Help me plan my first ever train journey! Overcoming my phobia

[trainophobe]

Cheekily hoping someone might give me a handhold. I've been trainphobic all my life, ahem, decades... And now I think I'm about ready to give it a go - but - I don't know how to. Can someone tell me how to do it? Do I buy my ticket at the station on the day or is that ruinously expensive? How do I find out when the trains are running? Will my ticket let me use any timed train between my two towns? I want to get from central London to St Albans on Saturday.

How exciting! If you get an open return it's expensive but you have a lot of flexibility. Unless you buy online a good while ahead I think buying a ticket at the station is about the same cost. If you buy online you usually pick up the tickets in a machine at the station with your bank card and reference number.

The trainline.com says £8.80 each way. Does that sound about right? Thanks for pointing out I need to collect the tickets from a machine, I didn't know

I love the train! It's my favourite way to travel.

This close it will probably be the same price buying online as buying at the station, but for future reference the further in advance you book the cheaper it is. I've got first class tickets for £15 return for a 90 minute journey by booking 3 months in advance.

You can get different types of tickets - off peak, advance, open etc. The cheaper ones are usually for specific off peak trains. If you get an open then you can get any train on that day.

You can find out times on the train websites, National Rail or similar.

That is quite a straightforward journey. You go from St Pancras to St Albans on the Thameslink trains. The platforms are underground at the back of the station as are the ticket machines/offices.
For that journey you can buy on the day.
The National Rail website tells you train times. Some trains on this route are fast (about 20 mins); others stop at various places and take about 35mins. The website will tell you which are fast. It will also have live departure boards for the station so you can see if trains are on time/delayed.
Have a look at it tonight so you can plan.
There are usually quite a few station staff at St Pancras so they can help you.

Good on you. This is something you can break into small chunks to make it manageable.

I would buy a ticket in advance - if you download the trainline app, you can buy your ticket and it will be on your phone ready to use.
When you get to the station (think it's either Kings X or St Pancras for the St Albans train) you'll see a massive departure board with all the trains on it. Look out for your train, and it will tell you which platform to go to.

From there, you will probably have to go through a barrier. The ticket on your phone will have a barcode on it which you'll need to bip on the barrier to get through. There are always staff on hand to help out, so don't worry.

Follow the signs for your platform and your train will be there. There will be screens on the platform showing the train's route if you want to double check.

If your ticket has a seat reservation it will tell you which carriage it's in (will be a letter). Find that carriage and then your seat number, and you're off. If you don't have a seat reservation, just look at the little displays above the seats which will tell you if they're reserved or free. You can sit in any free seat.

Once the train is moving, all the stations will be announced. Just before you get to St A, it's worth getting yourself ready (coat on etc), but you'll have time to get yourself off when it stops. You may have to bip out at the barrier in St A the same as on the way there.

Going on your first journey out of London is good because it's busy, so there are lots of staff, and also because you leave from a terminus so you don't have the uncertainty of waiting on a platform for a train and then wondering if it's the right one.

Hope that makes sense? Good luck. You can do it.

I went recently and I think a return was less than a tenner. You don't need to buy tickets for a shorter journey in advance. The ticket office staff will give you the best option if you don't want to use the machines.

Would you like to take a fast train, or would you prefer to take a slower train that takes longer but stops at more stations?

Thank you for all the advice so far. I'd be happy with a fast train but I'm probably limited by the times I need to be at my destination. I need to arrive by 9.30am & leave to come home again at 7pm. One thing I can't work out is what is the ultimate destination of the train & what are the stops inbetween? Because when you look at those boards St Albans will probably be somewhere in a list of stops, that's where it gets confusing.

The trains go from Platform B which makes it easier. The final destination is usually Bedford or Luton.

If you are getting the train at st pancreas it is quite easy as all the trains from the platform would stop in st Albans. The end station is normally Bedford (for a fast train) or Luton (for a slow train), but this is not always the case.

Fast trains do st p. , West Hampstead, st Albans at weekends typically. Slow trains have a number of more stops.

If you're coming back the same day it will cost 13.35 for an super off peak return. If you go to the train line site type in departing st Pancras scroll down to find the times of the trains and the cost. Just follow,the links till you get to pay now, you'll have the option of collecting your ticket from any station, it gives you a reference number which write down or read from your phone. At the station type in the reference, you'll also need the credit card you paid with, it will give out your ticket, there and return. You can travel on off peak tickets at weekends, they are cheaper than singles.

At the train station, there will be ‘destination’ boards listing all the stops the trains stop at. Check what train station is before St Albans (Radlett?) so you are ready to get off.

St Albans train station isn’t in the town centre and probably takes about ten minutes to walk. It’s a lovely city.

Just found my ticket receipt from a few weeks ago and it cost me £8.90 for a day return on a Saturday (bought on the day at the station).
The trains on this route have lots of info available with screens and announcements on board so you will have notice before train gets to ST Albans

I don't know where you get 13.35 from? I got £17.60 the first time I did it & only £8.90 the second time. and it says it's a 50 minute journey with one change?

oops, meant to add the pic

The change is because you have Kings Cross as the station not St Pancras. Honestly it is just as easy to buy the ticket on the day-she staff can help.

I think it's because it leaves from St Pancras. There are no changes from there to St Albans. I'd just buy on the day from one of the machines in the station, it's just as easy and will be about the same price!

You need st Pancras not kings cross, that’s why

Ooops, thank you all. I feel reasonably confident now!

Teeny, that's really cheap, what site is it please. Trainophobe, you'll be fine, have a great trip.

It’s the National Rail journey planner app, I can’t see how you can actually click through to buy tickets though!

Thanks, i went to the train line site, will take a look.

I have nothing useful to add, not being familiar with this train line, but I am loving this thread. Amazing to see so many people being so helpful with all the minutiae of catching a train. Nobody snarking or dishing out grips.

Well done for facing up to your fear, OP. I really hope you manage to enjoy your journey.

(Hope I don’t come across as a patronising twit. I genuinely mean it when I say the above).

I LOVE Mumsnet at times like these.

X-post, ThoughtforFood!