Getting train tickets after prebuying them in advance from USA

When you buy the train tickets online in advance they are sent to you digitally by e-mail.

A QR code is on the e-mailed ticket and you just use your phone to scan that at the train station gate before boarding or show it on your phone screen to the train conductor.

Paper tickets are no longer necessary, although you can print them out at home so you will have a paper copy as a backup in case your phone malfunctions at the train station.

Have fun in England!

We had to pick up paper tickets this summer from a manned station for a trip we’d booked online. It worked just fine to show an agent in a London train station the email with a number and they printed out our compete tickets for a journey 3 weeks in the future. It was the only set of tickets that had this requirement. We were traveling on a Greater Anglia train, the Elizabeth Line and then onward on Great Western Railway train.

You can choose to have physical tickets and pick them all up from any train station but not a tube station. Or you can opt to receive them digitally and store them on a phone.

For Hampton Court you can just use contactless payment like tube rides - no need for any sort of ticket.

Yes,
But you should be able to get them all as digital tickets if you want. Unless you are like me and just prefer paper tickets.
You may want paper tickets to Hampton Court as you have a railcard, for two for one or for other reasons. But tapping Oyster or your card etc is cheaper. No pressure, just duty bound to mention it.
You can also tap for Charing Cross to Sevenoaks but in that case a day return is the same price as a ticket.

Also as well as Hampton Court there is a Hampton station and a Hampton Wick station, both close by!!

Yes, I am old school and prefer paper tickets. I have seen phone issues before and then you have a problem.
So paper for me.
Thanks so very much to all!

Oops - I see your post above mine. Ignore the below if you wish. But, there is an option that allows you to print paper tickets at home and carry the tickets on your phone. At least you might consider what I have written the below.

If you are comfortable using apps and Wallet tickets, I have very successfully used the LNER website or app to order tickets from the US - multiple trips and train tickets in the last 6 months. I've purchased LNER tickets and tickets for several other carriers - LNER has been the best website I've used for purchases. Tickets come in an email download and are in your account on the app. I have printed off the tickets before leaving the US, but have never needed to show those - I always had reception and could show the Wallet tickets or could have gone back to the email if necessary.

An advantage of having an app with account set up is that when in England, you can easily purchase additional tickets if necessary (emergencies, change of plans, etc). I had to do this a couple times, literally standing on a platform. No manned ticket kiosk, I suppose I could have used the machine, but a familiar app was easier.

We had one of our trains over an hour delayed and a second train canceled last month - we got refunds very easily from two different carriers. Having all the ticket info stored in "My Account" was quite helpful for pulling the required info on the journeys.

I have also successfully used the Southeastern App. I couldn't get Southwestern to work either in the US or the UK.

As stated above, you can print them out at home. I also like to have a paper copy and just print the tickets out from home once they are emailed to me.

When you buy the train tickets online in advance they are sent to you digitally by e-mail.

Not always. When I bought tickets from Great Western earlier this year, I could not get their app to work from the U.S. The only option their website gave me was to collect the ticket from a machine at a train station. I haven’t had that issue when purchasing from other train operators.

In the UK, any train operator sells tickets for all train operating companies. Find one app that works whose layout you like and stick with that.

Lin, I've only been on one train in the UK, so maybe things work differently. In those parts of Europe where I have traveled by train, nothing like Kenko describes scanning something at gates.

I've purchased a ticket from the train company and loaded it on the train company app on my phone. Then, presented the app to the conductor when he comes by to check tickets. BUT, I am like you, so I have a paper copy in my day bag. So far, when purchasing online, all of the companies have either emailed a pdf copy or allowed you to download a pdf copy for printing.

Some UK train stations have ticket barriers, others do not. If there is a barrier, you can scan the QR code. Conductors also come through the train checking tickets/QR codes - or, occasionally, do not come through checking tickets.

@ Kenko, above, was incorrect, and everyone else has jumped on the same bandwagon, trying to be as high tech as they can.

The OP has clearly stated a wish to have paper tickets.

@Lin- It is an OPTION, not a necessity, for you to have the tickets sent by e-mail with QR codes then printing at home, showing on your phone stuff.
The other option, which you and I both seem to prefer, is to have a collection code sent to you. You then collect physical tickets from the machine with that code.
Tickets which do not have a QR code on them. If you wanted to you could even write those codes down on a piece of paper. You don't even have to have your phone with you at the time of collection.
You never need to be using a train company app and wallet tickets if you don't want to. You can buy them from your desktop using their website.
And any other tickets you want buy from machines or clerks as paper tickets on the spot.

