Start with an ordinary week
Write down the journeys each applicant repeats: workplace, parents or caregivers, school, medical appointments, and regular evening or weekend commitments. A location can be close to the CBD and still be inconvenient for your actual week.
Use straight-line distance only as a first screen
Where To BTO uses straight-line distance to workplace hubs. It does not calculate travel time. Rail alignment, interchange walking, bus frequency, road congestion, and the route from the block to the station can all change the real journey.
Check the first and last kilometre
Look beyond the nearest station name. Check how you reach it, whether the walking route is sheltered, whether a feeder bus is needed, and how far the destination is from the station at the other end.
Count transfers, not just stops
A journey with one reliable transfer may be easier than a shorter route with several tight connections. Trace the complete trip in a current journey planner and note where a missed connection adds a long wait.
Test the time you will actually travel
Compare weekday peak conditions if that is when you commute. If work hours change, check the early morning or late evening service pattern too. A weekend test ride can understate weekday crowding and delays.
Compare both applicants separately
Do not average two very different journeys into one number. Keep each commute visible, decide whose travel is less flexible, and make the trade-off explicit before ranking locations.