Commuting

Although this blog in general doesn't occupy itself with matters pertaining to my day job, today I have little alternative. Last week, my company bought one of its competitors; it wasn't that we were predatory, but more that the other company had decided to cease trading and sell its business to its most worthy competitor.

So for the past few days I have been extremely busy: at home, at night, writing programs to import the data which we have received, and during the day giving intensive training sessions to the salespeople from the other company. 

These training sessions are being held in the other company's showroom, which is in the city of Petach Tikva, not an area which I know well. My first visit there was with someone else and we went by car, but the past few days I have gone on my own and by public transport. I have two options: train/walk or train/bus

• Train/walk: in this option, I take the train from Bet Shemesh to Tel Aviv as usual, then change to a branch line for three stops. This takes (including waiting in Tel Aviv) an hour and fifteen minutes. I then have a walk which takes 25-30 minutes to get to the showroom.
• Train/bus: in this option, after getting to Tel Aviv, I walk out of the station to a nearby bus stop and catch a certain bus. The ride takes about 30 minutes and delivers me a few minutes' walk from the showroom. This option is probably one or two shekels cheaper (but no more); anyway, I get my fares refunded.

The first day, I tried the train/walk option, to get the feel of things. The walk was a little too far in my option, so the second day I tried the train/bus option. Whilst this was better in getting to the showroom (although I got there at about 8:35 and they only open at 9), it was much worse in the afternoon. I had to stand for about ten minutes in the bus and arrived five minutes after the hourly train to Bet Shemesh had left. I arrived home glassy eyed.

Today I came by train and walked; this afternoon I will be returning early, so it's not  really part of the equation. I have to decide whether I prefer the comfort and regularity of the train accompanied by a long walk, or saving the long walk but suffering crowded buses and irregular times.

I think that I prefer the train. Other people might well decide otherwise, as the walk is somewhat daunting.

[SO: 3302; 2, 12, 30]