None of these journeys have seat assignments, and none have better fares by pre- purchasing (other than tap and go). So you don't even have to pre purchase at home, even on your desktop. You could just wait and buy in the UK from a machine or a real live clerk.
You can even pre purchase (or Advance date) at a machine or from a Clerk.
So buy on Monday for travel on Thursday for instance.

ORDtraveler, isn32c: I live and learn. Thank you both.

You can retrieve them from any station that has a ticket machine. You insert the card that was used to make the payment, enter the code that was sent to you and the tickets pop out below. Make sure you wait for them all to be printed, you seem to get more tickets than you expect,

Thanks for the replies from each of you! A great help.
Ticket to Hampton Court done and have code to pick up at the station! Yeah!

Now an issue that I am unclear about with the Sevenoaks tickets.
When the Oct date became available, I see it does not leave from Charing Cross on this day, Ok. No problem. Will use Victoria Station instead. But I want to leave the station at 8:3? which is not in off peak hours. I want to return after 4 which is not in the off peak hours.
When I go to price it out, it gives a price for "off peak hours", which neither are. So since it is offered in the pricing, can I choose that or do I have to go to the "Anytime" pricing, which is also on offer.

Thanking you in advance for your help!!!!

I'm assuming, if there is a diversion, that this is on a Saturday or Sunday.

If so then all trains are off peak, so although the Anytime fare is offered it is essentially redundant. It's a difference in ticketing systems. Where I live you wouldn't be offered such a pointless fare online or on the machines. But our machines and website are light years ahead of the ones in London.

In spite of what is written here not all websites/apps are equal.

If this is a weekday then you do need the anytime fare.

I know you want paper tickets, and I'm fine with that, but for the benefit of others, if travelling in the peak (not the off peak) the cheapest option would be Oyster/contactless Zones 1 to 6 cap of £16.30 to Orpington (tap out) then £7.60 anytime return Orpington to Sevenoaks=£23.90.
Or because the afternoon peak is directional out of London only, Oyster/contactless as above= £8.50 + £5.20= £13.70 + £7.60

This compares to a £30.60 peak return London to Sevenoaks on paper tickets or £23.70 of Peak Single out, Off Peak Single back on paper tickets.

Isn31..thanks so much!!!
So if I am understanding correctly????????
Yes, this is for Saturday travel…so just buy the off peak ticket as offered….no need to buy the anytime ticket ticket that is offered???????
Off peak then only applies to the Monday through Friday work week.
Peace of mind is worth the extra money.
Thanks again so very much!

Correct, off peak is all you need on a Saturday.

The Anytime ticket is so named because it is valid on that route all day from start of operations until after midnight when everything winds down.

It is the most expensive ticket available and you can buy it until moments before you board the train. It is designed to be bought when nothing better is available.

Off-Peak means not at what we call the peak, you might call it the rush hour. When the trains are full of commuters who have to pay full price they don't want leisure travellers fighting for the same price. Commuters use the trains Monday to Friday so reduced tickets are not valid in the morning peak and often not in the evening peak, and depending on the flow of commuters.

So Off Peak are valid on the weekends and bank holidays all day. No reason at all to pay more than you must, and therefore no reason to buy an Anytime for weekend or bank holiday travel, nor for mid day or evenings.

"Advance" are what they say, and on some routes are available, and will likely be the cheapest but with the greatest restrictions ...

your question includes

Waterloo to Hampton

It appears that you want Hampton Court, which is just across the Thames from the entrance to Hampton Court Palace.

The town of Hampton has its own station and is considerably further from the entrance to Hampton Court Palace, 2 miles, but closer to a couple of attractions on the river such as Tagg's Island and some yacht clubs.

Do you actually mean Hampton or Hampton Court?

Hampton is also served from Waterloo so be sure not to get on the wrong train.

Yes, Hampton Court is what I wanted and what I purchased. Thanks for the warning.
I have now purchased all my tickets but I have noticed an icon on the Cambridge tickets.
The icon is a clock face with the hand in the clock and it has lines to the left from the top of the clock.
Hard to describe and I cannot draw it here.
I hope I have not made an error in this purchase as this is the only ticket that is non refundable.
Any thoughts?
Thank you!!!!

