Train vs. bus to downtown, which is actually faster for a 12 mile commute?

I switched from the bus to the train last month thinking it'd save me 20 minutes, but now I'm waiting on platforms half the time. My bus ride was 45 minutes door to door but the train takes 50 with walking - has anyone else found the train is slower than they expected?

3 comments

3 Comments

jackson.matthew21d agoMost Upvoted

Wait you're telling me the bus was faster than the train by the numbers and you still switched? That's wild, I would've stuck with the bus just out of spite if nothing else. The whole point of the train is supposed to be saving time, not adding ten minutes to your day for the privilege of standing on a cold platform.

ivan_mason21d ago

Oh, I read something interesting about this the other day in a transit study. The thing is, trains often look faster on a schedule, but that doesn't count the time you spend walking to the station or waiting for the next one. For a 12 mile trip, the bus might actually be better if it picks you up closer to home and drops you closer to work.

grace_wright21d ago

Totally agree with what @ivan_mason said. I had a job where I took the train for a 10 mile commute and it looked great on paper, but it took 15 minutes to walk to the station and another 10 waiting for the train. Then I switched to a bus that stopped two blocks from my apartment and let me off right by the office lobby. The whole trip was about the same time, but I saved a lot of walking and waiting. You really have to factor in all that extra time before you pick a route.