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First Train Ride Help?

Travel Info
Hey,
I've never been on a train before, and on Sunday (24th June) I'd like to go and see my friend who lives 4 hours away in Devon. I have to make one change half way through the journey.. but I have no idea what to do. How will I know what train to get on and where it stops? Because I doubt the station here will have Devon on it as it stops at other places. Shall I buy the ticket on the day? When I go home will I just have to find the train and not go to the ticket office or anything?
Your help would be much appreciated before Thursday so I can tell her if I can go or not.
Thankyou. :)
xxxx

Travel Tips

Hello. I'll try to explain the whole process from start to finish.

You should buy your ticket on the day. You should go to the ticket office and tell them where you want to get to. You will need to know the name of the actual station, 'Devon' is too vague. Tell them you want a 'return ticket' and tell them the time and day you will be coming back.

Ask the person who sells you the ticket which train you need to get, which platform it leaves from, and where you need to change. They will be able to tell you all of this. They will say something like "you need to get the Kings Cross train from platform 3 and change at Stevenage". Which basically means the first train you need to get is going all the way to Kings Cross, but you should get off at Stevenage and get on another train there.

Then go to the right platform, there will be a screen on the platform listing all the places that the next train is going to. The next train on that platform might not be your train. Using the example above, the screen should say 'Kings Cross' at the top of it and Stevenage should be on the list of places it stops at.

All the time you are at the station you should listen to the announcements and look at the information screens. Sometimes there will be a platform change and the train you need will go to a different platform to the one you were expecting, but if this happens they will announce it.

When you get to the place you have to change (eg. Stevenage) you should find the ticket office or a member of staff on the platform. Tell them where you are trying to get to and they will tell you which train to get again.

When you come back your ticket will cover that journey as well. The place you have to change at might not be the same place so you should still ask about which train to get.