How to "collect" a train ticket.

You collect the ticket from the ticket machines at the station (any National Rail station), using the credit card you used for purchase, together with the confirmation number. It is easy. The screen prompts will tell you what to do.

Do not board the train without the actual ticket. The conductor's machine will not recognize the confirmation code as a ticket.

If I understand your question, you can collect the ticket at anytime prior to departure. So collect it at V Station. The collection number is NOT a ticket and the conductor will just fine you for not having a valid ticket. You should be able to print the ticket at home.

Also, be sure to grab all of the tickets the machine will print out, so be patient. They are a series of orange and greyish tickets, be sure to grab all of them from the drop box area at the bottom of the machine. The conductor will walk around and make a mark on the tickets during the trip.

Thank you for your responses. I should have "Googled" the question before I posted it. I did find the answers on Google.

I'm glad that you posted the question. Google has many answers, but sometimes I can't be sure that they're accurate. At least here on the RS forum, I can know that people answering the question probably know the answer from first hand experience.

Traveling by train is always a challenge for me since we have few options for public transportation in my little part of the US. When we go abroad, we love to take public transportation, but each place is a little different as far as ticket validation, ticket collection, etc. So it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who wants to make sure that I have the correct info about what to do in a specific country, town, etc.

Hope you have a great trip!!

" You should be able to print the ticket at home."

Some of the UK train tickets can be printed at home, but some cannot. If you have any trouble using the machine to pick up the ticket (I did), you can also pick it up at a ticket window. Whether at the machine or the window, you need to have the credit card used for purchase as well as the collection number (I just showed it on my phone).

I think it was a very good question as I'm sure others have the same question:). I recently bought one set of tickets through GWR - got the confirmation email with the code for ticket collection. I also bought a set of tickets from Southeastern, but never did get the confirmation email. Luckily, I did print the receipt page which has the confirmation code:)