I've been driving to work every day & back & it takes about 40 minutes each way, I was thinking how long I could keep this up for as I used to have an hour commute each way & was hoping to reduce my commute by asking to move office, I am sick of commuting!
So.... out of the blue, along comes a new job opportunity I can't refuse. One I always wanted to do & I'm almost there, nearly have it but...the problem is that it will take me 1 hour 15 minutes each way. They seem happy that I will do this but really, honestly speaking I am thinking of staying near work for 2 nights a week if I get it as...you guessed it...I am sick of commuting & wish it was bike/walk distance.
I know the traffic isn't bad here (even considering I must go through AG to Zürich west), I just wondered, is anyone else forced to commute so far to do the job they have/want to do? Rush hours are nothing compared with London but it's still a grind & with the country being so small I think we really have little choice to earn our crust of bread..
I would like others opinions about this, I can't see a way around it to be honest except setting up a business in my garage but that really would be difficult (I have a boat in it!) ..
My commute?
The days I work from home about 10 secs across the hallway, but the days I go into work, about a 5 minutes stroll
Basel>Zurich about 1 hour each way with light traffic. I listen to a lot of podcasts and when I'm in the mood, German language CDs
12 minutes walk alone, 45 minutes with my 4 year old . He's quicker home with the scooter (it's uphill there, downhill home)....
Other half does a 40 minute door-to-door with the other two kids.
In Sydney I used to do 20 minutes x 4 times a day to take the kids to/from school. For work I did 1 hour commute to the city from the suburbs and that was plenty far enough for me...
I would never commute more than an hour, and not more than 30 minutes by car. What a waste of time and energy... better to live closer, or use public transport, at least then you can read a book, stare out the window or play with the computer without worrying about traffic or having a car accident.
To my Uni by bike is 10 minutes, by bus + walk, it's 15 mins.
Hang in there. We both found our jobs within a 5 min walk from home :-)
Agree with you there, only problem is when you don't even live on a bus route (like me) & would have to change bus/train 4 times, would have to be (very) short stories...I listen in the car to my Orange (by 3G) radio stations on my iPhone, that is a godsend listening to 5live, kiss or talk sport instead of DRS3 or whatever, that Nicky Campbell show really helps to eat the KM's
Lucky, kids school & kindergarten is just 2 minutes behind our house, can't complain about that..
i had the same. great job came up that i couldn't refuse. but a big shock on the commute front. after over a decade of walking a few minutes to work, i now have a 1.5 hour commute each way. quite tiring and is eating a lot into my free time.
i still need to figure out how to get this to work (maybe a couple of days working from home).
in your case, maybe you could do 2 days from home, 2 days stay over and then you only have 4 journeys a week.
20 minute drive to the station, half an hour on a train and 20 minute walk the other end. Not even for a job I like but, to be honest, I never even thought about the commute. Would be great if it wasn't so, but I guess I'm used to it. At least I've read all my overnight email by the time I get to Zurich so I know how strong a coffee to buy.
Yeah, I was thinking the same but I don't think they're really into me working at home, I know it is also difficult to do though, used to do it but got into appreciating being home alone, playing loud music, cooking big meals, being slobby, etc & cheeky sister-in-law would drop the kids back early (never got hardly anything done) & loud church bells in the background when on the 'phone with clients (had to dodge them)..
I've had loads of jobs (I was a freelancer for 10 years before coming here). I used to set myself a 45 minute max commute. Trouble was, if that was by car then 45 minutes in the summer could easily become 1:30 on a rainy winter's friday evening. I had that commuting from central London out to Cambridge. I quit that role in November.
Currently, it's a 10 minute cycle, or 25 minute tram or 35-40 minute walk. I usually cycle, but occasionally walk. I only take the tram if it's heavy rain mixed with wind or biting cold.
