Trying to find out what the train journey is like… bad or really bad??

A good friend and long time colleague has been commuting in from just South of Cambridge for 10 years, it’s a long trip to make twice a day. If there is any sort of delay its very painful, for any industrial action etc he “works from home”. I’ve done a few months of 2hr commutes and it’s really draining (normal commute was 75mins, did that for 20 years)

Do it occasionally, fast trains are OK, can normally get a seat.

Thanks. Getting a seat each way is my main concern I guess.

The train journey from the main cambridge station apparently take 52 minutes, and my work is 10 mins from the station. So in theory if I lived near to cambridge station i could get to work in just over an hour, which is fine for me.
I know I’d be at the mercy of the rail operators, but that’s unavoidable.

Thanks. Getting a seat each way is my main concern I guess.

Fast trains start from Kings Lynn, and stop at Ely (I think), but you can still get a seat if you get there early. Going back you need to get there early to get a seat as they are much busier.

So in theory if I lived near to cambridge station i could get to work in just over an hour, which is fine for me.

It’s not cheap near the station, for obvious reasons, but a 10 min cycle ride is quite a big radius. I’m a 10m walk from the station (but bought in ’98 long before prices went mad).

Also consider just north of Cambridge. Waterbeach is served well by the same trains that go to Cambridge and much easier to get a seat.

I travel into London from Kings Lynn quite regularly and it’s a much more civilised affair than messing about in Cambridge station.

Rachel

Thanks for the info.

but a 10 min cycle ride is quite a big radius

Yeah, just looking at the map I am guessing you could live in areas on the outskirts of town such as Trumpington, Church End or Teversham and cycle to the station pretty quickly…?

Also consider just north of Cambridge

Sounds sensible, but I’m only looking at the south side of cambridge, for other reasons (closer to other family etc).

Also consider maybe just south of Cambridge. You can get a fast train from Royston early on and miss out on a lot of the hassle of getting in to Cambridge. Your house price will also be cheaper.

Or look to St. Neots/Huntingdon for the same reasons although neither have intercity trains stopping at them.

One of my friends travels into London from just outside Cambridge (can’t recall the station name) but he arrives into Liverpool Street which is I think is generally a worse option than Cambridge to Kings Cross.

It’s a train journey at the end of the day, ensure you have a paper/coffee/media device and it’s bearable. My journey is an hour each way on the train and as long as I’m prepared i don’t mind it all. If it’s a regular thing get to know the trains and which ones are quieter etc.

allthegear – I don’t find that to the case, I either get on the 7.22 or 7.48 from Ely and sometimes struggle to get a seat, especially on the 7.22. At Waterbeach more people cram in and are standing in the aisles. However lots of people get off at Cambridge and another 8 coaches join so no problem from there.
Also bear in mind that although the train take 10-15 minutes in Cambridge to couple / uncouple with extra carriages so times from Waterbeach outwards are effected.
I do the journey 2-3 times a week from Ely, it’s fine, the main issue for me is then getting across to Shepherds Bush, the OP with be fine with a 10 minute walk from KK. My mate does in daily from Waterbeach and has a 20 minute walk.
Yesterday was the first time in 18 months I’ve had a delay of over half an hour.

Personally I’d not want to do it. I live North of Cambridge and really dislike days when I need to go into London.

I know a few people who have tried it for a while then bailed and either moved jobs, or moved closer to London.

As footflaps said, buying anywhere in travelling distance of the station is prime property, so depends how wealthy you are.

There is always the guided busway that heads into the station as well from as far out as St.Ives, but don’t move to any of the villages along that line as they are all terrible 😉 Heading south from the North side isn’t as bad as you’d expect (I regularly travel back to the Watford area and from Longstanton I’m on the A14 in minutes and it’s generally just over an hour to the M25 area.

We do Wallington, next one down from kings Lynn to kings x quite regular, fine to get a seat here. Hour and half trip though, fine if you want to get some work done on the way in.
Know a few people that do that commute every day, some hate it, some get on with it and see the cheaper cost of living worth the long commute

I don’t mind an hour on a train as long as I am seated and the connections at either end are not bad.
I would see it as a great time to myself to do some reading/listening.
Currently I live in London and my commute is an hour (either cycling or train+walk).