Etickets problem LNER

[bazink]

Hello, I am a 66-year-old single male and am travelling first class to Newcastle from Kings Cross via LNER at 10:30 a.m. on 4th June. It's actually a return ticket. LNER sent me two Etickets via my Yahoo email account.

I did this via my desktop. I have a mobile but have only used it for text validation of things that I order online via my desktop. I have never used it outside, as I prefer landline and email, so I would probably be very flaky with it - my thumbs are not very nifty on the little thing, either. I am new to eTickets, as I only usually travel around the London borough of Croydon using my Freedom Pass. I last travelled to Newcastle in 2019, so I guess a lot has changed since then.

You are meant to print the tickets off before travelling. I should have done it earlier, but I had a bad cold that zapped my energy. Tonight I came to print them off. I haven't used my printer for months, but it's a good one. However, when I tried to use it, I saw that at some point I had stood on the USB end of the printer lead, and it won't fit into the port (hub). Meanwhile, I have emailed a 40-year-old neighbour to ask if she is able to print them off for me. She's out at the moment though.

I will also research my printer leader and see if I can pick up a new one locally tomorrow. At the station gates, presumably you show the barcode to the scanner to get in.

If I do manage to print my etickets, will they be all I need, or will I still need something from my mobile?

In the meantime, does anybody have any advice for me?

 

[mangyiscute]

Having a printed copy of your e-tickets is all that is required, alternatively, they can be shown on a device but as long as you have a copy of the barcode then you are fine.

I imagine if you go to a Currys or somewhere like that with the model of your printer, they can probably sell you a replacement cable (although they charge way too much for cables like this)
Perhaps a local library or something similar could provide printing services so you could print off the tickets for like 10p each or something like that?

Finally, I'll add that most ticket booking sites still have the option to collect your tickets at the station using a ticket machine there, by using the payment card you used to pay and an 8 digit code that is emailed to you, so for future journeys this could be better.

Looking on the LNER website, they have a small bit of text underneath the e ticket option saying "don't have a printer or smartphone" which when clicked on offers the option of collection the tickets at the station, so if you book through LNER in the future, look out for this.

 

[bazink]

Thanks, M. Yes, I can put the tickets on my little Sandisk Cruzer blade USB flash drive.

 

[ac6000cw]

At the station gates, presumably you show the barcode to the scanner to get in.

Correct, on a smartphone or tablet screen or on a printed copy.

Re. buying a replacement printer cable in a shop - take the old one with you so you can check that the connectors on the new one match it. As you live in an urban area, you shouldn't have much of a problem finding somewhere to buy one from, including places like supermarkets, mobile phone accessory shops and DIY stores.

 

[bazink]

Thanks for the additional hints, ac600cw. Re. printer cable, I'll wait till after my holiday to look at that, but good advice from you. Thanks.

Well, my neighbour got my etickets printed off for me.

I'm surprised that there is no direct train from East Croydon to Kings X now. I have to get the Tube from Victoria.

If I remember correctly, I can walk easily from St. Pancras to Kings X, so I'll get the direct train from East Croydon to St. Pancras.

Ages since I was in central London. I avoid it like the plague. "So many people but it has no soul."

 

[ac6000cw]

I'm surprised that there is no direct train from East Croydon to Kings X now. I have to get the Tube from Victoria.

If I remember correctly, I can walk easily from St. Pancras to Kings X, so I'll get the direct train from East Croydon to St. Pancras.

Below ground level (i.e. the LU and Thameslink platforms), Kings Cross and St. Pancras are essentially a merged station now - just follow the signs to Kings Cross mainline station when you get off the train from East Croydon. Above ground, the west side entrance/exit of Kings Cross faces the east side entrance/exit of St. Pancras, so it's a very short walk across the road between the two.

Your East Croydon to St. Pancras train will stop at 'St Pancras International' in the below-ground platforms used by Thameslink trains.

 

[Haywain]

Below ground level (i.e. the LU and Thameslink platforms), Kings Cross and St. Pancras are essentially a merged station now -

That isn't really the case with the Thameslink station, which has no shared entrance with the underground lines.

 

[Taunton]

Rymans office supplies shop have a facility where you can email the document(s) to their email address (different one for every shop) and they print them off for you.

 

[ac6000cw]

That isn't really the case with the Thameslink station, which has no shared entrance with the underground lines.

So is there no below-ground pedestrian connection between the Thameslink and LU stations? (I can't remember if I've ever transferred between the two, as usually I'm transferring between the KGX mainline platforms and either LU or TL).

 

[Haywain]

So is there no below-ground pedestrian connection between the Thameslink and LU stations? (I can't remember if I've ever transferred between the two, as usually I'm transferring between the KGX mainline platforms and either LU or TL).

No, none at all. You exit the Thameslink platforms to the main St Pancras concourse.

 

[ac6000cw]

No, none at all. You exit the Thameslink platforms to the main St Pancras concourse.

You learn something new every day - thanks!

So for the OP, I guess the quickest route is up from the TL platforms into St. Pancras concourse then walk across the road into Kings Cross mainline?

 

[bazink]

Thanks, all, for you advice and info.

 

[zero]

So is there no below-ground pedestrian connection between the Thameslink and LU stations? (I can't remember if I've ever transferred between the two, as usually I'm transferring between the KGX mainline platforms and either LU or TL).

It's not fully below ground, but you don't have to go outdoors to get from TL to LU. From the TL platforms you come up to ground level and can then either walk towards the Southeastern (HS1) platforms side of STP or through the entire concourse (past the Eurostar check-in area) to get to the LU entrances