help me! i've never caught the train before and am getting really anxious about it

[queenrollo]

i'm going to London for a weekend in March.....and i have to catch the train for the first time in my life.
I feel so incredibly stupid about this, but i have avoided doing things like this for years because it terrifies me.
I'm scared i'll get on the wrong train, i'm scared i'll miss my stop. I'm scared that when i get to London i won't know where to go....

the rational part of me tells me this is a stupid thing to be afraid of, but i need some reassurance that catching a train is easy. This weekend away is very important to me........

And, reading your OP again, you can't miss the stop as King's Cross is the end of the line. And the other advantage of that is that this will be the destination flagged on your train as well.

queenrollo it will be really easy then, couldn't be more straightforward. and has great romantic potential for alighting glamourously into his arms.

'alighting glamourously into his arms'

oh i do hope so!! i'm such a clumsy sod i'll probably trip up!

At Kings Cross you can get right up to the trains. The station isn't too big either.

The train line you'll be on goes quite near where we live .

Good luck! I don;t know your story but I get the impression you have some sort of phobia or mobility issue, so well done for overcoming it. Train travel is fun. You can get up and have a wee when you want to, there's usually a bar on board if it's a long journey, and everything looks kind of interesting out of a train window (unlike incredibly boring motorway journeys where there is nothing to look at but grassy banks and other cars).

no mobility issue Madamez........i've just always stuck with the familiar. I've had a fear (since an incident at school) of doing things wrong and being laughed at, and it's affected my self confidence for years. I have this stupid fear that if i get on the wrong train then something terrible will happen, and i've avoided lots of opportunities over the years because of that fear of looking stupid.

I was in a long term relationship where i let my man do everything for me. I split up with him last year and have decided i need to embrace life, try new things and get over this irrational fear of making mistakes.

Oh, this is lovely! Queenrollo, me and DH first got together when he was living in London and I was living in Glasgow - I'd catch the train to King's Cross a lot, and it is super-romantic! (He was late first time I arrived, mind!). I have fond memories of that station, and we're together 9 years later and very happy. I hope you have a really lovely time. Good for you for taking this step.

ps queenrollo - for all i have said about trains, i have a real fear of the motorway and can only just about bear for someone else to be driving me on it (i could never do it!) whilst on betablockers too! it is sometimes limiting and frustrating - good on you for confronting your fear and going anyway, i hope you have a wonderful time and it is the start of a wonderful new type of life for you

QueenRollo - good on you for embracing life. Getting on the wrong train will only delay you for a while. You will be fine. Have an "emergency plan" so you know what to do if things go wrong. Although I've every confidence in you getting it right. I've only got on the wrong train when I've been daydreaming. You will be concentrating.

Good luck and have a lovely time.

YAY Queenrollo for embracing life!!!!

BTW Hypnotherapy is fab for confidence/phobia type stuff

i say that alot

queenrollo, it will be great and you will have a marvellous time!

(funnypeculiar - no, but it is the plural of terminus )

Kbear - how fantastic - did that really happen? Feel inspired to write a screenplay ....

Queenrollo - sorry have skipped through thread so apologise if already been said - but once you are on the train, take a deep breath, smile and ask someone "sorry, this IS the train to xyz isn't it"? Good way to verify you are heading in right direction. Hope you have a great trip and congrats on taking bull by the horns ....!

Queenrollo - I have to rely on public transport and find it much less stressful than driving.
Plan your journey, chat to other passengers and the train staff - NEVER be afraid to ask, they're used to people coming to London from all over the world with barely two words of English to rub together

What are you doing when you get to London?

You'll be fine, don't worry.

Janni.....when i get to London, we have plans for the evenings (Friday and Saturday) we're going to see bands both nights, not sure where the friday night but saturday we're off to Brixton. Daytimes i'm not sure, erm.....we may spend a lot of time enjoying the hotel

So you've got London covered - it's just the actual journey there?

i wouldn't dream of going to London on my own, my man did live there for a long time and knows his way round very well, so i'll feel comfortable when i'm with him.
I've missed out on so much stuff over the years because i've been too afraid to use public transport, and i don't want to miss out on fun times ever again.

Oh this is exciting! Queenrollo, you must come back and let us all know how you got on. Well done you for just going for it, and I hope you have a lovely time.

well done queenrollo - I was you ten years ago. Its easy to not learn stuff in a difficult relationship. One thing I would add is once you are with your man try and do the underground for yourself (he'll be there, you cant go wrong). It used to be a huge fear for me - looks scary doesn't it? Its not at all - its logical and easy, but the only way you will realise that is to try and buy the tickets yourself and try and get on the right trains. your bloke will tell you if you get it wrong but you wont quite quickly. Have fun! I got a new me the first time I took the very same plunge you are about to take :D worlds your oyster.

Good luck, sounds like most people have covered all the basics, would just say that you can print off a tube map from transport for London for part of your contingency plan if you want, although there will be loads of people you can ask at the station.
Well done for tackling your fears and hope it goes well,
xx

Please don't panic and worry,you'll be fine. Just allow plenty of time and don't be afraid to ask for diections/is this the right train etc ! I remember catching a train at Lille with just me and my 6 yr old ds and being in a complete pickle about whether it was the right train..but I had checked the platform and time and everything and it was fine. You'll find that the train guard announces everything loads of times once you're on your way...relax and enjoy the journey - trains are great fun !

queenrollo... you've had loads of good advice about the train, which I won't repeat, but just wanted to say that your story has really touched me. Good luck and have a wonderful time. I have assorted phobias myself, and managing to get past them and cope with something that scares me is such an empowering feeling.

When you arrive at Kings Cross, why not walk round the corner to the newly refurbished St Pancras International and have a glass of champagne at the longest champagne bar in Europe (or something ... the longest in somewhere anyway). That's if you can wait to get to the hotel !

Go for it!

Ah brings back memories of me waiting for DH (then quite a new boyfriend) on Kings Cross station on a Friday evening being slightly tipsy having gone to the pub straight from work.

bozza - is King's Cross just incredibly romantic to you now? I still have fond memories...

tell him your carriage no. then he can wait directly outside it when you stop.

on your ticket it will have carriage and seat no.,make sure you get on correct entrance then you wont have to fight your way thru.e.g left side seat nos 1 to 30, right side nos 30 to 60.they sometimes mark which carriages stop where on the platform.

dont be scared of kicking anyone out of your seat if you have reserved it.

i always take snacks etc so i dont have to go to buffet, they usually have a trolley going thru anyway.

you will be fine!