Hacker News Reader

Comment by pkulak | Hacker News Reader

I guess we can add this to the ever-growing list of extremely expensive, complicated, inefficient and convoluted solutions to problems that end with the final specification: "but it can't be a train".

View on HN

My company used to cover a car service for us (limo), my door to the terminal.

When they set up the AirTrain, I stopped using the car service. It took longer, but I have always had a soft spot for mass transit, and I kind of got a kick out of boarding a train in Huntington, NY, and leaving the train, in Shinagawa.

But there is a train to Gatwick.

It's not very good - late around half the time.

https://www.gatwickexpress.com/how-were-performing/train-ser...

That's as maybe but you're going to have a hard time convincing me it belongs on the parent's 'ever-growing list of extremely expensive, complicated, inefficient and convoluted solutions to problems that end with the final specification: "but it can't be a train"'

Because despite it's shoddy performance, it's very much a train.

Yes, I take that expensive and poorly performing train every month or so. It's cheaper and easier to take the car sometimes, unfortunately.

I sympathise with your complaints, but I reiterate: the Gatwick Express is a train

Yeah because I want to haul all my luggage on a train journey when I go to the airport. I’ll take a train to a lot of places but the airport is not one of them.

My company pays for taxi from my door to the airport and I still take the train, unless I am leaving before dawn.

There is both a rational environment choice in that, and a nice feeling of being part of a humming crowd

I drive an EV powered by my own solar panels. I’ve done my part and frankly don’t much like public transport unless I’m specifically looking to be in the hubbub which is mostly on the weekends when I’m socializing.

....what part have you done???

For the environment. I’ve done my part for the environment in the travel context. I travel without causing emissions or using any grid power.

I implore you to think about all of the emissions that are involved with the entire infrastructure that maintains the lifestyle you enjoy before imagining your part is "done".

Easier to haul my luggage on a train designed for that purpose than take a car and spend longer parking it than the entire train journey. I live 10 minutes from Gatwick, have never driven there, and don’t understand why anyone would want to if there’s any alternative.

Taxis I understand.

Same, I also live very close to Gatwick, the train is about 4 stops for me and puts me right at the terminal. Zero reason to drive.

Presumably, you've never taken the Heathrow Express? That is a train journey that is always better than a car. The Gatwick Express, not so much.

As far as I can see, the Gatwick express is mostly an excuse to rip people off. Last time I was there, there was a normal train to Victoria for about a third the price, which took literally two minutes longer. Is there a tourney for which the Gatwick express actually makes sense?

For not being stuck at any shenanigans that might happen at East Croydon.

I travel 40-50 times a year by flight and I absolutely don't mind taking the train. I live in Zürich which has an excellent rail network.

Doesn't have to be binary. Train is more efficient at moving large volume of people reliably compared to a bus or a taxi. I would wager that there are many more people travelling with carry-on only or a single bag for which train is more than adequate.

Yes, let's depend on a train for my time-sensitive journey with lots of awkward luggage.

Do you people even ride trains? Are you OK with the 50/50 odds of gettings home on time?

Took the south Florida brightline 3 times, recently, to get to the airport (+2 times for leisure travel) and it was pretty good.

Get there by rideshare in 20 mins, trains on time, 1hr to city, 10 min shuttle to airport. On time every time.

I moved my luggage by hand more WITHIN the airport than getting to the airport.

Would do it again

A train system is a much safer bet than praying traffic won't be bad

I mean, it probably depends on the train line? Only airport train I’ve ever had issues with was Manchester, and more due to an absolutely ridiculous ticketing situation than anything else.

Its gatwick, 3 lines go here, one every 15 minutes. I have always taken the train to either Heathrow or Gatwick, there's always been more than enough space to accomodate luggage, idk what people here are on about.

Trains are literally scheduled according to a timetable... traffic isn’t

Reply on news.ycombinator.com