I don’t drive so it has more to do with the quality and reliability of transit going to a place than how many traveling minutes it is. Taking a train cross region feels faster than taking a bus cross town even if they take the same time because the train is more frequent, much more reliable, and generally has a lower mental barrier and therefore lower perceived distance.
Transfers also add significant perceived distance even if they don’t add much actual travel time, because it’s more annoying than just sitting or standing there. The timing of your next bus is also another thing that can go wrong and significantly delay your trip. I often find myself choosing physically longer routes that have fewer transfers.
Generally, if I’m near the train system, everywhere on the current line is “close” because it’s a one seat ride away on the highest quality transit mode. If not, I’d say 10 stops in either direction on the bus lines that directly serve the street I’m on is similarly “close.” Relatively, I consider one train stop to have the same “closeness” as two or three bus stops regardless of distance, but only because I would just walk if it was one or two bus stops away.
Also, because I’m walking for my last mile transport, everything feels significantly closer when the weather is favourable. Rain adds some distance but I live in Vancouver so I’ve mostly stopped caring. If it snows though, everything outside my house isn’t “close” anymore because of the gauntlet of death Vancouver streets turn into when snow or ice is involved.
I don’t drive so it has more to do with the quality and reliability of transit going to a place than how many traveling minutes it is. Taking a train cross region feels faster than taking a bus cross town even if they take the same time because the train is more frequent, much more reliable, and generally has a lower mental barrier and therefore lower perceived distance.
Transfers also add significant perceived distance even if they don’t add much actual travel time, because it’s more annoying than just sitting or standing there. The timing of your next bus is also another thing that can go wrong and significantly delay your trip. I often find myself choosing physically longer routes that have fewer transfers.
Generally, if I’m near the train system, everywhere on the current line is “close” because it’s a one seat ride away on the highest quality transit mode. If not, I’d say 10 stops in either direction on the bus lines that directly serve the street I’m on is similarly “close.” Relatively, I consider one train stop to have the same “closeness” as two or three bus stops regardless of distance, but only because I would just walk if it was one or two bus stops away.
Also, because I’m walking for my last mile transport, everything feels significantly closer when the weather is favourable. Rain adds some distance but I live in Vancouver so I’ve mostly stopped caring. If it snows though, everything outside my house isn’t “close” anymore because of the gauntlet of death Vancouver streets turn into when snow or ice is involved.