Can someone tell me how trains in the UK work as soon I will be going on a train for the first time?

[kmo0416]

1. If I buy a ticket, do I just go to the train station, go to the relevant platform, and then just walk on? Or, do I have to verify my ticket with the train driver first like you have to do with bus drivers on buses; or is there some sort of booth? Or, can you literally just walk onto any train but then the ticket inspector is the one who later verifies your ticket?
2. Do trains make frequent stops across the journey like buses do even when it's not your place to get off? Or, do trains go direct to where they state on your ticket without stopping?

Usually you’ll need to scan your ticket through a barrier to get to the platforms, your ticket will be then checked on the train.

Most, if not all trains will have stops, just depends on your journey.

You just buy your ticket. There might be barriers before the platform where you put your ticket through

1. Buy a ticket, use it to get through the barriers to the platform. Get on the train. Someone may check your ticket at some point in the journey.
2. They stop at multiple places.

You might need to feed your ticket through the gate it pops out the other side don't panic, go.tp.the platform get on the train a conductor may or may not ask to see your ticket, then you get off at your stop feed your ticket through the gate again, and that's you.

I guess it differs some trains might be direct others you will get stops.

I find it easier going to the train station and buying the ticket off the machine. You slide it through the barrier and get it back, then once on the train the conductor usually comes round to look at it, so make sure you don’t bin it

yes, trains usually make frequent stops. The notice board with your train platform on will say all the places it stops

if you can’t find your platform there are lots of workers there that will be happy to show you.

Where are you travelling to and from? The exact details vary a bit depending on what line you're travelling on and what part of the country. You can either buy a paper ticket or an eticket you have on your phone. The barriers are set up for both and so are the ticket inspectors/train managers.

I don't like buying online tickets either I buy them at the station.

If you are worried about the train stopping multiple times before you need to get off, you can find the exact train and where is stops online, so you can have a list of the stations you will stop at - and most importantly, know which is the last one before your stop!

When you buy your ticket you should also book your seat. So its a bit like a plane ticket- you will be in coach G seat 21, for example.
Most stations have a ticket barrier which checks your ticket. You then just get on the train and find your seat. A conductor will probably come round during the journey and check your ticket so keep it handy.
You can look up the route of your train and find out where it will be stopping en route. A board at the station will also tell you this.
If you are getting on where the train starts you will have 10-15 minutes to find the platform and get on the train. If you are boarding en route then you will be told the platform and you simply wait for the train to arrive.
take a drink and a snack with you as you can’t be guaranteed that there will be any refreshments available on the train.

You can look on a timetable online (Trainline website/app is best) to see where the train stops en route to your stop. It would be unusual for it not to stop anywhere else, unless it's a very short journey!

In a biggish station there will be barriers to go through, where you scan your ticket. In a smal station there may not be. You may or may not get your ticket checked on the train.

Be careful which ticket you buy. The cheaper ones are likely to be for specific trains / lines (for instance, both Thameslink & Southern trains go to Brighton & some tickets will be Thameslink only) or only able to be used at certain times.

If there are no barriers at the station, you just get on the train. The staff will usually walk through the train to check tickets.

The train will stop automatically at all scheduled stops. There are also usually digital information board throughout the train, giving details of approaching stops, plus occasional announcements from the train Manager.

If you download trainline app, you can also keep up to date with train locations, and check the train is on time before you leave home, etc.

Good luck, have fun

1 Barriers where you have to scan or show your ticket are dependant on the station.

So for instance when I get on the train at my local, rural train station I just get on the train. There is no one at the station to check it. But someone will come along on the train and I can either show my ticket or buy one if I haven't already.

But if I get off at my nearest city station, there will be barriers where I will need to show or scan my ticket to get out of the station.

2 yes, trains will stop at various stations along the route. You can keep an eye on the route with all the stops and there will usually be a verbal announcement and/or a visual announcement on a screen in each carriage.

Some train journeys are very short. I live in London and there are lots of commuter services taking people in and out of the city, mostly for work. For journeys like that nobody books a seat.

For longer journeys, it's sometimes possible to book a seat but not by any means always. If you can book, there will be some sort of indicator above the seat showing that it's reserved. The coach and seat numbers will be on your ticket.

When you buy your ticket you should also book your seat. So its a bit like a plane ticket- you will be in coach G seat 21, for example.

That very much depends on how far you’re going though. Shorter journeys won’t have an option to book seats.

