As I know you all love me so much on here I was wondering if any of you do a Warrington - Manchester City Centre commute or have done in the past?

I am potentially moving to another job there and was wondering as to the best way. The last time I worked in Manchester was around 8 years ago then the M62 took an hour. Is it still like that and if so what are the trains like in a morning?

Personnally I'd do it by train...... frequent but busy (dont commute but Ive had to do it on occassion)
Ive heared of people driving to Altrincham and metrolinking in

Do what I did.
Retire.

I was based in Didsbury, the journey was horrendous.

Could you not go there and back on your ego????

Don't stop believing

I do it every day by car from padgate to just outside mcr centre. Takes approximate 30 mins usually or upto 1hr on bad days. That's at 8am.

The missus does padgate to deansgate then gets tram to Trafford bar. takes her 30 mins by train. Problem is the trains are e, unreliable and if cancelled, or your late then your fooked or late.

Despite the 62 I'd still rather be in my own car.

Still no work in St.Helens then?

Can't you ask the courts to move your Probation visits to St Helens or even Widnes?

Getting into Manchester is a nightmare in the mornings.

I have commuted to City Centre Manchester everyday for the past 20 years.
There is not an inch of tarmac on the M62 that I do not know.

To do the journey in a car you need to start work before 7:30 and not leave between 4:30 and 6pm.
Outside of these times it is regularly 40 minutes each way.

The train from Central to Piccadilly is excellent frequent and nearly always on time.
I don't do the train because I start at 7am in the morning and if any train gets cancelled it is the first train at 6am, I asked about this and they told me that if a driver calls in sick they have cover for the day but the first train of the day is the one to suffer.

About 4 years ago I changed from the car to a Motorbike and now I can do the journey at any time of day in less than 35 minutes, and I live the opposite side of Warrington to the M62. If I didn't start so early in the morning I would do it by train in the winter, you can get a weekly ticket for about £25 and then by bike in the Spring, Summer and Autumn.

I live in Sale and, for one day a month, work at the retail park near Wilderspool at a client's office. I go via the M56. From the return journey I go through Woolston, onto the M6 for a junction or two then on to the M56. Brings you into Manchester on the Princess Parkway. M62 is a nightmare, naturally.

M62 is now worse than the M6.

As someone else has mentioned, the trains are pretty good and reilable these days. I do it every day from Central to Piccadilly and most of the time its fine, it a little busy. Best buying a 12 month season ticket if you can manage it as fares could go up this year.

You can also park for free within 5 mins walk of Central Station if you know where to go.

I worked in the City Centre for 6 months before finding another job due to commution. THe M62 was bad at the time, though admittedly not as bad as it is now, so always used to drive to Central as my girlfriend had a flat there, and get the train in. 8:17 East Midlands train it was. Started off with 5 carriages, then as the weeks passed, it went down to 4, then 3 and then finally went down to 2 carriages.

The fighting to get on the train was ridiculous and when you missed it, you had to wait for the Northern Rail stopper, which was also two carriages and just as packed. When I went into work for about the 10th time late, I decided enough was enough, and I got another job which is a smooth 15 minute drive from home, well, for about 6 weeks anyway, then my new job starts which is about a 5 minute car journey away.

Well done if you get the job, but the best of luck commuting because you're sure as hell gonna need it!