Poll: Your predicted train travelling habits after Covid-19

[PTR 444]

There’s been a lot of talk on here about how people are likely to be travelling much less by train than before Covid-19 as they work from home and avoid public spaces where viruses are likely to be spread. On the other hand, others (including myself) may wish to travel by train more often for a change of scene after being cooped up at home for weeks. I thought i’d set up a poll to find out how members rail usage is likely to change after this virus has all blown over.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've voted for "more than usual", but this will probably be for a shortish time. I might for example "treat myself" to a weekly season for a week in the office (!)

 

[RichT54]

I think it's far too early to say what state the country will be in by the time travel restrictions can be lifted. The government is taking on a massive amount of borrowing which will have to be paid for somehow, not forgetting the impact of Brexit. What this will mean in terms of possible price and tax rises is unknown. My small pensions had previously allowed me to do a modest amount of travelling by train or car, but who knows whether that will be possible in future, or whether the types of places that I would like to visit will even still be running?

 

[higthomas]

I'm assuming that restrictions will be lifted gradually, but I think once things are basically back to normal, I'll briefly do a fair amount extra travelling, as various family/social visits I would have made during the lockdown are made in a short space of time, as well as probably treating ourselves to a few extra days out.
After that, I think it will be back to normal.

 

[Andrew S]

Short term, I will travel about the same - commuting to work and ocassional trips away. I might prioritise going away on day trips more often.

Longer term, this experience has made me think of plans to give up the commuting life, re-locate, and do something entirely different as a career. That will take a year or more in planning though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Short term, I will travel about the same - commuting to work and ocassional trips away. I might prioritise going away on day trips more often.

Longer term, this experience has made me think of plans to give up the commuting life, re-locate, and do something entirely different as a career. That will take a year or more in planning though.

I think a lot of people will see this as a "life reset button" and a chance not to go back to doing the same thing they were, either immediately or over the next year or two.

I think this is particularly true of commuters, many of whom will have proven that home-working is viable.

 

[yorksrob]

I think that I will have a lot of catching up to do.

 

[bussnapperwm]

I'll probably go back to normal (as long as I can still use my 26-30 railcard without any new draconian restrictions)

 

[CaptainHaddock]

I'm a key worker so I'm still commuting exactly as I did before the outbreak (albeit without stopping for a pint or two on the way home!).

I do miss my weekend trips out for football & walking and will probably be out on the network every Saturday pretty much as I was before once all this is over.

 

[PeterY]

My plan was to complete the UK rail network this year. Basically, I've wrote the rest of this year off.
I'll probably, god willing, try next year.

 

[infobleep]

In answering the above poll, whose to say my response won't change in however many weeks it is before I can travel again on a train.

I'm in the moderate risk group, due to medication I'm on, so I won't be on one anytime soon.

 

[Ianno87]

I think a lot of people will see this as a "life reset button" and a chance not to go back to doing the same thing they were, either immediately or over the next year or two.

I think this is particularly true of commuters, many of whom will have proven that home-working is viable.

I reckon there'll be many who'll take the view of "lets work from home most of the time, but pop into the office for a couple of afternoons each week to catch up with people".

 

[Bletchleyite]

I reckon there'll be many who'll take the view of "lets work from home most of the time, but pop into the office for a couple of afternoons each week to catch up with people".

That's about how I work, and it does work well for me. I tend to do full days, but have been known to travel down during my lunch break for a cheaper ticket.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I'm a home worker even prior to COVID-19 but I love using trains on leisure, though I have to say that I miss having weekdays off and being able to travel on very quiet midday weekday services as opposed to midday Saturday and Sunday services which can get unpleasant with sports fans and large groups (though I have often been a part of said groups myself!)

 

[Jamesrob637]

I reckon there'll be many who'll take the view of "lets work from home most of the time, but pop into the office for a couple of afternoons each week to catch up with people".

I think that would suit most people going forward: well summed up there!

 

[Ianno87]

That's about how I work, and it does work well for me. I tend to do full days, but have been known to travel down during my lunch break for a cheaper ticket.

Lunch break? I crack open the laptop on the train and bank the hours!

Being unable to travel means I'm "feeling" the effect on my necessary working time each day.

 

[Ianno87]

I think that would suit most people going forward: well summed up there!

