Why do you use the train?

[EssexGonzo]

To get to work, because I don't have a choice, working in Central London.

Where I can choose to use a car instead I will nearly always do so. The only leisure journeys I make are into Central London where congestion and cost rule the car out.

Having a car means that I have already chosen to pay for that overhead hence the outrageous cost of long distance rail fares, inconvenience and danger of being caught with the "wrong ticket" or on the "wrong route" are all too great for me I'm afraid.

I also have my own space, music, air-con and an easy end-to-end journey.

 

[306024]

Because it's there.

(With apologies to George Mallory)

 

[Spamcan81]

Because I much prefer rail travel to road. It's not aways practical at weekends on long distance journeys due to engineering works and less frequent timetables but I always use it for trips to London and as often as possible for journeys elsewhere.

 

[extendedpaul]

Mainly to reach London from Kent to catch Megabus to Cardiff.

Used to do whole trip by train but fares now too expensive for a regular weekly journey.

 

[sprinterguy]

Firstly, for commuting to and from work. It's cheaper, more reliable and considerably faster than the alternative by bus.

Secondly, for getting to wherever I need to be for days out or a few days away at the weekend.

 

[Rapidash]

I use 'em for both work and pleasure. Takes me around an hour and 20 minutes to get to work in Exeter from my house. If I get the bus, it takes me longer just to get to Pen Inn!

 

[PeterY]

Leisure mostly. I enjoy days out in the winter (when I'm not working)around London. In the summer catch a train to X and ride back.

 

[Statto95]

Because I am trying to get a train to or from EVERY station on the National Rail System - So I guess you could say I'm an enthusiast or a little bit sad....

Then to get away on holiday as I can't drive.

 

[R4_GRN]

Leisure only, I am retired. Travel in UK always train, have two cars but prefer to sit with good book, a glass of wine or a coffee watching the scenery much better than getting to airport two hours early, paying too much for luggage, stripping off for the security and depends where you are going might not be any quicker than flying once travel to airport at either end is taken into account. Much more relaxing. Wish they would bring back chefs though very satisfying having a freshly cooked meal while travelling at 100MPH and it saves going out to eat at other end, not expensive considering the number of covers that they can do during trip.

 

[wensley]

As a member of railway staff, even though not traincrew, a lot of my time is spent on trains. I guess my main uses of the network are:

1) Work
2) Commuting
3) Leisure

2) and 3) are no-brainers as even though I can and do drive the travel benefits of my job make it much cheaper to use the train, unless driving is more convenient and possibly quicker!

 

[richw]

As leisure or enthusiast. Occasionally for work if Mrs Richw needs the car (very rare, as she is now a stay at home mum, and everything is within walking distance)

As a leisure traveller I took my toddler to Plymouth Aquarium last week. With my railcard it cost me £6.60 from Redruth. Had I drove it would have cost me £5 for parking, and £1.50 for the Tamar bridge toll. It became a no brainer for the train that I couldn't do a 130 mile round trip for less than 10p of petrol

 

[Baggypants]

I use rail mostly for work. I have to travel regularly from Manchester to London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, Bristol, Manchester airport and some other places. I use mainline rail about three times a year for leisure because my son loves trains. We do a lot of heritage stuff.

 

[Tangent]

I use it because, like many previous posters, I live and work in London, and I don't need to drive very often, not having a family or many long-distance journeys to inconvenient places.

But, as far as public transport in general is concerned, I also value the lack of stress and responsibility, and the ability to do other things. I have always had a misanthropic pleasure in travelling, rather than actually reaching my destination; I enjoy journeys much less when I am with someone. And, as far as trains are concerned, I have never quite been able to lose that small frisson of curiosity and excitement I experienced on taking the train from a very young age (although it can pall when you have been standing for at least half an hour in a packed 465, and ha e been held at danger for ten minutes!)

