Commutable distance to Sydney
 

How far out one could go but yet commute to CBD everyday? Could you actually reduce your living costs significantly by going that far? Are people commuting from places like Gosford, Newcastle, Wollongong, Nowra, Kiama etc? Is it a worthwhile proposition at all?

Stunned (and disgusted) by Sydney rental prices, I am really looking at all possible alternatives, but can't get out of NSW being state sponsored.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

I get the train to work from Epping every day to the city and that is far enough for me.

The express trains from Newcastle / Gosford stop at Epping and you get to see all those commuters under blankets with neck pillows who started out at god knows o'clock, they look half dead. When the train pulls in to Sydney Terminal these life forms slowly evolve back in to something half way towards human, although you still shouldn't approach one, if you have to use caution. They then stagger down the platform and in to the station cafe for a caffeine injection. Then they get to do it all over again the next day, you see the same people every work day :blink:

I wouldn't want to do it, but many do.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

People do, a number of the guys where I work commute from the central coast and are fine with 1 1/2 to 2 hours each way each day. I wouldn't do it myself but different people have different views

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

We looked into it from Central Coast at one point but it was just too far for us. It might be ok for somebody working regular 9 to 5 hours, but if you anticipate having to do a bit more than that then it would be a real drag to have such a slog home at the end of a long day. I wouldn't do it.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

Well to travel from the central coast you have to think why you moved half way around the world ,i
on the other hand would not live in a box in the CBD , pay the Northern
beaches Rip off prices or be in the Hills estates, all depends on your travel needs and lifestyle i guess ,good luck

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

Beautiful pictures, mate!

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

Himself works in Sydney CBD - we live a 90 minutes train commute away in the Blue Mountains. We think its worth it. Quite a few of his colleagues live about the same commute time away up and down the coast, so its certainly do-able. It really depends on what is important to you.

For us, we couldn't do it if the trains didn't run reliably and regularly. On a morning there are about 3-4 trains an hour and the same between 4-6.30pm to come home. During the day though, there's one an hour, which is a bit more of a pain for my two eldest who are in Uni down the mountain.. but the lazy gits should have learned to drive by now and their problems would be sorted :D

If you're going to look at living well away from the CBD, you really, really need to do lots of research into how you're going to travel in, and how it'll work on a practical, day by day basis. Train tickets are ridiculously cheap - Himself gets a zone 3 MyMulti ticket (the same one covers all this area) which covers you for trains, buses, ferries and the light railway thing - for a month it costs $219 - but you can also buy it quarterly or yearly and it works out even cheaper.

I can't emphasise enough that you have to do your research. Himself moved to NSW a few months before we did (we lived in Qld before) so he got a rental near our chosen area to make sure that the commute wasn't going to be too much of a pain.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

I know that plenty of people commute long distances, but I would think that it depends hugely on your circumstances.

For us, we decided against a long commute, even though really we would have preferred to live somewhere slightly further out. When we moved here our children were still very small (1 and 3), I was a stay at home mum, and hubby was working very long hours, seven days a week etc, and we felt that a long commute on top of that would be too much. I think had the children been older we would have considered it more, but we felt that he and they would be missing out too much on seeing each other.

You just have to weigh up the pros and cons.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

Life is too short to spend time on a train. Spend up and have a good life

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

I work with one guy who commutes from Wollongong and another who commuts from penrith.

I wouldn't do either.

I live in the inner west just 8 kms from the CBD and it takes me 40 mins to get to work on the bus!!!

The guy who commutes from wollongong, I am sure he told me he leaves the house at 6am or 6.30am the other day and he doesnt even get to work until 9 or 9.15am!!! Stuff that for a joke. (I will check that though as I may be confused)

I find though that it takes long enough to drive to these places when there is no traffic...though I guess the train is probably faster.

OH often works in the Northern Beaches and he can be in traffic aywhere from 1 hour to 2 hours to get back to the inner west.

Traffic in Sydney is ridiculous in my opinion but I guess cummuting really depends on how you plan to do it, I reckon public transport is the best way

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

50 minutes on the train from Penrith to the CBD.

Just saying, like.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

Yea thats actually really good...especially considering my commute from right in the city LOL.

The drive takes much longer I am sure LOL

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

I think that Wollongong times are incorrect. I live in Bulli, 10 mins away by train and for me door to door its a 2 hour journey, walking to and from the station. The train journey itself is 1.30 to Kings Cross so is a decent time, I often work from home so its not an issue for me, but when we decided to move here we did so on the worst case basis, i.e. me having to commute every day and its perfectly doable. I then get the 5.20 train from Martin Place back to Bullia and wifey and son picks me up at 6.53.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

That's "Train Driver" off my list of potential occupations then.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

Commuted from Wollongong to Martin Place for a good 8 months. Caught the 7:30 express from Wollongong. Central Station at just before 9, Martin Place at 9:15.

17:42 train on the way back got me home by half past seven in the evening.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

There are parts of the Eastern Suburbs that can take 45-50 minutes too. So heading further out but being near a train station could be wise. But then again I bet the price of property within easy walking distance of the train would be pretty 'expensive' anyway.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

They do allow us to have cars away from the CBD you know :D (and parking is free at the station)

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

My husband travelled by car from Dapto, near Wollongong, to The Daily Telegraph office in Surry Hills, Sydney, for 5 years.- working as a casual.
But he left home at 3pm to start his shift at 5pm and usually arrived at his workplace at 4.15-4.30pm and left work at midnight or thereabouts so missed all the rush hour traffic.
I couldn't have done it so admired him for doing this distance 5 days a week (included working Sundays). The drive was horrible in the winter months, especially along the steep Mount Ousley near Wollongong.
And one night he hit a kangaroo sitting in a dip in the road on Princes Highway going through the National Park at about 1am. Didn't see it until it was too late. Made a right mess of the bumper. Cost us $1,000 in repairs.
Understandably, hubby got fed up of the commute. And we got sick of only seeing each other on a Saturday as I worked full-time Monday to Friday. I would be asleep when he got home and he would be asleep when I got up to go to work. Our son was only a toddler then.
We ended up moving to Coffs Harbour, on the mid north coast of NSW - 6 hours north of Sydney - for a better quality of life. Hubby landed a job on the local paper in Coffs Harbour. And now on the move again. Relocating to Perth in a month.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

My boss used to commute from Gosford every day I think it was 1.5 hours each way. I don't think he saw much of his family. That's the Australian "Lifestyle" that you hear so much unless you are minted.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

Don't have to be minted to live closer, just less choosey about what you want. Many immigrants assume that they can have a big house with pool and so when its not available they feel hard done by. Be realistic and you will have a great place and a great lifestyle.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

I have a nice place in London and a short commute. Who wants to live in a crap hole suburb with rubbish public transport surrounded by bogans. It's not what I moved over to Sydney for and not what I have in London.

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Totally agree, but I have lived in two high end suburbs (Manly and Seaforth) in great homes and I am not 'minted'. My point was to realise that its not all swimming pools and barbies here but still nice if you think objectively.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

Enjoy, I'll let you know when the developers over here are on $200k :rofl:

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

Laugh away mate you're the one on a crap salary. You must enjoy just getting by you Aussie battler.

Re: Commutable distance to Sydney
 

My salary is rock bottom but my job satisfaction is ace :D

Seriously, you wouldn't come back to Oz for less than $200k? For a software developer?!

Some posts define a BE poster and that one told me everything I need to know about you.

You, in short, and to take a quote Ferris Bueller's Day Off, are bullshit.