London wage justifies 100-mile, six-train daily commute

Alix Williams, 27, now works as a specialist adviser on discrimination and sexual harassment in London after moving from Birmingham. She commutes about 100 miles each way, six trains a day, and spends roughly £400 to £450 a month on rail fares. Her previous job in the charity sector was put up for redundancy last April amid Birmingham City Council's well-documented debts. Williams says the London wage is worth the sacrifice, noting the new role pays 46% more than her prior position and that the extra income will help cover a £940 mortgage she shares with her partner. She began the new role in November 2024.

On a typical workday, Williams follows a demanding routine. She boards an off-peak 5:50 a.m. direct train to London Euston from a Birmingham-area station, a journey that is roughly 1 hour and 35 minutes by rail before transferring to two tubes to reach a South Kensington workplace. The total door-to-desk time runs about two hours and twenty minutes. She returns home on weekday evenings at about 8:30 p.m., with the return train leaving around 6:40 p.m. A return ticket costs about £35, and overall rail costs run roughly £400 to £450 a month. The cost is offset by the salary increase: after accounting for travel, she says she still has about 32% more income per month than before.

She tries to maximize value by planning ahead. To save money on commuting, Williams buys her train tickets two months in advance, noting that fares rise sharply after peak hours. "I spent a week really researching all the train costs and considering the physical effects on me," she said, describing the period before she accepted the London role. She also described her daily rhythm: she rolls out of bed roughly 12 minutes before departure, uses the journey for skincare or a quick nap, and often reads a book, watches a show, or eats a pre-packed dinner on the way home. In the office, she is usually there by around 8:20 a.m. and stays until about 4:30 p.m., then heads to the gym or grabs a takeaway before catching the 6:40 p.m. train back.

Despite the long hours, Williams says she finds the daily experience of being in London itself rewarding. "It’s a big sacrifice of your time - but it’s what’s important to you and in your phase of life," she said. She described London as an exciting place where many people save up to visit. The role, she added, is meant to open doors for her future career. "I don’t have any plans to leave," she said, "but I don’t think it’s sustainable for years." Nonetheless, she has already learned how to balance the demands of travel with professional advancement.