I'm not sure what the icon is.
I wonder if you have booked on one of the upcoming Sundays when Thameslink are running out of Kings Cross (not St Pancras) and the fastest route is a change from Thameslink to the slower Great Northern at Hitchin.

If you have it isn't a problem as such, but I think I would want to have avoided such a change, even if it took a few minutes longer.

I have not seen that icon previously. I expect that it is to remind you that the ticket is only valid on the particular service purchased.

What type of ticket is it - Anytime, Advance, Off Peak, Super Off Peak?

With which route? London Kings Cross - Cambridge, London Liverpool Street - Cambridge, London St Pancras - Cambridge? Does the ticket indicate any route restriction (usually on the bottom line, "VIA XYZ")?

I was curious about the clock face as were others. Here is what AI says:

The clock icon on a UK train ticket, often seen on paper tickets, indicates Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak restrictions. These icons signify that the ticket is valid for travel outside of peak hours, as defined by the train operating company. To understand the exact implications for your ticket, you'll need to check the specific terms and conditions of your ticket, which can usually be found on the National Rail website or the train company's website.

Good day to all,

I went to the national rail uk website and entered my date and such. Then it sent me to the Thameslink website. It is from Kings Cross to Cambridge. Then when I decided on a time and such and printed it, it was on the Great Northern Train line. So I went directly to Great Northern train website and the icon shows there also. I checked Mon and Tuesday, 6 and 7 October, and that icon is on multiple trains.
Check out 8:18, 8:48, 9:12, 9:42, 10:12, 10:21, 11:12, etc. on 6 October. At that point I stopped looking and recording.

I am guessing, but on trying to find an answer, it seems to me that it MAY have something to do with trains that are scheduled at certain minutes past each hour and maybe this is a deviation of that. The particular time I wanted was almost sold out so I went with the purchase. I hope I haven't messed up. As I said earlier, of the 3 tickets I purchased, this is the only one that is not reimbursable.

In planning an itinerary, it all hinges on getting to the location at a particular time so the rest of the day can be planned. So I hope I do not encounter any obstacles. I have scheduled plans that begin an hour after arrival so I need this to work. It is not just a day of wandering Cambridge so I am hoping for the best.

Again, many thanks to all of you for your advice and wisdom in helping me to navigate train service in England! The best to each of you!

Lin,

I can't replicate this working on tablet. I suspect it means train overtaken by a faster one.
In trying to problem solve I've just seen something interesting that you can book a Greater Anglia advance ticket from Kings Cross, connecting via the Victoria line at Tottenham Hale.
I think you have booked a Thameslink train from St Pancras, not a Great Northern from Kings Cross.
To allow us to be definitive can you tell us date of travel, time of departure and time of arrival.
If you don't want the world to know your travel plans feel free to DM me.

Personally, because I'm lazy, I'd have added a Cambridge plus bus ticket on to my train ticket for £4.50- all buses in the city that day. The station is a step or two out of the city centre, so I might want to catch a bus round the corner. You can't do that now, so it's unimportant.

I was able to replicate a result with the described icon (a clock face in blue, with four horizontal lines extending from the left side of the clock, in different lengths with the longest on top and getting shorter on each subsequent line).

Searching on Thameslink and on Great Northern (since their sales platforms use the same interface), it appears on the 8:42 departure on Oct 6 from Kings Cross to Cambridge on Great Northern, and I interpret it to mean that this is the fastest train on this service out of the departures currently displayed. It only appears once in every time window, and always on the trip with the shortest duration, the lines to the left of the clock in the icon serving as ‘speed lines’ for lack of another way to describe them.

Edit: and as further support, when I look up this same train on LNER’s platform, it’s tagged as ‘fastest’ train.

I'm late to this question. The icon, pink on the Thameslink app which I use, simply indicates a flyer. The times listed above are all flyers, the fastest possible journey, either 48 or 50 minutes, and nonstop. The icon represents a flying clock, like it is in a hurry.

One piece of advice on that route (which is from Kings Cross) is if you get a take away coffee from the Pret (other brands are available) get started drinking it before the train leaves Kings Cross. The first 20 or so miles are bumpy and I have before now worn more coffee than I drank - twice. And I used to ride trains for 8 hours a day so I know how to drink a cup of coffee!

Thanks to all for your input.
I sent a question re this to national rail and their response was what the last two posts have indicated. The duration of the journey.
So I am reassured that the tickets I have purchased should be a safe time frame for us.
Again, much appreciation for everyone's input and assistance.