Like @Bletchleyite says...why buy a season ticket when a couple of off peak day returns each week suffice?

Might even increase demand for London-based companies... if the general expectation of being in most/every day is significantly relaxed. Might even make 'long' commutes feasible if only done once or twice per week.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Lunch break? I crack open the laptop on the train and bank the hours!

Each to their own, I'm very much a lunch-break taker, would always take the full hour however pressured things get, and would rather work extra hours on the start/end of the day than foresake it. I'm just not effective working 8 hours solid.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Like @Bletchleyite says...why buy a season ticket when a couple of off peak day returns each week suffice?

Might even increase demand for London-based companies... if the general expectation of being in most/every day is significantly relaxed. Might even make 'long' commutes feasible if only done once or twice per week.

Yes: different workers on different days, then the (infrequent) long commute is even more bearable if you know your commuting days well in advance (plan around schools for the kids, sleep pattern etc.)

 

[Ianno87]

Yes: different workers on different days, then the (infrequent) long commute is even more bearable if you know your commuting days well in advance (plan around schools for the kids, sleep pattern etc.)

And using the train journey as productive work time as well. Much more practical on occasional days (a burden / exhausting when trying to do it every day).

 

[Jayden99]

I was a regular commuter to Schonefeld for about a year until I got a transfer home to Glasgow with my airline, long commutes are (imho) absolutely not the way to do things

 

[Bletchleyite]

I was a regular commuter to Schonefeld for about a year until I got a transfer home to Glasgow with my airline, long commutes are (imho) absolutely not the way to do things

I've done Switzerland for 2.5 years. I actually quite enjoyed it, though an 0330 (winter) / 0415 (summer) start every Monday was a bit much. The IT industry just isn't like that any more - we no longer have any such work - it's all remote.

I also did Edinburgh for a few months though I often did it by train, typically using walk-ups so I could be flexible and travel Sunday when feasible.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Nothing is going to change for me since I'm a key worker and I have no other option but to travel by train.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I've done Switzerland for 2.5 years. I actually quite enjoyed it, though an 0330 (winter) / 0415 (summer) start every Monday was a bit much. The IT industry just isn't like that any more - we no longer have any such work - it's all remote.

I also did Edinburgh for a few months though I often did it by train, typically using walk-ups so I could be flexible and travel Sunday when feasible.

Ouch! I'd rather go Sunday evening and know I'm local for Monday morning. Hotels on Sunday nights are dirt cheap and Sunday flights are often much cheaper too.

 

[Dai Corner]

I'd always expected to travel more as I'll qualify for a Senior Railcard before the crisis is over. Living in Wales, I'll also get my bus pass. Preserved railways are going to need all the custom they can get so I'll be doing lots of those too.

 

[infobleep]

And using the train journey as productive work time as well. Much more practical on occasional days (a burden / exhausting when trying to do it every day).

I've tried to use the train to do work but I find the WiFi not reliable enough or the mobile data connection if I bypass the WiFi.

The laptop I use connects into a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Even just using Google apps, it loses the connection. For data protection reasons I can't have offline working switched on for the Google Apps.

However despite that I prefer office working to home working so I'll still travel in.

 

[Ashley Hill]

I'm a key worker so I'm still commuting exactly as I did before the outbreak (albeit without stopping for a pint or two on the way home!).

I'm also a key worker and usually catch the train to work so nothing has altered much. I too miss the pint after work. I'm also a volunteer on a heritage railway which is currently closed. Once this is all over my life will return to how it was before, work,railways and beer

 

[LowLevel]

I think leisure travel particularly locally will rocket as people want to get back out and about. I'll be interested to see what happens with commuters. Most of my regulars are not work from home types so we shall see but long distance commuting to London may well change.

 

[woodhouse122]

i don't comute by rail and when the virus is on the decrease i don't think i'll be traveling by rail as much as i have done in the past couple of years (i did plan to do a 14 day all line rover this summer,all being well if the virus doesnt get me i can do one in 2021)

 

[paul1609]

I don't expect to use public transport at all for some months after the all clear. I reckon about 2 years from now.
My football trips will all be by car, some of the further away games will probably be streamed rather than travelling by train. Walking trips probably one way hire cars.