Is your journey symmetric?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Is your most regular journey that involves a train "symmetric"?

For example, if you're a commuter, do you use the same route to and from the station from your home at each end of the day, then the same train journey, and the same way from your destination station to and from your place of work that you use back to the station after work?

The second option ("Rail is, to / from station isn't") is what you would select if you get a lift to the station in the morning, but walk home in the evening from that station

The third option ("To / from station is, rail isn't") is what you would select if you catch a direct train from (say) Trowbridge to Chippenham in the morning, but you travel via Bath Spa with a change there in the evening

If both of the above apply, choose option 4

The fifth option ("I use different stations") is for the person who takes the train with their cycle in the morning, but in the evening gets off at an earlier station for a longer cycle home ....

[Red Squirrel]

I'd like my rail journeys to be symmetrical, but the lack of late night trains on the Severn Beach line dictates that the return leg from Temple Meads is often by bus or on foot (or, under duress, by taxi). Is that Option 5?

[JayMac]

Similar for me, late night return can often be wholly by bus or taxi. Taxi sometimes at the expense of the rail industry.

However, my most regular rail journey can be from a different origin. For variety, or based on which bus I decide to catch to the station.

[eightf48544]

Usually asymetric out walk to station lift home.

Train journies day trips are likely to be symetrical, longer trips asymetrical depends on which canal we're crusing.

[Brucey]

When I commuted to London, I would take different tube lines as interchanges are easier at different stations in different directions and times.  In the morning Bakerloo+Central, changing at Oxford Circus.  In the evening Central+Jubilee, changing at Bond Street.  Similarly, on the National Rail service home in the evening, I would often walk the last 1.5 miles of the journey, rather than wait for a stopping service that called at my local station.  My arrival time was exactly the same whether I walked or took the train (assuming it ran on-time) but the exercise was good having been sat down at work all day and on the train.

Even the car journey to the station was different in both directions.  The on-street parking was located on only one side of the road (the station has no car park).  It was much easier to drive one route and arrive on the correct side of the road.  When leaving, I departed in the same direction as the traffic, which took me a different, slightly longer, route.  Resulted in an almost circular journey but saved waiting to cross a busy road.

For my leisure journeys now, I will often opt for a slower route in one direction (to bag a cheaper fare) but travel on a faster journey for the return.  On moving here, I did previously avail myself of the driveway facilities of a non-car driving friend who lives near the station, sadly she has now moved.  Getting to the station now usually involves the bus, but the return in a taxi or on foot (doing the 3.1 mile walk through the city centre having arrived with a suitcase in tow at 01:33 on a Saturday morning wasn't really the best plan).  A taxi is typically cheaper than paying for the station car park, plus allows me to take advantage of any ale procurement opportunities en route.

[jane s]

Option 4 - neither is.

I go the "longer" way round when I drive to Tilehurst station in the morning so that I am facing up the hill as I seek a parking space. That way I can park in the first available space from the bottom of the hill, and if there aren't any, I can turn into the next road & look there. If I face down, I either have to "play safe" & choose a space nearer the top of the hill & have a longer walk, only to then find there were free spaces further down, or even worse, not find a space at all & have to waste time turning round & risk missing the train.

On the way home I can just drive straight up the hill & go home.

In the mornings I usually catch the 8.08 from Tilehurst and change onto the stopper at Maidenhead. This is because the time is convenenient and also because the train is less crowded than the 7:49 (which would still involve a change at Slough). Obviously the fact that no direct train exists from Tilehurst to Ealing Broadway between the 7:23 (which is too early) and the 8:53 (which is invariably late-running making me 10 mins late for work) affects my choices in the morning (WHY is there such a lack of trains during peak hours?)

in the evenings I generally get a direct train home, i.e. the 17:33, 18:23 or 18:33 from Ealing Broadway (again there are far fewer options in the peak than during the rest of the day - WHY?)

[TaplowGreen]

...........at the danger of being told off for going (slightly) off subject, what is the evening commute from Ealing B like these days?

I used to work in Hammersmith (2002-2009) and my outward/return was Taplow-Ealing B-Ravenscourt Park (District Line).......Ealing B was always quite busy in the evening and often trains arrived from Paddington pretty full, but I can't remember a time (unless there had been some sort of disruption) when I couldn't get on, but from what I hear these days it can be pretty desperate in the peak?

[grahame]

in the evenings I generally get a direct train home, i.e. the 17:33, 18:23 or 18:33 from Ealing Broadway (again there are far fewer options in the peak than during the rest of the day - WHY?)

Off peak trains call at more stations on their runs so that they can cover a wide variety of passenger flows on a single train.   Peak trains call at fewer stations to avoid overcrowding, and also to make journey times faster.  But that's not good for people travelling from a station on one side of the peak divide to the other side ...

Hopefully that wasn't a rhetorical question ... and judging by all the ??s it wasn't 

[TeaStew]

Most of my journeys are Option 3 "To / from station is, rail isn't" because I get the rail link bus to/from Melksham but working 9-5 in Bristol with a 30 minutes walk to/from Temple Meads means the best trains for me require a change in Chippenham in the morning but Trowbridge in the evening.

Unfortunately Melksham doesn't work in the morning when I work 8-4 (2days/week) so I drive over to Bradford - which makes everything very symmetrical!

[Electric train]

am - Marlow branch to M'head fast to Padd Bakerloo to Waterloo then hoof it to Southwark (unless its raining the its Jubilee line Baker St to Southwark)

pm - Southwark Jubilee line to Baker St then Bakerloo to Padd then stopper to Maidenhead and hoof it home.

The hoofin bit is my daily exercise 

[grahame]

I'm slightly surprised at one aspect of the results ... won't comment further on that until the poll's closed as I don't want to influence outcome.   The result helps inform us as to what chance we can put on their being an equal and opposite return journey on the surveys done earlier this month on the TransWilts, for which data entry proceeds.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Currently, I don't have a 'regular / frequent commute by public transport' - so I've responded to this particular poll on the basis of my most recent daily commute.

I used to travel from my home in Nailsea to my office in central Bristol, via NLS and BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) by train (return) - including walking all the other bits - very symmetric (apart from a minor diversion on the walking home part of the route, caused by my occasional inclination to visit one of several conveniently placed licensed premises!) 

[devon_metro]

The beauty of now living in London is that from my local tube station there are 3 different routes I can take to get to my office, depending on disruption.

[ellendune]

Following the changes at Whale Bridge Junction in Swindon last year anything like a symmetric journey to and from the station is impossible.

[LiskeardRich]

No choice but to go symmetrical. I live less than 300 metres from station, and Cornwall has only one rail route so no option for any alternatives.