As it turns out, pretty much, yes!

UK has not got a good train system? Just curious...

I propose a change of venue!

UK has a very expensive train system. For work, I used to travel from York to London and back every week (about 3 hours by car) and it took 1h45mins by train. It cost my work £145 for a return. Just to go to and from london at rush hour.

Basically, it's a corporate funded rail system that accomodates the plebs when they can.

And a bit more notice.
I'm on earlies (finish at 14:30) most of next week....

145 pounds to go 2 hours by train? That sounds a bit ridiculous to me... Should be about 200 euros, right? So did your company pay than?

Previously I thought French speed train system was a rip-off, but now I start to doubt that.... :( I guess each country has its own problems.

Screw going to the pub; I'm staying in and playing Theme Hospital! Thanks Dischord! :)

Oh yeah, no way I was paying for them to send me 100 miles somewhere I didn't want to go. However that's how it works here. Charges are so high that the corporate machine gets charged because they'll pay, and the casual commuter is forced to travel at very offpeak times, a lot in advance (at which point you can get some good deals - £145 becomes £15)..

Interesting how that works. Well, I suppose that is because your "main" workplace used to be in York, right?

15 pounds sounds reasonable and close to what I experienced in other countries of Western Europe. Good to know brits are not completely crazy. How much time would it take to travel on a commuter, though?
I could see you potentially ruining this bender by sending people games from their wishlist! :D Than it will only be wpegg standing (I am sure he has the whole catalogue already anyway).

Now that does sound like a plan!

Last year (Before I started driving), it would take between an hour & 90 mins for my commute.
Cost was £6 per day.
Now driving is about 20 mins.

Oh now I see. That is also comparable to countries Germany or Netherlands, I guess. I think wpegg was talking about speed trains than. Those are always crazy expensive (and I found myself especially mad discovering there is no alternative to them on some routes in France).

You ought to go, a lot closer than me.

I'd need a military flight, as I won't put up with commercial aviation now, and even those would probably be ruined.

Ahhh, progress; and loss of the right to self-determination. Nice 2 c u, good job on gifting thread!