Of you ate happy to share the specific journey you are making, someone could probably give you the advice for that journey. There's a lot of variation depending on when, where, train line etc

Most trains have multiple stops yours might be first. They usually have announcements in English of the next stop and some have electronic boards showing the next stop.

small stations you just get on the train.
big stations usually have automatic barriers you put your ticket in or scan your QR code.

there can be a ticket inspector on the train who will ask to see your ticket (on phone or paper is fine)

What is your journey?

You can check the stops between your starting point and your destination here:
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

You can buy a ticket in advance here on the Trainline:
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

But the best selection of tickets is on the website of each of the train operating companies.

Are you in the UK? (although an adult who has never travelled by train in the UK is probably a unicorn!)

If not, there are special deals you can get - I think they're called a BritRail ticket, which allows you unlimited travel over a certain number of days. YOu have to purchase outside the UK - ask your travel agent.

If you book each journey, you should probably avoid peak hours - before 9:30am. After this time, you can usually buy cheaper tickets.

Most train tickets are cheaper if you do an advance purchase. The "walk up" fare is generally the most expensive. But an "Advance Purchase" ticket has restrictions: you MUST travel on that specific train, date & time.

If you buy a ticket before you travel - up to 24 hours before you travel - you can often reserve a seat.

If you choose to sit in the Quiet Zoe, do not use your mobile phone, use headphones for listening to whatever, and don't have loud conversations.

Some train operating companies are better than others - if you can outline your journey, we can probably advise you on the best route and train company.

Also - the train network in the UK is run by a number of different companies, often covering the same routes. Sometimes your ticket will specify that it can only be used on trains by a certain company, so check carefully. You can get tickets for all trains, but they might be a bit more expensive.

Go on this website
www.thetrainline.com
You can put in your starting station and your destination and the date and time you want to travel and it will tell you what train and where it stops. All your questions are difficult to answer without knowing your journey. Generally:

• fast trains will have longer journeys distance wise with fewer stops connecting larger places faster. So covering lots of physical distance quickly but not serving many places because they stop less.
• slower trains will have shorter distances and stop more frequently, serving smaller places in between.

For example - Leeds and York are 30 miles apart. If I wanted to travel now I could get a train that started in Leeds and got to York in 30 mins without stopping. I could also get a train that took 1 hour 42 minutes stopping at 6 little places on route. Obviously if I wanted to go from and/or to one of the little stations, I would have to get the slow train.

Tickets - larger stations usually have ticket machines where you can buy tickets. Or you can get them through the trainline, or another phone app. You either have a physical ticket or a ticket on your phone. In larger stations you will have to pop your ticket through the machine or scan you phone to get through barriers to get on or off the platform. Smaller stations won't have ticket machines, so you will either have to buy on your phone, or on the train if a guard comes round. There won't likely be barriers at these stations, but your ticket might be checked on the train by a person, so don't risk not buying a ticket because you could be fined.

Dying to know how old you are and how come you've never been on a train before. To be fair, my niece has never been on a train, but she's two and a half.

In London eg St Pancras they close the gates to the platforms 2 minutes before the train leaves so don't cut it too fine. They won't let you through even though you can see the train hasn't left.

If the train is delayed en route by more than15 mins you will be able to have a partial refund. You can buy an annual card eg Senior for over 65s ( but lots of others ) which will give you a sizeable reduction. Always check prices of tickets carefully as there is a considerable price range depending on the popularity of the train.

Usually you will have a ticket for a specific train, check you are on eg the 11.20 not the 11.35! If you get on the wrong one they will make you buy another ticket. Otherwise you may buy an open ticket which means you have flexibility .

If your booked train is cancelled or is late, they will probably allow you to get on an earlier or later one. Also as long as the trains are on the same ticket you can get on any later train if the first one is late/cancelled.

If your train company is having problems eg strikes, they will usually have an arrangement with other train companies so that you can transfer to their trains. This might mean that you have to take a slightly different route so London to Sheffield via Doncaster (Hull trains instead of East Midlands Rail ones direct. )

Check coach times and prices. They may be considerably cheaper!

Me too @McCartneyOnTheHeath

Maybe it's one of the younger Windsor-Battenbergs. Charles Windsor has just sold his train.

It's probably easier if you just tell us where you're travelling from and to, and then posters can give specific info.

Some stations will have barriers, some won't. Some stations don't have ticket offices so you'll need to buy online or from the machine. Some journeys you can just pay direct at the barrier with your card /phone. Some journeys will allow you to book a seat, some won't. You'll get a lot of conflicting info if you don't give a bit more detail.