London to Hampton Court Palace

Deborah: Waterloo is both large and crowded, but it is a light-filled (for England) and pleasant station with all the facilities one could need. Simply follow the signs from the Underground into the mainline station, then look for the large departure/arrival boards, just as you would in an airport. Find your track number, then follow the signs to the appropriate track. If you get confused--unlikely--simply ask at one of the information desks indicated by a large question mark. You won't have any trouble. Relax and enjoy the experience of a great train station.

Thanks for the encouragement.

And don't worry about getting off at the wrong station. The train ends at Hampton Court (village? station?) and everyone gets off and walks across the bridge over the Thames, and there it is. So just take it until it stops.

The Waterloo station (and most other London stations that I recall) has a big departure board at the end of the platforms where you enter the station- absolutely cant miss it. Look up your station (eg Hampton Cpourt) and it will tell you what platform it leaves from. no problem at all. Youy will then usually have to wait until they opne the gates to let you onto the platform and into th train. Also Tubes have good signing and will lead you to the train station. At the Hampton end- everybody is going to the same place (well almost) so you just follow the rest. Just not complicated at all

How about something that doesn't require using the Tube? Get any one of many trains from Victoria which stops at Clapham Junction (you will want the bunch of platforms with the higher number, over to the right) and change for Hampton Court there. Clapham Junction is a many platformed, overcrowded in rush hour, no escalators, no elevators, old wooden station - however excellent place to change between trains from Waterloo and Victoria. It only has one corridor between platforms so once you know the number you can't get lost. By the way, you speak about Waterloo being a large and busy station - and you're not kidding - but all London mainline stations are. Victoria is much the same. I forget how many platforms (tracks) Waterloo has but my memory is that Victoria is something like 34. All the mainline stations are up to the Plimsol Line in shops and take-away food stands of all shapes and sizes, too. If you miss your Krispy Creme you can get a fix there, too.

Deborah,
On an encouraging note, I have found the signage here in the UK to be so much easier than what I am used to in the US. I have been traveling a bunch from Kent to London to Cornwall, and have been really impressed at how easy it is to use the train system, the tube system and even the motorways (although am still a little shaky on shifting with my left hand!). Don't be intimidated! They make it pretty easy here.

If you are going to HCP and like "living history" , check the schedule for when the Tudor cooks are there. You will not be able to taste their cooking (health and safety regs) but they are great to watch.