nixy Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I had to attend a meeting yesterday at Millbank Tower - my first trip to the big smoke since a school trip! I was relying on public transport - nightmare! Train from York got stuck between York and Doncaster for about 40 mins as the train in front had broken down. My meeting was re-scheduled by an hour to compensate. Finally got to Kings Cross and had to get a tube train to Pimlico. I couldn't believe how claustrophobic and hot the underground was! Anyway, that train was stuck in a tunnel so I had to find my way via other tubes then hoof it over to Millbank. Took me 4 hours in total and cost..............£205!!!!!! No wonder people drive! How anyone can stand doing all that Tube business every day is beyond me - it would give me permanent migraine! Got to do it all over again in a fortnight - can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarnie Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 So why not drive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickya Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Had you not been into London since you were at school or am I being stupid & you are a school teacher ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted October 18, 2007 Author Share Posted October 18, 2007 not been there since I was 15! Wouldn't be able to drive and claim the cost back - not that I'd want to drive in that place either! I can get to my mum's house in southern France quicker and cheaper than I got to London yesterday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarnie Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I'd rather spend £40 on petrol than 4 hours on tubes and trains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmmackfc Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Infrastructure in this country as a whole (or should that be hole) is a joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 sack that. In my company we just take taxis! If we are comfortable with using the public transpart system we can but they prefer taxis! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted October 18, 2007 Author Share Posted October 18, 2007 I think it would cost a tad more than £40 from York! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmmackfc Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I think it would cost a tad more than £40 from York! Not much more, did Kilmarnock to Cambridge via York and back and spent about £90 in total, 31.9mpg average Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted October 18, 2007 Author Share Posted October 18, 2007 you're not accounting for the fact that I'm geographylexic and Millbank tower is right in the scary middle bit of London! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarnie Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I think it would cost a tad more than £40 from York! Ok £70. Its 208 miles from york to london. A tank and a bit. Just think of the lack of stress. If the meeting was a one off and it was important to me or my job I'd drive rather than go through that stress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmmackfc Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 you're not accounting for the fact that I'm geographylexic and Millbank tower is right in the scary middle bit of London! ask Tom Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H5 Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 You're right. It sucks! I've been having to use it more and more recently. How they can charge that much, and not guarantee you a seat, is a joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixy Posted October 18, 2007 Author Share Posted October 18, 2007 that's my point, why is our public transport so crap and so expensive. Other countries can do it why can't we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pingu2 Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 the train from york to london is actually a very good one normally - the east coast line is generally fast/clean and reliable. Book far enough in advance and you can get from london to edinburgh for 30 quid return which takes 5 hours each way... of course when I go that way I drive, but thats cos I like driving! I cant justify driving .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmac Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Used to get the train to work, very expensive, often late, very boring and a long journey. Got sick of it and started driving, got bored and bought the Zed. I now look forward to my 6 hour commute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmmackfc Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 that's my point, why is our public transport so crap and so expensive. Other countries can do it why can't we? As I said infrastructure. Towns and cities have been built up and built up and the last thing that was thought of was trains and buses. The olympics in London will be disasterous if they don't do something about it. Train lines are simply outdated... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronzee Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 From someone who's lived in London in the past and spent a lot of time back and forth, and spent a lot of time in other countries, seriously your public transport in the UK is far better than small countries like NZ. At least you have a large population to sustain the infrastructure to have a half way decent train and tube system. We only have buses, ferries & 2 rail tracks in Auckland, the biggest city in NZ. Literally a total joke. Our motorways and main arteries are clogged, rather like a serious heart attack victim in the wait. Our main harbour crossing, the Auckland Harbour Bridge between North and the rest of Auckland, they have finally announced (we were waiting for it) is carrying far more traffic than it can cope with, and waiting for a catastrophic failure. I do hear you though Nixy. Many a time been caught on the tube, in the dark, waiting until something is fixed. On the upside, at least you made it there and back. Lovely places south like the IOW and Wilts, gorgeous, but sometimes, the big smoke calls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Come up my way and you have nothing though. Anything outside london and the government doesn't give a monkeys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H5 Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Come up my way and you have nothing though. Anything outside london and the government doesn't give a monkeys. Well the money goes somewhere. There was a map in the paper the other day showing that London and the Thames Valley funds most of the rest of the country! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sl114 Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Welcome to my world Howcome you didnt tell me you did not come down? We could have had a starbucks!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest prescience Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 I am using the train regularly back and forth to Cumbria and find it fine and good value if you book in advance. For example this after, I'm leaving at 2:45 from Euston and arriving in Lancaster at 5:30, thats 2hr45 for about 250 miles and it's costing me £43.50 First Class on Virgin Trains (which includes a meal) You rarely get stuck on trains like you always get stuck on the M6 (junctions 15-17); there's nothing more soul-destroying than sitting in a traffic queue on a motorway and I should know having travelled the M25 every day for more years than I'd care to mention. I would say however that if you only use trains once or twice and have a bad experience, it does put you off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H5 Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Very true - but it is expensve when you need to just get somewhere with short notice. It costs me £26 return from Wokingham to Croydon, and I get to stand up for an hour and a quarter for my money. I don't know where I'll need to be from one day to the next so don't have the luxury of booking in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmac Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Think thats the problem, if you can fit in to the way they want to travel and stay away from peak times you are fine. If not you are standing and get caned on the price. I could fly from Blackpool to Stansted for about a quid. The times wont work though and I still have the nightmare of getting from Stansted to work. There is also the issue of airport parking charges but thats another rant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest prescience Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Very true - but it is expensve when you need to just get somewhere with short notice. It costs me £26 return from Wokingham to Croydon, and I get to stand up for an hour and a quarter for my money. I don't know where I'll need to be from one day to the next so don't have the luxury of booking in advance. it should be £21.10, someone's ripping you off selling you a peak travelcard, you don't need that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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