EnglishRose15

Great Bee, you are always so positive.

I have sent you a PM.

Beedubya

Only about the UK!!

elfman

From the channel tunnel's opening in 1994 up to 2007 the Eurostar was limted to a maximum of 100mph on the UK side of the channel, but since 2007 and the opening of high speed link into St Pancras the Eurostar can do 186mph on the UK side (same as the LGV Nord line on the foreign side).

kins

I used to live in central Bath, which is beautiful but costs a lot. If you're looking online don't fall for the prices of houses in Snowhill or Twerton - there is absolutely no way you want to live in those areas.

I lived outside Bath for about six months and commuted in. It was so bad I moved back to the town centre and went back to walking to work.

But it's a beautiful place and the shopping is fabulous. Mind you, I couldn't afford to shop there because my company paid so little because we were outside London.

Ho hum.

As for trains - sometimes they're wonderful, sometimes they're terrible. They're almost always expensive.

JustBecause

I don't have much to comment on the trains UK vs Oz but the one thing that did impact me was how much ruder the Australian train passengers were, in Sydney at least (on the same line as you Bee). They do not move out of the way if you are trying to get off a train & start barging in, which is totally non-sensical. It outraged me so much when I first got here that I wrote in about it & complained! They have started putting adverts up about being more considerate to other passengers, including this & things like not shoving your backpack in other passengers' faces.

The main point of contention about the UK railways at the mo is how to get the best fare as the ticketing system has been made so complicated since the demise of Bristish Rail. But that only affects the more one-off non-commute journeys. It is very expensive of course but many employers offer financial incentives towards season tickets.

I remember that about the Eurostar - how it sped up on the French side! But now it's all fixed & the Kent lines were pretty good with new trains last time I was using them 4 or 5 yrs ago. The journey through Kent from London goes through some spectacular countryside.

Beedubya

Ah well there's the difference I didn't commute, I was mainly on the Virgin Pendolino for about 6 months travelling maybe 10 to 15 times.

I lived near Bath in my last few months in the UK, what a stunning place - have you seen the travel photos put up by the young French guy in the Rovers Return, they are great!!!

Beedubya

Oh yes they are a shocker, especially at Hurstville, I got to complaining to their faces and that is very unlike me, but they are so damned RUDE!!!

kins

Well that would explain why you think British trains are so wonderful. Most of them are nothing like the Pendolino...

MNandMN

There is specific etiquette here - especially in London, always stand to the right of the escalators, let people off the tube first and then everybody for themselves to get a place on the tube. The overland trains are more civilised - let the people off first, then try to get to the front of the queue, being as civil as possible and not overtly pushing, unless it looks as if you may not get a seat - then it is OK to shove everyone out of the way!

Beedubya

At least they are letting the people OFF the train first before others try to get on.........

Seneca21

If you live in the place with Australia's highest population density you have to expect this. The lower the pop density the easier life gets.

Beedubya

I don't think the Illawarra has a high population or do you mean Sydney? Then if so, Sydney SHOULD have a better train service......it is the equivalent of London, New York, Paris, Tokyo......

Oh my life is going to get very much easier (in some ways) in less than 13 weeks believe me!!!

Seneca21

Sydney, yes. I can't comment on Sydney's public transport at all, but London's is pretty good in my view. Much better than the Parisien Metro.