 

[168lover]

EASY!
weekdays-Getting to and from school
Weekends and Holidays-Pleasure

 

[theboywho]

In the main its the most convenient way to get from Newcastle to London. However in recent times it has been so much hassle that I've taken to the coach overnight to free up some day-time.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

My usage varies vastly.
My household can't afford nor want a car.
And the train despite it's rip-off fares is the only form of travel to South Yorks and Scunthorpe. It's greatly faster than bus to Lincoln, Barton and Brigg too.

I always get the train from Grimsby/Cleethorpes area stations.
1 in 2 trips are to or though Sheffield or Doncaster. Onward travel to Burton, Beeston, Nottingham or Derby. These are family and other important trips.
Other trips are to Lincoln or Newark for charity shopping trips.
Scunthorpe and Barton (for North Humberside) for oddjobs.
Brigg for market and garden stuff but service prohibits this alot.
It looks likely we'll get a holiday this year and it may be in Scarborough.
This will require a change at Hull, that's the best way as I did it a few years ago.

 

[wheelnrail]

Leisure mostly. As a visitor, using the trains here are very convenient. Compared to one a day in the US (long distance) having one every 15-30min is a good change. The Tube is a great example.

It's nice to know you have options when getting a train from Cambridge to Kings Cross, whether you want an express service that gets you into London in less than an hour, or the new, clean but slightly slower service on the West Anglia on the 379's.

Also depending on where I want to go it's slightly cheaper than driving there and finding parking. For example, Needham Market to Ipswich. Free parking at Needham, and a return is under 4 pounds, far less than the car park at the station. However, IC/long distance is absurdly expensive.

And lastly, the UK is the only country where specials are common. You can just go on a website and buy a ticket to ride behind mainline steam, whereas in the US it requires months of planning and luck or you have to know someone in the industry.

 

[deltic]

mainly business - we are effectively banned from driving on safety grounds and anyway I have no desire to travel weekly from London to Birmingham by car
sometimes leisure - with a family and friends ticket it can be amazingly cheap to travel even from London to Glasgow
used to commute but now fortunate to walk

 

[Drsatan]

Mostly for leisure, as I can cycle or walk to work.

Unfortunately, I'll be on the wrong side of 25 soon, which will probably curtail use of trains for leisure purposes.

 

[Dennis]

Almost 100% leisure use

Slowly ticking off Wetherspoons, filling in the map and visiting stations.

 

[VauxhallandI]

1) commute - congestion charge, traffic and parking fees make the car a no go
2) leisure - football although it is always weighed up against taking the car.

Tend to go first class as second class is very cramp for me and ten behaviour of people annoys me quite quickly. Less people in first so the risk is lower but by no means eradicated!

 

[GlosRail]

Leisure, and mostly for football.

Last time I used the train was in November when I went all the way to Glasgow for the Scotland V England game. For England home games I drive to High Wycombe and get the train to Wembley Stadium.

For club away games I often drive as it's often quicker, but if there is a fast direct train, and the station is near the ground I do go by train.

 

[ThePannier]

I use the train for a variety of reasons.

Normally, I just tend to have a short return from my nearest major(ish) station (Durham) to Newcastle, where I can see a variety of things across a variety of operators. I suppose that's the leisurely and enthusiast side of it.

However sometimes, rather than have a 5-6 hour car journey down to London, my family and I get the train down as its only 3 hours or so and cuts off the journey time by loads. Also, I find it a lot more relaxed and appealing than a car journey, which can get irritable.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

I use the train for commuting to work, and for leisure trips at the weekend.

I don't drive (by choice), but recently had heated arguments with a colleague when we were both relocated from our office 'in the sticks' to one that is a 5-minute walk from a station served by both tube and Overground services.

In the road vs rail debate, cost is not the main issue, as our employer pays generous relocation costs that mean our extra expenses (compared to our previous journeys) are more than covered.

My colleague's sole reason for choosing to go by car was on the basis of a shorter journey time. When traffic is light, he invariably gets home quicker than I do. But my reasons for choosing the train are
1. The connections mean I can be fairly certain of what time I will get home, to within +/- 5 minutes (if he hits bad traffic, there is potential for a doubling or worse of his journey time)
2. I can relax, watch catch-up TV on a tablet, or read a book... things he can't do when driving
3. If I'm really tired, I can have a little nap... something he definitely can't do when driving !!!

