My sister messaged me to say she wants to meet me and my family for dinner, and she sent me the name of a restaurant in Stratford she's wanted to go to for ages.

I checked the directions and I don't think I've ever seen a bigger discrepancy between driving and public transport! It's 1hr 15 by train but if I had a car I'd be there in 20 minutes. In a straight line it's 7 miles and would literally be quicker to cycle!

I'm seriously considering an Uber even though it's going to cost about the same as the meal…

by mesonofgib

40 comments

  1. Used to it tbh. Journeys under an hour don’t exist unless it’s just going to Lewisham for shopping

  2. What’s most of the time due to? (i.e. walking to the station, or is it just that the next train isn’t for 20/30 minutes which would almost halve the actual journey time?). A lot of journeys are quicker to cycle than any other form of transport in London – excellent case for getting a bike.

  3. Go on the Woolwich Ferry as a foot passenger and then get an Uber from the other side.

  4. I live in the south west and have the same issue. 1hr 30 to get back on a nights out if the trains are still running and I’m not even that far out.

  5. Ditto with North West. Takes an hour to go almost anywhere from here lol

  6. Yeah that’s annoying, maybe invest in a car?

    Unpopular opinion on here but a car is very useful if you live outside of zones 1-2 and especially if you do regularly travel anywhere that isn’t central London

  7. I would go out to eat in East London a lot more, but it’s like… a three hour round trip to Hackney. We need an overground extension, c’mmmmmmon.

  8. I live centrally, I stopped hanging out in South East as I can no longer afford the Uber. It’s easier for me to get a train to Surrey.

  9. I occasionally think this too but then I go for a walk through Blackheath and Greenwich Park and suddenly it’s all worth it

  10. This is part of why I ended up getting a car! I often get asked why I would ever want a car while living in London and this is the stuff I pull up lol.

    Takes 15 minutes to drive to my partner’s flat or 60 minutes on the train, or 70 minutes to walk it!

  11. Yeah deffo annoying. Try citymapper it might cut down time a bit

  12. Well you can take comfort in knowing it’s worse everywhere else.

  13. That restaurant is in such a random place though, it’s not really in Stratford. It’s a good twenty minute walk from the nearest stations around it. Get the 339 bus from Mile End or Stratford station and it’ll drop you right near it.

  14. That would never be a 22 minute journey if you add in finding a parking place and walking to and from your car

  17. Isn’t the issue here how far the venue is from most public transport options. I live in South East London and can get to places like Hackney Wick & Stratford in 40 minutes or so , sometimes less using the Ginger Line . I guess it also depends on where you are in South East London

  18. 22 mins is unlikely, you’d be going through the blackwall tunnel, wrong time of day thats adding an hour

  19. Might be 22 minutes to drive up to the entrance, but sometimes can take double that amount of time to find a parking spot. Plus there are congestion zone fees, unexpected traffic jam delays etc. I don’t know how London drivers tolerate it all tbh.

  20. Trains to Stratford, then get an Uber from there to the restaurant.

  21. I’ve been there before, that place is really awkwardly located, I live in Leyton and it would take me 50 mins by public transport

  22. That’s got to be wrong. Are you excluding certain transport options?

  24. Same in north west, my partner had to go to north east for work, and it was a 20 min drive vs 2 hours on public transport

  25. Bane of my life.
    I manage a bar in Bermondsey and if I don’t get away before 11:15 at the latest it’s two buses and a 01:45 arrival at home or an uber.

    But my rents relatively cheap, furnished and all bills included, so swings and roundabouts:/

  26. It might be 22 minutes at 2pm on a Thursday afternoon (and even that feels incredibly optimistic), but it won’t be when you’re actually going to dinner.

  27. Deep South it’s a bit shit. In Greenwich, you’re laughing. Lizzie Line, jubilee, DLR

  29. Welcome to urban life lol. When I lived in nyc it was $80 for a taxi for a 20 minute ride or $2.75 for 1 hour 20 min subway/bus. You’re saving money and getting more exercise at the expense of time. Just remember the times when people with cars are dealing with parking, maintenance problems, traffic, insurance, accidents, etc. Even if the uber is an absurd price it’s still cheaper than having a car! Maybe you can take transit there and an uber back.

  31. The driving option is only so quick because it’s just off a dual carriageway. Tasty food though.

    And for what it’s worth the uber won’t be that much considering how quick it is.

  32. Instead of looking how long it takes right now, stick in your arrival time. That will give you the quickest routes and tell you when to leave.

    If you leave right now by the time you’re at the station you may have just missed a train or a bus.

  33. Just take the Uber. 90% of the journeys I do are faster by public transport, and public transport is much cheaper than owning a car. Spend some of the difference on getting the best of both worlds by Ubering journeys like this whenever they come up.

  34. That’s a really strange place for a restaurant, it’s 30 mins walk from Stratford station in the middle of an industrial estate.

  37. I’ve never had a bad experience like this so you must be far far out

  38. That’s just Hackney Wick for you, really annoying to get to from anywhere outside of the area. I’d just pick a place that’s easier for both of you next time.

  40. I know what you mean, but you’ve answered your own question- cycle. Cycling changes London for the better!

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