Anyone do this commute?
Is it busy and will taking a bike on the train be a nightmare?
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Worcester to Birmingham by train.
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Posted 2 years ago #
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Did once, yes it is busy and yes it'll be a nightmare with a bike because public transport in this country is controlled by accountants and spreadsheets and they want bums on seats not 3 spaces taken up by a bike.
Posted 2 years ago # -
don't commute but used the train from stourbridge to Brum (same line) for a week during the summer, and though it was busy-ish in the morning, I reckon you'd easily be able to do it.
What was more concerning was the journey back always seemed busier, friday being the worst, a complete nightmare even, but couple of ppl got on with bikes and just stood there ground.
I reckon it calms down on the way out, once you get to stourbridge.Posted 2 years ago # -
Dunno if it's still the case, but there used to be trains that stopped at every station all the way. It took forever, and it was a nightmare.
There were other trains that provided a more express service.
Good Luck
Posted 2 years ago # -
What times do you need to do?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Rush hour
(7:17 or 7:51 from Foregate street and 16:55 or 17:25 from Uni of Birmingham I would have thought)On the plus side probably not everyday.
Posted 2 years ago # -
You are going to struggle with a bike at those times ctznsmith.
If its the BHM Uni, you might be able to find someone commuting form Worcester to get a car lift with?
Not that that will be much fun either at that time too tbh
Posted 2 years ago # -
On the plus side Bham uni's got some nice stair sets, stair gaps and drops.
However trains from Bham to worcs run pretty regular but are busy out of bham on an evening and only about 1 in 4 dont stop at every station.
Posted 2 years ago # -
That train is always rammed - as others have said get the right one that stops at just a couple of stations otherwise it takes an age with it stopping every 5 minutes.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Which end of the journey do you need the bike? If you're at the uni, you won't need it to get from the station to the uni as it's spitting distance. So if you need it to get to Worcester station, I'd just leave it locked up at the station.
It's a perfectly doable commute. I do it the other way fairly often, Solihull, Birmingham, Worcester in order to get to work.
Posted 2 years ago # -
B'ham and Worcester must be close enough for you to ride, and probably much faster.
I did it by mistake in the dark on Saturday, set off for a ride from the GF's house in Selly Oak and ended up in Worcester after not following the Kidderminster signPosted 2 years ago # -
Train will be a nightmare as stated, ride in, canal all the way from Worcs to Birmingham uni
Posted 2 years ago # -
Trains at that time will be a mare, i used to take the train solihull to cradley and took my bike, wasn't too bad if i got the train before 7 as not many on, but after 7 i had to fight to get on the train, coming back cradley to brum wasn't an issue but coming out of brum train packed but once i was on, thats it tough to everyone else a little selfish i know! Its a very busy line at peak times, get one of those fold up bikes would make it easier!
Should of said its the same line as the one your on about!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Yes, I've been commuting on this line for 9 years.
Most of the comments above are about the Worcester / Kidderminster / Stourbridge / Birmingham Moor Street route which will be useless to you if you're going to University.
The faster route is via Bromsgrove, calling Shrub Hill, Droitwich, Bromsgrove most of the time, University and Birmingham New Street (40 to 50 minutes Worcester to B'Ham depending on time of day).
Travelling with bike is OK (I've done it numerous times), however it can be busy. At the moment there are many, many christmas shoppers on the trains which makes it standing-room only at the early evening peak (1620/1649 trains from Birmingham). They insist on putting their shopping on the seats GRRRR!
Travelling from University adds an extra problem in that the train is usually busy from New Street, and I have occasionally seen cyclists left on the platform due to being unable to load their bikes when there's been disruption (the service that's been in operation for the past 12 months means that it's only 30 mins to the next train during peak times).
The trains at the times you are talking about are 'strengthened' up to 2x2 trains (4 carriages - 0751 from Foregate Street and 1720 from New Street for instance) so it should actually be easier travelling on these services.
Interestingly, getting my bike off the train at Worcester Foregate has been the main issue recently as the rude (private) school kids don't wait for everyone to get off before getting on.
The other thing to bear in mind is that the train reverses at Shrub Hill, so there's a longer dwell time at the station which may make it easier to get on/off a train with a bike (and no school kids).
Drop me a line if you want more info.
Ben
Posted 2 years ago # -
BTW - I ride the commute once a week during the summer and on a road bike it takes 1hr40mins.
Cycling the tow path takes 2hrs45mins when really pushing it.
Ben
Posted 2 years ago # -
BTW (II) I've a number of commuting colleagues who have migrated away from the car as the combination of M5 and A38 is too unpredictable in terms of journey time.
The Worcester train services are currently the 'jewel in the crown' of the London Midland punctuality statistics (admittedly they have been poor in the past, but remember that Worcester is a depot for LM, so the trains are highly punctual in the morning and in the evening the driver is usually heading home!!)
Ben
Posted 2 years ago # -
@blobonastick/ben thanks! Thats the route i'd be using. i'm not at the uni so need my bike at the other end and then for 'training' rides home
Posted 2 years ago # -
Riding the towpath from Worcs - Brum would a pretty hardcore commute and not that straightforward with a number of tunnels to bypass, etc. Nice in the summer i guess though.
Posted 2 years ago #
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