Is this crazy: Commuting from Austin to College Station?

[triwing]

Originally Posted by HappyTexan

Closest big city to College Station is Houston (70 miles away).

To Tomball maybe, but areas where most people would like in Houston are going to be a little farther.

[kiacook]

Houston is more like Atlanta than Austin is - more of a big city, more humid, more sprawl. If you're looking for Atlanta in Texas, Houston is it.

[littlewmn]

We are considering this commute as well. Either you are not quite as crazy as you thought or we *both* are out of our minds.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by IncrediblyHungry

This is true. But note that very, very few people commute from Austin to CS. Also, 45 minutes is a gross understatement unless your destination is on the very outskirts of both Austin and CS. Add in lost time, gas costs, and vehicle wear (daily commute would be about 25,000 miles / year), and you've got a pretty expensive location.

If you read my post - I was comparing 90 minutes to CS to 45 minutes of hell on I35 in Austin. Drive on rural highways for 90 minutes or ride your brakes for 45.

[triwing]

Originally Posted by kiacook

Houston is more like Atlanta than Austin is - more of a big city, more humid, more sprawl. If you're looking for Atlanta in Texas, Houston is it.

Personally, I think Dallas is more like Atlanta.

[Persnipity]

I drive fast and it's always about 1 hr 40 minutes to Austin. However, driving that distance 2 days a week wouldn't be that bad plus Austin is worth it. I lived there first and now I live in College Station. BIG DIFFERENCE. I'd take Austin over CS any day.

[baseballmomto4]

Currently live in CS and driven the trip to Austin many times. Not bad if only going 2 days a week. If you're moving from Atlanta, you're right that Austin (or even Houston) is MUCH more active, alive, and so on. Lots of people here take day or weekend trips there for that very reason. B-CS is a college town with very little for adults unless you are a parent going to all your kids' activities. Amenities are a few nice restaurants and the fact that you can drive to anywhere (Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio) without a long trip. Beyond that, nada. I'd say the travel from Austin to B/CS is much easier than commuting to and from Houston. Jobs are low paid in B-CS unless you graduated from A&M, so it's not a great place for work, thus the lower cost of living. Moving up isn't really on the horizon b/c there's nowhere to go. It's not a bad place for a very short period (1-2 yr. max). Beyond that, bigger cities are going to have a lot more for you.

[suranumi]

Originally Posted by dewfur30

My husband and I are considering a move to Texas for a job opportunity at Texas A&M. I'm a bit nervous about the town based on some of the research I've been doing. We are both "city people" and my sense is that although B/CS is a great college community, it may not offer the amenities of a larger sized city.

Here's my dilemma. I would love to be closer to Austin, and my husband is willing to commute (he would only be going in 2 days a week). We would be looking for areas that are in between Austin and College Station that would have a great neighborhood feel but wouldn't have too much traffic for his commuting days. I would also like for it to be close enough that we could get to Austin for social things during the week. I may be taking a job in Austin based on the opportunities.

So...if this is the craziest thing you've ever heard of, please say so. We are in the brainstorming stages and we're just weighing our options. Thanks in advance!

Because of graduate school I have to live in College Station and my husband lives in Austin. I am normally free after Wednesday evening. If there is someone that goes back and forth often would love to have a ride share . Will share the gas expenses. My email is: suranumi@gmail.com