This is one of the issues with a country like Switzerland - if I changed jobs it's likely to be in another city and that would mean moving (I wouldn't commute from Basel to, say, Zurich - too far). So if I did quit this job for any reason I'd just go back to London and plan my next role from there - as if I move from Basel there's no reason to stay in Switzerland. Depends where the next job is and where I fancy next.
Such a hard balancing act for those with families. If you live in London with a family, you have to live far away to afford a house with more space and a garden for the kids. The price in commute time is huge? Not sure what I would do.
Here in the Jura mountains, we have many families with one of the parents (well yes, in each case the dad) commuting to Neuchatel (30 mins) or Bern 1hour+(by car or train) or Yverdon (45 mins) or Lausanne (1 hr) as they can afford a much bigger apartment or house with lots of space and quality of life. And yet the commute does eat into quality of life too. I am retired, but I can see both sides.
Currently a 35 min cycle in all weathers: Riehen (BS) to Münchenstein (BL). the tram/bus takes a bit longer, so prefer to cycle. Previously did a door-2-door two hour Riehen to Züri commute, with Bicycle-train-bus combo, so don't feel the current arrangement is to bad
I use the 35 mins for UK podcasts, German course listening and general thinking (read: day dreaming/designing ) time.
depends on the job. if it's just a pay packet then you might find something else.
in my case, it was not an opportunity that i was likely to get again so i was happy to make some sacrifices for a couple of years to get the chance to do it and gain the experience. i have to say i don't regret it one bit.
i figure it's better to get the job, get the experience and then solve the commute problem (via relocation, getting a 2nd flat, or negotiating remote working) rather than find a job that fits all these requirements at the start.
if it gets too much, you can always quit. i'm not sure if i can do this long term, but i've already gone from 5 days of commuting to 4 days of commuting and a day at home and maybe i can ultimately get it to 2 days home office (the dream being 2 days work, 2 days home office and 1 day off as 80% job )
Unterageri -> Zurich. 30km each way. 50-90 minutes by bike (depends on direction and route - i have lots of options) or 35 mins by motorbike.
When it's -20'c or bucketing down, I take the train and bus. 1hr 30mins.
35min by bus and train after a huge 2min walk at the start and another short walk at the end, all up its about 50mins door to door.
I am actually glad it not 5-10 mins only as that is too close to the office and means that you are able to not be imposed upon to stay back late and have a decent reason for getting away each day. I would find being only 5-10mins from the office too close and prefer being in the countryside rather then in the city itself.
However I also notice that those who live closest are usually the latest to arrive in the office so living closer doesn't seem to provide the advantage.that many suggest. It seems to encourage being less strict and more laid back, at least those with a commute setup a schedule and purpose to the day more it seems
25 minutes by car or 1 hr 5 minutes if I have to take public transport. As an American, I can say that I am used to long commutes. I would look at a couple of things before making the decision. Is the money spent on gas going to be a burden? Is there traffic that could make it stressful? For me it would be hard to pass up a dream job for a longer commute. 1 and a half or more hours and I would probably not take it, but it would be a tough decision.
My last four apartment / place of employment combinations in CH:
Currently Zug - Zurich Enge: 35 minutes door to door by train
Zurich Niederdorf - Zurich Enge: 10 minute tram ride
Zurich Niederdorf - Paris: 4 hours with flight
Zug Metalli - Zug Bahnhof area: 30 second walk (now that was a good commute!!!)
40 minute drive (can be up to an hour depending on traffic) from AG to Zurich lakeside near Zollikon, but i don't do that very often any longer, normally I now:
Drive 5 minutes to the station, park and ride - 40 minutes door to door including either walking from Stadelhofen, tram or folding bike.
or
Ride my mountain bike, as much offroad as possible, 50km round trip.
Car / bike i listen to audio books, train i tend to read.
As mom and housewife I don't have a commute but I thought I could share my husband's:
He drives to Frauenfeld for P&R , from there he takes the train to Baar ZG. All in all his commute is about 1h 30 or 40 minutes, one way.