The main argument in favour of the train, however, is that the work-bound journey occurs at a time of day when road traffic conditions can vary enormously around the London area in which our new office is situated. I know exactly what time I need to set off, to be at work with 10 minutes to spare, for a pre-work cup of coffee. I know that the journey will take me 62 minutes, end-to-end.

My colleague, however, has to factor-in the distinct possibility of bad traffic, when deciding what time to leave for work. In the first few weeks, he would typically leave home 45 minutes before work, drive in very stressful conditions, and constantly be late arriving. After a ticking-off, and a particularly bad delay on the roads when a collision (in which he was not involved) resulted in a 90-minute journey, he now sets off at least 70 minutes before his start time.
Most days, of course, he arrives at work way earlier than he needs to, and grumbles about 'hanging around, waiting to start work'. But road traffic conditions are such that he HAS to give himself that 'time cushion'.

For me, the train is preferable, because it is not stressful. I value the relaxed mode of travel more than the time 'saving' of a car journey that is in theory faster, but in reality, involves high levels of alertness at a time of the evening when one should be looking to be unwinding, not increasing one's stress levels !

 

[stut]

I commute by train. Partly because it's the only feasible way to get to central London from 45 miles out in a timely fashion, but also in part because I've engineered it that way. I've commuted by road before, and it's a miserable experience - irritable drivers, queues, parking woes... Much prefer going by train, even standing - the ability to read a good book or watch a video makes it all the more civilised.

For leisure, I travel by train whenever it's feasible, again purely because it's just so civilised. Someone else does the driving, and you can just do what you want - read, listen to music, killer sudoku, watch a film, whatever takes you. You're not left with whatever radio drivel is on.

For work, most of my travel is by air, but I do get to do the odd train journey. The advantage there is how much work you can get done on a train...

 

[northwichcat]

The train between Northwich and Knutsford and Altrincham runs hourly. The token bus service (the 289) runs every 2.75 hours using a 30 seater bus. That makes the train the only viable option for most people.

For getting between Knutsford and Manchester there is a more viable alternative - half hourly bus to Wilmslow and train to Manchester. However, with no integrated ticketing that's a more expensive option and with the last bus leaving Wilmslow station for Knutsford at 18:54 weekdays, 18:14 Saturdays and no Sunday bus service, it's not a viable option for everyone either.

The train may be an overcrowded Pacer at times and only hourly but it's still the best option for most people.

 

[AndyNLondon]

My main commute (in to central London) is by bike, so I mainly use trains for days out/leisure, longer work trips away from the office, and if I've been to the pub after work and made the cycle ride home a bad idea.

 

[67018]

Chose not to drive when younger due to lack of money and environmental concerns. Now probably wouldn't be safe due to dodgy eyesight. So have never had a driving licence.

No longer living in London makes this a more difficult lifestyle choice but it saves a lot of cost and stress and commuting into London by car would be a nightmare in so many ways.

So trains have always been a necessity both for commuting and leisure. And, on the whole, both now and going back to the BR era, have always been a reasonably reliable and cost effective option. Yes, my season ticket costs a fortune but isn't excessive for a 100+ mile round trip and a six-figure saving on house prices.

 

[6Gman]

What is your main reason for using the train?

To get from where I am to where I want to be.

 

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

Only for leisure because, working in the depths of the countryside, it would be impossible to get to work by train. As a family, we like going by train (we regularly visit both London and Glasgow) because the train is quicker than driving, even if we didn't have to stop the car to feed the children, take them to the toilet etc etc. Luckily we both have railcards which makes the cost much more palatable; frankly, we'd probably get the train anyway because of the speed advantage and the fact we can sit round a table and play games or look out of the window. However, on many occasions, to many other destinations, using the train is impracticable so we more or less have to take the car.