Trainline: Workers prefer to commute 4 hours rather than live near their office

A new study by Trainline shows that the number of people in the UK spending more than three hours travelling to and from work (known as the 'super commute') has doubled since before the pandemic.

Although super commuters are defined as those whose commute to work takes at least 90 minutes in one direction, the train ticketing platform found that most actually spend at least 2 hours travelling each way.

Perhaps surprisingly, most super commuters aren't those lucky few who only have to show up to the office once in a blue moon.

Most professionals who moved away from the office during the pandemic say hybrid work is due to (or blamed on) their new travel habits and their ability to maintain their rural lifestyle after work.

On average, super commuters commute to the office three days a week and therefore waste at least 12 hours (more than an entire working day) on a train each week just to sit at their desk.

Yet, despite having less time to actually enjoy their suburban life than those who live closer to the office, three-quarters of super commuters said they were happier there, and more than a third said they enjoyed a better work-life balance.

Others admitted that the long journey was worth it given the lower cost of living on the outskirts.

Super travel is a global phenomenon

Commuting isn’t a trend unique to the UK. In the US, the average distance between home and work has increased from 10 miles in 2019 to 27 miles by the end of 2023, according to research from payroll and HR services company Gusto.

According to their data, millennials, mostly aged 30 and sedentary, live furthest from their employer.

Take hairstylist Katlin Jay for example: the 30-year-old flies 650 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina, to New York every two weeks.

But she said New York Post that she pays less money in travel (about $1,000 a month) than she would pay in rent if she lived near her job on the Upper West Side.

Meanwhile, even in Germany, a 32-year-old director crosses the continent to London to work and enjoy the best of both worlds. However, to those seduced by Seb's lifestyle, he warned Business Insider that the 5-hour journey will not be sustainable in the long term.

But be careful: you may be asked to move back

Even now that it's clear that most companies will require their employees to be in the office for part of the week – and having no doubt heard their colleagues complain about their long commutes – the Trainline study has revealed that more than half of workers living in cities are eyeing the super commute club.

For what? Just like today's super commuters, most believe it will improve their work-life balance.

“Hybrid working has helped fundamentally change work and travel habits in recent years, with more people now choosing a longer commute to be able to both live and work where they want,” said Sakshi Anand, VP of Growth at Trainline.

“Our research shows that not only are these super rail commuters on the rise, but the phenomenon is here to stay. »

But be careful: bosses might ask you to choose between the office or your life on the outskirts.

Last week, Patagonia informed its remote customer service employees that they must now live within 60 miles of one of seven “hubs” in Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Reno, Dallas, Austin, Chicago or Pittsburgh.

The sustainable outdoor brand gave around 90 workers an ultimatum: move or quit.

Similarly, last year, TikTok warned U.S. workers whose home addresses were not near its office that they could lose their jobs if they did not relocate.

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