Oakham to University commute

[pnjman]

I may soon be moving to Oakham and will have to commute daily to the University of Birmingham. I've been tearing my hair out trying to find a cheaper way of doing it than the point-to-point price of £4952.00. The only split I can find anywhere near useful is a season from Stamford to Narborough, combined with a ntrain ticket from there for £5225.

I've looked into advances and if I book far enough in advance I can get Leicester-University and University-Oakham advances for about £3000 a year but can't find a way to get from Oakham to Leicester before 08:18 to make it worth while. Anyone know of anything I've missed?

 

[70014IronDuke]

... Anyone know of anything I've missed?

Applying to Leicester University, perhaps?

 

[telstarbox]

Is this for a full time job or a university course?

 

[pnjman]

Applying to Leicester University, perhaps?

Well, that is an option I've considered!

Is this for a full time job or a university course?

Full time job, 9-5ish although with a bit of flexability.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

I know there are considerable savings to be had with Network WM-subsidised season tickets - for instance, Narborough to West Midlands All Zones is just £50.60 a week, whereas just one stop further to South Wigston and then it's £91.00 a week for a season to University - which is obviously much less flexible than that to West Midlands All Zones.

The viability of different splitting options will depend largely on how often you expect to be coming to university - if it is 5 days a week then you will be more limited in options, as season tickets are likely to be the only worthwhile option. Ordinary non-season tickets tend to present greater opportunities for savings from splitting.

If you could live at the university, then, unless you are currently living rent-free with your parents or somesuch, this is likely to be the cheapest. Oakham is in a rather expensive part of the country ticket-wise. Even moving to Narborough as I alluded to above could deliver quite substantial savings.

Edit: having researched it further, Oakham really is in an expensive spot! It's marginally (20p per week) better to have a season ticket through to University than any of the alternatives I've thought of, assuming you travel at 'peak time' 5 days a week. Travelling 4 days a week or travelling at 'off-peak time' would change this.

 

[pnjman]

I know there are considerable savings to be had with Network WM-subsidised season tickets - for instance, Narborough to West Midlands All Zones is just £50.60 a week, whereas just one stop further to South Wigston and then it's £91.00 a week for a season to University - which is obviously much less flexible than that to West Midlands All Zones.

The viability of different splitting options will depend largely on how often you expect to be coming to university - if it is 5 days a week then you will be more limited in options, as season tickets are likely to be the only worthwhile option. Ordinary non-season tickets tend to present greater opportunities for savings from splitting.

If you could live at the university, then, unless you are currently living rent-free with your parents or somesuch, this is likely to be the cheapest. Oakham is in a rather expensive part of the country ticket-wise. Even moving to Narborough as I alluded to above could deliver quite substantial savings.

Edit: having researched it further, Oakham really is in an expensive spot! It's marginally (20p per week) better to have a season ticket through to University than any of the alternatives I've thought of, assuming you travel at 'peak time' 5 days a week. Travelling 4 days a week or travelling at 'off-peak time' would change this.

I work at the university and currently commute from Hinckley so already use an Network West Midlands pass to Narborough. Cheapest way I found so far is to drive to Narborough and pick the train up from there. If you include the cost of car tax, insurance, fuel, parking, breakdown cover and an annual MOT and service it's still getting on for £1500 cheaper than getting the train from Oakham.

 

[30907]

It shows what a bargain season tickets in (some) urban areas are compared with the shire counties, and with a reasonably economical car that makes financial sense, plus Narborough has a better peak hour train service.
If I may say so, though, you need to allow for depreciation.
And I would be willing to pay the difference of £7 or so a day to gain two hours' productive time rather than drive - though that is a personal decision, and regular users of your route might think I am naive...

 

[LowLevel]

You are unfortunate in that you need to do a long distance commute on one of the most expensive per mile routes in the country (and it has been for decades).