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Commuter Coaches

Hi,

Just a curious question really... As per the Theme Park thread am going to be moving from where I live with my parents (in Bexleyheath) to live with my fiance (in Gravesend), looking at the prices to get into London have noticed that a train will cost up to £400 per month whilst the commuter coaches that drop you off around Canary Wharf / Embankment etc... will only cost £220 (and they'd drop off / pick up pretty much outside my door).

Of course the huge risk using the Coaches is that if there is an accident I could be screwed getting into the office, whilst at the same time what with SouthEastern's reliability you could also say the same about them (i.e. at least with the coach you'd be guaranteed a seat, nor would you be packed in like a sardine).

Quite simply am curious to know if anyone already does this and if they're able to offer their opinions on the service etc...?

Comments

  • What times the last coach back ?
  • They're designed around normal office hours so 7pm is the last to leave Embankment (so not the best service if you plan on staying out in the evening)
  • The A2 can be a cruel mistress if you date her after 6.30am

    The coach (an early one) would be how I did it if I had to. Kings ferry are the dearest but have the nicest coaches to get you napper down on
  • Carter said:

    The A2 can be a cruel mistress if you date her after 6.30am

    The coach (an early one) would be how I did it if I had to. Kings ferry are the dearest but have the nicest coaches to get you napper down on

    Gawd yeah... Because of the A2 being such a bugger I'm surprised they're actually able to get workers into London prior to 9am which was part of the reason for my question

    I hate being late so would drive me crazy if the Coach made me late every day
  • I ive in medway. Used to do the coaches. Getting in (our coach was about 6:50) wasnt horrendous as the driver can scoot down some bus lanes on various parts of the A2 that save time. Normally in around 8 am.

    Coming home different issue. Would leave around 4pm. Coach was on average 30 minutes late every day. I mean every single day. It would then take over an hour or longer home.

    If you got the money, get th high speed to stratford and dlr it.
  • To be honest mate weighing everything up. You are putting your timekeeping in the hands of a third party whichever you do. The coaches will at least always be running whereas southeastern have their own agenda to running a transport service. If I was putting my faith in either I'd go for the one that will at least always be running and costs less.

    I totally hear what you are saying about being late. I hate being late but I drive. If you have got your arse on the coach at a sensible time and the A2 is being a prick, you shouldn't have that held against you by your employer however it would still nark me being late not by my own doing. The coach drivers are lethal too. They undercut on local traffic lanes and generally seem to care about getting their passengers to work on time. Their road behaviour annoys the shit out of me but if I was on a coach I'd appreciate the driver doing stuff like that.

    Until the inevitable collision happens!

    Can't say a train driver would be able to do stuff like that to get you where you need to be. Not that they'd have the inclination
  • FA - I work in Canary Wharf and know plenty of people that use the coach companies that come in from places like Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone etc.

    They always say they are much more reliable than the trains, plus they are cleaner and have free wifi.

    The only problem they have is if the Blackwall tunnell is screwed, but even then it just means more time sleeping/reading/working on the laptop.
  • Cheers for the comments so far... really appreciate the input.

    I guess with technology now if the traffic is really bad due to an accident one day I can just avoid the coach and get the train home.

    Do the school holidays have much of an impact on them?
  • Yeah school holidays usually are nice times to fight with the A2. My old house mate used to get the coach to canary wharf and if traffic was being a bastid he'd pay for the train that day to get home. Or use the time productively to sleep, play candy crush or expand your mind on the Kindle.
  • if you go in early, you can get cheaper season tickets from South Eastern on a couple of trains before 6.30. I come in from Greenhithe and don't have many problems with South Eastern (probably as I'm on a 6.30am train) and you'll always get a seat from Gravesend.
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  • Rothko said:

    if you go in early, you can get cheaper season tickets from South Eastern on a couple of trains before 6.30. I come in from Greenhithe and don't have many problems with South Eastern (probably as I'm on a 6.30am train) and you'll always get a seat from Gravesend.

    Cheers have noticed that as well, think its around £270 if you travel in before 7am (?)
  • See that's what I weigh up really mate. The performance of getting to the station etc against walking a couple hundred yards to the coach pick up. I'd be leaving around that time so whilst the trains are ok pre-6.30 I'd soon get fucked off with the logistics to get on one.

    And something to always keep in mind is the seats on an early morning train were being used by a babble of mindless drunks a few hours earlier. Mindless drunks who lose control of their bladders and bowels on the seats. I'm not all that fussed about a seat then!
  • There's a guy at my work who comes in by coach from one of the Medway towns, possibly Rochester. His arrival time each day doesn't seem to vary by more than 5 minutes, and I've never heard him complaining about it.

    If I was you, I'd definitely give it a try for a couple of weeks and see how you get on. South Eastern Trains are a f@%king disgrace, have a look at the South Eastern Trains thread on here. Unless you thrive on constantly feeling angry and bitter, and enjoy standing for prolonged periods on freezing cold station platforms, then having your face wedged into someone's armpit, listening to the sound of your fellow passengers coughing and spluttering, and arriving at your destination 20 minutes later than planned (on a good day), I would say it's well worth trying every possible alternative (including walking, buying a jet ski, buying a skateboard, etc) before you start using the train.
  • On the subject of south easterns reliability the HS1 is on time I would say 95% of the time. It's an excellent, very expensive service. But saying that if I worked in Docklands still rather than West London I would be very tempted by the coaches.
  • fella I work with gets the coach from down that way, always strolls in the office around 8.30ish each day and never seems to moan, apart from the odd day when there's an accident at the blackwall tunnel....people on the trains however (like me) seem to moan daily about one thing or another.

    I'd give the coaches a try, much more comfortable
  • MrLargo said:

    If I was you, I'd definitely give it a try for a couple of weeks and see how you get on.

    Thats the thing... Definitely going to give it a try as I'll live 2-miles walk from Gravesend Train Station whilst the Coach will stop outside my place... Coach should get me home @ 6.50 each day (depending on traffic being clear) so I'll be indoors before 7pm, the earliest train from Gravesend wont get me into the Station till 6.53 yet cos of the walk I doubt I'll be home till 7.30.

    As people have said the journey home may well be horrible most days but what I didnt want to see happen was for it to be so bad I wouldnt be getting home till 9-10pm
  • The hs1 is brilliant and amazingly is rarely affected when the pikey services are

    A season ticket from chatham into town is 5000 quid though.
  • Have used the High Speed a few times when I just cant be bothered and want a quick journey home, is a very good service but is really badly priced
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