I know who did it, he really enjoyed it....maybe he's crazy! :biggrin:

I've just looked and you're right. I just remember when I tried to get a direct one there wasn't any, but I may be confusing it with trying to get cheap tickets aswell.

Reply 14

dobbs

17

Tiger_Lily

I've just looked and you're right. I just remember when I tried to get a direct one there wasn't any, but I may be confusing it with trying to get cheap tickets aswell.

I know my trains - don't travel far on them, just regularly go from Newcastle - Durham and back again so I get to know where they're all going.

Sad? Very :cool:

Hehe

Reply 15

danfel

7

As a long time North East dweller, I agree with what people have said here - you'd be better off (in financial terms) moving up here for the duration of your course. Will really add up going to and from Mancs every day in terms of money and time. It'll wear you out as well.

Reply 16

blissy

15

dobbs

Although yes, there are social life considerations and if you really hate commuting it may be annoying...but as I say, from the one person I know who did it, he really enjoyed it....maybe he's crazy! :biggrin:

Don't under-estimate them! :smile:

Reply 17

Itchynscratchy

10

dobbs

PS. You can also get really really cheap tickets if you book well in advance. I think like a £12 return? Not too far off that last time I checked anyway :smile:

isn't that £60 a week anyway.

And trust me mate, that train is awful. Its the worst use of the word express ever.

Reply 18

cobra

14

Itchynscratchy

isn't that £60 a week anyway.

And trust me mate, that train is awful. Its the worst use of the word express ever.

Some people are renting a house which is reasonable for £35 a week in gilesgate next year, although you would have the problem of finding someone to live with

Reply 19

The Lad

T. Hereford

Hi folks,

I'm planning to do a Postgraduate degree in Durham next year. I'm planning to stay at home in Mancehster and commute to Durham in order to save money by not paying rent.

Does anyone think this would be possible or will it be too stressful. Please can you peeps give me your opinions. Cheers.

Mate don't do it. Live in Durham. By the time you get to Durham from Mancehster you're gonna be so tired that you won't be able to concetrate in lectures. The jounrney is 2 and a 1/2 hours by train on theTranspennine ''express'' (I use the term 'express' very with caution :biggrin:

) which is like a cattle truck espcially during rush-hour. It's just gonna be too stressful.

Commuting to Durham from Manchester

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