Commuting to the CBD from Mandurah

[steve cook]

Hi all,
could do with some opinions.....
We're coming to Perth in July .
My workplace is next to Perth station which means we have a good choice of places to live.

We have friends in Halls Head and think it would be a good idea to live within easy reach of them as they have a good social circle which we can hopefully join to help us settle in. The intention is for me to travel to/from work on the train from Mandurah.

My wife wont be working initially and will be looking after our kids who are both pre-school. I know its about 50min on the train which i think is do-able. Are there any alternative areas en-route to the CBD which are on the Mandurah line and worth considering?

Does anyone out there already do this commute who can advise on whether it wears you down over time? We know its not ideal but think it will be important to establish a social network quickly (if you're at home all day with 2small kids without adult contact.....)

Any advice appreciated.

thanks,
Steve.

[newjez]

I used to work with a guy who used to drive from Mandurah to the CBD. This was before they put the train line in. It was quite doable. As far as I'm aware they don't have toilets on the trains, so you might want to watch the beers on a Friday.

You could also look at Rockingham - I'm a NOR person myself - but a lot of people like it there.

[RhysTK]

Hi, I came across this forum while trying to get info on changing UK plugs over to Aus. I moved back to WA after living in London for 4 years and thought I'd give back after finding useful info here.

I've been living in Mandurah and commuting to Perth each each day for the past few months. Compared to the same distance in the UK (Brighton to London for eg), it's a breeze. The trains are modern, fast and air conditioned. And getting on at Mandurah (the first stop on the line) you'll be sitting down the whole way, unlike others getting on further up the line.

If you work in the Perth CBD there's no issues with having to change for the tube or another train. So a 50 minute commute is almost that: 50mins plus a few minutes either side to drive/walk.

The only downside is that Perth is all about the lifestyle. As a city its still small enough to work in a professional job, but be able to go surfing/swimming/exercising after a day in the office - while you'll be stuck on the train for an hour. Maybe you could negotiate to work from home one day a week/fortnight? Good luck!

[basicweb]

Yes definitely doable - I head to Perth once a month for work, and I love being able to sit on the train, and read my book (watching the traffic pile up on the freeway ). I travel from Rockingham so 30 mins train journey, Mandurah about another 15 mins. if you do get the train get a Smartrider it will save you money off the fares, and you don't have to mess around with change everyday at the station.

Tracey
www.ozhouserental.com